21 top public service media (PSM) leaders have graduated from the Eurovision Academy’s Executive Programme.

Executives from 15 European public broadcasters completed the 3-week course delivered by two of the best Business Schools in the worlds: IESE and UCLA (IESE in Barcelona (June 2015), UCLA Anderson in Los Angeles (September 2015) and at IESE in New York (October 2015).

The programme takes full advantage of being located in the 2 media capitals in the world with numerous company visits and meetings with industry leaders (YouTube, Fullscreen, Bloomberg, Huffinghton Post, Sony Pictures).

The Executive Programme was designed for Leaders to become architects and change agents in a fast moving industry.

"This is about building the future of European public media: developing a digital mindset, new business strategies and resilient personal leadership," said Nathalie Labourdette, Head of Eurovision Academy.  "By creating a safety net at the highest level of the EBU community, this programme will accompany them in the years to come."

"We want to make public service media the magnet of our industry," Labourdette added. "The learning experience of the Eurovision Academy Executive Programme is a real journey into the world’s new and global media. Barcelona is about platform strategies, Los Angeles is about innovation and New York is about alignment. The deep transformation of the Media Industry can help us to shape a bright future of the Public Media.“

The course, now in its second year, will soon recruit its 3rd intake and was warmly received by this year's participants.

Fritz Frey, editor in chief at SWR part of ARD, said it was an “excellent” course. “It was very helpful to see how the “old world” handles the new digital strategy,” he said.

Sergejs Nesterovs, a member of the board of management at Latvian Member LTV, added that the programme provided “one of the most valuable three weeks of my life!”

SVT director of communications Sabina Rasiwala said she had been on a “great learning journey.”

“It was inspirational", she added. “I picked up new tools and a deeper understanding of the changing media landscape.”

CLASS OF 2015

As seen above, they are:

Front row, from L to R

Sophie Taitt - Head of Production - BBC Comedy

Sabina Rasiwala - Director of Communications - SVT

Gerda Meuer - Executive Director Programming - Deutsche Welle               

Cecilia Roos - Head of Public Affairs - Swedish Radio  

Second row

Julia Prats – Professor - IESE

Gudrun Jonasdottir - Head of Programme Acquisitions -  RUV

Ann-Marie Bobert Malmros - Head of Children and Youth Programmes - UR

Reinhard Scolik -  President of General Planning and Coordination - ORF

Jean-Pierre Jacqmin -  Head of News  - RTBF     

Tommy Nagra - Head of Business Development - BBC

Denisa Kollarova - Marketing Director - CT

Sergejs Nesterovs -  Member of Management Board - LTV

Beat Lozza  - RTR part of SRG SSR - CFO

Cecilia Bodström - Programme Director - SR

Janne Yli-Äyhö -  Director of Operations - YLE

Back row

Nathalie Labourdette – Head of Eurovision Academy

Thierry Zweifel - Head of Resources & Development - RTS       

Kip Meyer - Programme Director - IESE

Kelly Bean - Head Of UCLA Anderson Executive Education

Henrik Hartmann - Secretary General - Nordvision c/o DR           

Frederic Frantz - Training Business Manager  - Eurovision Academy

Besnik Zabergja -  Head of Digitization, Technology and Transmission Adviser - RTK       

Jérôme Cathala  - Director of Current Affairs  -  France Televisions   - Chairman of the Board of Canal France International (CFI)

Glen Killane - Managing Director of Television - RTE        

Beat Grossenbacher – CFO - SRG SSR              

Fritz Frey - Editor in chief - ARD / Suedwestrundfunk