Respected arts and culture executive Michael Lynch has been appointed as Acting Sector Head for Media at Saudi Arabia ’s burgeoning Neom mega-city and audiovisual and tourism hub, in the wake of accusations of racism and inappropriate workplace behavior against other top execs on the project. “Michael Lynch has assumed the role of Acting Sector Head for Media, in addition to his existing responsibilities as the Sector Head of Entertainment and Culture,” read a Neom statement. Lynch was previously CEO of Sydney Opera House, Chief Executive of London’s South Bank Centre and CEO of the Hong Kong West Kowloon Cultural District Authority.
The announcement comes just days after Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Neom project was rocked by an in-depth report published in the Wall Street Journal, levelling accusations of racism, misogyny, and inappropriate workplace behavior against several senior executives in charge of the mega-city’s construction and development. The WSJ article reported on accusations against multiple execs but gave significant space to allegations tabled against Wayne Borg , Managing Director of Neom Media Industries. The publication said that it had heard multiple audio recordings that featured Borg — a former Fox and Universal exec — making discriminatory and racist comments.
The report sent ripples through the international film and TV industry. Borg, who has been with Neom since its launch in 2019, has been a figurehead and chief advocate for the media.