The EBU has announced today that the Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Mr. Jon Ola Sand, will be stepping down from his post next May after the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam. The EBU has now started looking for a replacement for Mr. Sand who will be moving back to his homeland Norway, where he will be working for the Norwegian national broadcaster NRK.

Jon Ola Sand has been involved in the Eurovision Song Contest for circa 20 years, first as Head of Delegation for Norway and then as the Executive Supervisor for ESC on behalf of the EBU.  He was also the man behind the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo, which was produced by NRK.

Jon Ola Sand says:

The past decade at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has been fantastic and exciting, but it will also be good to come home.

I have been involved with the Eurovision Song Contest for over 20 years. First as Head of Delegation for Norway, then as Executive Producer in Oslo in 2010 and I have been privileged to have been the captain of the ship in Geneva for the past 9 years.

Rotterdam will be my 10th Contest as Executive Supervisor and it seems a good time to pass on the baton and take on a new challenge at NRK. In my new role I will work to ensure that NRK continues to be a world-class public broadcaster and will be in the best possible shape for the future.

EBU’s Head of Media Mr. Jean Philip De Tender says:

Jon Ola’s commitment and calm steady hand over the last decade has been invaluable to the EBU and its Members.

He has overseen the growth and development of the Eurovision Song Contest over the past decade and created, together with EBU Members, the most advanced entertainment show in the world helping to safeguard the longevity of this much-loved show that unites audiences from across the globe.

Jon Ola will now oversee his 10th Eurovision Song Contest for the EBU in Rotterdam before taking up his new role at NRK.

Jon Ola Sand moved to Geneva in 2011 when he was appointed as the Executive Supervisor for the Eurovision Song Contest, thus replacing Mr. Svante Stokselius. His first Eurovision as Executive Supervisor was the 2011 Eurovision edition in Dusseldorf. Next year will mark the 10th year of Jon Ola in the post, thus Rotterdam 2020 will be Jon Ola’s last year as the Executive Supervisor of our beloved competition.

Jon Ola will be also stepping down as Head of Live Events at the EBU which is responsible for Junior Eurovision Song Contest,  Eurovision Young Musicians and Eurovision Choir contests.

Now the EBU is working from strength to strength to find Jon Ola Sand’s successor, the man or woman who will lead the Eurovision Song Contest.