Sophie Huet Appointed Global Editor-In-Chief Of AFP. Jean-Luc Bardet Replaces Her as Deputy Global News Director

Sophie Huet is taking over as AFP Global Editor-in-Chief, replacing Phil Chetwynd, who was appointed Global News Director on January 9^th 2019. 

A journalist for 34 years and a graduate of the Marseille School of Journalism, Sophie Huet began her career at the Central Press Agency (ACP), before joining AFP in 1991, first at the Rennes then the Washington and London bureaux. After serving as Marseille deputy bureau chief she became deputy editor-in-chief for France. In 2013, after four years in charge of the general news service, she trained in digital project design at the Gobelins School of the Image and took over as head of infographics and innovation. Since 2016 she has been deputy to the global news director Michèle Léridon, in charge of coordinating innovation actions and co-piloting the new AFPHub platform project. She represents AFP on the board of Minds International, a network of 22 international news agencies.

Jean-Luc Bardet has been AFP Regional Director France since September 2017. He joined AFP in 1987 on the France desk, then worked as a reporter in Besançon (1988-1991), followed by Washington, where he covered the 1992 presidential election. Upon his return to Paris in 1994, he joined the political service, first as parliamentary correspondent then at the prime minister’s office from 1997 to 2002.

Head of the French Economic Department from 2004 to 2008, then deputy to the Global Editor-in-Chief (2008-2012), he headed the Brussels office for three years before being appointed editor-in-chief for France in 2015. Jean-Luc Bardet has a degree in law, holds a post-graduate degree in political science and a diploma from the Centre de Formation des Journalistes (CFJ).

He co-authored, with Sylvie Maligorne (AFP) and Bruno Jeudy (JDD), “Les Coulisses d’une Victoire” (Editions L’Archipel), a book about the 2002 French presidential campaign.