Born in 1964, Anna Serner is the CEO of the Swedish Film Institute. She took up the post on October 1st 2011.
Her previous position was as Managing Director of the Swedish Media Publishers’ Association (Tidningsutgivarna), where she was active in public debate on freedom of speech and the media’s role in society.
For two years prior to this she ran her own marketing communications consultancy business, and was also CEO of the Advertising Association of Sweden (Reklamförbundet) from 1998-2006.
With a degree in law, Anna has a wide experience of board level appointments, including Berghs School of Communication, Folkoperan, United Minds, Fanzingo and the magazine Dagens Samhälle. She has also served as an expert on various Swedish government commissions, including one on copyright. In addition, she undertook a two-year course in practical filmmaking at the Stockholm School of Film as well as film studies at Stockholm University.
Over the past 20 years Anna has also given lectures and spoken widely on law, advertising, creativity, management and gender equality.
Biography & background:
Anna Serner is the CEO of the Swedish Film Institute, a position she has held since October 2011. Her previous position was as Managing Director of the Swedish Media Publishers’ Association (Tidningsutgivarna), where she was active in public debate on freedom of speech and the media’s role in society, and as CEO of the Advertising Association of Sweden (Reklamförbundet) from 1998-2006. With a degree in law, Anna has a wide experience of board level appointments, and has served as an expert on various Swedish government commissions, including one on copyright (2010). In addition, she undertook a two-year course in practical filmmaking at the Stockholm School of Film as well as film studies at Stockholm University.
The gender equality work carried out by the Swedish Film Institute has received considerable international attention and inspired similar organizations, such as the film institutes in Austria and Ireland, Telefilm Canada and the co-financing fund Eurimages, as well as generating significant press coverage, for example in:
The New York Times: How Swedish Cinema Gave Women Directors a Bigger Role
Buzzfeed: How This Woman Changed Inequality In Swedish Films
The Sydney Morning Herald: The Woman Who Changed A Film Industry
Photo Credit: Marie-Therese Karlberg
