The Power of Three

Home , Axel Springer, Axel Springer SE, Henry Blodget

The Magazine for the Axel Springer Family December 2015

the „Our power brands of three shine out“ BILD‘s new Jan Bayer talks leading editors about journalism in interview and cultural change The international Nina Ranke, COO of Axel Springer International, works from Zurich taking care of journalistic projects Dear Colleagues,

In our last issue of inside.mag this year, I normally wish you all the best for the holiday season. I say that I hope you manage to find time for all of those things that we often miss out on in our hectic everyday lives – long chats with friends, time for the family, and time for yourself. I usually write about how we are coming along as a company in our competitive world, about what we have achieved. In this year, which has been so marked by the attacks on the editorial team of Charlie Hebdo in Paris on January 7 and the terrible series of attacks in the French capital on November 13, such words do not seem fitting.

We expressed our shock, our sadness and our anger about the unbelievable and in- humane terrorist attacks in the words “Je suis Paris” – but we are aware that we must do more now than just show our sympathy. Our freedom came under attack in the Bataclan concert hall, in front of the Stade de France, in the Rue de Charonne, and in the restaurant Petit Cambodge. The almost 1,000 employees of the Axel Springer family – and this is something I write with immense relief – remained unharmed, at least physically. The core of our society has been under attack. The state. Our securi- ty. Our confidence that everything is under control. And our life in freedom.

The fateful question we now face is, to put it pointedly: should we bend to our fears, or should be begin to fight? The answer is clear. We must begin to truly defend our freedom – with all the means we have at our disposal in an open and pluralistic democracy. We must not let ourselves be deterred from going to restaurants, bars, stadiums and concerts. And we must fulfil our responsibility as Europe‘s leading digital publisher by reporting on the inconceivable, taking a stance on it and defen- ding our values in the words we write.

2015 has been a successful year for Axel Springer. We pursued our most important goals with passion and achieved a great deal, including growth in our classifieds business, growth in the offerings of digital paid content and the expansion of our English-language offerings with POLITICO and Business Insider, among others. However, all of us are aware that, in the times we live in, success is not enough. Without freedom it is nothing.

In the past year we have become more international, more digital and more successful.Working with and in this ever growing family of United Artists is a joy for me and makes me confident about the future.

I would like to wish you and your families a healthy and above all peaceful holiday season.

My very best wishes Your

Mathias Döpfner CEO

The Magazine for the Axel Springer Family Axel Springer SE, Corporate Communications, 10888 Berlin Phone: +49 30 2591-77640, [email protected]

02 Ready, THE celebrities Steady, among the CONTENT Company founders from 25 countries start-ups Plug and Play These four start-ups are already real Since 2013, Axel Springer Center, offers fresh companies entrepreneurs profit from the stars on the start-up scene. Of the total Plug and Play has been coaching and access to a know-how of experienced media of 63 companies that have already run running three-month network of important mentors professionals. through the Accelerator, these have programs to promote start- and investors, among other During the program,04 the founders 08 been very successful to date: ups that fit in with the Axel things. relocate their offices to Markgra- Springer business model. This has advantages for both fenstrasse inPROFESSION: Berlin. REPORTER News symphony The joint venture, which was set sides: while brand new compa- up by Axel Springer SE and the nies can provide Axel Springer inside.mag was on site to Californian Plug and Play Tech with new impulses, the young check out theSteffen situation. Schwarzkopf, Head The news platform Reporter at N24, about the UPDAY comes into being: A longest reporting job in his life a workshop visit 12,7 Number26 Mio. Dollar is an online bank. Its associated intuitively 3 designed app allows users to keep an eye on month Axel their finances. The founding team have More than already managed to get hold of 12,7 million program Springer Austria Netherlands dollars from external investors. Including receives a 12 16 Bulgaria Norway Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal. INTERVIEW Inside BusinessColombia InsiPolandder 200 Start-up Croatia Romania mentors %Jan Bayer talks about We look at what‘sDenmark behindRussia the financing of 5share Egypt Slovakia France Slovenia journalism, marketing, sales biggest acquisitionGermany in digitalSpain 25,000 and cultural change journalism Greece Sweden euros classified Hungary Switzerland India United Kingdom ad models Zizoo Boats Israel USA 80 is the world’s biggest boat hire platform where % Italy users can book various boats for excursions. The idea is to make hiring a boat easy and 20 25 22 accessible to everyone. Axel Springer20 percent Plug of the and Play on siteothers Young vs. Old start-ups in the portfolio have at least one female Facts & figuresfounder. of Axel the Springer Start-up Job-finders with a Does age matter 20 19 Accelerator% Plug and Play is happy to global network – when starting a see an increasing number 63 of women among those Saongroup in Dublin starting up new ZenMate new company? companies. encrypts personal data while surfing. The inside.mag asked the youngest These are the free-of-charge browser plug-in conceals and the oldest participant. information like IP address and location. 2014 JOURNALISM business areas saw ZenMate voted start-up of the year by German online magazine 26 involved28 deutsche-startups.de. 21 49 United Artist 7 A total of 63B start-upsild‘s have e ditorial managers taken part in the Accelerator Nina Ranke talks about how she has Program. AxelThe Springer new Plug editorial trio running BILD Michael Hirn … Richard Witte … and Play still has shares in 53 of these today. inside.mag has has just given up his studies in Philosophy to achievedis a composersuccess and producerusing who her wrote head the 90s and talks about their future roles and assigned all 63 start-ups to one develop the start-up “Autumn” with his friend hit Captain Jack, among others. When he was of the following four categories. marketing Max Goisser. Their vision: a B2B software that forced to giverelying up his own on sound her studio, gut he feeling came expectations models increases the profits of companies by fully up with the idea of the Solid Sound software, Blogfoster automating and independently optimizing which improves the sound quality of music even makes it easier for bloggers to put adverts on complex corporate processes such as pricing. when it is played at low volume. He looks back their pages. They can position suitable ads “Our start-up is very technical at heart, which is fondly at his time spent at Axel Springer Plug and 12 simply using drag and drop and advertising why people tend to think we are older. People are Play: “The other founders were all much younger customers gain access to new target groups. often surprised when I tell them I'm only 21!” than me. That brought pep into my life, as things Media Impact has also been working together 34 36 with the start-up from the beginning. are pretty fast-moving at the Accelerator. It was refreshing!” mic.com New Family Member Founder Chris Altchek reveals Success story: holiday home agency the ten most important facts @Leisure relies on personalized and RENT about the news medium mobile content 40 42 Family perspective Snapshots Julia Letetzki and other colleagues tell Members of management tell us us what they are up to at the moment about their best childhood Christmas – both in their job and personally memories 46 48 A look back at 2015 My week Important achievements and With innovation in mind: out and developments over the last about with Frédéric Toquin, Product & twelve months Traffic Director, SeLoger.com

03 “The longest assignment of my life” Zig-zagging clear across the Balkans, N24 chief reporter Steffen Schwarzkopf accompanied refugees on their dangerous journeys. Ten weeks on assignment, dramatic moments, heart-rending scenes and everyday chaos – recorded in 350 live transmissions.

ftentimes you forget exact- fence, and 3,000 refugees without any type Over the next few weeks and months, I will ly when a story first began, of support on the other – no water, no food be on the move in Serbia, Hungary, Croa- what the impetus was for and absolutely brutal heat. During our first tia and Slovenia. I will travel back and forth an assignment. Such is not live reports, several hundred people break throughout Austria and Germany, become O the case here. I can’t say through the barricades. A few collapse right acquainted with border towns whose names exactly why, in retrospect; perhaps becau- in front of the camera; heart-rending scenes I had not even heard before: Presevo, Röszke, se everything was so delightfully normal up play out before our eyes as families are torn Opatovac, Brezice, Nickelsdorf and Spielfeld to that point – but would not be again for apart, the children having made it through – to name just a few. quite some time afterwards. It’s just after 5 somehow while the parents got stuck on PM when my mobile rings. I’ve just come the other side. On this Friday, I don’t even With our camera in the refugee train home from the swimming pool with my fa- have the slightest inkling of the magnitu- In this final week of August, too, the mily, a hot afternoon. Can I fly to Macedonia de that this flow of refugees will ultimately journey traverses the Balkans – 1,500 kilo- as soon as possible? It’s not so much a que- assume – nor that this will turn out to be meters in all. Editorial discussions with the stion from deputy editor-in-chief Johannes the longest reporting assignment of my life. office are brief, for the task is clear: We have Böhning as an urgent request. So the next to travel with the refugees, follow their rou- morning at 7 AM I’m sitting in the plane. te. When I get the chance, I climb aboard It’s August 21, 2015. The day on which I first an overcrowded train in Gevgelija with a delve into the topic that has come to define a small camera. I meet the Kabat family from tumultuous year and which will go down in the Damascus area, traveling with their one- German, and indeed European, history: The During our first year-old daughter. I speak with Muhannad, a refugee crisis. 24-year-old literature student from Latakia. My first journey, in a rental car, takes live reports, sever- Mohammed from Herat, Afghanistan, wants cameraman Michael Brockmöller and me to know if it’s easy to find work in Berlin. from Skopje to the city of Gevgelija on the al hundred people Four hours later the train spits us out in Greek-Macedonian border. We’re traveling Kumanovo. It’s another ten kilometers by with “light” gear: camera, microphone and break through foot and then you’re in Serbia. Germany is cables, lights, batteries and a tripod – and our still a long way away. While I walk, I tele- backpack-sized live transmission unit, LiveU. the barricades. phone with my cameraman: Where is he with What we see is dramatic: heavily armed se- the car? Where can we meet up? Next call: curity forces on one side of the barbed-wire the office. We talk about the live trans-

04 Steffen Schwarzkopf

is 42 years old and, after numerous assignments at home and abroad, has been chief reporter for N24 since 2010. In the early 1990s, he began his career with an internship at radio “Hundert, 6”. In 1995 he moved to “1A Fernsehen,” a local broadcaster in Berlin, where a short time later he was appointed chief reporter. In 1997 he moved to the Berlin

studio of “Sat.1” as a reporter P hoto: S tefan R eck In hundreds of live broadcasts and editor. In the following year, – as here in Sentilj, Slovenia on he was responsible for news at the border to Austria – Steffen Sat.1 and produced his first Schwarzkopf reported on the “ ” refugee crisis in Europe reports for N24.

05 Teaming up to master one of the most challenging reporting assignments: Steffen Schwarzkopf and cameraman Stefan Reck in Spielfeld. This is the largest border crossing between Austria and Slovenia

missions for the evening, followed by the next sted and the baby has a high fever, is hardly mitting images of people who are willing to call with my colleague René Boldt in the pro- ever awake and doesn’t want to eat. Will the take the most desperate measures; during one duction department – we need a place to stay three of them make it to Germany? Will the live report, multiple men force open the still tonight. With WiFi so that we can send little girl make it? makeshift border fence. The Hungarian po- off the report for the following morning. It I fly home for a few days, only to re- lice come and push back the men, and force sounds simple, but nothing is simple in this turn shortly thereafter, again to Budapest, us to leave as well. Not 20 minutes later the border region. After several more calls, he and from there to the Hungarian-Serbian men are back, as are we, and we watch as a finds a room for us 25 kilometers away. It’s group of 40 people, including women and the same rigmarole every day. children, climb through the hole and disappear into the adjacent forest. Thanks to Between anger and hope our “light gear,” we’re extremely mobile and Journalistic work generally means one can go on air with LiveU within minutes; a thing above all others: good research. This as- broadcast van would have been a hindrance. signment is different. I am a reporter in the i can provide most literal sense of the word, seeing and de- A simple answer scribing. In Hungary I witness police beating a realistic People often ask me what drives me, up refugees – and refugees fighting with each why I love my job so much even though it other over water, or the best place in the line impression of is not always pleasant; I’ve reported from when one of the few buses arrives that is hea- Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya. War, ding towards Austria. One young man climbs the situation. human suffering, death. Countless dead. over the others, kicking an old woman in the For more than 15 years. The simple answer face as he does so. Over the next weeks and to the question is this: because I experience months I will witness such scenes again and history first-hand – and that is the only way again, as refugees attack each other with fists, that I can give viewers a realistic impres- branches or even, in one case, brass knuckles. sion of the situation. Certainly not a com- And us trying to get as close to the action prehensive overview; rather small snippets as possible. Images are crucial; the view from border. Röszke is the latest hot-spot; Hunga- of what is happening. Personal stories and afar can’t convey emotions, desperation, an- ry has announced that it is closing its borders. fates. Not only facts, but also emotions. But ger, or hope. If I didn’t have a cameraman at At some point on the highway, everything these little things often make the whole more my side who was also prepared to go into the comes to a halt. Hundred of refugees are compelling, more understandable. fray where things can get dicey, I could not marching across the road, overwhelming the A few days later we arrive in Nickels- remotely convey what is really going on in police lines in the process. They want to go dorf. An Austrian policeman has just one news reports and live feeds. For ten days we to the capital. Time to get out of the car and word for what is happening in the tiny bor- follow the people on their arduous journey to turn on the camera. A father carrying a child der town. It’s apocalyptic, he says. And we the hoped-for better future. On my second- on his arm asks me how far it is: 160 kilo- are no less struck by what we capture with to-last day in Budapest I meet the Kabat fa- meters, I tell him. Okay, he says, and con- the camera. Endless lines of refugees; indeed, mily again. The father and mother are exhau- tinues walking. Day after day, we are trans- masses of refugees. The number of newco-

06 Germany

Munich Vienna Nickelsdorf Budapest Reporting assignment Austria Hungary Switzerland Spielfeld Röszke all across Europe Brezice Romania Steffen Schwarzkopf’s repor- Opatovac Italy Belgrade ting for N24 has taken him to the hot-spots of the refugee Serbia crisis all around Europe. Bulgaria Always with him: his camera- Presevo Kumanovo man and small, portable live Skopje transmission technology. The Gevgelija Istanbul broadcast van stayed in Berlin.

