Chief Executive of Sydney’s Forthcoming $915 M. Cultural Institution Steps Down Amid Ongoing Investigations, 10 Weeks Ahead of Its Opening
Lisa Havilah has stepped down as chief executive of Sydney’s Powerhouse Parramatta about 10 weeks before its scheduled opening on November 7, amid ongoing “investigations into governance and procurement,” according to a statement from the office of Australia’s Minister for Arts John Graham. Havilah, appointed in 2018 and serving as CEO of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) from 2019, oversaw the AU$915 million project, described as Sydney’s biggest cultural infrastructure build since the Sydney Opera House opened in 1973 at an estimated AU$102 million. New South Wales government architect Abbie Galvin will serve as interim CEO and former Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron will act as strategic adviser starting September 1, and officials said the opening date is not expected to change. The Department of Creative Industries said the matter involves “multiple lines of inquiry” and that no formal findings have been made.
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This story was covered in Museum Scandals, Censorship Clashes, and a Stolen Jewel