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Media veteran brings nearly three decades of global strategic experience in digital media and audience development to the Wikimedia Foundation Board
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raju_Narisetti_-_International_Journalism_Festival_2015.JPG
San Francisco, CA, October 16, 2017 — The Wikimedia Foundation today announced the appointment of Raju Narisetti, a veteran media executive and journalist, to the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees.
Raju brings more than 29 years of media experience across three continents. He is currently CEO of Univision Communications Inc’s Gizmodo Media Group, the publisher of websites including Gizmodo, Jezebel, Lifehacker and The Root.
“Raju has dedicated his life’s work to information as a public service. His commitment to editorial integrity, independence, and inclusion is deeply aligned with Wikimedia values. His passion and expertise in digital strategy and international growth will be invaluable to our movement’s future as we advance our global free knowledge mission,” said Wikimedia Foundation Executive Director, Katherine Maher.
Prior to joining the Gizmodo Media Group, Raju served as Senior Vice President, Strategy, at News Corp, one of the largest media companies in the world and the publisher of The Wall Street Journal and The Times of London. In that role, Raju was responsible for identifying new digital growth opportunities globally for News Corp.
“There has never been more urgency in Wikipedia's 16-year history than now, for upholding the values of free exchange of information and knowledge,” said Raju. “Despite mounting challenges around the world, rapid innovation is creating tremendous opportunities for the Wikimedia Foundation. I have much to learn, but am also looking forward to lending my nearly three decades of global media experiences to the movement, to help engage more digital and mobile audiences, particularly diverse young people, and harness their energy to benefit from—and support—the vital values that underpin all Wikimedia initiatives.”
Before joining News Corp, Raju spent nearly 25 years as a journalist and editor. He started at The Economic Times in India before moving to The Dayton Daily News (Ohio), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), and The Washington Post. Starting out as a summer intern at WSJ, he eventually became Editor of The Wall Street Journal Europe and later Managing Editor of WSJ’s digital newsrooms. At The Washington Post, he was the Managing Editor who led the Post’s rethinking of its separate digital and print newsrooms and operations.
A native of Hyderabad, India, Raju is also the founder of Mint, currently India’s second-largest daily business newspaper by circulation.
“Raju's extensive international and journalistic experience will add valuable perspective to the Board as we look to bring new voices from around the world into our movement. I am impressed by his willingness to learn about and embrace the values behind the Wikimedia movement, and look forward to working with him to support our free knowledge mission,” said Nataliia Tymkiv, Governance Chair for the Board.
Raju is currently the Vice-chair for the Board of Directors of the International Center for Journalists, as well as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Institute of International Education, which administers the Fulbright Scholarship programmes. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Raju joins eight other Foundation Trustees who collectively bring expertise in the Wikimedia community, financial oversight, governance, and organizational development; and a commitment to advancing Wikimedia’s mission of free knowledge for all.
He was approved unanimously by the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees. His term is effective October 2017 and will continue for three years. Please see the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees for complete biographies.
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About the Wikimedia Foundation
The Wikimedia Foundation is the non-profit organization that supports and operates Wikipedia and its sister free knowledge projects. Wikipedia is the world’s free knowledge resource, spanning more than 45 million articles across nearly 300 languages. Every month, more than 200,000 people edit Wikipedia and the Wikimedia projects, collectively creating and improving knowledge that is accessed by more than 1 billion unique devices every month. This all makes Wikipedia one of the most popular web properties in the world. Based in San Francisco, California, the Wikimedia Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity that is funded primarily through donations and grants.
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