SXSW Co-Founder Roland Swenson Changes Roles

SXSW CEO Roland Swenson in 2017. The festival cofounder moves from his current position to become executive chairman. (Photo by Gary Miller)

More movement at South by Southwest: Two weeks after Claudette Godfrey took over as Film and Television Festival director, Roland Swenson, who cofounded the festival in 1987, is leaving his position as CEO to become Executive Chairman.

As Swenson changes role and responsibilities, there will be two further shifts, as Chief Brand Officer Jann Baskett (who joined SXSW in 2016) and and Chief Programming Officer Hugh Forrest (a 33-year veteran of the company) become Co-Presidents. For the time being, there will be no CEO.

Swenson cofounded SXSW with Louis Jay Meyers, Louis Black, and Austin Chronicle publisher Nick Barbaro. Since the first year, a one-day event, SXSW has become a 10-day celebration of music, film, and technology, launching innumerable careers in the arts. In 2021, P-MRC (a joint venture between MRC Media & Info and Penske Media) became 50% owners of SXSW LLC, ensuring the continued presence of the festival going forward. Aside from continuing planning for the next SXSW (March 10-19, 2023), the festival is also launching its first international expansion, SXSW Sydney, scheduled for October 2023.

“When we started SXSW in 1987 we dreamt big, but I’m not sure we imagined that the event would become the global gathering that it is today,” Swenson said. “I’m so proud to see how the event has grown since the early days and am excited to move to a position that will allow me to focus on the aspects of SXSW that I’m the most passionate about. I’m also pleased to shift the running of the company to Jann and Hugh. I believe their proven leadership will mobilize us as we move into the future.”

Baskett and Forrest will retain their current position as well as taking on day-to-day management responsibilities. Swenson will remain involved with the business, as well as serving on the board of directors. The Executive Leadership team at SXSW now includes Swenson, Baskett, and Forrest along with newly appointed Chief Strategy Officer/General Counsel Carlos Kuri, Chief Partnerships Officer Peter Lewis Co-Founder and Director Nick Barbaro, Chief Culture & People Officer Autumn Amescua, Chief Technology Officer Justin Bankston, Chief Logistics Officer Michele Flores, and Chief Financial Officer Sheri Furley, plus Executive Vice President Darin Klein and Executive Vice President, Operations Support Frank Schaefer.