Some of the most valuable and impactful leaders and innovators of the media world will be descending upon Brussels this September for the annual Digital Growth Summit. The insights that they bring will be enjoyed by those in attendance and seek to address the summit’s overarching theme: Technologies Shaping the Future of News.
Ahead of this, we are happy to introduce you to selection of the esteemed speakers and leaders and innovators in the industry.
Peter Hinssen
Joining the Digital Growth Summit as the keynote speaker, Peter Hinssen, the acclaimed author of five bestselling business books will join us to deliver an insightful presentation on “Navigating the Never Normal in News.” This engaging talk will provide valuable insights and strategies for news publishers seeking to thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain expert knowledge from Peter, a renowned thought leader in radical innovation and the Future of News.
With a strong background as a serial entrepreneur, Peter has led multiple technology start-ups, including acquisitions and stock exchange listings. Peter’s vast experience and insights have made him a trusted advisor, lecturer at prestigious business schools, and a keynote headliner for global conferences and Fortune 1000 companies.
Arist von Harpe
CEO of the Hamburger Morgenpost, Arist von Harpe has managed to oversee the continued success and innovation of the tabloid. With an array of experience behind him ranging from engineering to IT, Arist jumped into the world of publishing headfirst, buying the local Hamburger paper of the Hamburger Morgenpost.
The bold decision happened at one of the most newsworthy moments in recent memory: February 2020. Thrown straight into the deep end of the news world, Arist quickly adapted and found his footing, bringing a fresh perspective to the unraveling events around the world and in the local community. His ability to adapt the paper to the changing world around the industry has allowed the Hamburger Morgenpost to come out ahead.
In attempts to broaden the reach of the paper and tap into a younger generation, the publisher has ventured into the cultural side of Hamburg, Germany’s second largest city. In this way, Arist has hoped to access the passion and the excitement within the city from its unique pop culture to its polarising football presence.
Joining for a fireside chat, Arist will bring his unique background and insights as the owner and CEO of a leading metropolitan paper in Europe’s largest publishing country
Emmanuel Alix
As the Chief Digital Officer of L’Equipe, Emmanuel Alix has been at the helm of the digital activities of the group. He has foreseen the digital transformation of the group, bringing the publication into the modern age. The storied sports journal has adapted continuously under the supervision of Emmanuel to the continuously expanding digital environment that athletic journalism takes place. As it’s head, Emmanuel has seen 15-20% growth per year, creation of a digital platform of the company, focusing on L’Equipe Live and L’Equipe Explore.
Emmanuel will join the digital product panel discussion at the Digital Growth Summit.
Kirsi Hakaniemi
As the Chief Digital Officer of Keskisuomalainen, Kirsi Hakaniemi has overseen a great deal of success and innovation at the publisher. Hot off their win at the INMA Global Media Awards, Keskisuomalainen’s triumphs in the “Best Initiative to Retain Subscribers” category has served to display the ongoing innovation and prowess possessed by the team lead Kirsi Hakaniemi.
Keskisuomalainen Oyj oversees 85 local newsrooms and pays a special attention to local news, looking to become and integral part of the day to day life of the Finnish citizen. Looking in at one of the key strategies utilised by Mediatalo Keskisuomalainen, their pursuit of personalised newsletters to hone in the interests of their readers and to continuously keep them engaged has proved invaluable. Keskisuomalainen noticed their underutilised emails as an effective channel for news distribution. As a result, they launched the JAMES service across a multitude of their titles and found a significant uptick in the amount of users becoming habitual.
Kirsi will bring her unrivalled expertise to the summit, being featured on the digital product panel.
Gabriela Campbell
Among the biggest players in the news world on TikTok is Ac2ality, and behind it is Co-Founder Gabriela Campbell. While every side of the established news spectrum is trying to find staying power on TikTok, this seems to have been achieved by a quickly growing Spanish outlet born in the blooming technology. With 4.3 million followers, Ac2ality seems to have cracked the code.
The organic growth, lead by Gabriela Campbell, has come from the media profile’s ability to “translate the newspaper” and relay information to a younger audience who approaches news differently. In an interview with Reuters, 30 second news of the day briefs, the use of trending video or audio sample to create new related segments, and one minute explainers have been pointed to as the formats leading the success of the company.
With Ac2ality recently winning awards, it is clear that the industry has taken note of this success. Gabriela will be present at the Digital Growth Summit to share the secret to success and teach what can be learned on how to address the rising generations.
Jean-Marc de Jonghe
One of the most digitally innovative leaders in the industry, heading one of the most digitally innovative papers in the industry, is Jean-Marc de Jonghe. The Vice President of strategy and digital products at Quebec’s La Presse, Jean-Marc oversaw the creation of La Presse+, an innovative digital tablet edition that provides the entire La Presse experience in a forward looking format.
With Jean-Marc leading the way, La Presse became in 2016 the first major daily title in the world to replace its weekday print editions with a profitable digital version. This move positioned the Montreal-based publication at the forefront of digital innovation, leading the movement in digital news and information. With many papers following their lead in recent years, La Presse has shown how the move towards all digital could be possible while still maintaining a high-quality reading experience for readers.
Jean-Marc will share with attendees what leading publishers can learn from the transition from print to digital.
In addition to these speakers, other inspirational speakers leading the discussions at the Digital Growth Summit include:
- Emilie Nenquin, Head of Data and Intelligence at VRT
- Ezra Eeman, Strategy and Innovation Director at NPO
- Nic Newman, Senior Researcher at Reuters Institute
- Julie Lelièvre, Deputy Head of Audience at Le Monde
