Michael Lynch to Depart West Kowloon Cultural District Authority in August 2015

Michael Lynch, CEO of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, will resign on 3 August 2015, citing personal reasons including his wife's health and his age of 64. He had renewed his contract in July 2014 and was expected to remain until mid-2016. Lynch, who previously led the Sydney Opera House and London's Southbank Centre, joined the authority in 2011 after succeeding Graham Sheffield, the former artistic director of London's Barbican who left after five months. The authority's board chair, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, will establish and lead a committee to recruit a new CEO, with Lynch emphasizing that local knowledge, arts community connections, and an understanding of Hong Kong and mainland politics are crucial for success. The arts hub includes the M+ museum for visual culture, directed by Lars Nittve and scheduled to open in 2017. This news was reported by the South China Morning Post on 11 February 2015.