FIPP Rising Stars in Media and Insight Awards celebrated at UPM Opening Reception at FIPP World Media Congress


The FIPP Rising Stars in Media and Insight Awards were presented at the UPM Opening Reception at the FIPP World Media Congress on 12 November 2019. These awards celebrate outstanding work in the global media industry – recognising young leaders as well as various research-driven pieces of work that have given new insights to the industry. Soga Mbali, editor of South African Media 24’s True Love magazine, is this year’s overall winner of the FIPP Rising Stars in Media Awards. Mbali is awarded for her achievements taking the magazine in a new direction with a complete brand renewal.

For the Insight Awards, the following projects and companies were rewarded with Gold awards in their respective categories:

  • Best Commercial Outcome: “The Power of Positivity”, Hearst UK
  • Best Magazine in Media Promotion: “Pay Attention”, Magnetic
  • Best Use of Insight B2B: “Conscious Reach”, Axel Springer

UPM Communication Papers has been the main sponsor of the FIPP Rising Stars and Insight Awards for many years, supporting young talents and new insights from the industry. The sponsorship shows UPM’s commitment to the publishing industry, and according to Ruud van den Berg, SVP Magazines, Merchants and Office, the future looks bright.

“I am deeply impressed by the breadth and scope of the applications we received. For us at UPM, it reaffirms the importance of supporting the FIPP Rising Stars in Media and Insight Awards. We strongly believe in the bright future of the publishing industry. We want to recognise the new insights that these Insight Award winners have brought as well as the dedication of the young leaders who were awarded with Rising Stars awards,” notes van den Berg, who is also one of the judges on the awards.

Other winners of the FIPP Rising Stars awards this year include Rachel Arthur, Founder and Creative Director, Boom Saloon; Kieran Guilbert, Slavery and Trafficking Editor, Thomson Reuters Foundation; Helen Pye, Senior Digital Writer, Hitched, Immediate Media; Tom Rowley, Editor, Healthy for Men, River Group; and, Rachel Savage, LGBT+ Correspondent, Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Other companies and projects recognized with Silver awards for their efforts in the Insight Awards were “House & Leisure”, Associated Media Publishing for Best Commercial Outcome; “Inspiration points”, ARI – The Spanish Magazine Media Associaton and “#wakeup&create”, Condé Nast Spain for Best Magazine in Media Promotion; “Defiant”, Bauer Media Australia, “Big Mac”, MMA – The Dutch Magazine Association and “Heart of Britain”, TI Media/Differentology for Best Primary Research Project B2B.