Christer Björkman: "I’m thrilled to be back!"

Christer has extensive knowledge of the Eurovision Song Contest having been the contest’s show producer in 2013 in Malmö, Sweden and more recently contest producer on SVT's award-winning production of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm. He is also the man responsible for transforming Sweden’s national selection, Melodifestivalen, into the biggest television show of the year in Sweden. Christer will be responsible for producing the look and feel of the stage show for each act, and brings unique experience of the Eurovision Song Contest as he also represented Sweden in the competition in 1992.

Of his appointment, Björkman said "I’m thrilled to be back, working on what is surely the world’s premier music event.  I look forward to collaborating with the wonderful team at UA:PBC and I’m sure together we will produce the best contest yet!"

Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Jon Ola Sand, said "It is pleasing to see these positive steps being taken in the staffing of the core team for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. For example, the appointment of Christer Björkman adds to what is already an excellent production team, and his experience producing the Eurovision Song Contest over several years will be invaluable. Now, with many key positions filled, it is important that the EBU and UA:PBC continue to implement the plans already agreed, and work to the timeline and milestones that were established and approved by the Reference Group to ensure a successful Contest in May." 

Core team update

Joining Christer on the core team are Larysa Koval as Commercial Director (who has previously worked on the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2009 and UEFA Euro 2012) and Kyrylo Voronin as Event Manager. All are specialists, with long-standing experience in large-scale international projects.

Last week the Host Broadcaster of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest, UA:PBC, hosted a press conference where they updated journalists on the latest developments in the organisation of the forthcoming event. The team also updated the journalists present on the latest news concerning ticket sales of which more than 9000 have been sold. Another wave of tickets will go on sale this week via the website of the official ticketing partner concert.ua.

During last week’s press briefing, the team were candid in discussing the challenges of organising the Eurovision Song Contest in Ukraine, as Hanna Bychok, Acting Head of UA: PBC explained; “We fully understand that the international community is watching closely, it is now especially important to present the country to the world and let everybody feel our hospitality”.