West Kowloon Cultural District Authority CEO Michael Lynch will step down in August for personal reasons, South China Morning Post reports. Lynch, who was formerly head of the Sydney Opera House and London’s Southbank Centre joined the authority in 2011, succeeding Graham Sheffield, former artistic director of London’s Barbican who left after just five months in post. He renewed his contract last July and had been expected to stay until the middle of next year, but cited that the health of his wife and his age (64) had been factors in his decision. The arts hub includes M+ museum for visual culture, headed by Lars Nittve, which is due to open in 2017.
Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, who chairs the board of the Authority is to create and chair a committee to recruit a new CEO. Lynch, who has confirmed that local knowledge, connections with the arts community and an understanding of the complex politics in the city and the mainland will be key to the next CEO’s success, will leave the post on 3 August.
11 February 2015
