27 May 2011
The Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) today announced the appointment of Mr Michael Lynch as its Chief Executive Officer. Mr Lynch will assume duty in late July 2011.
Mr Lynch will lead and manage the artistic and project development of the West Kowloon Cultural District. He will report to the Board and serve as an ex-officio member.
Announcing the appointment, Mr Henry Tang, Chairman of the Board of WKCDA, said, “I am delighted to have Michael on board. Michael brings in over 35 years of arts administration experience in various arts and cultural aspects. He is a highly-respected professional in his field with extensive international network. He has been passionate about the West Kowloon Cultural District for a long time, and he has a deep understanding and insight on its future development and artistic positioning.”
Mr Lynch said he was thrilled with the new appointment. “I am really looking forward to working closely with the Board, Committees, the WKCDA team and also our stakeholders. The world has set its eyes on the West Kowloon Cultural District, which aspires to bring the best international arts to Hong Kong, and show the best of Hong Kong culture to the world. I am so honoured to be a part of it, and I look forward to assisting in this great enterprise of creating a whole new arts and cultural experience in Hong Kong.”
Mr Lynch is a well-known international arts administrator, having served in the top jobs in Southbank Centre (2002-2009), Sydney Opera House (1998-2002), Australia Council (1994-1998), and Sydney Theatre Company (1989-1994).
Mr Lynch led the major development and refurbishment of the Royal Festival Hall and the Southbank Centre, one of Europe’s largest centres for the arts.
Mr Lynch has extensive international connections in the arts scene which he could bring to WKCDA. He was Chairman of the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres from 1999 to 2002 and has been invited to Asia as guest speaker at various conferences and events.
Born and raised in Australia, Mr Lynch has over 35 years of experience in the arts field and 20 years of senior management experience. His track record and rich knowledge of the international arts scene are well recognized by the international arts community. He was made a Commander of the British Empire in 2008 for his services to the arts and awarded an Order of Australia in 2001 for his services to arts administration. He is currently a director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Film Victoria and the Myer Foundation.
Mr Lynch is married to Chrissy Sharp, Founding Director of the Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas in Melbourne, Australia, and the former General Manager of Sadler’s Wells, London (2004-2009) and of the Sydney Festival (2000-2003). They have three children who all work in the arts and film industries in Australia.
Biography of Mr Michael Lynch
Michael Lynch was the Chief Executive of London’s Southbank Centre from 2002 to 2009. In addition to the transformation of the Royal Festival Hall, he undertook a significant organizational change programme as well as the development of a new artistic policy and cultural programme that re-established Southbank Centre as one of the most important cultural institutions internationally.
Previously, Michael had a long career in arts administration in Australia. He was Chief Executive of the Sydney Opera House from 1998 to 2002. Under his leadership, the team formulated the Strategic Building Plan 2001 which addressed the capital needs of Sydney Opera House over the next 50 years and planned for major improvements to acoustics in the Concert Hall and the Opera Theatre.
Michael was General Manager of the Australia Council, the Australian Federal Government’s arts funding and advisory body, from 1994 to 1998. Prior to that, he was General Manager of the Sydney Theatre Company from 1989 to 1994.
In his earlier working life, Michael ran his own agency Forcast and was an agent for the performing arts and film and television industry. He began his career at the Australia Council for the Arts in 1973 and was a former manager of the Nimrod Theatre in Sydney and Administrator of the Australian National Playwrights Conference.
Michael was awarded an Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List of 2001 for services to arts administration particularly through implementing transparent and effective processes for grants funding and as an advocate for Australian cultural life. In 2008, he was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in the Birthday Honours for his services to the arts.
Michael returned to Australia in June 2009. In March 2009, Michael was appointed a director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for a five-year term. He is also a member of the Board of Film Victoria and the Myer Foundation.
Work History
| 2002 – 2009 | Chief Executive, Southbank Centre |
| 1998 – 2002 | Chief Executive, Sydney Opera House |
| 1994 – 1998 | General Manager, Australia Council |
| 1989 – 1994 | General Manager, Sydney Theatre Company |
| 1981 – 1989 | Managing Director and Partner, Forcast Pty Ltd. |
| 1980 – 1981 | New South Wales Ministry for Education Office of the Minister |
| 1979 | Administrator, Australian National Playwrights Conference, Canberra |
| 1976 – 1978 | Manager, Nimrod Theatre, Sydney |
Other Information
| 2009 | Appointed Director on the Board of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for a five-year term |
| 2008 | Awarded Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the arts |
| 2002 | Awarded Order of Australia (AM) for services to arts administration, particularly through implementing transparent and effective processes for grants funding and as an advocate for Australian cultural life. |
Mr. Henry Tang, Chairman of the Board of WKCDA, today announced the appointment of Mr. Michael Lynch as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of WKCDA.
Mr. Henry Tang, Chairman of the Board of WKCDA, and Mr. Michael Lynch, CEO (Designate) of WKCDA, officiated the WKCDA office opening ceremony together with Board members.
Mr. Michael Lynch, CEO (Designate) of the WKCDA, will assume duty in late July 2011.
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