Michael Peters (media executive)
{{Short description|French-German media executive}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}File:Web Summit 2018 - Contentmakers - Day 3, November 8 HM1 9582 (45055207894).jpg
Michael Peters (born 1971 in Flensburg, West Germany){{Cite web |title=Michael Peters, Chief Executive Officer of Euronews SA |url=https://static.euronews.com/media/download/press-conference/michael-peters_ceo-euronews/michael-peters_biography-2012_EN.pdf |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Euronews}} is a Franco-German media executive who served as chief executive officer (CEO) of Euronews from 2011 to 2021.{{Cite news |last=Debusmann |first=Bernd Jr. |date=8 February 2020 |title=50 shades of truth: Euronews CEO Michael Peters |url=https://www.arabianbusiness.com/industries/media/439593-50-shades-of-truth |access-date=2024-05-26 |work=ArabianBusiness}}
Early life and education
Peters is the son of a French mother who worked as a teacher and a German father who served in the German airforce.{{Cite web |last=Coroller |first=Catherine |date=2012-02-09 |title=Eurostar |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805001123/https://www.liberation.fr/medias/2012/02/09/eurostar_794664/ |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=Libération |language=fr}} He earned a Master's degree in Financial Engineering from EM Lyon business school in 1995.{{Cite web |date=2017-02-22 |title=Michael Peters |url=https://www.lesoir.be/83213/article/2017-02-22/michael-peters |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=Le Soir |language=fr}}
Career
Peters started his professional career at auditing firm Arthur Andersen in Lyon. He worked for the company from 1995 to 1998.{{Cite web|url=https://womenintech-awards.com/michael-peters/|title=Michael Peters|website=Women in Tech|access-date=2023-11-10}} Peters then joined Euronews as a finance manager in 1998.{{Cite web |last=Foster |first=Alana |date=2020-01-16 |title=Euronews: The transformation of news |url=https://www.ibc.org/trends/euronews-the-transformation-of-news/5351.article |access-date=2024-08-10 |website=IBC |language=en}} He was promoted to chief financial officer in 2000 and was named Euronews' Deputy Managing Director in December 2003.{{Cite web |title=Michael Peters wird Generaldirektor von EuroNews |url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/2044386/michael-peters-wird-generaldirektor-von-euronews |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=Der Standard |language=de}} From May 2005 to December 2008, Peters held the position as managing director of Euronews, before being appointed managing director of the executive board of Euronews SA in December 2008.
In December 2011, he became Euronews' executive chairman of the board. During his tenure, Media Globe Networks, managed by Naguib Sawiris, became the Euronews majority owner in July 2015.{{Cite web |date=2015-07-10 |title=Sawiris takes majority stake in Euronews |url=https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2015/07/10/sawiris-takes-majority-stake-in-euronews/#close-modal |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Digital TV Europe}} In October 2015, Euronews opened its new headquarters in Lyon, and introduced the Euronews Next digital initiative aimed at reaching younger audiences.{{Cite news |last=Briel |first=Robert |date=16 October 2015 |title=Euronews opens new Lyon HQ |url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2015/10/16/euronews-open-new-hq-in-lyon/ |access-date=2024-05-31 |work=Broadband TV News}}
Peters, together with journalist Stephen Smith, started developing the Euronews subsidiary Africanews in 2013.{{Cite web |date=2014-02-11 |title=Pourquoi Euronews a choisi Brazzaville |url=https://www.jeuneafrique.com/12699/societe/pourquoi-euronews-a-choisi-brazzaville/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=Jeune Afrique |language=fr}} He was appointed president of Africanews SASU on its foundation in 2014 or 2015, leading the network through its digital launch on 4 January 2016 and jointly serving as its CEO.{{Cite web |title=This is Africanews |url=https://www.africanews.com/page/pressroom/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Africanews}}{{Cite news |date=21 April 2016 |title=Médias - Africanews : c'est parti ! |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240531175422/https://www.lepoint.fr/economie/medias-africanews-c-est-parti-21-04-2016-2033953_28.php |access-date=2024-05-31 |work=Le Point |language=fr}}
Peters left his position as chairman of the Euronews executive board in December 2021 and was appointed Euronews' chairman of the board of directors.{{Cite web |date=2021-12-17 |title=Euronews on a positive growth path, adapts its governance and prepares for a change of majority shareholder |url=https://www.euronews.com/press-office/press-releases/euronews-on-a-positive-growth-path-adapts-its-governance-and-prepares-for-a-change-of-majority-shareholder/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Euronews}} Peters held this position until December 2022.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-12 |title=Euronews confirme chercher à vendre son siège, mais souhaite rester à Lyon |url=https://tribunedelyon.fr/economie/euronews-confirme-chercher-a-vendre-son-siege-mais-souhaite-rester-a-lyon/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Tribune de Lyon}}
He became the CEO of the company BusiNext, again working alongside Naguib Sawiris.{{Cite web |title=Meet the Team |url=https://www.businext.com/team |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=BusiNext}}
References
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