Turkey

Syria

Damascus mers on this first day is a staggering 16,000; the next two days will see 12,000 arrive each day, within 24 hours. Overwhelmed po- local fire department has the situation lice, overwhelmed countries – everywhere. under control. Onwards to the next bor- gates at the last moment to keep the people Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia. At the tail end of der. Just keep going. Colleagues in the from crushing each other to death. Men, October we find ourselves in Brezice; once editorial office ask me on the phone, only women, children storm past us; a policeman again we broadcast live from a makeshift half in jest, whether I’m not getting the saves a baby’s life right in front of our camera. refugee camp. “We want to go!,” shout the countries mixed up by now. And indeed, in It was lying on a cot on the ground. “I don’t people; they’re ready to move one, don’t want terms of the privations of everyday life, and know who it belongs to, it was just there, to be stuck here. The nights are freezing cold the chaos of everyday life, the places all seem I don’t know.” A few minutes later a woman meanwhile, and there’s little to drink or very much the same. The stress is getting to comes and takes the baby, perhaps the eat. All of a sudden the tents behind us are the police and soldiers as well. We are on mother, perhaps an aunt. She scurries on, in flames, the refugees have set them alight our last legs, a uniformed official in Spiel- rushing to keep up. out of anger and desperation. The situati- feld, Austria tells us; the man is just putting I try to guess roughly how many live on escalates out of control; for half an hour another 24-hour shift behind him. Shortly reports I’ve done for N24 over the past ten we report live before the blazing fire. My later, the last legs are history too; hundreds weeks. I estimate it was about 350. And there cameraman puts in an amazing effort, and I of refugees are waiting just outside the Aus- will be many more over the weeks to come. describe what I see – or in many cases only trian border, and thousands more are on I’ve also attempted to reach the Kabat family hear. In the thick smoke people are scre- their heels. The Slovenes have let them pass from Syria – they’d given me their Facebook aming, children are crying, refugees are unchecked. The area is fenced-in; panic contact information. No reply. Their last post gasping for air. It takes a while before the breaks out and the Austrian army opens the is from September.

Scenes away from the reporting assignment: Steffen Schwarzkopf plays with refugee children waiting in Spielfeld to travel onwards to Graz

07 Journalism and algorithm unite!

Information, entertainment and individually tailored news packages – that‘s what the content platform UPDAY aims to provide. inside. mag takes a look at where this package is being put together and asks colleagues in Berlin and Warsaw why they are excited about UPDAY.

08 M “More than ever before – we are see- concepts, Kimchi and Korea: ing the smartphone as the device that will radically change the consumption, formats and UPDAY‘s origins business model of news,” is how the Reuters Institute on the Study of Journalism summarized a survey in Oc- It is difficult to tell for sure who exactly had the tober 2015, in which more than 20,000 people in 20 idea for UPDAY, but one thing is certain: countries took part. The outcome shows that, among UPDAY has many parents. At the end of 2014, a multi- 35-year-olds, their smartphones greatly outstrip other disciplinary team spent a month in Korea to ponder sources such as television, radio or newspapers when it – together with Samsung – on developing a new comes to reading news. product. Not many instructions were given, but ideas For this growing target group of mobile readers, Axel abounded. All they knew was that it was to be a jour- Springer and Samsung will be introducing a new nalistic product that Samsung customers could use on offering onto the market at the beginning of 2016. their cell phones. A lot of brain stormings, dishes with Following a beta-phase of several months, the news kimchi – fermanted vegetables – rounds of negotiations content platform UPDAY is to be launched in its full and more than nine months later, Axel Springer and scope in Germany and Poland. And who will be in Samsung announced the new content platform UPDAY charge of composing an informative and entertai- in September 2015. Not conceived in a garage, but in ning news symphony out of the never-ending noise a shared apartment in Korea! created by hundreds of sources? Skilled journalists, an intelligent algorithm and altogether more than 50 motivated UPDAY colleagues, who have been working intensely on the new product for months. “We‘re giving everything we‘ve got to release the full first issue of UPDAY, which is to be launched in the New Year,” says Peter Würtenberger, UPDAY CEO. “Parallel to that we are setting up our editorial team and working with Samsung on the best possible joint introduction of UPDAY onto the market in Germany, Poland and other European countries.”

Not merely a news platform UPDAY is positioning itself on the increasingly competitive market of so-called ‚news aggregators‘ with the promise of being more than merely a news platform. This promise is to be fulfilled thanks to the efforts of both man and machine. A local editorial team chooses the “need to know” information, that is, In the project team in Suji: The UPDAY team of the very first hour together with their the contents the users need to know if they are to keep housekeeper. The project was still called ‚Sunrise‘ back then up with the rest. The algorithm supplies the “want to know” news, the news that readers want to know, Visiting Naver, coordinated to fit in with their own personal interests the Korean equivalent of and preferences. This means the reader receives a diver- Google: (l. to sified summary of news – prospectively even news that r.) Thomas normally has to be paid for on the net. Hirsch, Peter If you ask Jan-Eric Peters, who will be Chief Product Würtenber- ger and Kai Officer and acting UPDAY CEO from January, why Diekmann with UPDAY is going to a success, he will answer: “Because host Hahm we have the right mix. A good idea. And a professional Cheong-Minh team from 20 nations to make this idea reality. And a world market leader as a partner who will bring our product onto millions of cell phones.”

On the next page, read about the moments that have moved the UPDAY colleagues.

09 BETWEEN Korea and NEW YORK CHEESECAKE: MOMENTS savored by the UPDAY team

Daniel Keller Nicola Miotto Thomas Hirsch CTO Senior Software Engineer CFO und COO

What is so special about the UPDAY team? What is so special about the UPDAY team? What is so special about the UPDAY team? The big difference between this and previous or The team is huge and made up of a really mixed Our work is constructive chaos. We are still in other projects at Axel Springer is that, from the bunch of people from different backgrounds. the process of working out our structures. And beginning, about two-thirds of the colleagues There are employees from large companies, from in the midst of all this chaos we have marked came from the field of software development. the start-up scene, and all different age groups milestones that would have been more than And we did everything we could to get hold of the are represented. But despite that, the cooperation challenging even for established organizations. best people. We also looked for talented software among the team members is so great that I alrea- The fact that we managed it says everything experts outside of Europe – and we found them. dy feel like I am working with a group of friends. about the UPDAY team. PS: We weren‘t totally without structure, of What is your special UPDAY moment? What is your special UPDAY moment? course. Without the support of colleagues from There have been so many great moments, but “The big boss just approved your idea.” That was the Axel Springer family in Germany and abroad, what does stand out is when we launched the the moment when we knew that “Symphony” - it wouldn‘t have been doable. app in the App Store and the days running up to our new algorithm for generating news recom- that. You could really feel the mounting energy mendations - had a future. What is your special UPDAY moment? and motivation in the teams. I spent a large part of the summer in Korea with our legal “dream team” Michaela Fries-Sina and Thorsten Schaefer. It was a negotiations marathon in a windowless room in the giant Samsung complex. Outside it was 35 degrees, and inside it felt like 18. It doesn‘t sound that exciting, but it was. Definitely one of my (numerous) UPDAY highlights to date.

Michel Wodzinski Editor in Chief for UPDAY Polen

What is so special about the UPDAY team? What is your special UPDAY moment? The diversity and the will to succeed in the team Without doubt the first day working in the new are special. I‘ve worked for many companies, but UPDAY office in Warsaw. After weeks of searching none of them were as international as this. We for office space and recruiting the team, the come from a total of 20 different countries. Our moment when the team moved into its office common denominator is that we all want to be and you felt that the chemistry between the successful. Being able to work 6 months with the new colleagues was great is an unforgettable team in Berlin was a fantastic experience and a experience. And I‘ll never forget my strenuous, great joy for me. but also exciting time with the UPDAY colleagues in Germany.

10 Mathias Sanchez Aneta Nowobilska Director Finance & HR Director Partnership Development What is so special about the – 19 nations (I am Colombian). UPDAY team and what is The atmosphere - wow! The work What is so special about the UPDAY team? your special UPDAY mo- - hard. To put it in a nutshell – high- I would need an entire page to list the special features of ment? performance chaos. Together we this team! Morning discussions in Polish, pumpkin cake Before now Axel Springer meant: are not only increasing our BMI at Halloween, the passion, the dedication, the experti- large corporation. Now it‘s: eating our way through an ever- se, mutual support, the ability to hold their drink at team start-up – and the English term is present offer of cake, we are also events, the New York Cheesecake on birthdays and just spot on. UPDAY – we are all really increasing our experience and the the atmosphere that always brings a smile to my face every excited about it. The team expectations placed on us. time I enter the office.

What is your special UPDAY moment? I already heard about UPDAY during the idea phase and I loved the idea of it immediately. I knew that this product was perfect for Axel Springer and that it addressed all the relevant trends in the publishing industry in the best way possible. I always found UPDAY great and wanted to be a part of it from the very beginning. But back then I didn‘t know how Michael Paustian important this product was going to be for our Board and Creative Director / Head of Strategic Product Development for Samsung. That was something I realized at the first beta launch party, listening to the speeches given by the What is so special about the What is your special UPDAY two Chairmen of the Board. It was all really moving - that I UPDAY team? moment? could be a part of it, that this project is such an important The relaxed, chilled and Feeling for the first time that the one and that we were bringing UPDAY to the market! That passionate way that start-up basic idea of marrying human was my #tearsinmyeyes moment. culture and large corporation and machine has matured into come together here. What is it a great product that I definitely they say at Axel Springer: “The want to have myself! Privately: freedoms of a start-up with the competing every morning in opportunities of a corporation” - boxer shorts against Kai Diek- that‘s UPDAY! mann and Peter Würtenberger for coffee at the breakfast table in our Korean shared apartment. Eyes open! Wearables are becoming increasingly important. The newest trend? Intelligent wristwatches. Anyone who has taken a closer look at the Samsung advert for its Samsung Gear 2 smartwatch will have Peter Krauß Senior Software Engineer noticed that the UPDAY logo also appears there for a second …! What is so special about the What is your special UPDAY UPDAY team? moment? Transparency – everyone has The moment when a group that the right to know what is going couldn‘t have been any more on and take part in the decision- diverse (journalists, technicians making process, no matter what and visionaries) comes up with it‘s about. an idea and that idea turns out to be a large part of what UPDAY is now based on.

11 “You can really feel a change in the culture”

Jan Bayer has been President of the BILD and WELT Group since April 2014. In this interview with inside.mag he talks about what the print sector can learn from the digital brands, how integration is progressing at WELTN24, and the challenges facing marketing and sales.

