In a surprise move, Bert Habets has decided to resign as CEO and member of the Board of RTL Group quoting personal considerations. Thomas Rabe is the new CEO.
Martin Taylor, currently Vice Chairman of the Group, has been appointed as Chairman and James Singh as Vice Chairman.
Thomas Rabe will take on his new role in addition to his duties as Chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann. Martin Taylor remains Chairman of RTL Group’s Nomination and Compensation Committee, and James Singh Chairman of the Audit Committee.
Martin Taylor, Chairman of the Board of Directors of RTL Group, stated: “I thank the Board of Directors for their vote of confidence in appointing me as the new Chairman. I would also like to thank Thomas Rabe for accepting the position of Chief Executive Officer of RTL Group. Thomas is an experienced media executive with extensive knowledge of the TV business and of RTL Group.”
Thomas Rabe, CEO of RTL Group and Chairman & CEO of Bertelsmann, said: “We thank Bert Habets for more than 20 years in various managerial positions at RTL Group and wish him all the best for the future. RTL Group will continue to focus on three priorities: further strengthening its core TV, audio and production business, building local video streaming champions, and growing its advertising technology business. I am very pleased that Martin Taylor and James Singh are taking the lead on the Board and will support me in my new role as CEO of RTL Group alongside their fellow Board members.”
Thomas Rabe has very close ties with RTL Group. In 2000, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer and member of the Executive Committee of RTL Group. He joined the Board of RTL Group in 2006 and became its Chairman in 2012. In 2006 he was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Bertelsmann, and in 2012 its Chairman & CEO.
Martin Taylor has worked in a number of roles in business, banking, journalism and public policymaking. In particular, he was CEO of Barclays plc from 1993 to 1998 and Chairman of Syngenta AG from 2005 until 2013. Since 2013 he has served as an external member of the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee. He has been a Board member at RTL Group since the company was created in July 2000, and Vice Chairman since December 2004.
James Singh joined Nestlé Canada as Financial Analyst in 1977 and served the company in various executive positions until 2000, when he was appointed Senior Vice President, Acquisitions and Business Development at the Nestle SA headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland. Singh was a member of the Executive Board and Chief Financial Officer of Nestle SA from 2008 to 2012. He retired on March 31, 2012 after a long and distinguished 35-year career with Nestle. He served as Chairman of the Finance Committee of the European Round Table, and is a Trustee of the International Integrated Financial Reporting Foundation. He is also Executive Chairman of CSM Bakeries Solutions Inc and an Independent Director of Great West Lifeco.
