The Center East’s MBC Group has employed former 9 Community boss Mike Sneesby as CEO, with long-serving incumbent Sam Barnett stepping down.
A notice posted as we speak introduced the information, with Sneesby becoming a member of on Might 1. He exited his put up as 9 CEO after a harmful 12 months after a report into the Australian community’s work tradition revealed allegations of sexual harassment in opposition to former information chief Darren Wick.
MBC’s board had accepted Barnett’s resignation, saying it “extends its honest thanks and appreciation… for his efforts and achievements throughout his tenure and needs him continued success in his future endeavors.
Barnett had joined the Saudi Arabia-based MBC in 2002 and rose to CEO by 2011. He led on offers with the Hollywood studios and led the push into high-end authentic manufacturing by means of MBC Studios. Barnett additionally oversaw the launch of streamer Shahid, and through a 12 months out launched a Rwandan manufacturing firm, Zacu Leisure, which he offered to Canal+.
The broadcaster has a robust maintain over the native market and launched buzzy reveals similar to Rashash and Rise of the Witches together with characteristic movies. Nonetheless, MBC’s big-budget characteristic epic Desert Warrior was suffering from manufacturing issues, as we documented final 12 months, and remains to be to launch, 4 years after it was introduced.
MBC known as Sneesby an “skilled media govt with deep world expertise.” In addition to main 9 Leisure, he was the founder and CEO of Stan, the 9-backed Aussie streamer, and led e-commerce platform Cudo as Chief Exec.
He “has demonstrated success in making use of world know-how developments to native markets, with a robust concentrate on digital innovation, media progress, and strategic partnerships,” it added. “He has led large-scale industrial, studio, and sports activities rights offers.”
Final 12 months, MBC named Samar Akrouk as Managing Director of MBC Studios following the departure of Christina Wayne, information we first revealed in Might 2024.
