By Imran Malik – MediaBites
The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) will see a leadership change at the end of 2025 as its longtime CEO announced plans to step down after more than a decade at the helm.
After 13 years leading the global news publishing body, the outgoing chief executive said it was the “right time to take up new challenges and look at my second, or third, life.” He praised the progress made during his tenure, noting that WAN-IFRA is now financially stable, growing its membership, and expanding its services worldwide.
“When I joined in 2012, the challenge was daunting — to regain financial viability and rebuild trust with our members,” he said. “Today, we are in better shape than ever. That success belongs to our teams, our Board, and the loyalty of members across the globe.”
READ MORE: WAN-IFRA Krakow recap: Journalism’s future tied to Gen Z, says Mediahuis Executive
Stig Kirk Ørskov, a veteran media leader, will assume the top role, marking what the outgoing CEO described as “a new chapter for WAN-IFRA.” He added, “I am particularly pleased and proud that Stig is taking up the baton. It means a lot about what we achieved in the past decade that WAN-IFRA attracts the best talent.”
The departing executive emphasized WAN-IFRA’s mission to defend press freedom and support publishers worldwide in an increasingly complex media landscape. He underscored the organization’s role as a defender of liberal values and independent journalism amid global polarization and rising threats to fact-based reporting.
“Successful liberal societies depend on strong civic and social institutions,” he said. “WAN-IFRA is one of those. The stakes for independent journalism are higher than ever, and the opportunities to overcome limitations are greater than ever.”
He also urged the industry to deepen global alliances, pointing to recent partnerships with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and FIPP.
MediaBites Editor-in-Chief Imran Malik and his team warmly congratulate Stig Kirk Ørskov on this well-deserved appointment and extend best wishes for a successful and inspiring journey ahead.
“No one is an island — together, we are stronger.” 🌐
About Stig Kirk Orskov:
Stig Ørskov, CEO of JP/Politiken Media Group and Vice President of WAN-IFRA, leads one of the Nordics’ largest media organizations with 3,000 employees and €500M revenue (2022). The group operates national and niche news brands, publishing, streaming, and Denmark’s biggest distribution enterprise, while expanding into Norway, Sweden, Germany, and the UK.
A former COO and editor-in-chief at Politiken, Stig also co-founded the online paper Infopaq, worked as a business reporter, and co-authored several books, including a bestselling biography of shipping magnate Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller.
He holds a degree in Public Economics and Regulation from Roskilde University, with further studies in Economics (University of Copenhagen) and History (University of Melbourne).
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