Business News

Julia Jäkel appointed to Executive Board of Gruner + Jahr AG

Friday 07. September 2012 - - Joint management with Torsten-Jörn Klein and Achim Twardy

– Jäkel takes over responsibility for Gruner + Jahr’s magazine and digital business in Germany
– Bernd Buchholz leaves company by mutual agreement
The Gruner + Jahr AG Supervisory Board has appointed Julia Jäkel (40) to the Executive Board of Europe’s leading magazine publisher with immediate effect. Jäkel will jointly manage the business with the two Executive Board members Torsten-Jörn Klein (48) and Achim Twardy (52). Bernd Buchholz (50), previously CEO of Gruner + Jahr, leaves the company by mutual agreement. Bernd Buchholz: “I would like to thank the shareholders and the Supervisory Board, but above all my Executive Board colleagues, managers and all other employees for so many years of successful cooperation. It was a great privilege working with you all.”
In her new role Jäkel, previously managing director of G+J LIFE, will be responsible for Gruner + Jahr’s digital and magazine business in Germany. As President G+J International, Torsten-Jörn Klein remains responsible on the Executive Board for all of the publishing company’s international activities. In addition to his current duties as Chief Financial Officer, President Print and Holdings, and Head of Corporate Services, Achim Twardy will reassume responsibility for the Operations department.
Thomas Rabe, Chairman of the Gruner + Jahr AG Supervisory Board, comments: “In Julia Jäkel, we have found an outstanding executive with great publishing expertise for the magazine and digital business in Germany. With her, Torsten-Jörn Klein and Achim Twardy, Gruner + Jahr is now run by a team of experienced publishing experts. This new structure puts Gruner + Jahr in an excellent position to build on its strong position in the European and international media business, and in particular for pushing forward the transformation to digital of its content and brands. As the company’s shareholders, Bertelsmann and the Jahr family will work to support Gruner + Jahr’s successful further development. I would like to thank Bernd Buchholz for his successful and dedicated work in recent years, which the newly constituted management board will now jointly build upon.”
Julia Jäkel says: “Gruner +Jahr Deutschland is synonymous with brands that have a grand publishing tradition and a lot of young, successful media products. All of these brands are well established in our society. I look forward to the task of leading G+J Deutschland into a bright future – print and digital – with all of our G+J colleagues. At the same time I very much look forward to working with my experienced colleagues Torsten-Jörn Klein and Achim Twardy on the Gruner + Jahr Executive Board.”