RTL Group has unveiled a new leadership structure and plans to create Europe’s leading ad-tech development unit.
It has also announced its highest-ever first half revenues. Under the new leadership structure, Elmar Heggen has been appointed COO and Björn Bauer the new CFO, effective immediately. Both will report to Thomas Rabe, the group’s CEO.
RTL is also establishing a Group Management Committee (GMC) composed of the members of the Executive Committee (Thomas Rabe, Elmar Heggen, Björn Bauer) and the CEOs of the Group’s three largest business units – Bernd Reichart (CEO of Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland), Nicolas de Tavernost (CEO of Groupe M6) and Jennifer Mullin (CEO of Fremantle). ?According to Thomas Rabe, it will “shape the future of our company, bringing together massive experience and different perspectives”.
RTL has with immediate effect decided that Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland, as its largest business unit, will take over the responsibility for the group’s ad-tech businesses in all European markets (except the UK), bundled under the brand Smartclip. The UK will continue to be the hub that centralises the operations for SpotX Global in Europe. ?
RTL adds that SpotX and Smartclip will continue to work closely together to deliver leading technology and monetisation solutions to existing and new European clients. For Smartclip, the objective is to create an open ad-tech development unit, based on the technology developed by Smartclip and custom-tailored for the needs of European broadcasters and streaming services. ?
Alongside these announcements RTL has said that its revenues in H1 were, at €3,173 million, 4.6% up on the previous year and the highest ever. EBITA was stable at €538 million despite higher programming and VOD investments and profit for the period up 21% to €443 million.
