Themis, the central point of contact against sexual harassment and violence in the cultural, music and media professions, has a new head: the Assembly of Delegates appointed the experienced media manager Martina Zöllner as President at the beginning of September.

Zöllner, long-time editorial director and producer, will steer the fortunes of the organisation together with Maren Lansink. Lansink was already elected Managing Director in the summer. The dual leadership follows the resignation of Eva Hubert, who stepped down at the end of June.

In her first statement, Zöllner emphasised the importance of an independent safe space for those affected. Those who experience verbal or physical boundary violations in the workplace are often faced with difficult decisions and need a confidential place to turn to.

Since 2018, the Themis confidential counselling centre has been advising cultural workers, musicians and media professionals who have experienced harassment or assault. It is supported by numerous industry associations and also by the Minister of State for Culture, who praised the organisation's work as "indispensable for a safe working environment".

With the appointment of Zöllner, Themis is relying on an experienced voice in the media landscape who is committed to respect and fairness in the creative working environment. Observers see this as a clear signal: the fight against sexualised violence and abuse of power remains at the top of the agenda in the cultural and media industry.