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Renowned arts executive Michael Lynch has been named acting sector head for media at Neom, Saudi Arabia’s megacity project, replacing Wayne Borg.
The appointment follows allegations that Borg, Neom’s managing director of media industries, had made racist and misogynistic comments and engaged in inappropriate workplace behaviour, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal on September 11.
Lynch previously held chief executive roles at Sydney Opera House, London’s Southbank Centre and Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District Authority before joining Neom in late 2023 as sector head of entertainment and culture – a position he will continue to hold.
Asked if Borg was still employed by the organisation and if Neom was actively seeking a permanent replacement, a spokesperson said: ”We will not be providing any further comment or statement on this matter”.
However, the executive has been removed from the leadership page on its website and the Neom spokesperson told Screen it has a “zero-tolerance approach to discrimination and harassment in all forms”.
Lynch will take on the media role with immediate effect, in addition to his existing responsibilities as Neom’s sector head of entertainment and culture, a role he assumed at Neom in late 2023.
Borg, a former Fox and Universal executive, had led Neom’s media ambitions since September 2019.
“At Neom, we take allegations of this nature very seriously,” said a statement issued to Screen. “We are committed to upholding our Code of Conduct, which sets clear standards for the actions and behaviours of every employee. We do not tolerate breaches of our Code of Conduct and have adopted a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination and harassment in all forms.
“We are dedicated to continuing to build a strong and positive culture and an inclusive, respectful, and ethical workplace for all. The very serious allegations that have appeared in the press regarding Neom Senior Executives do not reflect the behaviour of our 5,000 employees. The safety and welfare of our workforce are our top priorities, and our Worker Welfare team has strong policies to ensure everyone is treated with dignity, care, and respect.
“Neom has a strong governance framework, supported by a strict Code of Conduct and multiple channels, including our anonymous SpeakUp portal, where employees can raise concerns. Every concern is handled with the utmost scrutiny and integrity, and we take appropriate actions to address any misconduct.”
Over the past three years, Neom has drawn 38 local and international productions to its studios and facilities ranging from Rupert Wyatt’s $150m epic Desert Warrior, starring Anthony Mackie, to Rajkumar Hirani’s Bollywood blockbuster Dunki, starring Shah Rukh Khan, as well as Rise Of The Witches, the region’s biggest-ever TV drama series.
Part of the $500bn megacity under construction in northwest Saudi Arabia, Neom is looking to attract more major productions as part of its growth plans and is set to host the filming of historical drama Antara from Con Air director Simon West, thriller Riverman by Terry George, an as-yet undisclosed Bollywood feature and several local productions including a 200-episode series entitled Piano.
For now, it will be overseen by Lynch, an Australian with a long career in the arts and culture. He was general manager of the Sydney Theatre Company from 1989-94 and general manager of the Australia Council, the federal government’s arts funding and advisory body, from 1994-98 before being appointed chief executive of Sydney Opera House from 1998 to 2002.
He relocated to the UK to take up the chief executive position at London’s Southbank Centre, where he undertook significant organisational change and developed a new artistic policy and cultural programme from 2002 to 2009.
Lynch returned to Australia in June 2009 after being appointed a director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, stepping down from the board of the broadcaster after two years. He was also on the board of Film Victoria.
In July 2011, Lynch was named CEO of Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, established to develop the city as an international arts and cultural metropolis and remained in the position until early 2015. He resurfaced in 2022 to join the board of Opera Australia, stepping down a year later to join Neom.
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