Axel Springer overhauls its News Media National organization; simplifies structure with clear executive responsibilities that places journalism at its core

Axel Springer overhauls its News Media National organization; simplifies structure with clear executive responsibilities that places journalism at its core

(PRESS RELEASE) BERLIN, 10-Jul-2020 — /EuropaWire/ — Europe’s largest digital publishing house Axel Springer SE has announced a reorganization of its News Media National structure where editorial capacities and brand-specific publishing divisions will be bundled while Editors-in-Chief of BILD and WELT are to become management spokespersons. According to the media house, the aim is to create a more simplified structure with clear executive responsibilities that places journalism at its core:

BILD and WELT will each bundle their editorial capacities and the publishing teams responsible for the respective brands under joint responsibility. This will see the Editors-in-Chief become part of the management team for the first time. Hereby, Axel Springer underlines the importance of journalism for the brands. In line with Axel Springer’s guidelines on journalistic independence, editorial and marketing activities will continue to be clearly separate domains.

Julian Reichelt  © Axel Springer SE

BILD is to be headed by Editor-in-Chief Julian Reichelt, 40, as management spokesperson. The BILD management team also includes Carolin Hulshoff Pol, 42, and Lars Moll, 43.

Editor-in-Chief Ulf Poschardt, 53, becomes management spokesperson at WELT. Christian Nienhaus, 60, remains member of the management team, and will also continue to be part of the management team of News Media National in his position as Senior Vice President Strategy.

Frank Hoffmann, 54, who takes over from Torsten Rossmann as Managing Director of WELT Fernsehen from September 1, 2020, will become a new member of the WELT management team. Frank Hoffmann will also be in charge of all TV and video activities for News Media National.

In future, the cross-brand functions will be centralized in the newly formed Axel Springer National Media & Tech managed by Samir Fadlallah, 42, as COO/CTO and Christian Fuhrhop, 39, as CFO/CHRO.

The national marketing activities, currently organized separately to some extent, will now be run centrally across all sectors by Axel Springer All Media as a holding company of Media Impact and Visoon Video Impact. Managing Directors will be Carsten Schwecke, 44, as CMO and Julia Wehrle, 38.

Stephanie Caspar, President Axel Springer News Media & Marketplaces: “Our growth targets at BILD and WELT, particularly in paid content, and our video and live strategy require a future-proof setup that places the brands at the center of its activities, simplifies the structures between editorial offices and publishing house and effectively brings together the marketing across all sectors. The editorial offices in particular shape our brands and play a decisive role in achieving our ambitious goals. That is why, with our Editors-in-Chief, journalists belong on top of the management teams.”

Media contact:

Christian Senft
Senior PR Manager / Leiter BILD-Kommunikation
+49 30 2591 77610 christian.senft@axelspringer.de

SOURCE: Axel Springer SE