Thibaut Bruttin appointed Director General of Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)’s Board of Directors appointed Thibaut Bruttin as the NGO’s director general during a meeting on 9 July. Bruttin succeeds Christophe Deloire, who died on 8 June 2024 and had led RSF for 12 years. Bruttin seeks to continue developing RSF's operations, responding to the rapidly evolving challenges facing press freedom and the right to information worldwide.
"We are convinced that Thibaut Bruttin is the ideal person to lead RSF in this new phase of its development, in a context where the right to information is facing challenges worldwide. Thibaut's experience and long-standing commitment to the organisation will be invaluable assets. We know that he aims to uphold the path forged by Christophe Deloire, who firmly believed that defending the right to information is not just up to journalists, but all citizens. We are convinced that today, RSF must serve as a bridge with citizens. This is a fundamental democratic challenge. We wish Thibaut Bruttin every success in his new role.
Thibaut Bruttin, 37, has occupied various positions since joining Reporters Without Borders in 2014, and has been acting as deputy director general since 2021. In March, Bruttin acted as interim general manager alongside Elodie Truchon, Director of Resources and Development.
Bruttin helped develop some of RSF’s chief initiatives, such as the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI); the evacuation of Afghan journalists; the press freedom centres in Ukraine; journalist Marina Ovsyannikova’s escape from Russia; and the Svoboda satellite bouquet, which broadcasts independent news to Russian-speakers both in and outside of Russia. Since 2016, Bruttin has also contributed to French campaigns against businessman Vincent Bolloré’s growing chokehold on French media.
"I am honoured by the trust placed in me by RSF's Board of Directors. With the help of our team, I am determined to follow the strategy that Christophe designed to uphold free, independent and diverse journalism around the world. His battles are our battles. It's up to us to find new ways to mobilise in defence of the right to reliable information, which affects citizens in the same way that freedom of the press affects journalists. This will be a daily commitment for me and the whole team at Reporters Without Borders, as both activists and professionals.
Thibaut Bruttin is a graduate of the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris, specialising in public affairs. He began his career as part of the international development team at the Louvre, and worked for Echo Studio, a production and distribution company specialising in activist cinema.
Thibaut Bruttin is also a film historian and has published several books on the subject, including Louis de Funès, à la Folie (2020, Éditions de la Martinière, co-written with Alain Kruger), Michel Audiard réalisateur (2022, Actes Sud/Institut Lumière), La Soupe aux choux (Yellow Now, 2023) and Michel Audiard/Jean Vautrin (2023, Actes Sud/Institut Lumière).
The Board of Directors also appointed Elodie Truchon as Deputy Director General, Head of Resources and Development. She joined the organisation in 2008, and has acted as RSF's Director of Resources and Development since 2019.
The whole RSF team honours the memory of Christophe Deloire, who died on 8 June 2024 at the age of 53, and who led RSF for 12 years with energy and passion. His commitment to journalism will not be forgotten.
Founded in 1985, RSF is now an NGO headquartered in Paris with seven offices and six sections in various countries and a network of more than 160 correspondents around the world.
