Marie (Majka) Nemcova has stepped down as Media Development Investment Fund’s Chief Operating Officer after 29 years, effective February 1. Going forward she will continue to work with MDIF as a Senior Advisor on a part-time basis.
In a reconfiguration of managerial responsibilities, Managing Director Media Programs, Bilal Randeree, has been promoted to Chief Program Officer, taking on Majka’s work leading the Program Department and joining MDIF’s Investment Committee.
Bilal joined MDIF in 2017, serving as Program Director for Africa and MENA, and managing the design and successful implementation of the South Africa Media Innovation Program (SAMIP), the Nigeria Media Innovation Program (NAMIP) and other regional Africa programs. In 2024 he assumed his current role to focus on global strategy-setting for MDIF’s Amplify and other special programs. Before joining MDIF, Bilal worked for KPMG, Al Jazeera and successfully scaled a digital media startup. He is a Chartered Accountant (CPA equivalent) and holds a post-graduate diploma in Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University.
Senior Program Officer Kristyna Machova has been promoted to Operations and Programs Manager and will take on some of Majka’s administrative responsibilities, with the remainder of COO duties allocated to the CEO and Chief of Staff. The COO position is being retired.
Majka joined MDIF as head of operations in 1996, one year after it was founded as Media Development Loan Fund by journalists Sasa Vucinic and Stuart Auerbach.
“Majka has been the beating heart of MDIF for nearly 30 years and we will miss her immensely,” said CEO Harlan Mandel. “Her deep understanding of our mission supporting independent media where a free press is under threat has played a key role shaping every part of MDIF’s work. At the same time, her unparallelled dedication and management excellence have been essential to MDIF’s effectiveness and sustained growth over her 29-year tenure. I’m grateful she will continue to contribute to our work as Senior Advisor. On behalf of MDIF’s staff and board, I want to give our deepest thanks to Majka and congratulate Bilal and Kristyna on their new positions.”