Hugh Forrest, the leader of South By Southwest (SXSW) for a long time, has been fired as president of the organization in the midst of what seems to be a significant restructuring.
“Leaving South By Southwest was definitely not my decision,” said Forrest, whose possession at SXSW covered 35 years, in a statement reported for the first time in Austin Chronicle. Its departure occurs only one week after SXSW 2025 event and is part of a broader personnel reduction that, according to reports, includes at least 10 other members of high -level personnel, including leadership in music and comedy divisions.
James Minor, Vice President and Chief of Music, will depart in September, although his departure is part of a previously planned succession strategy not related to current restructuring.
The shaking reaches a critical situation for SXSW. The organization recently announced a more consolidated seven -day format by 2026. This year’s edition that ended approximately six weeks ago tok place about nine days.
The changes also coincide with the closure of its main place, the Austin Convention Center, which has begun a four -year renewal project that lasted until 2029. This massive interruption to the traditional SXSW Wille Operational model forzan the Festival its programming frets Venste Ithouste within the next editions.
In 2024, Sxsw faced protests on having the US Army. Super sponsor. The protests, related to the Israel-Ahamas War, finally led to the withdrawal of more than 80 artists and sponsors. In response, SXSW did not allow the US Army. UU. Neither any company linked to the manufacture of weapons sponsored its 2025 edition.
This is not the first time that SXSW will fire employees. At the beginning of the Covid pandemic, he fired about 50 employees, a third of his staff at that time. The company said it did to survive after the late cancellation of the event in March 2020.
Less than a year ago, in June 2024, SXSW fired 23 employees. At that time, Forrest highlighted new plans to position SXSW as a “three -stop tour for global professionals”, referring to the events of Sydney and London. Hey also said that the company was “preparing new efforts to position the business as a destination throughout the year.”
Despite this additional dismissal, now impacting Forrest, the company shows no signs of reducing its global expansion. SXSW Sydney is on its way to having its third edition in October. The new SXSW London is scheduled to launch in June.
Penske Media Corporation, the company that has a 50% participation in SXSW, did not respond to a request for comments.
