Martijn van Hout is to leave Canal+ at the end of the month, bringing to a close a 22-year career with the pay-TV group.
Van Hout, who has served as Country Manager DACH and Managing Director of CANAL+ Austria, said his departure marks the end of a significant chapter both personally and professionally.
In 2010, he led the launch of HD Austria as a greenfield project on the ORF Digital satellite platform. Over time, the operation evolved into a fully integrated pay-TV and streaming business under the CANAL+ Austria brand.
Through a strategic partnership with A1 Telekom Austria, the company expanded its market presence and secured premium sports rights including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, PGA Tour and DP World Tour. The business also invested in local productions such as Teamgeist, designed to bring fans closer to the Austrian national football team.
In Germany, van Hout oversaw a major transformation of the distribution model, shifting from satellite-based delivery to IP platform distribution in response to changing consumption habits.
Reflecting on his tenure, van Hout said he was particularly proud of the team built over the years and of demonstrating that a focused premium pay-TV proposition can succeed even in fragmented and competitive markets.
A successor has yet to be announced.
