Working at AFP: staff profiles
Deputy News Director and France Director (in 2019)
Jean-Luc has been AFP’s France Director since September 2017 and Deputy News Director since March 2019. He joined AFP in 1987, starting his career as a reporter on the France desk before being appointed journalist at the Besançon bureau.
He was then posted to Washington, where he covered the 1992 presidential election. On his return to Paris in 1994, he joined the politics desk, first as a parliamentary correspondent and then covering the Prime Minister’s office from 1997 to 2002. He served as Head of the France Economics Desk from 2004 to 2008, then in the chief editor’s team until 2012. He went on to head the Brussels bureau for three years before being appointed France Chief Editor in 2015.
Jean-Luc holds a law degree, a postgraduate diploma (DEA) in political science and is a graduate of the Centre de Formation des Journalistes (CFJ).
Research and Development Officer (in 2022)
Halima is a Java developer in AFP’s Editorial Systems IT Department. After obtaining a Master’s degree in Software Engineering from Université Joseph Fourier in Grenoble in 2007, she began her career at various companies as a Java consultant. She joined AFP in 2020, initially as a contractor before becoming a staff member in 2021.
Halima is part of the Back-end Document team, which develops applications managing editorial content (text stories, photos, videos, etc.) and consolidates information from other applications, from production through to archiving.
Head of Editorial Systems IT Department (in 2018)
A graduate engineer from ENSI Caen, Yannick joined AFP in 2006 as a Systems Engineer after a two-year assignment as an IT consultant. He later moved to the Development Department, joining the Business Applications team, which he led from 2014.
In 2019, he was appointed Head of the Editorial Systems IT Department.
Marketing Group Manager (in 2018)
As part of her Master’s degree in ICT Management at Université Paris Dauphine, Marion joined AFP as an IT Project Manager on a work-study basis.
She later moved to the Sales & Marketing Department as a Photo and Graphics Product Manager, before being promoted to Marketing Group Manager, where she oversees a broader product portfolio in France and internationally.
Human Resources Director (in 2022)
Christine Briemel has more than 30 years’ experience in human resources at international groups. After seven years at pharmaceutical group Johnson & Johnson, where she held several roles including EMEA Director of Talent Development, she became Head of Human Resources at Westinghouse (energy sector) for France, Belgium and South Africa for 14 years. She was then appointed France HR Director at the German group Kaefer Wanner in 2017.
Christine joined AFP in spring 2021 as Human Resources Director. She is responsible for steering and deploying HR strategy for all journalists and support staff, both in France and internationally. Key short-term priorities include developing and harmonising an international HR policy, digitalising HR processes, and implementing mobility and diversity policies.
Communications Officer (in 2018)
A graduate of Université Paris Dauphine, Caroline joined AFP in 2011 as part of an apprenticeship within the Communications and Brand Directorate.
She then pursued her career in various companies before rejoining AFP in 2016 as a Communications Officer, contributing to enhancing the agency’s brand image.
Deputy Central News Editor (in 2022)
Richard joined AFP in 2009 in Berlin, where he used his expertise in financial journalism to cover the eurozone debt crisis. He moved to Paris in 2013 as a journalist on the English desk before becoming Deputy Paris Bureau Chief, notably covering the Charlie Hebdo attack and the rise of Emmanuel Macron.
He then ran the Europe and Africa editing desk before being appointed Deputy Tokyo Bureau Chief the following year, where he covered preparations for the Olympic Games and the Rugby World Cup.
Since 2020, he has been Deputy Global News Editor, responsible for the agency’s daily output, coordinating with chief editors and reporters across AFP’s global network.
Head of Video Editing Unit, France (in 2019)
Gabrielle began her career at AFP in 2008 in the English-language video service (AFP TV), before becoming a French-language video journalist in 2011. She covered the 2012 presidential election and the 2015 Paris attacks, and that same year became Deputy France Video Reporting Coordinator.
In 2017, she joined the Washington bureau as Deputy North America Video Editor-in-Chief. She organised video coverage of major breaking news events such as the Las Vegas shooting, California wildfires and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. She also coordinated the video special marking the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. Since September 2019, she has headed the video editing unit.
Technology Reporter (in 2022)
A graduate in political science and from the CFJ, Yassine joined AFP in 2014. Over the course of his career, he has held various production roles, covering breaking news both at the desk and in the field.
In 2015, he joined the sports desk, first at the desk and then as a football reporter covering notably the 2018 World Cup. In September 2020, he became a technology reporter, working within the economics and then digital/culture desks.
Video Coordinator for Southeast Asia (in 2023)
Sarah is AFP’s Video Coordinator for Southeast Asia, currently based in Bangkok. After completing a Master’s degree in journalism in Hong Kong, she joined AFP around ten years ago as a video desk intern.
During her career, she has covered major events such as the Umbrella Movement and the 2019 protests in Hong Kong. She has also travelled several times to North Korea since the bureau opened in 2016. She covered the Tokyo Olympic Games and the World Cup in Russia, developing expertise in sports journalism.
She now travels across Southeast Asia producing reports and coordinating video coverage across the region, including Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, in collaboration with colleagues from other departments.
Sarah describes herself as proud to be part of AFP, a company offering opportunities and mobility for new generations of journalists.
Deputy London News Editor (in 2023)
Germain joined AFP in 2006 on the Economics Desk in Paris. He was later posted to New York for four years before moving to Moscow in 2012. Since 2019, he has been Deputy London News Editor, coordinating coverage in the UK and Ireland.
His career has led him to cover a wide range of major stories, including the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the global financial crisis, the revolution in Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea, Brexit, and more recently the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Deputy Administrative and Finance Manager (in 2018)
While studying at business school, Gabriel joined AFP in March 2013 as an intern. He continued his career as a management controller on a work-study basis, first in the Europe/Africa region and then in the Sports Department, combining his role with his passion for rugby.
After completing a Master’s degree in Audit and Accounting, he was appointed Deputy Administrative and Finance Manager for Europe before moving to Nicosia in June 2018 as Deputy Administrative and Finance Manager for the Middle East and North Africa.
Investigations Reporter / Reporting Pool (in 2022)
A journalism graduate from CELSA, Daphné worked for three years as a freelance journalist (text, radio and television) before joining AFP in the Jerusalem bureau. She later moved to Berlin, where she covered the German economy.
Since early 2020, she has been a versatile reporter within the Investigations Unit in Paris, covering trials, attacks and social issues, as well as undertaking international assignments, including several weeks in Afghanistan and more recently in Ukraine.
Deputy Head of Social Media and Fact-Checking (in 2019)
A graduate in history and from the Lille School of Journalism, Pauline joined AFP in 2006. She has held various production roles, covering breaking news in the field.
In 2010, she joined the general news service, first as a suburban correspondent and then covering police, terrorism and attacks, including the wave of jihadist attacks. In May 2019, she became Deputy Head of Social Media and Fact-Checking, where she is learning a different form of journalism using verification and analysis.
Deputy Europe Editor-in-Chief (in 2019)
After starting in the print press, Karim joined AFP in 2004 in Moscow, covering the rise of President Vladimir Putin. He later worked in Baghdad during the civil war and in Kabul as the Taliban gained ground.
He then moved to the Paris bureau, covering the uprising against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and the early stages of the war in Syria. He returned to Moscow in 2014 as News Editor. Since 2018, he has been Deputy Europe Editor-in-Chief.