Mr Bayer, your area of responsibility is high- … Of course! Everything revolves around cipated from an early stage how the adverti- ly diverse – marketing, sales, printing and good journalism. Without attractive pro- sing market would develop and we adjusted IT, as well as the German newspaper and ducts to offer our readers we would have lost our figures accordingly. The result is that magazine titles. Which journalistic successes our soul as a publishing house, along with our position in paid content is better than were you most pleased about in 2015? our success. expected. 2016 will be just as challenging, 2015 was a big year for all our brands. Take even if we will hopefully profit from some Paul Ronzheimer and his moving Periscope re- So are you just as happy with the figures? major events, which we are promoting hea- port on a group of young Syrian refugees and That would be nice, but we have to accept vily in the advertising market – the European their journey across Europe in BILD, WELT’s reality: circulation and advertising revenues Cup, the WELT 70th anniversary, the BILD trimedial special report on the issue of anxiety, remain difficult. However, this year we anti- am SONNTAG 60th anniversary, AUTO or AUTO BILD’s reporting of the diesel scan- BILD 30th anniversary, COMPUTER BILD dal, which, right after the revelation was most 20th anniversary. comprehensively followed up by the BILD am SONNTAG, which in turn became the most So it’s not as bad as all that? cited medium for the story over the ensuing I wouldn’t put it quite like that! Natural- days. And even though it came from some- ly circulation and coverage are important, thing so terrible, I want to thank all the edito- Journalism is but it’s also important that we don’t run rial teams for their work around the clock after absolutely vital, ourselves down too often as a company the terror attacks in Paris, keeping readers and and an industry by talking purely about viewers informed and putting the events in and it’s something figures. Journalism is absolutely vital for our context. Our journalistic brands are shining, society and it’s something we’re passionate something that was reflected in the “Lead- we’re passionate about. Awards” in October. Axel Springer has never come away with as many awards as this year. about. But is journalism still a profitable business? Yes, we’re absolutely convinced that it is. Obviously as President you don’t just look Overall we have invested more in journa- after the figures, but also the content of our lism than just about any other publishing titles … house. The small-format BILD in Frankfurt,

0812 2/2015 Regardless of circulation and reach, Jan Bayer insists we shouldn’t ignore the significance of journalism P hoto: A min khtar

BILANZ and BLAU, the Hamburg editori- A strong umbrella brand is emerging with and digital subscriptions the switch to new al team for WELT. On top of that we have WELTN24. Is the integration of WELT and mastheads and logos happened in late No- made major investments in digital journa- N24 now complete? vember. That the team now decides to bring lism such as in Business Insider and I would say the first half is complete. As together brands under one umbrella is not so- POLITICO. I see it, the teams have been very professio- mething we can take for granted, especially by Some projects still have to prove whether or nal in bringing together the business and colleagues who have spent the last 15 years buil- not they are commercially successful and su- editorial functions. Now we can turn our ding up the N24 brand. But the last step of the stainable in the long term, but I like the ex- attention to the brand. All titles and ser- fusion will only come when the editorial teams perimental value you get from titles like BES- vices will be successively brought under the and television studios are in the same physical SER LEBEN and ALLEGRA, which tested WELT brand umbrella – for the newspapers location. well enough for us to now put new issues out in the market. You can really feel a change Axel Springer is now a major digital publi- in the culture, which we have adopted from shing house with numerous brands in the digital brands. This form of testing and Germany and the rest of the world. How do experimentation is something we’ve transfer- we make the most of this diversity? red to the print sector – many years ago it It’s very important to me that the individual would simply have been unimaginable. It’s very important brands retain their autonomy and their cul- to me that the ture. The editors-in-chief and business mana- What stimuli for growth do you see in the gers steer the brands. I’m not a fan of those future for BILD? individual brands workshops and projects where you all try and The stimuli from our strategy still apply find synergies, and you just end up numb. today: video and digital subscription retain their However there should be close cooperation. models, where we are already seeing positive We can learn a lot from digital media brands developments. In the mobile domain there autonomy. in the USA, where the newspaper crisis ap- is still a lot of life: we have great mobile peared sooner, because in many ways they’re reach with BILD and we need a better under- further ahead than we are. standing of how we can make money from it. How will that come about?

13 Jan Bayer

After studying media studies and law in Hanover and Ma- dison, Wisconsin, Jan Bayer launched his career in 1995 as a trainee at the Süddeut- sche Zeitung in Munich. In 1996 he began a three- year stint in advertising sales at the Süddeutsche Zeitung before switching to the Volksstimme in Magdeburg, where he became Publishing Manager. In 2002 he returned to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, this time as Head of Controlling. Two years later, in 2004, he became Publishing Manager of the Süddeutsche Zeitung. In 2006 he switched to Axel Springer in Berlin, In Romanus Otte, who will be building up where he became Head Here again, we’re the market leaders. And finally, the revamp the Axel Springer Global Network, we have of the Executive Office for of ALLEGRA or the newest offshoot of the MUSIKEXPRESS someone who can help us intensify the ex- Newspapers. A year later, in family, ME.URBAN, all show that we can try out new things, change between editorial, departments 2007, he became Publishing whether in newspapers or magazines. and companies within the group. We will Director of the Hamburg approach it pragmatically, and try it out. At Regional Newspaper Group Your speech at the Brand Summit, the meeting of Axel Springer the end of 2016 we will then take stock, see and in 2008, Chairman of marketing specialists in October, was a rousing call for greater what this form of exchange has done for us the management board of customer orientation: what does marketing (Media Impact) and whether the good ideas stood up. the WELT Group/Berliner have to change to ensure they do better despite difficult market Morgenpost/Hamburger conditions? Abendblatt. We have to be more versatile in our marketing and see ourselves In early 2012 he took over as seismographs for the brands, who notice when the market and as President of the WELT customer requirements change. That only works when we really We will only win Group and Printing. focus on our customers and not ourselves, when we’re creative, Since 2014 he has been diligent and highly disciplined. We will only win out against when we stop President of the BILD and our competitors when, instead of seeing ourselves as victims of a WELT Group. difficult environment, we become enthusiastic service providers seeing ourselves and motivated ambassadors for our brands. as victims of a And what can, what must sales (Sales Impact) do better? difficult We already are doing a lot and the good work from our teams sometimes gets lost behind circulation figures. The portfolio environment. encompasses six daily and four Sunday newspapers, 17 magazines and the sales support for special editions. We are the largest magazine sales force in Germany in retail! And along with our own titles we have publishers like “Madsack” and recently “DuMont” who have handed their retail sales over to us, because they know we do good work. Nonetheless we have to struggle for every What role can Axel Springer play in the circulation percentage point. For Sales Impact, for Media Impact, magazine market of the future, and what it’s the same: essentially we can’t do anything about the down- role does it want? turn. But that doesn’t mean we should accept being worse than With our magazines we’re talking about titles the market. Axel Springer was always better than the market and which are absolute number ones in their seg- that must also be our yardstick in sales. ments: we have Europe’s biggest sportsmaga- zine, Europe’s biggest car magazine, Europe’s How do you see 2015 overall? biggest computer magazine. For music lovers, It might surprise many people, but 2015 was a good year for me. our music titles are must-read magazines. Commercially it was certainly difficult and 2016 will be no dif-

14 “Shape the future!”: Jan Bayer appeals to participants at the second Media Impact Brand Summit in October

ferent. But I have the feeling that in Media tivity that our strategic priorities remain un- It’s important to me that now and then I have Impact, Sales Impact, BILD, WELTN24, the harmed. a day when I do nothing but sort myself out. magazines, print works and in IT, we have In early 2015 I took a few days to define my tackled the right issues and made a lot of pro- You’re seen as someone who doesn’t mince goals for the year. That helps me enormously, gress on them. Of course, turnover, yield and words when it comes to problems. At the so that I’m not stuck so deep in the forest that circulation remain difficult. But we are con- same time you seem to be very popular I don’t see the trees any more, which leads to siderably further along than we were a year within the company. How does that work? dissatisfaction. ago. I don’t see it as a contradiction, on the con- Beyond work it’s my family which matters trary, perhaps there’s even a connection. I most to me. I have three small children who What are you planning for your division in believe that employees and colleagues re- are really demanding, but they provide a 2016? ally appreciate it when you’re clear and ho- wonderful balance. They’re unpredictable That we keep on working on the digital nest. No-one likes vague communications, and they always let me know what’s on their growth of our paid services and make grea- especially not in challenging times. Difficult minds (laughs). That is really refreshing and ter use of the diverse expertise in the inter- decisions are there to be made and then reso- something I make time for. Not least because national corporate network. For every me- lutely put into action. And for me it’s impor- it clears your head quickly. dia brand, for marketing, for sales, there are tant that even in difficult situations you don’t specific challenges we have to work on. step over the line when it comes to respect. If you could switch jobs with anyone in the Addressing costs will be unavoidable in many Axel Springer family for one day, who would areas – but we can do it with enough sensi- There is a good balance between men and it be? women in your management team. How I would like to switch with my assistant or important are mixed teams for you? my Executive Assistant – just to experience My principle that it makes my life easier when whether day-to-day life with me is actually I have the best people in my team, whether bearable. they’re men or women. And it’s a diverse team according to other parameters as well. Men We are and women, different generations, varying personalities, etc. Of course that means that considerably debates can be a little more challenging, because there are some strong personality types further along than around the table. But when you only have yes- men (or yes-women!) taking part in decisions, a year ago. that can be very dangerous for a company. Your area of responsibility has increased

considerably in the last 18 months. What is P hoto: A min khtar important to you personally? And how do Jan Bayer spoke to Anne Müller, Head of you make time for it? Change and Integration Communications

15 Inside Business

InsiderThe acquisition of Business Insider by Axel Springer represents the largest acquisition to date in the field of digital journalism. A new chapter in this rapid and unusual success story has begun for the Business Insider team under the leadership of CEO and chief editor Henry Blodget and Chief Operating Officer Julie Hansen.

16 Digital storytelling: The distinctive narrative style is not only t be found Architects of the success of BUSINESS INSIDER: Julie Hansen (l.), on BUSINESS INSIDER USA, but also on the website of BUSINESS President and COO, and Henry Blodget (r.), founder and CEO, together INSIDER Germany with Alyson Shontell, Deputy Editor, and Jay Yarow, Executive Editor

enjamin Franklin founded the blog called “Internet Outsider”. He gradually telling stories was praised but many ridiculed Pennsylvania Gazette with the reinvented himself in a new career field that the attention-grabbing headlines (“The Top mission of breathing moral vir- promised neither fame nor money at the time 10 Things To Love And Hate ‘Google’ For tue into his compatriots in colo- – digital journalism. Together with Kevin In 2010”) and the quick-fire blogging style. nial New England. The Econo- Ryan and Dwight Merriman, former mana- Yet BUSINESS INSIDER’s readership grew mist was launched in 1843 to champion the ger of DoubleClick, Blodget finally launched from year to year, and with it, its turnover. Bcause of free trade. Ted Turner brought CNN BUSINESS INSIDER, a purely digital medi- Only the company’s financing remained dif- to the world in 1980 as part of his cable tele- um covering business and technology news. ficult. Initial venture rounds valued BUSI- vision empire, vowing to cover “the end of the “We had the very simple idea that digital NESS INSIDER at just over seven million world, live”. And what was Henry Blodget’s journalism would develop to become a thing dollars. It was not until 2011, when AOL put reason for trying his hand at digital business $135 million on the table for the Huffington news? A ban on working in the securities in- Post that BUSINESS INSIDER was “back in dustry and the desire to rehabilitate himself business”. Financing rounds with institutio- professionally. Blodget’s fall was preceded by nal investors followed and, in January 2015, a career in rapid ascent. After graduating from We were Axel Springer acquired a nine-percent share Yale, he worked as a freelance journalist for a in the company. while before finding a job as an equity analyst concentrated 100 in the mid-90s. He became famous in 1998 Like a phoenix from the ashes when he predicted that the stock of Amazon, percent on digital It took Blodget less than a decade to which at that point had only been publically triumph with BUSINESS INSIDER, rising traded for 17 months, would reach the cove- from the very like a phoenix from the ashes. And now Axel ted share price of 400 US dollars. Shortly af- Springer’s stake is no longer minor. On Sep- terwards the stock broke this barrier and actu- beginning. tember 29, 2015 Blodget was in the subway, ally went higher. He moved to Merrill Lynch, Henry Blodget when BUSINESS INSIDER reporter Sam became a sought-after expert and made fre- Ro sent him an important message. Blodget quent appearances on CNBC. He left the had spent the last few days in negotiations bank in 2001. Allegedly, He was 36 years old with Axel Springer. Sam Ro learned that mor- when his sudden and deep fall from grace be- ning about the sale of BUSINESS INSIDER gan. The attorney general of New York ope- in its own right, just as television became a to Axel Springer via “Twitter” and emailed ned investigations against him, accusing him very different medium to print,” recalls Blod- Blodget. Blodget found the closest park of civil securities fraud: Blodget had publicly get. And that‘s why it had to be different from bench, pulled out his laptop and, at 7:14 am, recommended shares that he had criticized in print in three respects: its editorial approach; sent his staff an email with the subject line private. Blodget maintained his innocence – its distribution model; and its business mo- “Big News!”. In the wake of Axel Springer’s in 2003, however, he accepted a deal with the del. “We were concentrated 100 percent on participation in BUSINESS INSIDER in SEC, agreeing to a fine of four million US digital from the very beginning, focusing on early 2015, “we got to know one another bet- dollars and a lifetime ban from working on what worked and on what it was the readers ter all the time – and now we’ve decided to Wall Street. He wrote a book, penned articles wanted.” Not everyone liked the obsessive get married”, wrote Blodget. One can sense for the online magazine “Slate” and founded a focus on readers’ tastes. The visual style of the gratification and pride about what

17 How everything began …

Julie Hansen and Alyson Shontell were there at the birth of Business Insider – a look at the past and future.

