Applications for the 2025–2027 CEPIC Board closed on 15 September, and we are pleased to present this year’s nominees. The new Board will be elected during the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on 13 October 2025 at 10:00 CET. All CEPIC members are invited to attend and cast their votes as we shape the future of our association and the wider picture industry.
Below are the candidates standing for election. Each brings unique experience, insight, and commitment to supporting CEPIC’s mission of advocating for visual content creators, rightsholders, and image agencies around the world.
Gilles Devicq is a seasoned professional with more than four decades of experience across photography, media, and content management. Beginning his career as a photographer in the 1970s, he later held key executive roles at Image Bank, Getty Images, Corbis, Hachette Photos, and Pond5, where he was instrumental in introducing the brand to the French market and expanding its global reseller network. Gilles currently serves as Vice President of CEPIC, bringing a unique blend of creative and corporate expertise to the board.
“As a frequent attendee of CEPIC congresses since 2000, I am passionate about revitalising the event to better integrate content creators and users of all media types, fostering greater business opportunities, and driving industry growth.”
Philippe François is Head of Content at NBXimage, the new photo and video platform of Belga News Agency and ANP, and has been a professional journalist since 1992. Starting as a court reporter in Belgium and France, he became Editor-in-Chief of Belga’s photo and video desk in 2006, overseeing partnerships and supplier relations. With decades of newsroom and content-management experience, Philippe brings a deep understanding of quality, authenticity, and rights management in a rapidly evolving market.
“It has been a true pleasure to serve as a member of the CEPIC Board for the past two years, a mandate I would gladly continue. I am also convinced that the new board will once again be a strong team capable of driving change. This is why I am also submitting my candidacy for vice-chairman.”
Sergi Griño founded Album in 1993 and has led the company’s growth, international expansion, and technological innovation for over three decades. With a background in financial analysis, Sergi guided Album’s transition from physical to digital, oversaw the development of its proprietary tech platform, and built a global sales network spanning 48 agents. He also coordinated Album’s participation in EU-funded projects such as RDI and ARDITO, focusing on innovation and service development, and led software projects with the Super-computation Center of Catalonia on a Cray supercomputer platform.
An active advocate for the industry, Sergi has been a member of AEAPAF for 20 years, serving seven as President, and currently serves as CEPIC Treasurer. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Barcelona, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a Business Administration qualification from Fundació les Heures (University of Barcelona).
“I joined the CEPIC Committee because we are a small industry and this is the way of defending our common interest, making our voice reach the politicians and the lawmakers at EU level, and helping the industry in general.”
Katherine Briggs is General Counsel & Director for Envato, a leading global provider of digital creative assets owned by Shutterstock Inc. She brings extensive leadership experience from high-growth companies across sectors, including fintech, telecommunications, and online platforms, having previously served as General Counsel for iSelect Ltd and held executive roles at Westpac Bank, eNett International, and REA Group Ltd.
Katherine is a current CEPIC Board Member and serves on the Legal Committee of the Digital Media Licensing Association (DMLA), where she advocates for visual content creators, rightsholders, and image agencies, and helps shape standards for the ethical use of AI.
“Over the past ~2 years, I've had the privilege of serving on the CEPIC Board. It's been a period during which our organization played a key role in shaping crucial legislation, from the EU Copyright Directive to the EU AI Act, and helped establish standards for the ethical use of AI. It would be an honor to be re-elected and continue contributing to this work as we navigate the evolving challenges facing visual content creators.”
Petar Glebov has over two decades of experience in the editorial picture industry, beginning as a photojournalist for daily newspapers in Croatia before moving into sales, digital development, and leadership roles. He now serves as a Member of the Board at PIXSELL, Southeast Europe’s leading editorial photo and video agency, where he leads a team of 34 employees and numerous external contributors across editorial and corporate assignments, international distribution, and licensing.
Petar brings extensive expertise in copyright protection and licensing models, digital systems innovation, and regional market development spanning Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Bosnia, combined with strong partnerships with global agencies. His leadership and hands-on understanding of media business challenges position him to support CEPIC’s mission and drive industry progress.
“I have long respected and supported CEPIC’s role in representing and protecting the interests of the picture industry, and I would be honored to contribute to its work at board level.”
