Indian journalist Mitali Mukherjee named Director of the Reuters Institute

The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism is dedicated to exploring the future of journalism worldwide through debate, engagement, and research. Their activities include a flagship Journalist Fellowship programme, leadership programmes, and research programmes to provide timely, evidence-based analysis of issues facing journalism and news media around the world.

Mitali Mukherjee.

Responding to the appointment, Mitali Mukherjee said: ‘I am honoured to take on the role of Director at the Reuters Institute and to be leading an exceptional team of colleagues. Our core mission is to explore the future of journalism worldwide through debate, engagement, and research, and I am looking forward to working with the Department of Politics and International Relations, the Thomson Reuters Foundation and industry partners to build on our achievements and mission. In a time of unpredictability and shift across the world, we are, and will remain, international in our reach and impact.’

Mukherjee is a political economy journalist with more than two decades of experience in TV, print, and digital journalism. She was a Chevening fellow for the South Asia Journalism Fellowship 2020, a Raisina Asian Forum for Global Governance Young Fellow 2019 and a 2017 fellow of the Australia India Youth Dialogue. In 2020, she was nominated for the prestigious Red Ink Awards in India for two of her business stories.

Over the course of her journalistic career, Mitali has been Consulting Business Editor at The Wire and Mint. Prior to that she was Markets Editor at CNBC TV 18 and Prime Time Anchor at TV Today and Doordarshan. She has been a Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) where she led Gender Initiatives for the organisation. Mitali has also co-founded two start-ups that focused on civil society and financial literacy. 

Announcing the appointment, Alan Rusbridger, Chair of the Reuters Institute’s Steering Committee said: ‘I am thrilled that Mitali will succeed Rasmus Nielsen as Director. She has been outstanding in her two terms as acting director and she has a clear and compelling vision for the next stage. The Reuters Institute was always intended to be a bridge between academic research into the future of journalism and the profession itself. Her directorship comes at a time of both great danger and extraordinary transformation. The Institute will have a unique role to play in this transformation and couldn’t be in better hands.’

Our core mission is to explore the future of journalism worldwide through debate, engagement, and research... In a time of unpredictability and shift across the world, we are, and will remain, international in our reach and impact.

Mitali Mukherjee, Director, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

Professor David Doyle, Head of the Department of Politics and International Relations of the University of Oxford, said: ‘The Department is delighted that Mitali will be the new Director. Mitali has an incredibly exciting vision for the Institute and I am looking forward to working with her to achieve this vision. I have no doubt that Mitali will build on the tremendous success of the Institute and take it to new heights as the new Director.’

The Reuters Institute receives core funding from the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Antonio Zappulla, the Foundation’s CEO, said: ‘I want to congratulate Mitali on securing the leadership of one of the world’s most powerful and respected research centres working to propel the future of journalism. I am looking forward to collaborating around our shared mission of driving journalism excellence and strengthening the resilience of independent media, particularly in an era where the industry faces unprecedented challenges, yet the role of independent journalism has never been more urgent. I am excited to see how Mitali will take the Institute to new heights.’

Mukherjee will succeed Rasmus Kleis Nielsen, who was the Institute’s Director from 2018 to 2024. Under Nielsen’s leadership, the Institute produced award-winning, widely cited and increasingly global academic research, and launched new work focused on climate change, diversity in news leadership, and artificial intelligence. 

Responding to Mukerjee’s appointment, Nielsen said: ‘Mitali has an exceptional combination of journalistic integrity, serious engagement with research, and a truly international outlook. As a person, she brings genuine curiosity, a diplomatic touch, and true grit to the role. She is already a cornerstone of the global community that makes the Institute what it is and will be an outstanding Director in leading its future development.’