INMA Elects 12 Media Executives to Board of Directors | CEO JNM Bharat Gupta Among Board Members

The International News Media Association (INMA) marked a turning point in its trajectory as it welcomed 12 distinguished news executives to its esteemed Board of Directors during the organisation’s annual business meeting held on 23 May 2024. The newly elected members are set to steer INMA’s strategic direction, representing a global array of media companies dedicated to redefining engagement strategies and revenue growth in an ever-evolving landscape.

INMA has elected Gert Ysebaert as its new president, starting a two-year term. Ysebaert assumes the mantle of leadership, presiding over the association’s Board of Directors, with a mandate to foster innovation and collaboration within the global news media community.

Siv Juvik Tveitnes, hailing from Schibsted Media in Norway, secured the position of INMA’s first vice president. Her tenure paves the way for an eventual presidency in 2026, signalling a seamless transition of leadership within the organisation. 

Maribel Perez Wadsworth, the president and CEO of the Knight Foundation in the United States, will continue to serve as the immediate past president for the next two years, offering invaluable insights and continuity to the Board.

SOURCE| INMA

Two additional appointments signify INMA’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent and regional representation. Bharat Gupta, CEO of Jagran New Media in India, assumes the presidency of the South Asia Division, while Anna-Katharina Kölbl, head of business development at Funke Medien in Germany, takes the helm as chair of the Young Professionals Initiative Committee.

Bharat Gupta, CEO of Jagran New Media Joins as President of the South Asia Division

Bharat Gupta is the Chief Executive Officer of Jagran New Media, the digital arm of India's leading print and radio conglomerate, Jagran Prakashan Ltd. With an extensive career spanning over 22 years, Bharat has led the charge in revitalising various media ventures across print, radio, on-ground activation, and digital platforms. Under his guidance, Jagran New Media has soared to prominence, boasting an impressive user base exceeding 100 million, thus cementing its position among India's foremost internet media groups.

In addition to his current role as CEO of Jagran New Media, Bharat holds the position of Vice President on the INMA South Asia Board, representing the International News & Media Association. He also serves as a Governing Council Member at the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), a founding member of the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA), Executive President of the Misinformation Combat Alliance, and a Board Member of the International Fact-Check Network (IFCN). Furthermore, he contributes his expertise as an Advisory Board Member to FT Strategies in London and is a valued member of both the Google Global News Advisory Group and the YouTube Global News Advisory Group. In his previous role, Bharat was the Executive President of Marketing at Dainik Jagran, preceding his current position as the Chief Marketing Officer at Jagran New Media.

Throughout his career, Bharat has represented Indian digital media publishers at numerous esteemed industry forums such as WAN-IFRA, the YouTube Publishers Forum, the Google News Initiative (GNI), and Newsgeist Asia. His leadership philosophy is firmly rooted in aligning the objectives of 'Digital India' with the global digital landscape, fostering synergistic relationships with technology giants like Google and Meta.

Bharat, a visionary leader, plays a pivotal role at Jagran New Media. His mission is to provide factual and credible content that empowers the ‘New Bharat.’ He advocates for knowledge dissemination, information accessibility, and diverse perspectives, fostering an inclusive and progressive society. His people-centric approach sets a new benchmark in Indian media, inspiring high-performance teams and driving cutting-edge innovation within the organisation.

Farewell to Outgoing Members

As INMA enters a new phase of leadership, it expressed gratitude to departing Board members for their exceptional service. Pawan Agarwal, deputy managing director of Dainik Bhaskar in India, concludes his tenure as president of the South Asia Division, alongside esteemed colleagues: P.J. Browning, president of the newspaper division at Evening Post Publishing in the United States; Damian Eales, CEO of Move Inc./Realtor.com in the United States; Chris Janz, CEO of Capital Brief in Australia; and Troy Niday, chief operating officer of Sonoma Media Investments in the United States, who served as president of the North America Division. Additionally, Martha Ortiz, former editor of El Colombiano in Colombia, steps down, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering commitment and service to the industry.

List of All 12 news executives to its governing Board of Directors

INMA’s Vision

INMA’s mission is to inspire news media companies to embrace business practices that sustain impactful journalism: 

• To build communities of best practice and facilitate the exchange of ideas, expertise, benchmarks, and experiences.
• To distil the collective knowledge of members into insights that grow audiences, transform brands, and ensure the financial sustainability of news media companies.
• To identify and recognise excellence in vital areas such as subscriptions, data, products, advertising, newsrooms, and the business of journalism.

About INMA

With a membership spanning nearly 22,000 professionals across 1,000+ news media companies in 91 countries, INMA stands at the forefront of fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and driving industry-wide transformation. INMA is a global community of market-leading news media companies dedicated to reinventing audience engagement and revenue growth in a multi-platform environment. With a rich legacy of facilitating knowledge exchange and strategic initiatives, INMA continues to shape the future of journalism by championing digital subscriptions, product innovation, generative AI, newsroom transformation, and publisher relationships with Big Tech.