Nine’s big dogs – including outgoing CEO Mike Sneesby – gather at Taronga Zoo to discuss elephants in the room
Departing in a chauffeur-driven Audi, Mike Sneesby declined to comment on his resignation after lecturing staff on a ‘values driven’ culture ahead of the release of the report probing the under-siege media company.
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Outgoing Nine boss Mike Sneesby has addressed the company’s senior management and editorial teams at an off-site staff meeting at Taronga Zoo, less than a week after announcing his sudden resignation from the under-siege media organisation.
Mr Sneesby, who will depart Nine at the end of the month, arrived at the Sydney landmark in a chauffeured Audi just after 9am on Wednesday, but declined to answer questions from The Australian on whether his resignation was related to the looming report into the company’s workplace culture.
“Today’s all about our people that are in there,” Mr Sneesby told The Australian upon his departure, motioning towards the zoo’s function centre. “Focusing on the company, focusing on our strategy.”
The “strategy and people forum” – which according to a Nine spokesperson brought together the company’s “top 200 leaders from across all parts of the business” – was planned long before Mr Sneesby announced his departure, but it is likely the last time he will address his senior staff in his capacity as CEO, a role he has held for three-and-a-half years.
Sources inside the meeting said Mr Sneesby, 50, opened the event with a short speech, during which he spoke about the importance of leadership and developing a strong “values driven” company culture. The overall group strategy was also communicated, with the intention that all leaders understand their role in developing a high-performance culture.
He left shortly after.
The annual get-together of Nine’s senior staff was overshadowed this year by nervousness ahead of the October release of the findings of the external report into the troubled culture at the company’s TV network.
The investigation was sparked by the departure of ex-news boss Darren Wick in March, amid accusations that he had engaged in serious misconduct against a female newsroom employee.
Following The Australian’s exclusive report, many other women were emboldened to report their own experiences of being subjected to inappropriate behaviour by Wick, and spoke of the wider toxic culture at Nine, and the failures of management to address the problem.
External consulting firm Intersection was commissioned to conduct the independent investigation, which is understood to be scrutinising predatory behaviour, power and gender imbalances among staff, salaries being used to weaponise employees, and a boozy culture.
When announcing the independent review in late May, Mr Sneesby said it was “critical we face up to any failings”.
Several members of Nine’s 11-person management team attended Wednesday’s event at Taronga Zoo, including chief finance and strategy officer Matt Stanton, who was appointed acting CEO while the company conducts a global search for Mr Sneesby’s successor.
Director of television Michael Healy, chief sales officer Michael Stephenson, 60 Minutes executive producer Kirsty Thomson, news and current affairs boss Fiona Dear, director of morning television Steven Burling, and Corey Worgan, the longtime head of people and culture in Nine’s broadcast division, were among the other senior executives.
Nine’s six board members were invited to join the meeting “for the end of the day”, a Nine spokesperson said.
It’s understood that Nine is actively recruiting for at least two new board members, given the resignation in June of chair Peter Costello and the impending departure of Mr Sneesby.
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