Linda Duncombe, a longtime banking executive who became an independent film producer, died on Sunday at 55. Variety reported that the cause was complications from a stroke, and that she had been diagnosed with Stage 2 lung cancer only days earlier. The Hollywood Reporter, which said the SAG-AFTRA Foundation announced her death on Monday, described the stroke as the reported cause.
A banker at the center of the entertainment business
Duncombe was born on Feb. 10, 1971. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she graduated from Western Sydney University and Harvard Business School and spent more than 35 years in banking. Variety said her career began at Citibank in 2010, where she rose to managing director, head of growth and chief marketing officer, before becoming a founding member of the company's subsidiary, Citi Fintech.
She joined City National Bank in early 2019. Variety said she served as its chief marketing officer for five years and helped direct more than $12 million in investments tied to groups including Habitat for Humanity, Broadway Cares, SAG-AFTRA and the Grammy Museum. The Hollywood Reporter gave her title as chief marketing, data and digital officer, a fuller description of the same post.
In that role she built business, sponsorship and community relationships with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, the Recording Academy, the Motion Picture Television Fund and the Tribeca Film Festival. Both outlets reported that during the pandemic she led the bank's push to deliver more than $1.8 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans to the entertainment industry.
Boards, honors and a second act in film
Duncombe joined the SAG-AFTRA Foundation's board in 2022. Courtney B. Vance, the board's president and chair, said in a statement that she brought experience, influence and relationships, and shared them generously. She also joined the board of EnCorps in 2025, the nonprofit founded by Sherry Lansing that connects STEM professionals with under-resourced public school students. Variety added that she sat on the boards of the Grammy Museum and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, and that she was named to its Most Powerful Women in Hollywood list and received the Order of Australia Medal.
In her last two years she worked as a producer. Variety credits her with two films, the family adventure The Queen's Jewels and the suspense thriller Killing Time, and said she was closely involved in every stage, from financing to publicity. The Hollywood Reporter also lists a third title, Best Pancakes in the County. Her last public appearance, Variety said, was the Motion Picture & Television Fund's Evening Before the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 13.
Remembered by friends
Variety's Ramin Setoodeh, a close friend, called her a source of light who adored the film business. Producing partner Josh Friedman, whom she called her little brother, told the outlet: "She was a unicorn in this life for a lot of people." Bob Beitcher, president and CEO of the Motion Picture & Television Fund, called her irreplaceable as a friend and adviser.
Variety said she is survived by her mother, Doreen Thompson, and by nieces and nephews Shannen, Damien and Jarred.
Variety reports that The Queen's Jewels and Killing Time are planning global releases in 2027, which would put her work as a producer in front of audiences after her death.
Reporting sources: Variety, “Linda Duncombe, Beloved Banking Executive and Movie Producer, Dies at 55” · The Hollywood Reporter, “Linda Duncombe, Banking Executive and Film Producer, Dies at 55”.