Helen Gudgeon brings over 25 years of experience in the visual communications industry, with deep expertise in content strategy, partnership development, and global distribution. At Getty Images, she leads content partnership strategy across EMEA and APAC, working with editorial, commercial, video, and imagery partners to build sustainable revenue streams and maximise distribution for media organisations, broadcasters, and copyright holders.
Helen has attended nearly every CEPIC conference since 2002 and feels a strong connection to the community. She believes her hands-on industry experience, collaborative approach, and background in complex negotiations can help CEPIC navigate today’s challenges and plan strategically for the future. Passionate about visual representation and responsible AI, she is committed to ensuring that diverse voices and perspectives are authentically reflected across the visual media landscape.
“Over the years, CEPIC has been an important part of my professional life, and I would be honoured to contribute more formally to its work.”
Paul Seheult has been active in the photo licensing industry for forty years, beginning as a photographer and later building niche photo agencies. He is CEO of the UK visual arts collecting society PICSEL, a long-time BAPLA board member, and serves on the boards of AVLA and ERA, while also sitting as an observer on the CLA Board. Paul is deeply engaged in copyright and AI advocacy, representing stakeholders through the British Copyright Council, Creators’ Rights Alliance (CRA), CRAIC, and as an IFRRO member. He also brings extensive EU and UK lobbying experience through his role as a CEPIC board member.
“I have always supported a strong CEPIC and have attended every Congress since Prague. With BAPLA’s backing I’m standing again to keep ideas flowing—like the new speed-dating sessions we introduced at CEPIC 2025, which were mad, chaotic fun and fantastic for business. I want to bring that same energy and more fresh ideas to CEPIC 2026 to make it both productive and memorable for everyone.”
Luzia Strohmayer-Nacif is Head of APA-PictureDesk, Austria’s largest photo agency, and leads the transformation of APA’s new subsidiary APA-Comm. She oversees service expansion, visual AI development, including APA’s in-house face recognition system, and the redesign of the APA image agency within the APA Newsdesk platform. A board member of Germany’s BVPA since 2022, Luzia has a strong background in visual communication, photo editing, and media studies, and is deeply engaged in setting industry standards and AI guidelines.
“As a board member, I wish to do my bit in the development of the picture industry on an international level, facing disruptive challenges like GenAI, the power of social media platforms and changing media industry together, as a group of professionals. Having worked for an independent news agency that is organized as a cooperative for a long time, I can contribute to the collaborative and democratic spirit of CEPIC.”
Paris-born Gilles Taquet has more than 25 years of experience leading and innovating within the photo agency world. After founding a corporate advertising agency in 1987, he went on to acquire and merge multiple photo agencies, including La Photothèque SDP and DIAF to form Photononstop, later acquiring BIOSPHOTO and creating BIOSMOTION.COM. Since 2020, Gilles has managed and exclusively distributed the historic Roger-Viollet agency on behalf of the City of Paris and opened the Roger-Viollet Gallery.
Currently a board member and Treasurer of SAPHIR and a CEPIC board member (2023–2025), Gilles continues to champion author rights and the authenticity of information in a rapidly evolving market.
“Being part of the CEPIC board allows me to make our voice heard by European institutions and to affirm that photo agencies are a vital link in defending both authors’ rights and the authenticity of information.”
Magnus Wahman is a seasoned Swedish photographer with over 30 years of experience, beginning in the analog era delivering slides and black-and-white prints to physical archives and later working with agencies across Sweden and the United States. Today he combines his photography career with publishing photo books and serving as a board member of BLF, Journalistförbundet Fotograferna, and Bildupphovsrätt Sweden, where he focuses on communication, pricing, and market issues for photographers.
Magnus brings a creator’s perspective to CEPIC, informed by decades of hands-on experience and his active role in Swedish organisations that advocate for the value and protection of photographic work.
“As a representative of BLF in Sweden, I want to participate in advocacy work and, through the board position, provide a breadth of where we all come from.”
The 2025–2027 Board will play a key role in guiding CEPIC through the rapidly changing visual media landscape. We encourage all members to participate in the Extraordinary General Meeting on 13 October at 10:00 CET to cast their vote and help shape the future of our global community. Your voice and engagement are vital to keeping CEPIC a strong advocate for creators, rightsholders, and image agencies worldwide.