Prof. Horst Knapp Prize 2024 goes to Jakob Zirm
- Jakob Zirm has been head of the business section of the daily newspaper “Die Presse” since 2023
- The Prof. Horst Knapp Prize has been awarded annually since 1996 for outstanding achievements in Austrian business journalism
The Prof. Horst Knapp Prize, which commemorates the doyen of Austrian business journalism who died in 1996, goes to Jakob Zirm, head of the business section of the daily newspaper “Die Presse”, for the year 2024.
Marion Morales Albiñana-Rosner, Member of the Management Board for Private Banking & Wealth Management at UniCredit Bank Austria, said about the award winner: “Jakob Zirm belongs to a new generation of business journalists who rise to the challenge of presenting complex issues in an understandable way and examining them critically, even in difficult economic times. His work stands for serious and informative journalism. As head of the business editorial department at ‘Die Presse’, Jakob Zirm is also responsible for the consistently high quality of the newspaper’s business reporting. Thanks to its long tradition, the Prof. Horst Knapp Prize has become a symbol of the relevance and responsibility that modern business journalism bears today.”
The award ceremony took place on Wednesday evening in the Musensaal of the Albertina. The laudatory speech was given by the jury chairman, Martin Kocher, Governor of Oesterreichische Nationalbank OeNB, who emphasized in his laudatory speech and ceremonial address: “Reliable information and independent journalism are not only central pillars of a functioning democracy, but also an essential factor for economic stability. This is because economic decisions are based on trust—in institutions, processes, and information conveyed by the media. Thorough research, analytical clarity, and independence of judgment are indispensable in this regard. This is also what this year’s award winner, Jakob Zirm, stands for. He also has a keen understanding of how to present complex economic issues in an understandable way, thereby contributing significantly to an informed public debate. I am delighted to be able to present the traditional award as Governor of the OeNB and congratulate him warmly on winning the 2024 Prof. Horst Knapp Prize.”
About the 2024 award winner
Jakob Zirm (born in 1980) has been head of the economics department at the daily newspaper “Die Presse” since 2023. Born in Graz, he has been part of the editorial team at “Die Presse” since 2004, first as an editor, then as deputy department head from 2012, and now as head of the business department. Zirm was interested in business even before he became a journalist. After studying industrial engineering, he first worked in the automotive industry. In search of new challenges, he switched to journalism as a career changer as part of a program for young talent at “Die Presse”. Among other things, it is the interface between politics and economics that interests him most about this profession. In terms of content, he sees himself primarily as an analyst who wants to inform readers by presenting complex data and facts as clearly as possible, along with the underlying contexts. Thematically, he focuses primarily on economic and monetary policy and macroeconomics.
The Prof. Horst Knapp Prize has been awarded annually by UniCredit Bank Austria since 1996.
The Prof. Horst Knapp Prize recognizes outstanding achievements in Austrian business journalism that present complex economic and socio-political contexts in a particularly clear and easily understandable way. An independent jury awards the prize, which is sponsored by UniCredit Bank Austria, in memory of Prof. Horst Knapp, the doyen of Austrian business journalism who died in 1996. The jury is chaired by Martin Kocher, Governor of the Austrian National Bank.
Enquiries:
UniCredit Bank Austria Media Relations
Matthias Raftl, Phone: +43 (0) 5 05 05-52809;
Email: matthias.raftl@unicreditgroup.at
Printable photos are available for download on our website presse.bankaustria.at. Reproduction is free of charge.