Home / Arts and Entertainment / Golden Globes CEO Fired Amid Lawsuit Claims
Golden Globes CEO Fired Amid Lawsuit Claims
15 Aug
Summary
- Foundation board voted to remove CEO Gregory Goeckner.
- Remaining HFPA members sue over alleged dismantling of organization.
- Goeckner accused of transferring $4 million to Foundation.
Gregory Goeckner has been removed as CEO of the Golden Globe Foundation by a vote of its board members. This decision follows a lawsuit initiated by remaining members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The suit names Goeckner and the Foundation as defendants, alleging a deliberate effort to dismantle the HFPA and seize control of the Golden Globe Awards.
Formerly a counsel and COO for the HFPA, Goeckner played a key role in the Golden Globes' 2022 restructuring. This overhaul occurred after a boycott by Hollywood PR firms due to the HFPA's lack of Black members and ethical concerns. The HFPA's assets were transferred to the for-profit Golden Globe Awards venture, with its charitable arm becoming the new Foundation, appointing Goeckner as its CEO.
Lawsuit filings accuse Goeckner of surreptitiously moving $4 million from HFPA accounts to the Foundation. This alleged transfer was intended to compel the HFPA's dissolution. Seven of the nine current Foundation board members were previously members of the HFPA before the takeover by Penske Media and Eldridge Industries.