Julie Hansen President and COO

Business Insider’s offering is really unique as it is built for the digital age and takes full advantage of the medium, optimized for mobile and social. We deliver news and analysis for the next generation of business leaders. I believe that Business Insider and Axel Springer are a P hotos: B US INE SS IN S IDER Steep growth curve, a lot of movement: Some members of the BUSINESS INSIDER team, good fit, because both have a strong commitment to which has more than 350 employees digital journalism and a belief in the importance of a free press. From our first meeting with Axel Springer, we have been impressed with the digital savvy of the team as well as its bold approach to meeting challenges head-on. We are looking forward to what’s ahead at Business Insider: launch dozens of international editions, grow Tech Insider had been achieved: “We have helped to Now, only eight years after its launch, the to the #1 site in the tech category, launch Insider, develop invent a new model for journalism – a company employs more than 350 people our distributed publishing through social platforms, build native digital model – and that model and the site attracts 76 million unique a consumer subscription business, and much more. I‘m has already created the No. 1 business visitors each month. Its articles, photo- excited about what lies ahead. publication in the world.” graphs, and advertising are to be expanded by subscription products and – alt- New standards in storytelling hough it already boasts an impressive 450 Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel million video views per month across all Springer, takes a similar view: “BUSI- its channels – an expansion of its video Alyson Shontell NESS INSIDER has set new standards offerings is also in the works. And the- Deputy Editor in digital business journalism globally. Henry Blodget’s style of digital storytelling reaches tomorrow’s decision-makers. Combining our forces will allow us to BUSINESS INSIDER only had five employees when unlock growth potential and expand We are like the I joined. I was employee #6, Julie Hansen‘s first hire. BUSINESS INSIDER’s portfolio to new Now I‘m lucky enough to be BI‘s third longest standing verticals, new locations and new digital early cable employee behind Julie and Henry! To be in the Business content.” But why did BUSINESS INSI- Insider team in the early days was much different than DER decide on Axel Springer in the first television of it is today. I remember it being stressful but fun, and I place, a publisher that the self-depreca- enjoyed being able to see the impact my work was having ting Blodget, a self-described “provincial the 80s. on the company‘s growth. We were very small and scrap- American”, said that he hadn’t heard of py. Everyone did about ten jobs. My first title was „Sales in the summer of 2014? One factor was Henry Blodget and Marketing Associate“ which really included ad sales, the experience of Julie Hansen, COO of operations, scheduling and trafficking, and event planning. BUSINESS INSIDER, who came back It also involved keeping track of our revenue and creating in 2014 from a trip to Berlin “filled with pitch decks for potential advertising clients. But for a new a sense of excitement that I hadn’t seen college graduate like I was, who was looking to learn a before”. Hansen had been there at BUSI- re are now eight international editions: lot and grow a career, there was no better first job I could NESS INSIDER from the beginning. On November 16, 2015 the German have had. A number of the early team members are still Before that, she had worked at Conde edition of BUSINESS INSIDER went here, which speaks to Business Insider being a fun and Nast and CBS. The Chief Operating live, under the direction of former BILD rewarding place to work, even back then. One thing that Officer lead both the BUSINESS INSI- editor Christin Martens. Grupa Onet.pl, hasn‘t changed: the free kitchen snacks. We‘ve always DER technology and marketing teams which belongs to Ringier Axel Springer had free trail mix to chow down on and seltzer water to and had been the driving force behind Media AG, plans to launch a Polish edi- chug. One thing that has changed, though: Now when I the rapid growth of the online medium tion in the first half of 2016. In terms say I work for Business Insider, people don‘t stare at for several years. of its reach, BUSINESS INSIDER is me blankly. Instead they say something like, „That‘s so Another factor was BUSINESS the leading digital business newspaper cool!“ or „I read it everyday!“ INSIDER’s ambitious plans for growth. in the US. Its typical reader is around

18 Christin Martens on the Germany launch

What is typical of Business Insider is the distinctive narrative style that dispenses with complicated technical terms and quickly gets to the point. Large format photos and short videos are entertaining and add value to the product. How does Christin Martens, chief editor of Business Insider Germany, tell her own Business Insider story? inside.mag asked.

BUSINESS INSIDER Germany meets BUSINESS INSIDER USA: Henry Blodget and Christin Martens in October 2015 in New York

It’s deutsch, Baby: Zum Start von BUSINESS INSIDER Deutschland waren Jens Müffel- mann, CEO Axel Springer Digital Ventures, und Mathias Döpfner, Vorstandsvorsitzender, in der Redaktion zu Gast und wurden von Christin Martens (M.) empfangen 35 years old. The company has 3.6 million “Facebook” fans. Well over one million people follow its economic news on “Twitter”. The company has already launched the spin- BUSINESS INSIDER Competition off ventureT ech Insider, focusing on “I‘ve always been a big fan of Busi- “We offer something special. That’s technology issues. Great expectations are also ness Insider. The site has inspired why it’s great that Business Insider attached to the launch of Insider, a web- me often in my journalistic work. The has finally been launched in Germany. site on trends in digital media. fact that I myself can now participate in Of course, we are looking very closely the international expansion is fantastic.” at how other online media outlets are A great shareholder and partner doing their economic reporting. The decision was easy in the end for Competition is good for business!” Axel Springer. On the day of the deal’s an- Economic nouncement, Blodget described Axel Sprin- Journalism ger to journalists as follows: “A great share- Henry Blodget holder and partner. Axel Springer is deeply “Unfortunately, the reporting on eco- “Henry is a real doer and visionary. committed to independent journalism, sees nomic issues in this country ends up I met with him over a few days in the digital transformation as an opportuni- being very heavy and boring. We want New York shortly before the launch ty and has a keen sense of the future. This to do this differently with Business of Business Insider Germany to is added to by extensive expertise in paid Insider Germany – we want to be make the final arrangements. Working models and a wonderful acquisition philo- unconventional and entertaining. Can with him has been great fun and very sophy.” This Axel Springer philosophy means you believe it? Economics can actually rewarding.” not interfering either operatively or cultural- be fun!” ly, but binding Blodget and Hansen in their respective functions and as shareholders to Social Media BUSINESS INSIDER in the long term. And Karlsruhe “Of course, social media is a crucial what does the future have in store? Will the “To be honest I had to first google building block in the strategy of Busi- investment pay off for Axel Springer? Further where that is exactly. I didn‘t yet have ness Insider Germany. And I per- options for international cooperation are al- Karlsruhe on my radar as a center of sonally believe in the power of digital ready being weighed up, and most recently a journalism. But the team of finanzen. media: When I recently lost my wallet closer interlinking of BUSINESS INSIDER net – docked at Business Insider in New York, the honest finder tracked and finanzen.net – also on the US market – Germany – has been working there me down via Twitter. That wouldn’t was announced. Henry Blodget is certainly in very successfully for many years. And have been possible a few years ago.” no doubt whatsoever about the cooperation: in the age of digital interconnected- “We are like the early cable television of the ness of course it‘s also possible to be 1980s. We have proven that the business mo- based in Karlsruhe and to produce fast del works and now we are looking forward business journalism.” to decades of constant growth during which digital journalism will develop further.”

19 Ready, THE celebrities Steady, among the Company founders from 25 countries start-ups Plug and Play These four start-ups are already real Since 2013, Axel Springer Center, offers fresh companies entrepreneurs profit from the stars on the start-up scene. Of the total Plug and Play has been coaching and access to a know-how of experienced media of 63 companies that have already run running three-month network of important mentors professionals. through the Accelerator, these have programs to promote start- and investors, among other During the program, the founders been very successful to date: ups that fit in with the Axel things. relocate their offices to Markgra- Springer business model. This has advantages for both fenstrasse in Berlin. The joint venture, which was set sides: while brand new compa- up by Axel Springer SE and the nies can provide Axel Springer inside.mag was on site to Californian Plug and Play Tech with new impulses, the young check out the situation.

A 12,7 Number26 Mio. Dollar is an online bank. Its associated intuitively 3 designed app allows users to keep an eye on month Axel their finances. The founding team have More than already managed to get hold of 12,7 million program Springer Austria Netherlands dollars from external investors. Including receives a Bulgaria Norway Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal. Colombia Poland 200 Start-up Croatia Romania mentors % Denmark Russia financing of 5share Egypt Slovakia France Slovenia Germany Spain 25,000 Greece Sweden euros classified Hungary Switzerland India United Kingdom ad models Zizoo Boats Israel USA 80 is the world’s biggest boat hire platform where % Italy users can book various boats for excursions. The idea is to make hiring a boat easy and 25 accessible to everyone.

20 percent of the others Young vs. Old start-ups in the portfolio have at least one female founder. Axel Springer Does age matter 20 % Plug and Play is happy to 19 when starting a see an increasing number 63 of women among those starting up new ZenMate new company? companies. encrypts personal data while surfing. The inside.mag asked the youngest These are the free-of-charge browser plug-in conceals and the oldest participant. information like IP address and location. 2014 JOURNALISM business areas saw ZenMate voted start-up of the year by German online magazine involved deutsche-startups.de. 21 49 7 A total of 63 start-ups have taken part in the Accelerator Program. Axel Springer Plug Michael Hirn … Richard Witte … and Play still has shares in 53 of these today. inside.mag has has just given up his studies in Philosophy to is a composer and producer who wrote the 90s assigned all 63 start-ups to one develop the start-up “Autumn” with his friend hit Captain Jack, among others. When he was of the following four categories. marketing Max Goisser. Their vision: a B2B software that forced to give up his own sound studio, he came models increases the profits of companies by fully up with the idea of the Solid Sound software, Blogfoster automating and independently optimizing which improves the sound quality of music even makes it easier for bloggers to put adverts on complex corporate processes such as pricing. when it is played at low volume. He looks back their pages. They can position suitable ads “Our start-up is very technical at heart, which is fondly at his time spent at Axel Springer Plug and 12 simply using drag and drop and advertising why people tend to think we are older. People are Play: “The other founders were all much younger customers gain access to new target groups. often surprised when I tell them I'm only 21!” than me. That brought pep into my life, as things Media Impact has also been working together are pretty fast-moving at the Accelerator. It was with the start-up from the beginning. refreshing!” 20 Ready, THE celebrities Steady, among the Company founders from 25 countries start-ups Plug and Play These four start-ups are already real Since 2013, Axel Springer Center, offers fresh companies entrepreneurs profit from the stars on the start-up scene. Of the total Plug and Play has been coaching and access to a know-how of experienced media of 63 companies that have already run running three-month network of important mentors professionals. through the Accelerator, these have programs to promote start- and investors, among other During the program, the founders been very successful to date: ups that fit in with the Axel things. relocate their offices to Markgra- Springer business model. This has advantages for both fenstrasse in Berlin. The joint venture, which was set sides: while brand new compa- up by Axel Springer SE and the nies can provide Axel Springer inside.mag was on site to Californian Plug and Play Tech with new impulses, the young check out the situation.

