Major changes and departures have just hit South by Southwest, as several senior members of the leadership team were forced out of the company as of Friday.
Top of the list is one of the most recognizable names at the festival in Hugh Forrest. SXSW existed before Forrest, but barely. A former editor and journalist (and Chronicle alum), he joined the then two-year-old festival in 1989. He became an integral part of its growth and identity as chief programming officer when it added the Film and Interactive components in 1994, and has been a constant through its growth and evolution over the last three decades. In 2022 he was promoted to co-president alongside Chief Brand Officer Jann Baskett to replace retiring CEO Roland Swenson, and then became sole president in December 2024. In that time, he was also named Austinite of the Year in 2012 by the Austin Chamber of Commerce and received the Key to the City from Mayor Steve Adler in 2023.
In a statement, Forrest said that “leaving South by Southwest was definitely not my decision. I put my heart and soul into this event for more than 35 years, and I was looking forward to leading several more editions. To this end, I will be rooting big time for the Austin team on the go forward. The city, the country, the world needs the positive energy South by Southwest has traditionally provided and needs it now more than ever.”However, Forrest is seemingly only one name on the list. The Chronicle has heard that another 10 or more staff members, including senior leadership at Music and Comedy, as well as staff and management in behind-the-scenes roles, have left the company, either through previously planned departures or unexpectedly.
The losses mark the latest in a series of major changes for SXSW. Originally, the Austin-based company was independently owned by the founders, including Chronicle co-founder and owner Nick Barbaro. However, after facing financial hardship in 2020 when it was canceled due to the pandemic, the owners sold a 50% stake to P-MRC, a joint venture between MRC Media & Info and Penske Media, in 2021. The following years have seen slow regrowth post-pandemic, with the Film component bouncing back strongest. However, the festival laid off 23 employees last June as part of what was called a “new vision” for its future.
Now it’s contending with several years without access to the Austin Convention Center as the building is being demolished and replaced, and in March the festival announced it will be moving from its current nine-day format where the Conference, Film and Music partially overlap to seven days with all events running concurrently.
P-MRC and Penske Media have yet to issue any comment on the departures.
This article appears in April 25 • 2025.