As Adrian Monk leaves WEF, his legacy of turning it into a ‘global storytelling platform’ lives on
LONDON: After more than 13 years leading public and social engagement at the World Economic Forum, Adrian Monk announced on Friday that he is leaving his role as managing director of the international organization for public-private collaboration.
“From creating a global storytelling platform to putting refugees at the center in Davos and helping to guide the organization through the global pandemic, I am privileged and grateful — especially all of you,” Monk wrote in a LinkedIn post. For.” Addressing his comrades.
The seeds that Monk planted through his work with the WEF will continue to grow and be remembered, namely by former colleagues and media figures familiar with his efforts.
“Adrian Monk created a global storytelling platform that was able to put important – and often overlooked – stories in front of world leaders, reminding them of their ultimate mission,” said Hassan M. Fattah, a former New York Times correspondent in Iraq and former editor-in-chief of the UAE’s national newspaper, told Arab News.
“He brought passion to his role but also provided empathy and authenticity amid the noise.
“But many of us know him as the intrepid journalist who reshaped storytelling formats in broadcast and print, and produced compelling stories.”
Monck has redefined the Forum and its annual Davos meeting for the digital age, building the organization’s global media presence, establishing a social media following that exceeds 30 million and spans from LinkedIn to TikTok , and reaches nearly one million email subscribers.
Arab News Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas said, “Arguably, Adrian is the man who gave the word ‘forum’ its true meaning during his tenure at the World Economic Forum over the past decade.”
“Adrian opened up the intentionally inclusive WEF to more journalists than ever before, including those who were skeptical about it. They fought and built their own media operation and digital presence, an investment that paid off handsomely during the pandemic when Davos was alive only because the set-up was to conduct it virtually.
Monck’s career began as a journalist in 1988, working for CBS News, ITN, where he was managing editor of Five News and Sky.
“Adrian showed incredible foresight all those years ago when he created his vision for the publishing platform and quality content juggernaut that the World Economic Forum has become,” said Gay Flashman, who runs Formative Content and manages Monk on the platform. Have worked with the team. 2014.
“As a former news journalist she recognized the power of a strategy that enabled the platform to communicate directly with its audience,” she told Arab News.
“From long form thought leadership to short snackable content, this approach to content is ubiquitous today, but it was unprecedented when he started his team.”
Formative Content Head Gay Flashman.
Jameel El-Haij, head of the Al Arabiya news channel’s business section who manages the channel’s annual coverage and sessions at the WEF, told Arab News that Monk, with whom he had a personal as well as a business relationship, was instrumental in growing the channel. played an important role. Forum’s relationship with the Middle Eastern media.
He described Monck as having “a lot of understanding and care for the field”, hoping the next person will maintain these strong ties.
In addition to leading the Forum’s media and communications activities, Monk oversees the Foundation of Young Global Leaders and Global Shapers communities.
Prior to joining the Forum in 2009 as Head of Communications and Media, Monk served as Head of the Department of Journalism at the City University of London during the period 2005 to 2009.
He co-authored “Crunch Time: How Everyday Life Is Killing the Future” with award-winning journalist Mike Hanley in 2007, and “Can You Trust the Media?” in 2008.
Former editor-in-chief of The National Hassan Fattah.
In a Press Gazette piece in July 2004, Monk is a supporter of introducing British television regulations to the press and online media, advocating for “regulation that emphasizes accuracy, objectivity and, importantly, fairness”.
Nevertheless, he has been a strong advocate of press freedom, while encouraging media firms to avoid “misleading ‘both sides'”.
In a 2022 World Association of News Publishers article, he urged editors and journalists to “push back against politicians and political commentators who bring bogus lies into mainstream public discourse. After all, neutrality means excluding fact-based journalism.” Do not give.”
Monk said: “Fact-based journalism is vital to protecting free speech because misinformation often stifles forward-thinking debate.”
Monk was also president of Britain’s Media Society during 2005 and 2006, and a member of several influential bodies including the British Academy Film Awards and the Royal Television Society.
In his WEF departure message, Monk wrote: “As a child in a remote English coastal town I could never have imagined the people, places and projects that this remarkable organization would open up to me.
Jameel Al-Hage, business head of Al Arabiya.
“This opportunity is thanks to Claus. For everyone at Forum, working here means the chance to continually re-imagine and re-invent the organization, helping it stay relevant and true to its mission. Do. And that’s a wonderful gift.”
Although Monk hasn’t revealed his next endeavor, former colleagues and friends believe he still has a lot in common.
“We can all be grateful for the impact she has had on the lives she touched with her energy, her care and her tenacity,” Fattah said.
“I look forward to his next undertaking which I am sure will be no less significant.”
Flashman said: “We will miss his wit, dry humor and razor-sharp wit; His team will miss him for all of those qualities as well as his kindness and unwavering support.