Hugh Forrest
{{short description|American media executive}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Hugh Forrest
| image = Dubai Future Forum 2024 - Hugh Forrest (cropped).jpg
| caption = Forrest at the Dubai Future Forum (2024)
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| nationality = American
| education = Kenyon College (BA)
| occupation = Co-President and Chief Programming Officer of SXSW
}}
File:SXSW-2024-OB7A9586-alih-hugh-forrest.jpg
Hugh Forrest is an American media executive best known for serving as the co-president and chief programming officer of South by Southwest (SXSW), a major annual conglomeration of film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences in Austin, Texas. He joined the SXSW team in 1989 and served until 2025.{{Cite web |last=Gallaga |first=Omar |title='Leaving South by Southwest was definitely not my decision.' Hugh Forrest out at SXSW |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2025/04/26/sxsw-layoffs-hugh-forrest-out-penske-media-south-by-southwest-austin/83304145007/ |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=Austin American-Statesman |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Whittaker |first=Richard |date=April 26, 2025 |title=Huge Changes in SXSW Leadership |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/sxsw/2025-04-26/huge-changes-in-sxsw-leadership/ |access-date=2025-04-28 |newspaper=Austin Chronicle |language=en-US}}
Early life and education
Forrest graduated from Austin High School in 1980 and later earned a degree in English from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.{{Cite web |last=Sun |first=Justin |date=2018-05-03 |title=Once a struggling journalist, alumnus now a SXSW executive |url=https://kenyoncollegian.com/features/2018/05/once-a-struggling-journalist-alumnus-now-a-sxsw-executive/ |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=The Kenyon Collegian |language=en-US}}
Career
Forrest joined SXSW in 1989, where he focused on the event's interactive component.{{cite news |last1=Pulcrano |first1=Dan |title=SXSW: The Festival that Ate Austin & Took a Bite out of Silicon Valley |url=http://www.metroactive.com/features/SXSW-Music-Film-Interactive-Festival-Austin-Texas-New-Technology-Silicon-Valley.html |access-date=November 5, 2019 |publisher=Metro Newspapers |date=March 23, 2016}} Over the years, his role expanded, as he helped SXSW become a globally recognized event.{{Cite web |title=Hugh Forrest SXSW Chief Programming Officer |url=https://theimpossiblenetwork.com/podcast/hugh-forrest-sxsw/ |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=The Impossible Network - Network and Podcast |language=en-US}}
He has served on the National Advisory Board for the Poynter Institute and the Board of Directors for Austin Habitat for Humanity. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for Knowbility, an Austin-based accessibility company.{{Cite web |title=Hugh Forrest - Co-President and Chief Programming Officer, SXSW |url=https://www.pmc.com/leadership/hugh |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=Penske Media Corporation}}
Awards and recognition
Forrest's contributions have been widely recognized. In addition to his local honors, he was awarded Diversity Champion of the Year by the Austin Black Business Journal in 2021.{{Cite web |date=November 21, 2021 |title=2021 Austin Black Business Journal Diversity Champion of the Year – Hugh Forrest |url=https://austinblackbusiness.com/tag/2021-austin-black-business-journal-diversity-champion-of-the-year-hugh-forrest/ |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=Austin Black Business Journal}} In January 2023, Austin Mayor Steve Adler presented Forrest with a Key to the City for his longstanding impact on the community and the success of SXSW.
In 2012, Forrest, along with SXSW Co-founders Roland Swenson, Louis Black, and Nick Barbaro, was named "Austinite of the Year" by the Austin Chamber of Commerce.{{Cite web |title=SXSW Co-President Hugh Forrest On What To Expect At SXSW Sydney This Year |url=https://www.theurbanlist.com/sydney/a-list/sxsw-sydney-hugh-forrest |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=www.theurbanlist.com |language=en}} In 2014, they were collectively honored as Austin Entrepreneurs of the Year by Ernst & Young. Forrest received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Kenyon College in 2018.
External links
- [https://www.sxsw.com/about/team/ SXSW Official Website]
- [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughforrest/ Hugh Forrest on LinkedIn]