The Advisory Board has confirmed the new Executive Board members: Annabella Bassler has been appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Michael Voss Chief Operation Officer (COO), Florian Fels CEO of Ringier Eastern Europe and Thomas Kaiser Chief Digital Officer (CDO). 

The Group structure of Ringier AG is now composed of the four business units “Ringier Publishing”, “Ringier Entertainment”, “Ringier Digital” and “Ringier Eastern Europe”.

The operations of the traditional core businesses newspapers, magazines and printing works including their digital media brands are concentrated in the business unit “Ringier Publishing”. CEO Marc Walder is managing this area personally, the magazines of German-speaking Switzerland director Urs Heller takes over the substitution.All media brands of Ringier Switzerland and Germany as well as Ringier in the French-speaking areas of Switzerland belong to “Ringier Publishing”. This main pillar of Ringier business is also in charge of Ringier Print Adligenswil, the share in Swissprinters, Betty Bossi, Le Temps and the operations in China and Vietnam.

The business unit “Ringier Entertainment” is responsible for all brands and holdings of the second pillar of Ringier business: Ticketcorner, InfrontRingier, Good News, Starclick, Classical Company, Rose d’Or, Poolposition, Sat.1 Schweiz, Ringier Television, the Energy Switzerland Group as well as further holdings and areas such as Teleclub, Grundy and PresseTV. Michael Voss is in charge of “Ringier Entertainment” in addition to his work as COO of Ringier AG.

The previous managing director of Ringier Entertainment, Stefan Kastenmüller, is leaving the company by mutual agreement due to the company reorganization. He remains available consultatory for the business unit Entertainment. Marc Walder: “Stefan Kastenmüller advanced the entertainment strategy of Ringier Switzerland further. We would like to thank him for this.”

The digital operations of Ringier are combined in the new business unit “Ringier Digital” and are oriented to the new business model in the area of online marketplaces and e-commerce. These are the online offers of Scout24 Switzerland (in a joint venture with Scout24 International), anibis, DeinDeal, Geschenkidee, cashzweiplus, baugate24 and Qualipet digital. The online marketers Omnimedia and gate24 as well as various IT service suppliers and the recently launched Ringier Africa also belong to the unit. “Ringier Digital” will headed by CDO Thomas Kaiser. The previous “media swiss group ag”, a 100% Ringier subsidiary, has been renamed “Ringier Digital AG”. Mr. Kaiser will remain CEO of “Ringier Digital AG”.

Finally, the fourth Ringier business unit combines the holdings of Ringier Axel Springer Media AG with the countries Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Serbia as well as the operations of Ringier in the countries Romania and Hungary under the name “Ringier Eastern Europe”. Florian Fels will remain responsible for the area as previously.
Consequently, the new Ringier Group structure has clearly defined management responsibilities, direct operative lines and clearly reflects the strategy of the company with its four strategic units.

Ringier AG, Corporate Communications