Behind the stone facade of an old malthouse in Dublin’s Docklands there is a recruitment company with a global network: Saongroup, a fast-growing provider of job adverts that was taken over by StepStone two years ago.

he desk of Des O’Grady, the 35 million euro, the group is a substantial An offer for every target group Chief Financial Officer at Saon- player. “We have 45 jobs going at the mo- In Northern Ireland nijobs.com has group, holds an old-fashioned ment,” adds Denise Hannon, head of perso- 60 per cent of the market. Jane Lorigan, abacus with wooden beads. It nnel. In other words: the recruitment compa- manager for all European markets, explains Twas given to him as a gift by his colleagues – ny itself is looking for employees, because its why it makes sense to run two portals in the with tongues firmly in their cheeks. growth trend remains unbroken. Republic: irishjobs.ie is aimed at banks, insu- Des grins benevolently as his boss, rance companies and the numerous multina- Ciaran McCooey, points to the huge white- tional companies with branches there. “That’s boards that cover three walls of his small for people looking for a career. People who office, and maintains that the head of fi- more or less work to live.” By comparison, nance himself doesn’t even understand the jobs.ie, which was bought in 2005, is for tho- complex tables and diagrams depicted these who “work to survive.” Its clients include re. The relaxed, humorous atmosphere fits hospitals, retail traders, and the restaurant in with the office doors, which are open at My Management and catering business. all times, and with the direct but warm sty- The business model is simple, Lorigan le of Saongroup.com, as the corporate group Style is open, explains. Companies pay an annual fee for is officially known. “Open, honest, direct” a specified number of adverts and then use also describes the management style of the honest and direct. these spaces up as required. Job-seekers pay 47-year-old CEO McCooey. Anyone who Ciaran McCooey nothing and answer to the adverts directly. thinks the corporate group might have been Unlike conventional recruitment companies, named after a Celtic deity is wrong. When Saongroup is not involved in this exchange it was founded in 1999, the employees pon- and does not receive a bonus if recruitment dered on a possible name and came up with is successful. Software Advertising Online – or Saon for Young people sit side by side in the short. Hardly anyone in Ireland has heard of technical developer’s tightly-spaced office. the group. This is intentional, as Saongroup The apparently unavoidable Kanban boards is the face covering well-known market lea- Ireland is still Saongroup’s biggest here are covered over and over with yellow ders in Ireland, Northern Ireland, South Afri- market. In the Republic the company’s own Post-its – with the quality control section ha- ca, the English-speaking Caribbean, Central two portals jobs.ie and irishjobs.ie are domi- ving more than any other. America and Mauritius. With 362 employees nant. Together they control around three- Ciaran McCooey, who is originally at the present time and a turnover of around quarters of the online market. from Dundalk on the Northern Irish bor-

22 The discrete market leader

jobs.ie – the portal is used by hospitals, retail traders, and clients from the restaurant and catering industry who are looking for employees

irishjobs.ie – the portal for banks, insurance companies, and multinational companies

Dream career or job on the side: CEO Ciaran McCooey saongroup.com – the offers a broad spec- Saongroup website trum of online job ads on Saongroup

23 der nods a little sheepishly when asked about the narrow space constraints in the office. He says that the group will occupy another floor of the malthouse in Dublin’s Docklands in the coming week. About time too, one is tempted to add. Two small kitchenettes are the only facilities to cater for the staff’s daily needs.

We are all proud of our work. Bringing jobs and job-seekers together is their passion: Fiona Farrell, Group Product Director, Fiona Farrell Des O’Grady, Group CFO, Ciaran McCooey, Group CEO, Jane Lorigan, CEO Europe and Denise Hannon, Recruitment Manager

“Entrepreneurial” is the word that all of the business partners use to describe their company during this visit. Saongroup is trying to transfer its experience on the Irish market to other regions of the world, In fine company: The partly by taking over suitable candidates and Saongroup headquarters are located in a partly by setting up new companies. This is former malthouse – its how McCooey describes the successful busi- neighbors are “Goo- ness model. He is proud of the fact that his gle”, “Facebook”, “Twitter” …

„We want to continue to invest and expand“ – CEO Ciaran McCooey

Who is your most important What changed in the company What do your plans for the future target group? once it was taken over by Step- look like? McCooey: It has to work out for Stone? McCooey: We want to continue to the job-seeker, although he or she McCooey: We now concentrate invest and expand. That has become doesn’t pay for the service. The more on the quality of our product easier thanks to StepStone. Our companies are looking for applicants and on technical innovations than we acquisition in South Africa this year to fill open positions and we attract used to. We used to focus more on was supported by StepStone. these applicants. promoting sales.

24 colleagues in the management team have all book”, “Twitter”, “Microsoft”, been working so long at the company, each etc. But Saongroup was one of promoted internally over time. And he is also the very first to have business proud of the lean hierarchies – something premises in this once derelict that fits in well with the open office doors. harbor district. The small management Saon stands for … Adapting to local needs team obviously still sees the com- … Software Advertising Online Fiona Farrell is responsible for pro- pany as Irish. The people I talk to duct development. The former Art & De- are open, interesting characters. Business model sign student talks about her newest project, Just as Fiona, the head of pro- in which former and current employees of a duct development, once began Saongroup runs several online platforms that client company enter their experiences on the as an art student, the CFO Des bring job-seekers and personnel departments website as an aid to job-seekers. It’s a kind fell in love with German litera- together. Companies pay an annual fee for a of “Trip Advisor” for the recruitment market. ture when he was an adolescent. specified number of adverts. Job-seekers can Since StepStone took over Saongroup, they “Kafka, Brecht, Goethe,” he access job adverts for free. Saongroup does not have been working closely with Axel Sprin- says enthusiastically, “we didn’t demand a bonus for successful recruitment. ger. StepStone provides basic models for the know any of that here.” Motiva- Has been part of the Axel mobile “native” apps, which are then adap- tion and a responsibility for his Springer Family since ... ted to the local needs in Dublin. In Ireland, actions flow from this self-con- ... 2013. StepStone took over Saongroup in the number of mobile users had now risen to fidence which, however, doesn’t the same year, making it a member of the Axel around 50 per cent, Farrell confirms. take itself all too seriously. “We Springer family. The strengths of Saongroup in the are all proud of our work,” Far- Caribbean and Central America lies in the rell says. “After all, improving the How it all started company’s history. Until StepStone’s takeo- perspectives of job-seekers is a ver, Irish tycoon Denis O’Brien was the pre- noble thing to do.” John Feenly recognized early on that the Inter- dominant shareholder. He owns the largest net held many advantages for job seekers and personnel departments. In 1995 he set up the cell phone operator in the Caribbean – Di- Author Martin gicel. When O’Brien and his fellow share- Alioth began his website IrishJobs.ie, the first Saongroup portal. holders decided to sell, StepStone was the career in journalism The market grew fast and after a few years the preferred buyer, McCooey enthuses: “really many moons ago as company expanded its offerings first of all to good guys” is how he describes the new ow- a trainee at Axel Springer in Hamburg Northern Ireland, then to Britain. Saongroup is and Berlin. Back then when the ners, who took over on November 13, 2013. typesetters still cast the letters in lead. now active in Europe, Africa as well as North The old malthouse is now surrounded He has lived in Ireland for more than and South America. by the European offices of “Google”, “Face- 30 years. No. of employees 362

Headquarters Dublin, Irland

UNITED KINGDOM

Dublin IRELAND London

Cheek by jowl: The Saongroup team is growing as fast as the number of job adverts on the company’s various portals

25 Photo-shooting in Café #Hashtag just around the corner Lawyer with from the Axel Sprin- ger building in Berlin. Nina Ranke relaxes gut feeling with a cappuccino Photo: Max Threlfall Nina Ranke is not into conventional career planning. As Chief Operating Officer at Axel Springer International AG, she contributes greatly to the success of the Group’s journalistic brands abroad and she does things differently – but in a way that demands just as much discipline. And patience.

lack slacks, a black collared sweater, and over it all a black but that’s complete nonsense,” Ranke says. It’s true you can work any- blazer. Elegant. Sporty. And with a clear gaze. Straightfor- where, but mostly only in some legal capacity. ward. The first impression is straight out of a career guide. When the native of Germany’s Pfalz region first came to Axel Job first, life second. This woman knows what she wants. And Springer, she was still working on her doctorate in law. Press mergers. sheB knows it ten years ahead of her time. How could she otherwise have Competition law. Ranke laughs. “There’s no getting past Springer in managed to make Chief Operating Officer in a male-dominated envi- those fields.” And she didn’t want to anyway. Quite the opposite. She ronment like that at Axel Springer International at only 34 years of age? has always been interested in the industry – initially from a journa- However, this first impression was already pretty much dying listic standpoint. She studied German, History of Art and Philosophy. a death by the time we had toasted one another with a glass of herbal Classic subjects for wannabe journalists. But it just wasn’t right. So she lemonade. Blazer removed. Bottles in the air. Poking about a little with changed to law. Gained her doctorate. A top qualification. But what our drinking straws in the refreshingly fizzy drink. “I think I’m one of next? only a few people who actually like drinking this stuff,” Nina Ranke says If things had gone as planned, she would have ended up in a with a laugh, shaking off the clichés. Not deliberately and not for effect. large law firm. In New York. With the perspective of permanent em- Just because. Like so many other things she has done in the past years. ployment thrown in. Ranke turned the offer down at the last minute You might be tempted to think it’s not that hard for a law and applied to work in the legal department of Axel Springer. Berlin. graduate with a PhD to get where she has. Open doors all the way, and New York. Berlin? “I had to find out why I had never been able to so on. “There’s a saying that law graduates can be anything they want, let go of my affinity for the press,” says Ranke. “I just had this gut

26 feeling.” One that didn’t deceive her, and her affi- living room in Zurich-Seefeld. With good food. nity for the press soon became a successful career. And good wines – a matter of course, when you “Things just took off,” she adds. A four-month grew up on Germany’s wine route. And the third trainee program was interrupted in 2010 by the of- glass at the latest sees Ranke sit down at her piano. fer and acceptance of a position as a consultant in “Evenings like this usually end in hour-long jam the management of Axel Springer Media Impact. sessions – until everyone has fallen asleep, except A great opportunity. “I didn’t have a clue about me,” she laughs. She used to sing in rock bands. marketing, but the job sounded interesting,” she Hardcore metal. Today she is more into classical. says. So why not? She just got on with it, although Ballads. Singer-songwriter stuff. The times when the job did cost her one or two sleepless nights she used to set up the buffet with pasta salad on We asked: she admits. It was a difficult time. However, she the piano are gone. It’s about having a feeling for was part of a great team and they made her jump what’s right. What makes you laugh? into cold water a lot easier. And once again her gut Ranke’s gut feeling has never let her down. My sense of orientation. feeling proved to be right – or why else would they It’s her recipe for success. “She doesn’t do politics,” When was the last time you had to have asked her to be the head of the advertising says Ralph Büchi, President International, talking show real courage? department only a short time after that? about one of his closest colleagues. A need to prove Courage is a really big word … When she transferred to Axel Springer In- herself? No way. And she also doesn’t swim with ternational, Ranke moved back towards legal mat- the tide. It’s the reason he appreciates her so much. What do you like best about your- ters. “And I had missed it a little,” she admits. As Why else would he have trusted her with POLITI- self? Director International Operations, she was first of CO, one of last year’s most important journalistic The fact that I see people and things all responsible for Spain, France and Russia. Chief deals? Business plan, financing, in charge of the as they are and not as they supposedly Operating Officer since October, she now takes German parent company, marketing, campaign should be. care of strategic projects, portfolio expansion and planning, brand launch, organizing office space, And what do you like least? financing questions for all journalistic holdings personnel, setting up the payroll accounting, con- Sometimes I would like to have more abroad, acting as the interface between them and cluding insurance policies, developing reporting courage. Axel Springer. But des structures. Never far away pite all the changes of the from anything. When What really annoys you? past years, she has always she speaks about POLI- An inability to reflect. remained true to one TICO, Ranke calls it a thing: her gut feeling. It A lot of people “stroke of luck”. “The Your favorite song is … was her gut feeling that chance of being able to I’m still really old-fashioned and think told her in 2014 that the accompany a media brand more in terms of LPs, and I choose think you need to Amnesiac by Radiohead. change to Axel Springer from A to Z is a rare International in Zurich thing,” she adds. She takes know where you Your favorite book? was to be seen as an op- none of this for granted. Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. portunity and not as a want to be in ten But she is also not pro- shock. “After 13 years in ne to false modesty. It’s And your favorite place in Zurich? the same city, you might years. But that’s what she’s been working Lake Zurich on a clear day when you occasionally try out a new towards in the past years – can see the Alps. restaurant or drive to a not the way I think. sidesteps included. Despi- different lakeside beach in te any doubts. When she What do you dream about? A little vineyard in the South of France. the summer – but other- looks back, Ranke can And becoming a writer. wise, you usually tend to see a clear line all the way be quite set in your ways.” through. “It’s what has If you didn’t work at Axel The fact that her husband brought me to where I am Springer … was able to transfer to Zurich at the same time cer- now – a place I feel really good to be in.” I’d be on my way to the South of tainly made her decision to leave the Prenzlauer And what does the future hold? Ranke France … Berg district easier. With some things, the timing hasn’t made any definite plans – not for the next is just right, she says. two years, and not for the coming five years either. Who at Axel Springer is a United There are also things in Ranke’s life where She only ever concentrates on the next step ahead. Artist in your eyes and why? Our teams in the international compa- the time aspect is unimportant, things she takes “A lot of people think you need to know where nies who, despite sometimes difficult a lot of time for. Her books, for example, which you want to be in ten years. But that’s not the way market conditions, are driving forward she enjoys at the weekends instead of reading the I think.” Long-term plans are not that important the digital transformation and bringing mails on her work cell phone. Marcel Proust, Da- to Ranke. More important is to know that you the business models into the profit vid Foster Wallace, Thomas Mann. Cookery books want to continue. And how do you know when zone. – of which she owns more than 200. She actually the time is right? You know Ranke’s answer to this counted them one time. Cooking is a real passion. last question, don’t you? And eating, of course. Italian cuisine. Tagliatelle with truffles. Japanese, French cuisine. But her Maria Menzel feels a certain connection love of trying out new things extends far beyond to Nina Ranke since their meeting. Even if she never got anywhere making a pasta her collection of cookery books. To the great joy salad of her own: Her piano has also had she gets from inviting friends around, who re- to act as a shelf for a vase holding a birthday bouquet – gularly allow themselves to be spoiled in Ranke’s with a protective cover, of course.

