Hostwriter’s new leadership structure

For the past four years, Hostwriter has operated with a dual leadership model, with Julia Vernersson and Mercy Abang as Managing Directors. After a total of six years with the organization, Julia Vernersson will transition to the supervisory board at the end of the year. While this means she will be stepping away from day-to-day operations, she will remain closely connected to the organization in an advisory capacity.

Mercy Abang and Julia Vernersson have together shaped where the organization is today. Taking the lead post-pandemic, the duo kick-started 2022 with a 72% budget increase compared to the previous year, through targeted fundraising within the first six months of taking office. This allowed the Hostwriter network to grow both in terms of members and capacity, and set the stage for Unbias the News to establish its current position as a permanent project of the organisation.

This year alone, Hostwriter has trained 100 journalists across Europe through our fellowship program Hostwriter Journalism X AI, hosted community events and workshops like the Display City Sessions and awarded the Hostwriter Creators Prize to recognize journalist creators and emerging storytellers. 

Unbias the News launched its new website in early December, with better readability, recommendations and a beautiful look. We deliver high-quality reporting, center voices too often ignored, and tell stories across borders with depth and dignity. To highlight some, we recently published an investigation into how EU funds intended to advance Roma inclusion across Europe, instead entrench segregation and reinforce prejudice. Our current Democracy Playbook series highlights successful strategies to resist democratic decline.

“The past four years have been an incredible time. Running the organization together with Mercy Abang has been a one-of-a-kind experience, where we found amazing strength in how we complemented each other. Backed by a team of very committed colleagues, the journalist community and a supportive board, the organization has consistently delivered on its core mission of supporting cross-border journalists, particularly those facing structural barriers in the sector. By transitioning to the supervisory board, my institutional knowledge will be available to the organization in the years ahead.” 

Julia Vernersson

 “Julia Vernersson has been an extraordinary organizer and leader, and she will be deeply missed by me and the entire team. More than a co‑managing director, she has been a true ally, passionate, committed, and unwavering in her dedication to amplifying underrepresented voices across the Global South and Europe.  

She has given the very best of herself to our team and to the wider media landscape, leaving a legacy of impact and integrity. We are grateful that she will continue to contribute her vision and expertise as she pivots to the board, ensuring her remarkable work remains a guiding force during this transition, we send her our heartfelt thanks and best wishes for the future.”

Mercy Abang

Mercy’s vision, dedication, and unwavering commitment to collaborative, cross‑border journalism have been central to shaping Hostwriter’s mission and the direction of Unbias the News. In supporting creators and ensuring that journalists remain at the heart of telling stories from within their own communities, she has strengthened the organization’s impact and relevance.

Moving forward, Hostwriter will continue to champion underrepresented voices, under the leadership of Mercy Abang, and build global connections among journalists, and uphold the values of equity and inclusivity that lie at the core of our work.