The German citizen Petra Ehmann (36), began her impressive career at the technology company Google nine years ago. Most recently, she served as the global lead for product partnerships for Google Maps’ augmented reality products. Before that, she drove new EMEA partnerships in Google’s Emerging Business Development unit Ads & Commerce as well as Google Maps in EMEA and Google Finance in EMEA and APAC.
In 2021, Ehmann joined the board of directors at Bossard, a publicly traded family-owned Swiss company. She has also been a board member at the Technorama foundation since 2020. In addition, as a board member of We Shape Tech, she advocates for more diversity in the tech industry and is a member of the advisory board of Ringier’s EqualVoice initiative, which aims at improving the visibility of women in media.
Ehmann grew up in Bolivia and received her Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at ETH Zurich and her Master’s degree in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University in Silicon Valley. From early on, she began working across a diverse set of cultures around the globe including for the technology manufacturer Bosch in Mexico, the construction tools manufacturer Hilti in China and the internet startup Kekanto in Brazil. In 2018, 2019 and 2021, she was recognized as one of the «Top 100 Digital Shapers» by Handelszeitung and BILANZ.
Ringier CEO Marc Walder: «Petra Ehmann’s impressive technical background and incredible breadth of management experience make her the ideal choice for this challenging international role. The media industry continues to transform at a rapid pace. Petra Ehmann will help Ringier to adopt new applications and solutions faster and smarter. We will therefore be concentrating our competencies internationally and will combine business expertise with proximity to the market and customers.»
As Chief Innovation Officer, Petra Ehmann will report directly to Ringier Group CEO Marc Walder.
Petra Ehmann: «Our strategy must focus on promoting Ringier’s growth with attractive products and areas of innovation. By applying a holistic understanding of innovation, I want to work together with Ringier employees in order to continue to promote Ringier’s growth as a leading and innovative media company.»
Ringier AG, Corporate Communications
About Ringier
Ringier AG is an innovative, digitalised and diversified Swiss media company operating in Europe, Asia and Africa. Its portfolio includes around 110 subsidiaries in the print, digital media, radio, ticketing, entertainment and e-commerce sectors and leading online marketplaces for cars, property and jobs. As a venture capital provider, Ringier supports innovative digital start-ups. Ringier, a family company founded in 1833 as a publishing house and printing plant, has invested consistently in digitalisation and global expansion in recent years. In 2020, the company’s some 6.800 employees, operating in 18 different countries, generated revenues of 953.7 million CHF. Today, 69 per cent of its operating profit already comes from digital, where Ringier is a leader among European media companies. Ringier’s core values are independence, freedom of expression and a pioneering spirit.