27 Photo: Frank Zauritz

On the roof of the Axel Springer building in Berlin: Julian Reichelt, Editor-in-Chief BILD.de, Tanit Koch, future Editor-in-Chief of BILD print edition and Kai Diekmann, who will be publisher of BILD Group from January 2016, thus placing the editorial orientation as well as the overall brand management of all BILD offerings at the center of his responsibilities 28 The trio behind BILD BILD is reorga- nizing its leading editorial team, to be in place by January 1, 2016. Kai Diekmann, Tanit Koch and Julian Reichelt speak here about their future roles and expectations – and about who they would like to have with them in the trenches.

29 Fell in love with BILD during her first week as a trainee: Tanit Koch

Kai: Tanit, after it was announced that you the brand or was equally important for di- change, and above all develop further, is will be Editor-in-Chief of the print edition gital and print. And that’s exactly the same something I’ll be talking about with the of BILD, one article called you “Kai’s girl”. model that has now been formalized for editorial team before I talk about it public- Did that annoy you? online and print in this new constellation ly. But I can tell you one thing: Coca-Cola with you as publisher of the group. will be back on the drinks order list. Tanit: What annoys me even more is the ri- tual every morning, when Julian and I have Kai: It’s true, what we are doing is making Kai: Really? That’s a brand-relevant issue! I to swear eternal loyalty to you. official what we have actually been doing have to nip this insurrection in the bud. Tell for the past two years already. That frees me, did it come as a great surprise to you Kai: But seriously – how do you deal with me up to concentrate much more on ove- when you were appointed Editor-in-Chief of it? rall and brand-relevant issues. We know BILD print edition? of course that our future is digital. Never- Tanit: Well, some people say, a woman at theless, the print edition of BILD will also last! Many saw me as the calm and coll- continue to be very relevant – especially for ected counterpart to you and Julian. But the profile of the BILD brand. That’s why they might be surprised, because there is it was important to put Tanit in the positi- one thing I certainly don’t do: shy away on of Editor-in-Chief, as she can look after A great from conflict. I then heard in the radio the print edition full-time in the same way opportunity in that print is on its way out anyway, and as Julian does for the online edition every that appointing a female print editor was day. Julian, when Tanit was given the post, Germany’s best only an alibi to install a woman as Editor- did you feel you had been passed over? in-Chief. Others say, she first has to eman- editorial team. cipate herself from Kai Diekmann, because Julian: No. Online keeps me busy enough. she is totally incapable of criticism. But you know very well that you can’t stand Kai: Tanit, what will you be doing being surrounded by people who just par- differently? rot what you say. The real challenge is to walk in your footsteps. Tanit: The great thing about BILD is that Tanit Koch we are different every day in a different Kai: Julian, you faced a similar situation way. We move differently. We are bold in a Koch began her career as a journalist in 2007 two years ago. One day you were a reporter different way. Crazy in a different way. We when she was a trainee in the economics and and the next you were in charge of BILD. really have to make sure we can keep that politics section at BILD. After completing the Axel de … constant element of surprise, or even ex- Springer Akademie, she became Kai Diekmann’s pand on it. And anyway, you’re not pulling chief of staff for the Editor-In-Chief of BILD in 2007. Julian: … Yes, and I’ve been able to work back from the position of Editor-in-Chief Two years later she moved to become Editor for in a really independent manner. Once or because things weren’t okay as they were Special Tasks in the editorial team of the WELT twice I showed that I don’t just do what – so changing things for changing’s sake Group. Shortly afterwards she returned to BILD you want. We coordinated with one ano- would be nothing but actionism. BILD as Copy Chief and, in 2011, transferred to BILD ther whenever something was relevant to is too successful for that. What I want to Hamburg as head of the editorial team. 2013 saw her appointed Deputy Editor-in-Chief and head of entertainment at BILD. From January 2016 she will be the first female Editor-in-Chief of BILD print edition.

30 Photos: Frank Zauritz Doesn’t want to see platform arrogance: BILD.de Editor-in-Chief Julian Reichelt

Tanit: Yes. While you did mention it Kai: Why not? Editing tweets is going this goes for both of you – to take a heli- one or two times in recent years – as you to be one of my main responsibilities copter view of things. If you want to make know – that always got my back up be- as publisher of the group in the future. changes and bring innovation, then try and cause I thought it was a bad omen. And, manage that in the first six months, because apart from that, I wasn’t sure if it’s what I Julian: … cool, the colleagues are already that’s when you’ll have the power and the wanted. When I look at you I can see how looking forward to that! energy to do it. The most important questi- challenging the job is. So I even surprised on you’ll have to deal with is managing to myself when I did want it after I was asked. Tanit: Kai, what’s your advice for me? bring the print edition forward creatively and with everything you’ve got, although Kai: What made you change your mind? Kai: Don’t allow yourself to get devoured we know that – at least in terms of cir- by day-to-day work. Always take care – and culation – we won’t be producing growth Tanit: First of all, I would have been crazy any more. That’s a result of the process of to turn down such a huge opportunity as transformation which is taking place in this in Germany’s best editorial team. But the media that’s affecting the industry as it was also a matter of the heart. I fell in a whole and one we have coped with suc- love with BILD in my very first week as a cessfully over the last few years. That’s why trainee. In Hamburg, I found out how sa- You have to give a the structurally-related drop in circulation tisfying it is to make newspapers. And over for the printed newspaper also goes hand in time, I gradually came to feel, “I can do clear line and then hand with leadership in the digital market. this.” And the main thing is, I absolutely What that means in business terms, is that love what I do. allow for some BILD has never been as profitable as it has been over the last ten years – and THAT’S Kai: Julian, you went straight from re- freedoms. what we need to continue achieving in the porter to Editor-in-Chief. What was your future. Print has its own strengths – the experience and what tips would you give impact of its outward appearance, the way Tanit? a moment can be frozen in one single pho- to, the way a story is presented optically, Julian: My advice – a piece of advice from Julian reichelt the power of a headline – all these things my favorite enemy Todenhöfer – is: “Let are the privilege of the print edition. others shine”. The editorial team and the A native of Hamburg, he completed the Axel possibilities of digital are now so great that Springer Akademie and began working in 2014 it’s hard to control everything. That me- in the news section of BILD. He made a name for Tanit: What will your days be looking like ans you rely even more on your colleagues himself reporting from crisis areas like Afgha- in future? knowing where it is you want to go and nistan, Georgia or Iraq. He was appointed Head that they have the back-up and the trust to Reporter at BILD in 2007 and was awarded the Kai: In future I’ll not be doing so much be able to make decisions themselves. You Axel Springer Prize for Young Journalists in 2008 pre-monitoring. I would like to post-moni- have to give a clear line and then allow for for his report “Sie können uns töten, aber niemals tor. That’s why I’m no longer taking part in some freedoms. You can’t edit every single besiegen” (They can kill us, but they’ll never defeat the morning and midday conferences, but tweet. us). Julian Reichelt has been Editor-in-Chief of will be there for you whenever we need to BILD.de since November 2013.

31 talk about things, for example: Are we do- kilometers between you and the confe- put. How are you going to work together ing this right? Are we doing it wrong? Are rences … in future? we going in the right direction? You two are responsible for the day-to-day business; Kai: No, seriously. I’ll manage it. I’ll only Tanit: I’m just looking forward to sharing you define the processes. I’m your sparring get involved in issues that are about the the responsibility for the operative business partner for any issues that are brand-rele- brand profile as a whole. And anyway, I at BILD with Julian; we haven’t worked vant. Hans Leyendecker put it perfectly: think we’ll be seeing enough of one ano- closely together before. Bouncing ideas off “You can’t be present in your absence”. You ther every day to be able to exchange ideas one another, having creative arguments, can’t be travelling somewhere with a time and information, and for me to give my in- just making excellent journalism. Online difference of a few hours and then get upset and print have really grown together in re- about the fact that “Winners and Losers” cent years. There is only one editorial team isn’t written properly on page 1. Those were now and Julian and I will be keeping it that situations where I realized that something way. has to change. Print and online are now attracting the same levels of attention and Bild is the loudest Kai: We also want to continue the good I want to make sure that our new struc- cooperation within the ‘Red Group’ as a ture works well for all of us. I’m glad that trumpet on the whole – with our colleagues from BILD am I now have a team of Chief Editors at the SONNTAG and the B.Z. as well. That has top, both of whom come from within the media stage. been very successful in the last two years company and who learned their trade from and I would now like to intensify that scratch here. You both fulfill all the prere- with Marion Horn and Peter Huth. Tanit, quisites needed to become a super team at what do you expect from me in the coming the top of the BILD brand. months?

Julian: But, as publisher of the group, Tanit: Honesty. Advice, even when I haven’t will you really manage to stay in your of- Kai Diekmann asked for it. If you notice that I’m on the fice while the big political issues of the day wrong track, then it would be nice if you are being discussed at the editorial confe- Diekmann began his career at Axel Springer with a would just say it out loud – even if I don’t rences´? traineeship and went on to work as parliamentary know whether I’ll always take your advice correspondent at BILD and BILD am SONNTAG. or not. A “Toblerone” every now and then Kai: I managed it when I was in Korea du- After a brief period as Head Reporter at Bunte, he also wouldn’t go amiss. ring UPDAY, and before that when I spent became Deputy Editor-in-Chief at the B.Z. in 1991, almost a year in Silicon Valley. and later Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Head of Politics Julian: If I’m allowed to want something, at BILD. Three years later he returned to the ‘Red not so much for myself, but for Tanit, Julian: Okay, but there were almost 9,000 Group’ as Editor-in-Chief of BILD and as Editor of then it would be that she be given the BILD and BILD am SONNTAG. Since 2008 he has been publisher of BILD Group.

32 Have known and trusted one another for many years: Tanit Koch, Julian Reichelt and Kai Diekman (from left) in the publisher’s office Photo: Frank Zauritz

same space for the newspaper as I had for Tanit: I can’t do better than that. And that’s you have, or how much your coverage has online. In the constellation we had for the exactly why I like Julian so much - because increased or that you are now present on last two years I was able to get feedback of sentences like that. new social media. How will you cope with and obtain advice from you. Giving a lot that? of room to the newspaper is not something Kai: So the truth is, we have all known you’re used to and it will presumably cost and trusted one another for years. That’s Julian: I just need to interrupt there. One you quite some effort to do so. But that’s why so many things just work in such an really decisive factor is that BILD is one exactly where the opportunity for our new uncomplicated manner. And we know all of the last newspapers where the world set-up lies. about the difficulties and risks. As BILD out there – and I’m saying this from the is simply the loudest trumpet on the online perspective – believes that some- Kai: Julian, what do you like about Tanit? media stage in Germany and Europe, it thing is more important and more relevant also takes a lot of crisis management. And if it’s in that newspaper. That statement Julian: I have to be honest. We haven’t that’s something we’re good at, as are the applies to politics, sport and entertainment. had that much to do with another up to entire BILD crew. Just look back two The public perception of BILD is more now, we aren’t friends, for example. I think years ago: Julian, when you took over the powerful than for any other print brand we’ve only eaten together once. What I re- helm for online two years ago, the only ex- in the entire world. Maintaining that, ally appreciate, however, about both Tanit perience of leadership you had was taking and at the same time continuing to de- and Kai, is the fact that we have been wor- your dog out for a walk velop is, to my mind, one of the biggest king together extremely professionally, in and most difficult challenges facing us, but a well-coordinated manner and for many Julian: … and he didn’t even do what also one of the most exciting. years with great loyalty to and a passion I told him … for BILD. To me that’s the most important Tanit: And that in a time in which the thing … Kai: … and today you’re running a team trend among many journalists in Germa- of 200 to 300 people who work for ny is going towards more and more self- Tanit: … so, that means, you don’t like me. online alone. I just believe that, at censorship. The question of good taste is I, on the other hand, like Julian … this point, we can take the next step and, being put forward all of a sudden as a news with Tanit, we have someone on our side criteria, whether in the Germanwings story Julian: … Wait, I have to add something who really knows the BILD brand well and or the terrorist attacks in Paris. Journalism to that and it might sound a little drama- who will make sure that our success story means being a reporter, being on site, repor- tic at first: the only really important cri- will continue. That’s why taking this step ting about what happens there. That’s what terion for me when working with people is is the right thing to do. Another question: BILD stands for. As Europe’s biggest news- whether I can imagine being with them in Tanit, you will be taking over a part of paper, we move millions of people – with the trenches. That’s the criterion which, for BILD of course that isn’t growing; un- great stories. It’s from these journalistic me, is vital. And in Tanit’s case, it’s a very like Julian, you won’t be able to say highlights that I draw my experiences of definite “yes”. every month how many new subscribers success.

