Politico Europe names PR executive as new CEO

Politico Europe announced on Wednesday that Claire Boussagol will be its new CEO, succeeding Shéhérazade Semsar-de Boisséson.

Boussagol will take the helm of the news organization — a joint venture between German media company Axel Springer and U.S.-based Politico LLC — on June 16.

Semsar-de Boisséson is stepping down “to take on new pursuits,” the company said, adding she will serve on Politico Europe’s Advisory Board.

According to LinkedIn, Boussagol has spent the last 25 years at the public relations firm APCO Worldwide, most recently as its president. 

APCO has lobbied in Europe on behalf of companies such as American Express, Dell, Microsoft, Salesforce, the Premier League and Whirlpool, according to a European registry of lobbying organizations.

Boussagol will not be directing the media outlet’s news coverage, a Politico Europe spokesperson said.

“As CEO, Claire will not get involved in editorial decisions,” the spokesperson said in an email. “Setting the editorial tone for POLITICO is entirely up to the editorial team, headed by the editor-in-chief.”

Founding editor and chairman of the editorial advisory board John Harris has been acting as Politico Europe’s editor-in-chief since March, when the previous editor-in-chief, Stephen Brown, died of a heart attack.

Boussagol’s new role comes amid news that Axel Springer is considering acquiring Axios, a Politico competitor in the U.S.

Axel Springer owns Insider and holds a majority stake in Morning Brew, as well as multiple European media brands including the German edition of Rolling Stone.