Life At Bonnier - Stefan Mehr

The Honor of Being Nominated

Nominees to the Swedish Grand Journalism Prize are getting more attention from the press, says Stefan Mehr.

Nominees were announced at a press conference Photo: Magnus Bergström

It's not just about winning, it's about being in the running. So says Stefan Mehr, non-voting executive member of the jury and long-time organizer of the Swedish Grand Journalism Prize. Mehr, who has been working with the award for the past 15 years, says that interest in the nominees - the finalists in each of three categories given out - has increased this year.

"It used to be that if your newspaper, magazine, radio channel, etc. wasn't nominated, you didn't write about it," says Mehr.

Bonnier Duke Program Underway

The international Bonnier Duke Program - the newest development from Bonnier Media University - helps leaders from all over Bonnier.

Marjaana Toiminen during the Bonnier Duke Program

The Bonnier Duke Program, with 30 leading Bonnier managers participating from around the world, recently finished up the latest round in London. The international program is the biggest investment Bonnier has made in leadership on a top level ever. CEO Jonas Bonnier's message is clear: "No single task is more important than to make sure that we have the best possible people in key positions. We must retain talent by continuously providing them with inspiration, challenges and the possibility of a career within the Group."

Bonnier Key People Commitment

Bonnier Media University launches new initiative.

Stefan Mehr by Carl Bengtsson

Founded in 1990, Bonnier Media University has evolved and shifted focus as Bonnier has expanded. But its primary purpose has remained the same - to develop, attract and inspire key people and talent within Bonnier. Now BMU is undertaking the biggest initiative in its history: the Bonnier Key People Commitment.

"The most important task for Bonnier both in the short and long term is to make sure we have the best staff possible," says Jonas Bonnier, the driving force behind the initiative.

Sweden's Great Journalist Award On the Horizon

Nominations for Sweden's Great Journalist Award will close in a month. Stefan Mehr, program leader for the prizes, promises some changes at the awards ceremony.

This week begins an ad campaign for nominations for the Great Journalist Award, Sweden's answer to the Pulitzer Prize. The nomination period closes on Sept. 30 and the actual awards will be announced on Nov. 25 at the Rotunda of the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. The prize, which is sponsored by Bonnier, is awarded in three categories - investigative reporting, storytelling, innovation - as well as Lukas Bonniers Stora Journalistpris, awarded for lifetime achievement in journalism.
 

Powerful Speakers Take the Stage at GRID10

Best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert, American media icon Martha Stewart and Alec Ross, adviser to Hillary Clinton headline the list of speakers at GRID10.

Wildly successful Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert will speak at GRID10 in Stockholm this September. She will be joining legendary media queen Martha Stewart and Alec Ross, Senior Advisor on Innovation to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. "It's an amazing line up of powerful guests that will speak at this exclusive Bonnier event," says Stefan Mehr, GRID curator and responsible for creating a program with extraordinary speakers and unexpected surprises.

BMU Workshops Generate Ideas and Revenue at Bonnier Corp.

Ideas turn into reality at BMU business process meetings at Bonnier Corporation.

Photo: Valerie Fischel

Brainstorming pays off. At least in the case of Bonnier Media University's recent workshops at Bonnier Corp. in the U.S., where the ideas developed are already up and running. And generating revenue.

The first installment of workshops began in February, and publishers have been quick to see the results. John McEver, publisher of Boating, says, "From our workshop we created a multi-platform marketing program with a revenue target of USD 300,000 for the fourth quarter."

Martha Stewart to Keynote at GRID10

GRID10 will feature American style guru and media icon Martha Stewart.

Photo: Scott Duncan

Martha Stewart, America's most trusted guide to stylish living, will be a keynote speaker at GRID10 in September. Stewart, whose magazines, TV programs, books and entire product range have inspired a generation of Americans, will be joining a host of other speakers at GRID10, an inspirational meeting of creative minds from all Bonnier companies.

Great Ideas, Fantastic Speakers

Bonnier Media University's Stefan Mehr on the upcoming GRID conference.

In early 2008, Jonas Bonnier approached Stefan Mehr of Bonnier Media University with an idea to create a completely different kind of media conference that had nothing explicit to do with Bonnier business. "We wanted to create something very unconventional, revolving around storytelling by outstanding speakers, since storytelling is the essence of what Bonnier is all about," says Mehr, who was charged with turning the idea into reality.

Graduation Day

Bonnier Publishing Program 3.0: 20 participants, 40 speakers, 16 companies in 3 countries.

It's late spring in Stockholm, a time when city residents get to enjoy blooming lilacs, white nights, and truckloads of drunken high school graduates reveling in the streets.  Last week, 20 men and women gathered for a more sober, but no less exuberant, diploma ceremony of their own.  The Bonnier Publishing Program 3.0  came to a fitting end at Nedre Manilla, the Bonnier private residence in Stockholm's Djurgården, where the young digital lions