Eleven new members, including eight women executives, were elected to serve on WAN-IFRA’s Supervisory Board of Directors at its General Assembly of Members on 29 June 2023. During the same meeting, Fernando de Yarza was re-elected President of WAN-IFRA. Meeting during the 74th World News Media Congress in Taipei, the Board of the World Association of News Publishers issued five press freedom resolutions highlighting issues of major concern.
The election of the new WAN-IFRA Board members took place at the Annual World News Media Congress in Taipei where over 900 news media executives, editors and journalists from nearly sixty countries met to get a grip on where the global industry is headed and how news publishers are responding to fresh challenges.
Eleven new Board Members were elected during WAN-IFRA’s annual meeting on 29 June. For the second year running, WAN-IFRA members elect a majority of women leaders to its governing body. The changes in its Board of Directors signal WAN-IFRA’s ongoing commitment to deliver on its strategic plan for Diversity and Inclusion initiated in 2017. It ensures that WAN-IFRA has the additional skill sets and experience to support future developments in different parts of the world. Incoming Board members include:
Sammi Bourke, Head of Operations Irish Farmers Journal - Ireland.
Xenia Daum, Managing Director Kleine Zeitung - Austria.
Ladina Heimgartner, Head Global Media & CEO Blick Group Ringier AG - Switzerland.
Marte Ingul, Executive Vice President Community and Government Relations Amedia - Norway.
Bérénice Lajouanie, Directrice Générale du Pôle les Echos et Thématiques Les Echos - France.
Mariam Mammen Mathew, CEO Manorama Online Malayala Manorama Company Ltd - India.
Shiro Nakamura, President and CEO Asahi Shimbun - Japan.
Joanna Norris, Chief Content Officer Stuff - New Zealand.
Gavin O'Reilly, Executive Chairman The New European.
Martha Ramos, Chief Editorial Officer Organizacion Editorial Mexicana - Mexico.
Andrew Saunders, CEO and President The Globe and Mail - Canada.
“As the global representative body of the News Publishing branch, WAN-IFRA has to set an example. I am delighted that our efforts are bearing fruit. With almost 40% female Board members in 2023, we are pushing ahead with a more inclusive policy, which I see is being adopted more and more by our members worldwide. We are on the road to parity, but there is still work to be done, and we will persist in this direction. Before the end of the year, we will be presenting the Board with an update on our strategic roadmap for diversity and inclusion.” said Vincent Peyrègne, CEO WAN-IFRA.
At the same meeting, 33 Directors were re-elected to serve a renewed term, and Fernando de Yarza was re-elected President of WAN-IFRA for a one-year term. Also in Taipei, Johanna Lahti, Editor-in-Chief of Ilta-Sanomat, Finland, has been formally elected to the World Editors Board.
The WAN-IFRA Board and management team extend their deepest gratitude to eight Directors retiring from the Board for their distinguished service over the past few years:
Eugene Abov, Vice President SPPI GIPP - Russian Federation.
Phillip Crawley, CEO And Publisher The Globe and Mail - Canada.
Hans Heinrich Dr. Coninx, Board Member Schweizer Medien Coninx.ch - Switzerland.
Warren Fernandez, CEO Asia Pacific Edelman Inc - Singapore.
Sophie Gourmelen, Managing Director & Publishing Director Le Parisien - France.
Markus Mair, Chairman of the Board Styria Media Group AG - Austria.
Masahiro Maruyama, Chairman and Executive Officer The Mainichi Newspapers - Japan.
Pal Nedregotten, Director of Technology NRK - Norway.
Pratap Pawar, Sakal Media Private Ltd., India.
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