Reuters hires Baradat from AFP

Reuters deputy global managing editor of world news Tom Platt shared the below note with staff today:

Dear colleagues,

I am thrilled to announce that Éric Baradat has been appointed Global Director of Photography, based in London, reporting to me.

Éric brings more than three decades of experience in global photojournalism from Agence France-Presse (AFP), where he led coverage of many of the world’s most significant news and sports events.

His leadership spanned multiple Olympic Games and World Cups, major international conflicts including Iraq, Afghanistan and across the wider Middle East, the Fukushima nuclear disaster, and U.S. politics through the 2016 election and first Trump administration.

Under Éric’s direction, AFP produced some of the most recognisable images of recent decades, including work in Syria and Afghanistan that won the agency its first Pulitzer Prizes for photography. Iconic moments such as Zinedine Zidane’s 2006 World Cup headbutt and that viral photograph of Bernie Sanders in mittens were captured during his tenure.

Most recently, Éric served as Global News Deputy Director and Director of Photography, leading the agency’s photo, infographics, data journalism and archive teams.

Widely respected for his leadership, editorial standards, and work on image verification, Éric will ensure Reuters remains “first and best” in photography—winning the story with speed, breadth and depth while maintaining our aesthetics, standards and driving innovation.

Éric will join Reuters in early June, when we look forward to welcoming him.

Regards,
Tom