Former Nine boss Mike Sneesby has revealed he is heading to the US for “career talks” after a scandal-filled year at the embattled network.
He resigned as CEO of Nine Entertainment in September following a damning report into the network’s corporate culture, following sexual harassment allegations against former head of news and current affairs Darren Wick.
Sneesby has since enjoyed a much-needed break and quality time with his family, including a road trip with his son to Byron Bay in northern NSW.
He and his wife Ursula mingled with VIP guests as they celebrated Melbourne Cup Day at Royal Randwick on Tuesday, where he talked about his family’s upcoming move to the US.
“I spent some time with my son camping and fishing, which has been my top priority over the past few weeks,” he told the Daily Telegraph.
‘Tomorrow (Wednesday) I’m going to the US and spending a few weeks there talking to people in my network.
“My family will be joining me at the end of November.”
Nine’s management team, including Sneesby, has come under heavy fire for the network’s handling of the allegations against Wick and its slowness to remove him after several complaints. Wick ultimately left the company in March.
Former Nine boss Mike Sneesby (pictured with his wife Ursula) is heading to the US on Wednesday for ‘career talks’. He will be joined by his family in the coming weeks
Sneesby (pictured with Today host Karl Stefanovic at the 2024 Paris Olympics) left the network in September ahead of an investigation into workplace culture
Peter Costello was forced to resign as chairman in June after a journalist claimed he was pushed over at Canberra Airport by the former federal treasurer while questioning him about Sneesby’s response to Wick’s allegations.
Sneesby came under fire in early July after he went on holiday abroad on the same day that hundreds of nine workers were told they would lose their jobs due to cost-cutting measures.
He flew to Greece with his family for a week’s holiday after 200 jobs were cut at the media company.
A Nine insider said the Greek trip was similar to former Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s infamous decision to take his family on holiday to Hawaii during the devastating Black Summer bushfires of 2019-2020.
Nine’s management team, including Mike Sneesby (pictured), has been criticized for their handling of sexual harassment allegations against the former head of news and current affairs.
The investigation into the company’s culture was completed on October 17 and found ‘a systemic problem with abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment’.
The research included interviews with former and current employees, and a company-wide survey.
The results showed that 52 percent of staff had experienced or witnessed abuse of power, 49 percent had experienced bullying, discrimination or harassment, and 24 percent had experienced sexual harassment.
Nine’s annual results, published in September, reported a 31 percent decline in profits and a three percent decline in sales.
Executive bonuses were cut as the company missed the board’s $533 million EBITDA target.