Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan has been suspended for misconduct days before this year's Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
The organization announced the news Thursday in a statement referencing "a formal allegation of misconduct by a senior female member of the Recording Academy team," according to The Associated Press.
The nature of the allegation and the accuser's name have not been disclosed, but the Recording Academy Board of Trustees has enlisted the help of "two independent third-party investigators to conduct independent investigations of the allegations."
Dugan, who has headed the organization for less than six months, has been put on administrative leave effective immediately while Recording Academy Board Chair Harvey Mason Jr. takes over her role temporarily.
"The board determined this action to be necessary in order to restore the confidence of the Recording Academy's membership, repair Recording Academy employee morale, and allow the Recording Academy to focus on its mission of serving all music creators," the statement noted.
"The Recording Academy Board of Trustees is committed to fostering a safe, diverse, and inclusive workplace, music industry, and society."
Dugan became the first female CEO at the Recording Academy when she took over from Neil Portnow following a controversial comment he made about how women need to "step up" when asked why there were so few female winners.
Before taking over the reins of the Recording Academy, Durgan worked with HIV/AIDS organization RED. She also served as president of Disney Publishing Worldwide and worked as EMI/Capitol Records' executive vice president.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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