Former Nine boss finds home on global stage

Former Nine Entertainment CEO Mike Sneesby has popped up in the Middle East, taking on his first role since departing the Australian media giant last year.

Mike Sneesby will be the new chief executive of MBC Group – the largest broadcaster and streamer in the Middle East.

After he stepped down as the chief executive of Nine Entertainment, Mike Sneesby searched internationally for his next challenge.

It was revealed on Tuesday that Mr Sneesby will be the new chief executive of MBC Group – the largest broadcaster and streamer in the Middle East. Currently at MBC head office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Mr Sneesby officially takes over on May 1 when current CEO Sam Barnett departs.

In addition to owning the region’s number one streaming platform Shahid, MBC broadcasts 13 free-to-air TV channels and three radio channels.

“MBC leads the way in media across the region and we will continue our growth with increasing global impact,” Mr Sneesby said in a statement. “We will deliver on this through innovation, creativity, digital transformation and our continued commitment to the production of world-leading content with fresh and compelling storytelling.”

Last September Mr Sneesby resigned from Nine Entertainment after a tumultuous few months.

Just weeks after he departed, an independent investigation into workplace culture at Nine reported “a systemic issue with abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment”.

In a note to staff as he left, Mr Sneesby said: “This year has been one of the most challenging in my career – one where our resilience has been tested. Despite the intensity of the scrutiny, my focus has not wavered from achieving the best outcomes for our people and for Nine.”

He insisted his departure was in no way related to the external investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and bullying in the company’s TV division.

Earlier in 2024 leadership at Nine came under intense scrutiny after The Australian revealed former TV news boss Darren Wick left the company after a female staffer lodged a formal complaint against him.

Another unsettling event at the media company last year was when the Nine chairman Peter Costello, who oversaw the appointment of Mr Sneesby, resigned after a physical confrontation with The Australian’s journalist Liam Mendes at Canberra Airport.

Weeks later Nine Entertainment’s publishing division was in disarray after staff voted to walk off the job following a breakdown in negotiations over pay and job security. The strike action coincided with Nine’s coverage of the Paris Olympics. Mr Sneesby returned home from the Games on the day journalists accepted an improved pay deal of 11.5 per cent over three years following a nationwide five day strike.

Matt Stanton took over as acting chief executive when Mr Sneesby stepped down, and was confirmed as the permanent replacement last month.