International Fund Appoints Amélie Baudot as New Chief Executive Officer

Paris, 17 August: The Board of the International Fund for Public Interest Media has appointed Amélie Baudot, currently Deputy CEO, as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Fund, following Nishant Lalwani’s decision to step down after four years in the role. Mr Lalwani will continue to support the International Fund in a non-executive capacity. Ms Baudot will take up her position as CEO as of October 1st.

A founding member of the International Fund's leadership team, Amélie Baudot has been instrumental in shaping its vision and spearheading its establishment as an international organization in France — a status that has proven to be transformative for the International Fund. With over a decade of experience managing global, multi-donor impact funds, Amélie has built a reputation for confronting and solving complex challenges faced by societies. Before joining IFPIM, she was the Chief Strategy and Legal Officer of the Global Innovation Fund, a non-profit impact-first investment fund where Amélie pioneered their strategy to diversify sources of funding and create a new model for blended finance.

“We are thrilled that Amélie Baudot is taking on the role as CEO. She brings deep institutional knowledge of IFPIM, real ambition for what comes next, and a proven ability to build both the partnerships and the people needed to get there”, said Mark Thompson, Co-chair of the International Fund Board. “As a Board, we see this as an opportunity to build on what has already been accomplished and we’re excited about moving the Fund’s work forward under Amélie’s leadership, into a bolder chapter for independent journalism and public interest information around the world”. 

As the International Fund’s co-founder in 2019 and CEO since August 2022, Nishant Lalwani has been a driving force behind IFPIM, from commissioning the feasibility study that lead to the Fund’s inception, to building a coalition of donors and partners committed to independent media at precisely the moment much of the world was walking away from it.

“Under Nishant’s leadership, the Fund has grown from a novel idea into a first-of-its-kind International Organization that has supported over 150 media outlets around the world,” said Maria Ressa, IFPIM Board Co-chair.  “At a time when journalists in the Global South are being silenced, sued, and left desperately short of funding, Nishant has built an institution that stands behind them. The Board is enormously thankful to him for the strong foundation he has put in place at IFPIM, and is grateful that he will stay involved with the Fund for the years to come.”

“Quality journalism is the connective tissue of communities and societies and we have a duty to ensure its future for all,” said Amelie Baudot. “Over the past four years, IFPIM and partners have worked to ensure that people have access to trusted and accurate information for the simple and complex choices we make in our every day lives. As CEO, I will work alongside our exceptional partners, this talented team and our dedicated Board and Council, to ensure that the International Fund continues to deliver on this vital mission.” 

Over the next several months, Mr Lalwani and Ms Baudot will be working closely with the Board and Executive Team to manage the transition. IFPIM’s commitments to its partners, donors and the journalists it supports remain unchanged.