The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) has re-elected Ladina Heimgartner as President for a second two-year term during its General Assembly held at the 77th World News Media Congress in Marseille. The organization also announced the election of new members to its Supervisory Board and Executive Board, reinforcing its leadership at a time of significant transformation in the global news media industry.
Ladina Heimgartner Secures Second Term as WAN-IFRA President
Ladina Heimgartner, Head Media at Ringier AG and CEO of Ringier Media Switzerland, was re-elected by WAN-IFRA members to continue leading the world’s largest association of news publishers and media organizations.
Her re-election comes as publishers worldwide face growing challenges and opportunities driven by artificial intelligence, digital transformation, audience engagement, and evolving business models.
Alongside Heimgartner, Paul Verwilt, Chief Operating Officer of Mediahuis in Belgium, was re-elected as Treasurer for another two-year mandate.
WAN-IFRA Elects 12 New Supervisory Board Members
The General Assembly also elected twelve new members to the WAN-IFRA Supervisory Board, representing media organizations and publishing associations from across Europe, Africa, and Asia.
The newly elected Supervisory Board members include:
- Yulia Petrossian Boyle (Armenia), Founder and Director of YPB Global
- Coralie Vranklen (Belgium), CEO of Le Soir Division, representing lapresse.be
- Zoran Turković (Croatia), CEO of 24sata Hrvatska, representing HUDI Croatian Association of Digital Publishers
- Petra Fonda (Czech Republic), CEO of BurdaMedia Extra, representing Unie Vydavatelu
- Stine Carsten Kendal (Denmark), CEO of Dagbladet Information, representing Danske Medier
- Marc Feuillée (France), Directeur Général du Groupe Le Figaro, representing Alliance de la Presse d’Information Générale
- Shailesh Gupta (India), Director of Jagran Prakashan Ltd, representing the Indian Newspaper Society
- Deirdre Veldon (Ireland), Group Managing Director of The Irish Times, representing News Media Europe
- Lene Eltvik Vinfeld (Norway), Organisation & Communications Director at TV2 and Vice President of MBL
- Catarina Carvalho (Portugal), Founder and Editor of Mensagem de Lisboa, representing Associação Portuguesa de Imprensa
- Minette Ferreira (South Africa), CEO of the Media24 Media division, representing Consumer Lifestyle and Special Interest Media
- Irene Lanzaco (Spain), Chair of the Committee of Directors of WAN-IFRA Member Associations and Director General of Asociación de Medios de Información
Executive Board Welcomes New Leadership
In addition to the Supervisory Board appointments, WAN-IFRA confirmed the inclusion of Minette Ferreira and Irene Lanzaco as new members of its Executive Board.
The organization also renewed the mandate of Sandy Prieto-Romualdez from the Philippines, ensuring continuity within its executive leadership team.
Media Industry Faces Critical AI Transformation
Commenting on her re-election, WAN-IFRA President Ladina Heimgartner highlighted the importance of strong leadership during a period of rapid technological change.
“We are renewing this board at a pivotal moment – artificial intelligence is reshaping our industry faster than anyone predicted, bringing real challenges to press freedom and journalism, but also extraordinary new possibilities. I am energised to take on a second mandate alongside these leaders, and determined that we navigate this transformation with both boldness and responsibility.”
Her remarks underscore the growing impact of AI on journalism, newsroom operations, content creation, audience engagement, and the future sustainability of news organizations worldwide.
WAN-IFRA Strengthens Global Media Leadership
The newly elected leadership team reflects WAN-IFRA’s commitment to international representation and collaboration across the global media ecosystem. With board members representing diverse regions and publishing sectors, the organization aims to address critical industry issues, including press freedom, digital innovation, revenue diversification, and the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence.
As the media landscape continues to evolve, WAN-IFRA’s leadership will play a crucial role in helping publishers navigate emerging challenges while identifying new opportunities for growth and innovation.
WAN-IFRA, the World Association of News Publishers, is the global organization representing news publishers, media executives, editors, and journalists. The association works to protect press freedom, promote quality journalism, and support sustainable business models for news organizations worldwide.
