RTL Group has appointed Tobias Schiwek as new CEO of multiplatform network, Divimove, effective 1 January 2019.
Tobias Schiwek, currently Co-Managing Director of UFA X and Chief Digital Officer of UFA, will succeed the three Co-Founders and Managing Directors of Divimove, Brian Ruhe, Philipp Bernecker and Sebastiaan van Dam. The Co-Founders decided to step down from their management roles by the end of this year. Tobias Schiwek’s succession as Co-Managing Director of UFA X will be communicated in due course.
As already announced on 10 September 2018, RTL Group is determined to continue to grow its multi- platform network (MPN) businesses significantly. RTL Group’s goal is to build a strong and profitable digital video group, combining StyleHaul, Divimove and United Screens. This new group will operate at global scale, to reach and entertain young audiences with compelling short-form video content. Once this group has been established in the course of 2019, Tobias Schiwek will report to the CEO of this group of MPNs, Sean Atkins, who also serves as CEO of StyleHaul.
“I am delighted that with Tobias Schiwek, we have found a creative, digital entrepreneur to lead Divimove. He is deeply familiar with RTL Group’s broad portfolio to drive closer cooperation with our broadcasters, content producers and digital offers,” said Bert Habets, CEO of RTL Group.
“As Managing Director of UFA X, Chief Digital Officer at UFA and start-up founder, Tobias has a proven track record of digital transformation and creating innovative digital-first content. I warmly welcome Tobias to his new role and wish him every success – and I am very much looking forward to working with him to further drive the development of Divimove and our MPN group.
“I would also like to extend a thank you to Brian, Philipp and Sebastiaan for their entrepreneurial achievements. They have been passionately building Divimove and driving its growth over many years. I wish them all the best for the future.”
Most recently, Tobias Schiwek has been Managing Director of UFA X – previously known as UFA Lab – and Chief Digital Officer of UFA. From 2016 to 2017, Tobias Schiwek served as Head of Ventures and was responsible for all new business at UFA Lab. Before he joined UFA, he worked as a digital strategist, founding various media start-ups and advising established industries on digital change. In addition, he was active as a business angel and mentor for diverse international start-ups. In 2014, he joined the Bertelsmann Entrepreneurs Programme. Tobias Schiwek studied Politics and Economics in Mannheim and Milan.
Divimove is a multiplatform network with 11.5 billion video views in the first half of 2018. It currently registers 300 million subscribers across its 900 social influencers in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland and France. Brandboost by Divimove is a creative agency focused on developing branded content formats in online video for leading advertisers and brands.
