Ana María Bordas has assumed her role as the new head of the Eurovision Reference Group.
After being elected as the new Chair of the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group back in March, Ana María Bordas has now assumed that role, which she will keep for a two year term. She was elected as Chair of the Eurovision Reference Group after recieving an absolute majority during a meeting of the EBU’s TV Committee in March 2025.
Ana María Bordas takes over this role from Bakel Walden of Swiss Broadcaster SRG SSR, who left the role after Eurovision 2025 in Basel.
Also joining Bordas in the Reference Group for a two year term are:
- Carla Bugalho – Senior TV Producer at RTP, Head of Delegation for Portugal, and Deputy Executive Producer and Show Producer of Eurovision 2018 in Lisbon.
- Claudia van der Pas – Event Manager at AVROTROS, Head of Delegation for The Netherlands in 2025, and Delegation Manager for Eurovision 2021 in Rotterdam.
- Molly Plank – Production Manager and Executive Producer at DR, and Head of Delegation for Denmark.
Ana María Bordas, who currently works as Content Director for Spanish broadcaster RTVE, and as Head of Delegation for Spain at Eurovision, is very much looking forward to working as Chairman of the Reference Group for Eurovision 2026, as she explains to RTVE:
“I hope the new Reference Group will work as a united team for the benefit of all participating members to strengthen and enhance the Eurovision Song Contest. I look forward to working closely with the organizers of the next festival in Austria to make the 2026 edition special, and with the EBU to contribute new ideas.”
What does the Eurovision Reference Group do?
The Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group plays a vital role in the organisation and governance of Eurovision. The groups main purpose is to guide and control the Eurovision Song Contest. This can include:
- Approving the development and securing the financing of the contest.
- Overseeing the preparations by the host broadcaster each year.
- Modernising the Eurovision brand
- Approving the development and format of Eurovision
What are your thoughts on Ana María Bordas taking on the role as new Head of the Eurovision Reference Group? What changes to the contest are you hoping to see in the coming years? Let us know your thoughts on these topics in the comments below!
Photo credit: RTVE
