The ESC 2025 co- Executive Producer Moritz Stadler has joined the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group thus replacing two members who have stepped down.

Moritz Stadler (SSR-SRG) has joined the Reference Group and will thus replace:

• Simona Martorelli -(RAI/Italy) (Eurovision 2o22 Executive Producer)
• Claudio Fasulo (RAI/Italy) (Eurovision 2022 Executive Producer)

Moritz Stadler has been a longtime employee of the European Broadcasting Union and is currently the Head of Operations at the Swiss French speaking national broadcaster RTS.

38 year old Moritz Stadler has been appointed along with Reto Peritz (former Swiss Head of Delegation/ SRF Head of Entertainment) to co-produce the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.

The Refence Group

The Reference Group was formed by the European Broadcasting Union’s Television Committee in 1998. The Group meets up 5-6 times a year.

The main tasks of the body include approving format developments and changes to the rules, securing financing, modernizing the brand and raising awareness of the Eurovision Song Contest and overseeing the yearly preparation by the Host Broadcaster.

The Reference Group is composed of a Chairman, three members elected by the Heads of Delegation, two Executive Producers from previous host countries, as well as the Executive Producer of the current Host Broadcaster. The EBU’s Eurovision Song Contest Executive Supervisor is also a member of the Reference Group.

The Reference Group has a possibility to invite up to 2 extra professionals to join the group.

The Reference Group currently consists of the following members:

• Bakel Walden (SSR SRG/Switzerland))(Chairman)
• Ana Maria Bordas (RTVE)- Elected Member
• Mr. Martin Osterdahl- (EBU Representative)
• Ms. Carla Bugalho –(RTP/Portugal) (Eurovision 2018 Executive Producer) Elected Member
• Mr. Felix Bergsson (RUV/Iceland) Elected Member
• Mr. Moritz Stadler (Switzerland) (SSR-SRG/Switzerland)(Eurovision 2025 co Executive Producer)
• Alexandra Wolflast  (NDR/ Germany) Elected Member
• Tomislav Stengl (HRT/Croatia)
• Rachel Ashdown (BBC/United Kingdom) (Lead Commissioner for BBC at Eurovision 2023)
• Ebba Adielsson (SVT/Sweden) (Eurovision 2024 Executive Producer)

The current Reference Group includes the Heads of Delegation from Germany, Iceland, Spain, Croatia and Portugal.

The Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group is the executive Committee for all Members, its purpose being to control and guide the Eurovision Song Contest and meets four to five times each year on behalf of all Participating Broadcasters, and is required to take decisions in the general interest of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Source: EBU
Photo credit: Keystone/SDA