Digital Media Awards Europe

Catalina Albeanu is a digital editor passionate about developing interdisciplinary editorial projects. She’s currently working on setting up a directory of journalism networks in Europe as part of the European Excellence Exchange in Journalism (E3J) project. Previously she was digital editor at DoR, a non-profit independent media focused on narrative storytelling in Romania, and media reporter and events manager at Journalism.co.uk.

Julia has been an online journalist for 15 years, starting out covering cultural topics and moving on towards the technical and strategic side of journalism. After six years as a feuilleton writer at Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, she changed course and now is the lead coordinator for paid content at Tagesspiegel. In that role, she provides the newsroom with data, the copy writers with topic ideas and the publishing house with the editorial view on strategic changes. She has a strong interest in all things data and has accepted that this love isn’t always mutual. The techniques and challenges of storytelling do rarely leave her mind: In her spare time, she writes novels.

Jeremy is a certified coach and founder of Chrysalis transformations. Until 2022 and the acquisition by Newsquest, Jeremy was editor-in-chief of the regional newspaper group Archant. He joined Archant as content director in March 2020. He has extensive experience in the media industry, having edited four daily newspapers: The Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post, Sheffield Star and Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph. He also worked closely with the editor-in-chief of the national i newspaper before it was bought by DMGT.

Before joining Archant, he was editor-in-chief of JPIMedia. He sat on IPSO’s regulatory funding committee and was chairman of the advisory committee of the Local News Partnership, managed by the BBC and the News Media Association.

John Crowley is an editor, trainer and consultant with 25 years of journalistic experience managing newsrooms and budgets across a variety of titles. After taking on digital and leadership roles for The Daily Telegraph, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek and The Irish Post, he now writes across subjects including technology, business, newsroom management, sustainability, mental health and wellbeing. John has a strong track record in digital innovation and audience insights, reacting to the varied ways people now consume news. In his consultancy role, he advises companies on the ever-changing digital media landscape and how PRs can pitch journalists.

At the end of 2020, he co-published a report into wellbeing entitled ‘Journalism in the Time of Covid’. As a result he was asked to train journalists in the US and UK. John is a trained mental health first aider with MHFA England. He has co-developed a journalism wellbeing programme for Headlines Network with journalist colleague Hannah Storm in late 2021. They have published a suite of mental health resources for journalists in 2022, working with the charity Mind, and have started a new podcast called Behind the Headlines.

Christophe joined the Tamedia group in May 2021 as Editor-in-chief Digital and Editorial development, for the paid titles in French-speaking Switzerland (24 heures, Tribune de Genève, Le Matin dimanche, Femina and Bilan). Holder of a Master 2 in contemporary history and a teaching degree in History and Geography, he started his professional career in 2002 as a History and Geography teacher. Since 2007, he has led a journalistic career in the media, with a focus on digital transformation. First within the Lagardère group as web editor for Le Journal du dimanche and Paris Match (2007-2009), then as head of the digital edition of Europe 1 (2009-2013); then at Radio France, where he was head of the digital department of France Inter (2013-2017); then at Libération, as deputy editorial director, in charge of digital transformation (2017-2021).

Author of the “Manuel de data visualisation” published by Dunod, he accompanies professionals (graphic designers, communicators, journalists…) and students (at Sciences Po, CFJ…) in the development of their data design skills, and creates visualisations for his clients. After studying graphic arts, Jean-Marie worked at Ubisoft, then as head of the computer graphics department of Libération and in various agencies (Idé, Wag…) as an AD. He then created the Studio V2 collective, which he quickly transformed into an agency specialised in data design. In 2020, he sold his shares and became an independent data designer.

Leonardo Pescante is deputy editor in chief, in charge of digital at 24heures.ch, a French-speaking media in Switzerland. After studying mathematics and management at the University of Lausanne, he worked for almost 15 years at Swiss Radio International. He contributed to the transformation of this radio station, broadcasting in nine languages, into an internet platform that became swissinfo.ch. Leonardo also participated in the launch of the national music website Couleur3.ch and the website of the French-speaking Swiss television rts.ch. In 2011, he joined the editorial staff of 24heures, where he accelerated the digital transition with the move to the paid web.

Penny Riordan is the Director of Business Strategy and Partnerships for Local Media Association. She runs the LMA Digital Club, including two web conferences per month where members collaborate with industry peers on important digital revenue, product, audience and content topics. Penny also supports the work of the Oklahoma Media Center and LMA’s new initiative on locals news startups with the Tributary in Jacksonville, FL.

Brian is a Senior Editor at WAN-IFRA and specialises in reporting about reader revenue, advertising and general management topics for our website and reports. He is the editor of WAN-IFRA’s Reader Revenue newsletter and a contributor to our daily Executive News Service newsletter. Before joining WAN-IFRA, he worked as an editor at several daily newspapers.

Gregor Waller provides consulting services to international media businesses for developing their digital strategy and transforming their business models for the digital era.

Maxime Le Hégarat is the head of digital video at Le Télégramme (France) since 2022. He leads a team of several video journalists and co-created Ravito, the video series that brings together cycling enthusiasts every Friday. Before that, he was an image reporter and director for the BBC for ten years in Africa. He has made numerous reports and investigative documentaries, which have won international awards.