Two new members have joined the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group after being elected at the Heads of Delegation Meeting in Basel, whilst a new Chair has been elected.
Ana Maria Bordas (RTVE) was elected as the new Reference Group Chair at the EBU’s TV Committee meeting in Brussels earlier this week, she will thus replace Bakel Wadel (SRG-SSR) in June when he concludes his term.
At the Eurovision 2025 Head of Delegations meeting in Basel the Heads of Delegation of the 37 competing countries have elected three HoDs for the Reference Group:
- Carla Bugalho ( RTP)- re- elected for a third consecutive term
- Molly Plank (DR)- newly elected
- Claudia Van Der Pas (AVROTROS)- newly elected
The three elected HoDs for the Reference Group
- Molly Plank has been the Danish Head of Delegation for the past 13 years, she has great experience when it comes to organizing national events and the Danish national final -Dansk Melodi Grand Prix.
- Carla Bugalho has been the Portuguese HoD since 2015 and has a massive experience when it comes to television. She is a Senior TV Producer at the Portuguese national broadcaster RTP. She played a key role at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon as she was the Show Producer and Deputy Executive Producer of the contest.
- Claudia van der Pas has great experience when it comes to events and tv shows, she is the Event Manager at AVROTROS. She has been the Assistant Hod for the Dutch delegation for the last 3 editions. This year she will be the Dutch HoD at the ESC 2025. Claudia was the delegation manager at ESC 2021 in Rotterdam.
The new Reference Group members will be holding their new positions for a two year term in June after the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel.
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, Croatia,Iceland, Spain 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.
As of June the new Reference Group will consist of the following members:
- Ana Maria Bordas (RTVE/Spain)- Chair
- Mr. Martin Osterdahl- (EBU Representative)
- Ms. Carla Bugalho –(RTP/Portugal) (Eurovision 2018 Executive Producer) Elected Member
- Molly Plank (DR/Denmark)- Elected Member
- Claudia Van Der Pas (AVROTROS/ Netherlands)- Elected Member
- Mr. Moritz Stadler (Switzerland) (SSR-SRG/Switzerland)(Eurovision 2025 co Executive Producer)
- Ebba Adielsson (SVT/Sweden) (Eurovision 2024 Executive Producer)
- Rachel Ashdown (BBC/United Kingdom) (Lead Commissioner for BBC at Eurovision 2023
The new Reference Group will include the HoDs of Spain, Portugal, Denmark and the Netherlands.
The EBU and Reference Group could invite 2 extra professionals to join the group.
Source: EBU
Photo credit: EBU
