Amel Benhachemi Pain has been appointed as the next Editor-in-Chief at European Pressphoto Agency (EPA Images), which was announced in Frankfurt by EPA Images’ President & CEO, Julia R. Arévalo.
Effective 15 August 2024, Amel Pain will succeed José Luis Paniagua, “who helped in shaping the strategy for the new EPA Images and upholding its reputation for journalistic excellence,” said Arévalo.
Pain has been a vital member of the EPA Images team since 2008, contributing in various editorial capacities. Her journey with the company includes pivotal roles such as Head of Global Video, Middle East Director, and most recently, Managing Editor.
Among her contributions over the years, Pain became one of the first female photojournalists to cover the Hajj (Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca) in 2011. She also covered the Arab Spring from 2011 to 2014 as well as the Sudan uprising and the ensuing humanitarian crisis in 2019 and 2023.
"We are thrilled to welcome Amel as our new Editor-in-Chief," said Arévalo. "Her extensive background in visual journalism, coupled with her deep commitment to our editorial mission, makes her the ideal leader to guide our team of visual journalists and editors into the future.”
“We look forward to seeing Amel further elevate our content and continue our legacy of journalistic integrity and innovation,” she added. “I am honored to have this opportunity to continue my work with the EPA Management and teams worldwide", said Pain. "I grew up within EPA and with the support and help of my colleagues and our partners and shareholders, I am confident that the work already accomplished up to now can only evolve, to help decipher the world around us and tell the stories that matter.”
“Amel has been an essential part of the EPA desk in the last years”, said Paniagua. “Her experience and understanding of our business will make a difference and will help EPA to continue growing while keeping its high quality standards.”
With a career spanning over 20 years in the news media industry, Amel Pain brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of global media dynamics to the role. Pain holds an associate degree in Applied Foreign Languages from the Sorbonne Nouvelle University and a Master's degree in Journalism from the Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme de Paris. Her multilingual proficiency includes fluency in Arabic, English, and French, with basic knowledge of German.
Before joining EPA Images, Pain honed her editorial skills at Agence France-Presse (AFP) from 2000 to 2004 in Paris, followed by a tenure at Reuters from 2004 to 2006 in London.
Photo: Amel Benhachemi Pain, named Editor-in-Chief at EPA Images. Photo by Andre Pain.
Contact: Vanessa Keller, Marketing & Communications Manager at EPA Images
Email: marketing@epaimages.com
Phone: +49 69 244321 806 / 808
For more information about EPA Images, visit www.epaimages.com.
European Pressphoto Agency B.V. (rebranded as EPA Images) was created by an agreement among seven European news agencies in November 1984. The vision of the founders was driven by the demand for an independent quality picture service originally designed for the needs of the European media market. In early 2003, EPA made its service available to the worldwide market, beginning its global operations. In 2014, EPA launched its global video service. Today's EPA photo and video services are based on the broad network of EPA Images' visual journalists all over the world and on the daily production of its member agencies ANA-MPA, ANP, ANSA, EFE, KEYSTONE, LUSA, MIT and PAP, which are all market leaders in their respective countries.