Business News
Axel Springer extends its presence in Silicon Valley with new personnel
Tuesday 12. February 2013 - Kai Diekmann and Peter Würtenberger to return to Berlin on June 1, 2013 / Christoph Keese first "Visiting Fellow" beginning February 12, 2013
Kai Diekmann, 48, BILD editor-and-chief and publisher of the BILD Group, and Peter Würtenberger, 46, as Chief Marketing Officer responsible for the central marketing division Axel Springer Media Impact, will return to Berlin to resume their duties on June 1, 2013, two months later than originally planned. The two traveled to Silicon Valley in September 2012 together with Idealo founder Martin Sinner, 45, for a digital research project. The purpose of their stay was to network with companies and universities in the area and to develop new entrepreneurial ideas for digital growth. Martin Sinner is also extending his stay to focus primarily on preparing and coordinating early stage investments for Axel Springer AG.
Dr. Mathias Döpfner, Chief Executive Officer of Axel Springer AG, announced that the company is establishing a continual presence in Silicon Valley. “What began as an experiment limited in time and personnel with only three employees will now become a regular visiting program. The personal contact to Silicon Valley and the proximity to developments for future digital businesses in the past months proved very valuable for Axel Springer. We now want to build on this and provide further employees with the unique opportunity and challenge to focus on new developments for a certain period of time.”
In the future so-called “Visiting Fellows” will remain in Palo Alto for a period of three to six months. The Fellows will either put their regular duties on hold for the duration of their absence, turn over these duties to another employee or, if both possible and expedient, simultaneously continue to perform their duties at their home base. The first Axel Springer “Visiting Fellow” is Christoph Keese, 48. His stay in Palo Alto will begin on February 12, 2013 and end on July 30, 2013. During this period he will continue to carry out his duties as Senior Vice President Investor Relations and Public Affairs through travel activity.
Axel Springer employees who play key roles in the digital transformation of the company and who have already made a significant contribution through their outstanding ideas and performance may apply for acceptance to the “Visiting Fellow” program.