Following Dr Frank-Dieter Freiling’s resignation from the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group, a new chair has been appointed by the European Broadcasting Union.

Bakel Walden, Director of Development and Offering at Swiss EBU Member SSR SRG, has been appointed as the new Chair of the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group. He takes over the role from ZDF’s Dr Frank-Dieter Freiling who held the post for 13 years. As the Chair of the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group, Bakel Walden will play a pivotal role in ensuring that the competition continues to grow and evolve, while remaining true to its core values of diversity and inclusivity.

Bakel, who was elected by the EBU’s Television Committee, has a wealth of experience in the media industry and will be responsible for leading the body which acts as the Eurovision Song Contest’s governing board, overseeing the planning and execution for the world’s largest live music event. As the new Chair of the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group, Bakel will work closely with the Reference Group’s members from across the EBU to help steer the annual production of the event and develop new initiatives and strategies to ensure that the Eurovision Song Contest remains relevant to audiences across Europe and beyond.

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Author: Richard Taylor

Source: EBU