Deutsch The global economic crisis has magnified the challenges facing newspapers everywhere, but some companies are better positioned than others to rebound once the crisis ends. They will be sharing their approaches at the "Managing the Crisis"; global conference, to be held at the Frontline Media Club in London on 28 and 29 September next.

Among the speakers will be Andreas Wiele, Head of BILD Division and Magazines and an Executive Board Member of Axel Springer, Europe's largest newspaper publisher, which posted record profits last year despite the crisis.

Full details of the conference, one of the first to be conducted under the merger of the World Association of Newspapers and IFRA, can be found here. WAN and IFRA have come together to create the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers.

"Newspaper publishers face an increasingly complex world in which continual and rapid change is the norm. In a period of uncertainty, asking questions and framing scenarios will give confidence to leaders in this industry to go forward, and that's what this conference is all about,"; said Dietmar Schantin, Group Director for Editorial, Advertising and General Management for WAN-IFRA.

"Those who act now will be in prime position to nurture and create products and services in the future. That's the upside of a recession - it does indeed force a different way of thinking and is a catalyst for change,"; he said.

Also among the speakers are Anna Kirah, a design anthropologist and psychologist with CPH Design 123 in Norway; Vasily Gatov, Strategy Director of MEDIA3 in Russia: Richard Wellins, a Senior Vice President for Development Dimensions International, a global personnel management consultancy: Moritz Wuttke, the CEO of Publicitas' Chinese operations; Theo Blanco, Senior Sales and Marketing Director for Upsala Nya Tidning in Sweden; Terry Maguire, Principal with International Media Development & Counsel and Advisor of the Monaco Media Forum; and others to be announced.

The conference will focus on how to:

  deal with permanent upheaval by becoming more flexible and by encouraging a culture in which innovation and the ability to rapidly adapt are rewarded.

  benefit from the experiences of Russian media, which is hard-hit by the current crisis but is benefitting from the lessons learned in the 1998-1999 state debt default crisis. Russian TV, radio, newspapers and magazines are suffering ad revenue declines but survive and are planning for the future.

  identify the leadership qualities that are needed to survive and thrive in the downturn. A new study of more than 3,000 executives that classifies such qualities will be the basis of the discussion.

The conference will also consider:

  the external forces that will have the greatest impact on corporations over the next few years, and the impact of the crisis on society.

  how CEOs can develop a corporate culture of constant innovation.

  why newspaper publishers should continue to invest as their audiences continue to change.

The event will be preceded by a visit to the Apple Executive Briefing Centre on 28 September.

Registration and full details can be found here.

About WAN-IFRA

WAN-IFRA, based in Paris, France, and Darmstadt, Germany, with subsidiaries in Singapore, India, Spain, France and Sweden, is the global organisation of the world's newspapers and news publishers. It represents more than 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries. The organisation was created by the merger of the World Association of Newspapers and IFRA, the research and service organisation for the news publishing industry.

About the Frontline Club

Frontline is home to a unique community of writers, photographers, diplomats, and aid workers united by their passion for independent journalism and their dedication to ensuring that stories that fade from headlines are kept in sharp focus. It exists to promote freedom of expression and support journalists who risk their lives in the course of their work. It hosts more than 300 events annually.

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, WAN-IFRA, 7 rue Geoffroy St Hilaire, 75005 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: larry.kilman@wan-ifra.org.

Ioana Sträter, Programme Manager Events; WAN-IFRA, Washingtonplatz 1, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany. Tel: +49 6151 733769. Fax: +49 6151 733802. E-mail: ioana.straeter@wan-ifra.org.