AFP makes three appointments to its Executive Committee

Christine Buhagiar, director of AFP’s Europe Region since 2015, will be taking up a new role leading the new Development and Diversification department. This new department will develop innovative products to diversify the Agency’s revenue streams, mainly from companies and institutions, working closely with its subsidiaries MediaConnect and FACTSTORY. 

Pierre Ausseill, director of AFP’s Africa Region, will take over the Europe region, combining it with his current role. 

Yacine Le Forestier, currently deputy Europe director and Berlin Bureau Chief, will join the News Management department at the end of the summer, where he will run the Agency’s organisational projects. Yacine is charged with centralizing and coordinating the editorial transformation of the Agency to meet the many challenges facing our journalism at this crucial time. His appointment comes as journalism faces urgent pressure to reinvent itself for the era of artificial intelligence.

Christine Buhagiar began her AFP career on the France desk, the politics service, and the international economics department.In 1997, she became London News Editor. Returning to Paris in 2000, she managed the start of AFP’s video production for 10 yearsbefore returning to London to develop production in English and manage video editorial operations for Europe and Africa. In 2015, she became Europe Director: In addition to her work in this region, she managed the launch of AFP’s digital agenda, tookpart in the battle to secure neighbouring rights for news agencies, and developed EU-funded editorial projects as part ofconsortiums with other European media. For the past year, she has been guiding the Agency’s thinking on developing and diversifying its revenue streams.

Pierre Ausseill joined AFP in 1996. He was a journalist in the Paris general news service, deputy bureau chief in Libreville,journalist, then deputy bureau chief in Madrid, then deputy chief editor for Africa. He ran AFP’s bureau in Rio de Janeiro (2012-2016), then the LatAm Region (2017-2020), before becoming Africa Director.

Yacine Le Forestier joined AFP in 1989. Since 2015, he has been running the Berlin Bureau and AFP’s main German subsidiary,managing nearly 140 staff. He has also been deputy Europe director since 2020. He was previously chief editor and manager of SID (German subsidiary), chief international economics editor, Brussels Bureau Chief, and journalist in London and Lyon.