33 10 things you need to know from Chris Altchek

Impressed by how fast Axel Springer has succeeded in about securing itself a place at the table of digital journalism in the USA: inside.mag met Chris Altchek, CEO and co-founder of mic.com, in the Penthouse during his first visit to Berlin. How would he describe the Axel Springer team? His answer comes as fast as lightning: “passionate,sophisticated and with high quality expectations.” Axel Springer has been a shareholder in mic.com since June 2015. The start-up, which is based in New York, sees itself as a fresh voice for the new generation. Its goal is to communicate news with substance in such an entertaining way that stories can be shared with friends over dinner or via social media. Find out the most important facts about the company below. Photoo: Matti Hillig

34 Tunisia 1 vs. 3 What is mic.com and how is it 2 From Harlem pronounced? Goldman Sachs to Manhattan Mic.com, pronounced [maɪk dɔt kɔm], sees itself mic.com’s predecessor, a blog named PolicyMic, Chris Altchek and Jake Horovitz scrape together as a news medium of and for the new generation. was launched as a beta version in 2010. The foun- 150,000 dollars to launch PolicyMic.com and get The founders’ vision is “to help our generation talk ders’ decision to give everything they had to the started with 3 freelancers. The founders’ first about topics that are important to them”. That is project came one winter night in 2011. One of the office is the apartment shared by Chris and why they have chosen a name that is phonetically PolicyMic authors was in Tunisia when the Jasmine Jake in Harlem. And the mic.com ‘shared apart- reminiscent of microphone. In addition to news, sci- Revolution broke out. Chris Altchek spent the entire ment’ has been growing ever since. In the coming ence, art and politics, the portal also has sections night posting Tunisia updates from his office at Gold- year, the almost 100 employees will be moving for celebrities, relationships and style. Subjects like man Sachs … and then left the investment bank from their current office to larger premises. gun legislation, feminism, and the legalization of for mic.com a short time later. marijuana, are given just as much space as the US presidential election campaign.

Straight from Are you young? So am I! Who is the typical mic. elections and consumes the mic.com team itself is school into com reader? A city news on his or her smart- 26 years old on average digital dweller, 28 years of age, phone. These statistics … and the founders got journalism votes in the presidential are hardly surprising as started at only 23. 4The mic.com founders have known each other News that is stronger than mom, 5 Snapchat and Facebook since high school. Back No limits to growth then, Horowitz was chief Only 8 months after the launch of the portal at the 7 end of 2011, Horowitz and Altchek have already One advantage of the young target group is that editor of the school maga- 6 hooked 400,000 monthly users. Today the figure is they don’t only read news one or two times, but zine at the Horace Mann more than 30 million a month and “we still don’t up to 50 times a day – every time they check their School in the Bronx, New feel like we’re where we want to be yet”. That’s smartphones. The mic.com philosophy is that the York. And both of them why working together with Axel Springer is so im- news stories have to be so good that they can pre- played saxophone in a portant. It offers digital media expertise, a strong vail over Whatsapp messages and Facebook posts international brand and “connections everywhere” from friends and family – to be read and then shared Jazz band. – a good mixture to help mic.com to expand out- on very different platforms like tumblr, Facebook and side of the USA as well. Twitter.

Hello, 8 Mr. 10 Millennials don’t President! Fast, click on advertising faster,

banners Before his 2015 summer vacation, US President mobile The news portal earns its money with “branded Barack Obama 9gave three interviews on the Iran More than 70 percent of readers access mic. content”. An internal team works together with deal: to CNN, on National Public Radio and to com on their smartphone. And it’s an upward advertising clients to develop cooperation oppor- mic.com. The interview demonstrates mic’s trend. That is why one of the most important jobs tunities and stories “that are interesting for mic. quality expectations: the multimedia feature ex- of the tech team is to keep the load times for com readers.” Content financed by advertising plains a complex political situation, and in the pages for mobile users as low as possible. Part is clearly labeled as such for the readers. The interview mic.com asks President Obama que- of the development team sits in Stockholm – “the people at mic.com still follow the debate about stions put by young people from Iran, Israel and absolute Java experts”, Altchek says. Adblockers with attention – but are also relaxed the USA, which are shown to him on a tablet. It’s about it. the first international crowdsource interview and you can read it at: mic.com/obama

35 On vacation

Vacation feeling in with a the office: Tobias Wann, CEO of @Leisure in front of one of the typical regional house facade laminations on the walls of the conference rooms in Eindhoven single click Photo: Leonard Faustle Photo: Leonard

36 The @Leisure Group is one of the largest online providers of vacation homes for customers in Germany and the Benelux. Growth rates are in the double-digits. But the competition is fierce and the technology changes rapidly. Now everything has to be mobile. inside.mag presents the new family member, which belongs to Axel Springer since one year.

irst-time visitors to the of- ween our branches. Eindhoven, Amster- for English as the company language for fices of the @Leisure Group dam, Hamburg and Berlin.” The Ger- now. A large percentage of the staff also un- could be forgiven for thin- man has “warmed” to Dutch, the foreign derstands German. To underscore the inter- king that the staff had been language, but he still can’t speak it. national idea, an interior designer applied separated by gender and as- semi-transparent laminations of typical signed stereotypical tasks. regional house facades to the glass walls of On the fifth floor, the ladies take care of the conference rooms. The “Italian room” Fcustomer service while the gents one floor recalls an estate in Tuscany. down keep an eye on the technology. “It’s true that women make up roughly 85 per- Preparation for the “hot phase” cent of our call-center staff,” says Tobias The boss ordered eight weeks of “ob- Wann, CEO of @Leisure. Around lunch- servation time” for himself and the strategy time, all staff – both male and female – gra- for the coming years is now in place. Tobias dually stream into the big kitchen. Some Wann wants to propel the company into a employees slice fresh fruit, while others “new orbit” and new hirings are planned in have a pizza delivered and read the paper. Keeping track of every click: The Facebook the coming months. Just a few weeks ago, The view out of the window is counter shows the current number of likes @Leisure acquired two smaller providers in over the southern part of the center of the garnered by Belvilla the Netherlands. In one conference room, Dutch city of Eindhoven. Inside the buil- young colleagues are being trained for ding, one hears the din of plates and cutle- In one corner of the call-center, the task of supporting Belvilla during the ry. The snow-white kitchenette could just an agent can be heard speaking in Spanish; “hot phase” in December and January. The as well have come from a vacation home a few yards away, someone is answering digital business with vacationers is general- brochure. Indeed, it quite possibly did, for e-mails from France. The CEO has opted ly on the right track – at the expense of @Leisure is one of the leading companies in the segment. In Germany and the Benelux, the Group is actually the leading provider with its Casamundo and Belvilla brands. Over the coming years, @Leisure aims to become the market leader throughout Eu- rope. On one of the dining tables, a small plastic box shows the number of likes recei- ved by Belvilla’s Facebook page. Axel Springer has held a majority interest in the @Leisure Group since Janu- ary 2015. Tobias Wann has been with the company since July 1. He doesn’t want his own office, and he won’t get one – not in Eindhoven, at any rate. “If I want to write something, I simply look for an open space,” says the 43 year old. “But most of the time I’m back and forth bet-

Good meeting, great backdrop (from left): Inge van den Akker, Manager of Product Marketing, Astrid Senders, Marketing Project Manager, and Chris Mondria, Sales Manager

37 Yasmin Griesenhofer, Team Manager, Bjørn Berg-Ander- sen, COO, and Ellen Oude Grotebevelsborg, PR Specia- list, talking things over Photos: Leonard Faustle Photos: Leonard

conventional travel agencies. But changing the jury at “getestet.de”. “ausgezeichnet.org” user habits and the transformation process praised the excellent customer service for away from stationary homepages to mobile users: “With nearly 3,000 votes, only Ca- devices also present challenges for @Leisure. samundo demonstrates true understanding of customer dialog.” And that’s exactly what Integrating the computer and app Tobias Wann talks about when he visits the The key is developing new concepts: roughly 100 staff in Hamburg. Having as personalized offers, direct contact with the customer and a simplified payment process. “Bridging” is one of the watchwords that one hears often in this context at @Leisu- We don’t want re. Frans Kicken from Eindhoven and his Hanseatic counterpart Tobias Ackermann to just market are working on more closely integrating the website and the app. “We have the situation houses, but also that many customers browse through offers on their mobile phones on a Sunday eve- emotions. ning, but when it comes to making a boo- Inge van den Akker king, most of them will still use the computer, and it may be a day or two later,” says Ackermann, who heads up the technology Offers have to be filtered for users: Web team at Casamundo. Another difficulty, in personal a relationship as possible with a developers Paul Melssen (l.) and Roy Pouls his view, is the problem of filtering offers in customer is what makes the difference in work on solutions a sensible way for each customer. Not long the end. ago, Ackermann and his colleagues celebra- The marketing department has also ted a success: The Casamundo website has given a lot of thought to how @Leisure can been garnering accolades, and not for the pull even further ahead of the competiti- first time. “First-class website,” proclaimed on. “With stories,” emphasizes Inge van den

in focus The @Leisure Group was founded in 1980. Approximately 400 people work for the At the time, the company was called Ardennes Re- @Leisure Group. @Leisure has branch offices lais and concentrated on the Belgian Ardennes. In in Amsterdam (administrative), The Hague, the beginning there were just six vacation homes; Eindhoven and Hamburg, among other cities. today over 300,000 are on file. The group includes numerous portals, such as Casamundo, Belvilla, EuroRelais.nl and Aan Zee.

RENT

38 Flowers for customers Questions to CEO Tobias Wann

What has changed at important for us to win over @Leisure in the last the women, or more precise- few months? ly, the mothers. Studies have Within the Axel Springer shown that women are Contact for 20,000 properties: Dajs Meijers (l.) and Chantal Troeijen family, we learn a lot usually the ones who advise customers by phone from each other make the decision and take advan- to choose a partic‑ Akker. “A vacation should be an experience. So we don’t want to tage of synergies, ular place and a just market houses, but also the emotions that are associated with for example in IT particular house. them.” And that applies equally to “both customers” of the com- and procurement. pany – the property owners and the vacationers. In the future, the Axel Springer brings Dutchwoman and her colleague Bianca Schütze at Casamundo a great deal of professio- What does the want every property to be presented in a “storytelling” style: the nalism to the table, as well immediate future of size of the garden is just one point among many. But how it smells as a lot of experience in online travel look like? and knowing whether there’s a bakery in the vicinity that sells acquisitions. Another point is I think that the search bar warm, fresh bread on a Sunday afternoon creates a much more naturally the great reach. We that we know today will compelling impression of the place. The trend is away from pure are now working on growing, eventually disappear. That’s product description and towards more journalistic content. becoming more international why personalized content Whatever one chooses to call it, the key in the end is well- and giving greater responsi- and personalized customer written texts and an appealing graphic presentation. Vacations are bility to the employees. If so- service are so important. supposed to be fun, after all! @Leisure therefore applies the prin- mething goes wrong with the We now know 100 things ciples of reporting and sends its staff out in multiple stages to the booking, the agent should about a house, but not every some 20,000 properties that the company markets directly. And have the power to decide if customer has to read exactly because work should be fun as well, the boss has introduced some he or she wants to send the these 100 things. For some, friendly contests. The conditions are listed on the wall, right next customer some flowers. a crib is not important, so it to the display of wait times in the call-center. Whoever manages needn’t be at the top of the to generate a certain minimum number of sales is rewarded with Do you have a list. Too many offers can also a free mini-vacation in the vacation home. There is one caveat, typical customer? lead to termination of the however: “It could be warm or cold.” You simply have to be that Most of our customers are booking. I imagine each user flexible nowadays. young families. Our typical having three recommen- family has two kids and a dations based on known Felix Rentzsch is a journalism student at the Axel-Sprin- dog. The great thing about user data or the information ger-Akademie. His home office is the Handelszeitung in entered by the user, for ex- Zurich. The 29-year-old has never rented a vacation home the vacation home sector is himself. Next year, however, he has something similar in that very many customers ample regarding family size the works. A houseboat vacation in Ireland. come again if they liked the and desired activities at the experience. It is especially location.

