Executive Directors Group

Who we are

We are Executive Directors (EDs) of Wikimedia organizations who are here to share our experiences and learn from each other.

Specifically we work together to:

• Share our learning and build capacity within the Wikimedia movement and our communities.
• Provide support to new members and affiliates by mentoring and sharing best practices with the aim of building a more diverse movement.
• Build networks of mutual cooperation, support and trust.
• Design bilateral or multilateral projects to foster cooperation between Wikimedia chapters and communities.
• Work in a coordinated manner for the development and growth of the global Wikimedia movement.

How do we work

We apply several methods to keep our group active and ensure work effectiveness:

• We hold one hour online meetings every 6 weeks, which we take turns in hosting, based on a collectively developed agenda.
• Face to face meetings: We try to meet at least once a year – often around international conferences such as Wikimedia Summit or Wikimania – to discuss more strategic issues, share best practices and common challenges, work on our capacity building and address key movement issues.
• We have a mailing list, which we use to discuss questions and share information in between the calls and meetings.

How we can help

• Sharing best practices and processes, as well as hurdles and failures
• Helping to build governance structures, particularly for affiliates with paid staff
• Supporting the development of effective operational structures and policies
• Supporting recruitment of affiliate staff, particularly new Executive Directors
• Mentoring new staff
• Helping to set up and build organisations
• Designing programs, activities and impact
• Conflict resolution and mediation
• Building networks of cooperation
• Fundraising strategies
• Leadership development

Discussion documents and position papers

We occasionally produce papers on topics that are particularly relevant for affiliates.

• March 2024. Discussion document on grantmaking processes and procedures
• October 2023. Statement on MCDC draft document

Who are we?

Wiki in Africa - Florence Devouard

AfroCrowd - Sherry Antoine

Wikimedia Argentina – Anna Torres Adell

Art+Feminism - Kira Wisniewski

Wikimedia Armenia - Arshak Shahenyan

Wikimedia Australia - Belinda Spry

Wikimedia Austria – Claudia Garád

Black Lunch Table Wikimedians - eliza myrie

Wiki Movimento Brasil – João Alexandre Peschanski

Wikimedia Canada - Louis Germain

Wikimedia Chile - Patricia Díaz Rubio

Wikimedia Colombia - Monica Bonilla Parra

Wikimedia Czech Republic – Klára Joklová

Dagbani Wikimedians - Sadik Shahadu

Wikimedia Estonia - Ivo Kruusamägi

Wikimedia España - Pilar de la Prieta

Wikimedia France – Remy Gerbet

Wikimedia Germany – Christian Humborg; Franziska Heine

Wikimedia Israel – Michal Wander Schwartz

Wikimedia México - Carmen Alcázar

Wikimedia Netherlands – Sandra Rientjes

Wikimedia Norway – Elisabeth Carrera

Wikimedia Poland - Natalia Ćwik

Wikimedia Serbia - Ivana Madžarević

Wikimedia Spain - Pilar de la Prieta

Wikimedia Sweden – John Andersson

Wikimedia Switzerland – Jenny Ebermann

Wikimedia UK – Lucy Crompton-Reid

Wikimedia Ukraine – Anton Protsiuk

Update : ED group and eligibility for the Wikimedia Summit

The ED-group is an informal group - people with a specific 'job-profile (see below) ' can choose to join, or not. Participation in this group is not directly connected to eligibility for the Wikimedia Summit. It does not automatically make someone eligible to participate in the Summit, nor should it be a criterion for eligibility.

Who can join?

The ED group has drawn up criteria for membership of the group. These criteria were developed to:

• have transparency for current and potential members on membership,
• define and be clear about expectations concerning the group,
• ensure that the group is a safe environment for all members,
• ensure that it is possible to establish and maintain a focus on issues that are relevant for most of the members of the group,
• ensure that it is possible to have meaningful discussions.

Criteria for membership of the ED group

For someone to become a member of the ED group, it is not necessary that they have the job title ‘executive director’, ‘chief executive officer’ or something similar. 

What matters, is that:

1. they work for a formally recognized Wikimedia-affiliate
2. are a paid staff member, not a volunteer or board member*
3. are the highest ranking staff member in the organisation**, reporting directly to the Board, and are
   • responsible for the development and delivery of annual plans
   • mandated to make operational and tactical decisions related to their organisation's programmes
   • mandated to make decisions concerning finances.
4. their affiliate structures its work according to a multi-year strategy and/or annual plan, or is in the process of developing these.

*If someone has a fixed-term (temporary) contract with the affiliate, or is hired as a free-lancer, they can still join the ED-group. However, to ensure a safe environment, members should be hired for a period of months rather than weeks.

**If the highest ranking staff member for whatever reason chooses not to participate in the ED-group, they can appoint a (permanent) representative in their place.

The working language of the ED group is English and for the time being the group is not able to provide translation during the calls. Speaking English is not a formal criterion for membership, but is necessary for meaningful participation.

The ED group aims to be as open and flexible as possible. If someone is interested in joining the group but is not certain whether they meet the criteria, please contact eds@listen.wikimedia.de.

How to contact or join

You can reach out to us by email: eds@listen.wikimedia.de