Jon Williams is the Executive Director of the Rory Peck Trust.

Jon spent two decades leading global news teams on both sides of the Atlantic. As the BBC’s World News Editor, he led the broadcaster’s coverage of the war in Afghanistan, awarded the International Emmy for News for the BBC’s reporting of Israel’s 2006 war against Hezbollah, and a second for its coverage of the Syrian Civil War. As Managing Editor of the US network ABC, he earned a third Emmy for its reporting of the Syrian refugee crisis. Most recently, he led the digital transformation of Ireland’s public broadcaster, taking it to market leadership online and on air as Managing Director of RTE News.

Jon is now the Executive Director of the Rory Peck Trust, which works to protect independent journalism by funding training, crisis assistance and mental health support for freelance journalists around the world. He serves on the board of the Committee to Protect Journalists, as well as that of the UN Refugee Agency’s UK fundraising foundation. He is currently campaigning to build Britain’s first permanent memorial to those who have died while reporting from the world’s conflict zones, designed to be an enduring reminder of their sacrifice and the contribution of journalism to democracy.

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