ProSiebenSat.1 Restructures Digital Business

MUNICH: ProSiebenSat.1 Media has created a new segment structure for its digital business, through which it intends to generate revenues of around 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion) by 2018.

The group is replacing the former Digital & Adjacent segment, in which ProSiebenSat.1 bundled its digital activities, with the two independent segments: Digital Ventures & Commerce and Digital Entertainment.

Dr. Christian Wegner, who built up the Digital & Adjacent segment, will join the executive board for the group’s largest growth driver via Digital Ventures & Commerce. The focus is on the strategic development of existing e-commerce verticals and the establishment of new ones. By 2018, ProSiebenSat.1 wants to establish several verticals with annual revenues of at least 100 million euros ($113 billion) each.

Christof Wahl will oversee the Digital Entertainment segment and be appointed to the executive board of ProSiebenSat.1 Media on May 1. Wahl will also act as the group’s COO. His responsibilities will include the online video business with maxdome and Studio71, games and the areas of AVOD, ad-tech and data. Wahl will also take over the distribution business in the broadcasting segment, a post previously held by Conrad Albert.

Albert, meanwhile, will join the executive board of the Industry Relations division.

Dr. Werner Brandt, supervisory board chairman of ProSiebenSat.1 Media, said: “The digital business has developed extremely dynamically under Christian Wegner’s leadership. The two strategically most important areas, Digital Entertainment and Digital Ventures & Commerce, have reached a size where it makes sense to split them off into their own segments. I am delighted that Christof Wahl will be taking care of Digital Entertainment at the Executive Board level. He has many years of experience in this sector. The establishment of the new German Industry Relations business, which Conrad Albert is taking on, will also be a crucial component for the Group’s further transformation.”

Thomas Ebeling, CEO of ProSiebenSat.1 Media, added: “We have established and successfully implemented a powerful digital strategy in recent years. Digital Entertainment and Digital Ventures & Commerce play a key role. The new segment structure led by Christian and Christof puts us in an excellent position. We will thus exploit the potential of the two business areas and the opportunities presented by digitalization even more consistently. Conrad, too, is establishing German Industry Relations as a field that will give us new growth opportunities. I wish the three colleagues every success!”