Austria Assembles Its Eurovision Avengers: Meet the Dream Team Behind ESC 2026
The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 may be months away, but in true Austrian efficiency (and a touch of drama), the ORF has already rolled out its big guns. General Director Roland Weißmann has hand-picked a crack team to make sure Austria dazzles the world – or at least doesn’t suffer a catastrophic power outage halfway through a key change.
The newly completed ORF Core Team is led by Michael Krön, who carries the fancy title of Executive Producer – or, as we like to call him, “The Man Who Will Not Sleep Until May”. And he’s got company:
Nina Kaiser – The Money Maestro
As Head of Commercial, Kaiser will handle national partnerships and liaise with the EBU marketing wizards. With two decades at ProSiebenSat.1 PULS 4 and a co-founder credit for the 4GAMECHANGERS Festival, she’s clearly not here to sell fridge magnets. Word has it she’s been “loaned” from her media empire just for Eurovision – which makes her sound like Austria’s very own superhero on a temporary assignment.
Claudio Bortoli – The Tech Tamer
If anyone can keep the cameras rolling and the lights from exploding, it’s Claudio Bortoli. A veteran Technical Supervisor for the ORF since 1999, Bortoli’s résumé includes ESC 2015, the Paris Olympics, and Alpine ski championships. In short: if he can handle skiers flying down icy slopes at 120 km/h, a glitter cannon malfunction shouldn’t faze him.
Anja Lenhart – The Coordinator with a Conscience
Back in 2015, she was a humble assistant in the Eurovision directing team. Fast-forward to 2026, and Anja Lenhart is now Executive Assistant, focusing on stakeholder management, accessibility, and sustainability. Translation: she’s the one making sure Eurovision 2026 is eco-friendly, inclusive, and still glamorous enough to make it to your Instagram stories.
Austria Wants to Impress – Again
With Vienna already praised internationally for its slick ESC 2015, expectations are sky-high. Weißmann insists Austria has “one of the best teams in the world” to pull this off. No pressure, then.
Will They Deliver?
If all goes according to plan, ESC 2026 will be a perfect blend of Austrian precision and Eurovision madness. And if not… well, at least Claudio Bortoli can always switch the stage lights back on manually.
Source: ORF
