Nine Entertainment loses another senior executive with shock exit of Sydney news director Simon Hobbs

The turmoil continues for beleaguered Nine Entertainment with the shock exit of yet another senior executive — Sydney news director Simon Hobbs.

Staff were told of Mr Hobbs’ departure on Wednesday afternoon, The Australian reported.

“Simon Hobbs will be finishing up as … news director with Nine at the end of this week,” news and current affairs director Fiona Dear said in an email, the newspaper said.

“Current deputy news director Margie McLew will assume the responsibilities of news director until a permanent replacement is finalised.

“Simon will be supporting Margie from home to ensure a seamless transition and handover in leadership, before finishing with the business on Friday 15 November.”

Nine’s news division is still reeling from the shockwaves of a damning cultural review by consultants Intersection released last month.

It included harrowing anonymised testimony from past and present staff, many of them women, who spoke of their despair, fear and horror about abhorrent workplace misconduct that has gone unchecked.

Speaking at the TV and publishing company’s annual general meeting last week, chair Catherine West and acting chief executive Matt Stanton renewed pledges to hold wrongdoers to account over the findings.

However, their comments suggested those at the heart of the misconduct were still at the group.

“It is still early days, but there will be change at Nine and individuals will be held to account for behaviour of this nature,” Mr Stanton told investors.

Mr Hobbs had been with Nine for the past 12 years.

“Nine can confirm further leadership changes were communicated to its TV news division today. An internal and external recruitment process is now underway for news directors in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth,” a spokesman said, according to The Australian.

The review by Intersection was commissioned by former chief executive Mike Sneesby in May after criticism of Nine’s handling of historical harassment complaints against TV news and current affairs chief Darren Wick.

He left the company in March and has denied any wrongdoing.