The company does not rent out the vacation @Leisure is active in a total of 36 countries. The offerings range from inexpensive houses itself, but brings customers together Property offerings are especially numerous in vacation properties on the beach to exclu with owners. The team also handles the booking Spain, France, Austria and the Benelux coun- sive chateaux with space for multiple process and all related processing. @Leisure tries. Most of the houses are in rural areas. In families. charges a commission for these services. the future, however, plans are afoot to “move Unusual highlights include a tree house, into the cities.” a former windmill and a former home of Napoleon.

RENT

39 What’s important to you at the moment?

Whether journalists, programmers or managers – motivated employees work hard to push their projects onwards and upwards everywhere within the Axel Springer family. Find out here what colleagues, both in Germany and abroad, are busy with at the moment at gur zeevi

work and in their personal life. is Chief Technology Officer and Vice President Research & Development at Yad2 in Tel Aviv

At Yad2 we are currently working on a lot of product innova- 1 What project are you tions. The most important is the new generation of our Web currently working on? app. We've given it a new design and, with it, our contents guarantee the same surfing experience on all platforms, whether on a PC or a mobile device.

I try to ride my bike three times a week after work and I go 2 How do you switch mountain-biking with friends at the weekend. That helps me off from work? free my mind and get rid of the stress from my job.

Even if it sounds like a cliché, as a third generation Israeli, whose family was playing an active role in establishing set- 3 What do you tlements in our country even before Israel's independence in dream about? 1948, I really long for peace in our region.

We are currently moving away from the idea of pre-planning every detail in product development, and will take the more 4 What would you dynamic Scrum approach in future, so that we can develop really like to change? our products and services and bring them onto the market even faster.

With David Ben Gurion – the founder of the State of Israel. 5 If you could change I wish I had had the chance to experience how he imagined our country in the first days after its foundation and what he places with someone for hoped for the future of Israel. a day – who would it be?

40 What’s important to you at the moment?

Julia Letetzki anna pietka

is Junior Account Manager Jobboard at is Business Owner of NOIZZ, Gründerszene (lit. start-up scene) Onet Group, in Warsaw in Berlin

I have a great deal of customer contact on the Grün- We are working on launching NOIZZ in Poland – derszene job exchange. And we will be presenting a new brand for a young public. In NOIZZ we will ourselves at another four career fairs this year. I'm just be producing content especially for millennials coordinating the details at the moment so that our and distributing this via their favorite channels like presentation there works out well. Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

My favorite thing is going to the lake, which isn't that My hobbies aren't that unusual – I like reading and far from my house and yet right out in the countryside. love sport. I can really switch off by doing yoga or Otherwise, by surfing through the expanses of the going jogging. Internet.

A hoverboard would be a dream! To fly through every- That NOIZZ grows to become synonymous with day life with no danger of falling off! And it even works new standards in digital publishing. over flagstones! :)

I hope that the many fantastic new technologies will I would like to develop news for young people in be implemented efficiently and sustainably and make such a style and form that they find it interesting our everyday lives easier and less strenuous – and go and gripping. gentle on environmental resources!

There's actually nobody I'd like to swap with. I'd rather Perhaps with an inspiring person from the area of make sure that I can experience the things I want to do publishing, like Arianna Huffington; or an American myself! Luckily we have so many opportunities nowa- risk capital investor like Marc Andreessen (founder days! of Netscape) – no matter how many years pass, they are still open to new stuff.

41 When big kids feel small again

Glowing faces and the sparkling eyes of children at Christmas – when we see this, we often think back to our own childhood or to the childhood of our children or our grandchildren. But hand on heart: don‘t you often wonder what it was like for other people at Christmas? Inside.mag asked a few Axel Springer celebs about what it was like for them.

„Christmas in our house was always pretty magical. I‘m two- and-a-half in this photo, and we were celebrating with my parents, my brother and my grandparents in Hamburg. And I can still remember the best Christmas present I ever got as a child as if it was yesterday: a skateboard!! I really, really wanted it, but wasn‘t sure I was going to get it. So I was so happy when it was among my presents. I spent the rest of Christmas outside practi- cing tricks.“

Donata Hopfen CEO of the BILD Group

42 When big kids feel small again PETER WÜRTENBERGER CEO of UPDAY „Christmas on the back of a horse – at home in the Ruhr region. I was four at the time, but as tall as most six-year-olds, which helps when you have to assert yourself against three older brothers while unpacking your presents. The best Christmas present I ever got as a kid, I remember, was a model railway set from Faller. “

Mathias döpfner Chairman of the Board JULIAN DEUTZ „The photo was taken at Christ- Chief Financial Officer mas 1964, not long before my „We always celebrated Christmas in second birthday. It was the first Bremen as a family, with my parents and time in my life I‘d seen a my sister. I can still clearly remember the Christmas tree.“ bike I got, although I really was into more horsepower. The best Christmas present ever when I was a child was a Carrera racing track.“

mark Walters CEO of Zanox „I was six-years-old and couldn‘t have been happier, because I got my very first Action Man for Christmas.“

43 AXEL TELZEROW jelena Editor-in-Chief drakulic-Petrovic COMPUTER BILD

General Manager Ringier „I discovered my passion for motorbikes Axel Springer Serbia when I was three. However, my motto today is ‚HARLEY‘ instead of ‚HONDA‘. „Christmas as a four-year- This photo was taken in 1973 at my old: I was Santa‘s little grandparents‘ place. The flared trousers helper! :-)“ are a dead giveaway that it was the 70s.“

MIRIAM KREKEL Deputy to the B.Z. Chief Editor „It was Christmas morning in 1989, shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Looking at our presents in our pajamas was always the best part of Christmas for my sister Kim Sarah (2), my mom, and me (12 at the time). My mother is unfortunately no longer with us, but my sister and I celebrate together with my five-year-old son and our families every year. We still have the same tree decorations as back then. “

Andreas Wiele President Marketing and Classified Ad Models

„It was Christmas 1972, at my parent‘s house in Frankfurt. I was ten and my grandpa was playing Santa Claus, while my brother Matthias (3 years older), my mother and my aunt were inspecting the presents. Also there, but not in the photo were my father, my younger sister and my grandma. The best Christmas present I ever got as a child? A large Carrera model racing track that was extended every year. We played it to death all through Christmas.“

44 Pat carlos watson Dermody CEO and Co-Founder OZY, USA Managing Director „My father took this photo at our family celebrations in 1973, in Retale, USA Kalamazoo, Michigan. It shows me at the far right together with my „As you can see, I love Christmas. I was only three three siblings, my mother and my grandmother. I was four years old years old when this photo was taken in my parents‘ and couldn‘t wait to finally unpack the presents that you can see still apartment in Chicago. The best present I got that year wrapped on my lap.“ was my ‚Romper Room‘* bobble hat that you can see on the left of me on the floor. And the best thing about Christmas, back then and today, is getting time to spend with my family.“ * A children‘s TV show in the USA

BALÁZS Kolossváry Chief Editor BLIKK, Hungary

„I was 18 months old in that photo and the toy telephone was a really special present. Behind the iron curtain there were only few families who had a telephone at home (that is, only the really good communists!). This means I had a telephone long before my parents, who got theirs in 1989!“

„I don‘t actually have a photo* of myself next to the Christ- mas tree. My father was a cine film enthusiast, which is why we have lots of films, and slides as well, but no photos. The special thing about Christmas for us kids back then, was that we were allowed to stay up as late as we wanted to. And nobody had to get dressed all day on Christmas day – the entire family always spent the day in their pajamas.“

* Not having a photo is no problem for the BILD photo editors – the image pool at BILD simple recreated the scene using Photoshop. kai diekmann BILD Chief Editor and Publisher BILD Group

45 A look back at 2015

New Appearance

Celebrating its “LeadAwards” success: Advertisement by B.Z.

LEAD-Awards

The 2015 “LeadAwards” rained a firework of prizes on the media brands of Axel Springer. The high-flying WELT balloon has been floa- offering extensive views across the city. Its With a total of 14 prizes – three gold, two ting above Berlin‘s roofs in a new design since new design has it illuminated at night, ma- silver, one bronze and eight other accolades November. Tethered to the ground by a steel king it a permanent feature of Berlin‘s skyline – Axel Springer won more medals and awards rope, it ascends 150 meters towards the sky in the dark as well. than ever before since the emergence of the LeadAwards.

Investments in the Magazine market Je suis charlie

BLAU May 2, 2015 Six months after the attack on Charlie saw the premiere Hebdo and shortly after an Islamic fun- of BLAU – Axel damentalist attack in Tunisia, the Axel Springer‘s new art ME.URBAN is the Springer Academy released jerestechar- magazine. It appears newest spin-off to come lie.eu – a video website about religious- on every last Sunday Die neue Werbekampagne für Deutschlands from MUSIKEXPRESS. of the month as a größtely-motivated Medienmarke terrorism zeigt dieand gleiche its effects Wucht The magazine, of which magazine in WELT undon Klarheit,society. mitOn der the BILD website, jeden Tag19 berichyoung- two issues were released newspaper and then tet.journalists „BILD ist dasfrom multimediale the Academy Leitmedium describe in 2015, works under the afterwards on its own Deutschlands“ lautet die neue Markenvision slogan “We are the city” how people all over the world have not in the news kiosks. dahinter. offering in-depth reports, ceased, despite experiencing a terrorist photo series, as well as attack, to campaign for what they belie- quirky and critical stories ve in and continue to fight against acts from the large cities of of terror. the world.

Printing Plants A success: Ringier “Only BILD can do that” become independent and Axel Springer The new advertising campaign for Germany‘s The newspaper printworks in Ahrensburg, Berlin- August saw Ringier and Axel Springer celebrate largest media brand demonstrates the Spandau and Essen-Kettwig operate within the the five-year anniversary of the East European joint same strong impact and clarity with which corporate network as independent companies. As venture, and another joint venture is about to be BILD reports every day. “BILD is Germany‘s intaglio printing has become less important for Axel launched in Switzerland. Working together, the aim multimedia leading medium” is the new brand Springer, the remaining 25.1 percent of the Prinovis is to strengthen the competitiveness in the Swiss vision behind this. One of the campaign‘s printing group was sold to Bertelsmann. reader and advertising markets and force forward motifs can be seen in this issue of inside.mag digitalization of the brand. on page 67.

46 To the point: new from digital journalism

Business Insider Axel Springer bought a total of 97 per cent of the shares in Business Insider making it the owner of the USA‘s leading digital offering for business Ongoing dynamic and financial news. The German offering was also launched on www. businessinsider.com. Find out more development on page 16.

Axel Springer remains highly profitable to EUR 2,372.7 million. The priority in Jaunt Axel Springer becomes a with an EBITDA margin of 16.7 per cent. 2015 was growth – the classified offerings shareholder in Jaunt, an American In the first nine months of 2015, Axel and journalistic brands in Europe, as well specialist in virtual reality (VR). With Springer increased Group sales by 8.9 as increasingly in the English-speaking self-developed camera and software technology, Jaunt produces VR per cent, taking them from EUR 2,177.9 regions, provide this potential. videos that can be viewed using a smartphone app as well as VR glasses like Oculus Rift in future, Shares in digital media in percentage providing a 360° visual experience.

Quarterly financial report January to September 2015 Livingly Media aufeminin took over 100 per cent of the digital publisher Livingly Media in the USA, which runs in GROUP SALES three successful websites: Zimbio. com (entertainment), StyleBistro. com (fashion, beauty and style) and Lonny.com (living and interior design). The takeover of Livingly Media will 62.4 significantly strengthen aufeminin‘s position in the USA.

NowThis Axel Springer increased in ADVERTISING its share in NowThis and is now the in EBITDA second-largest investor in the New REVENUES York start-up, which produces videos especially for social networks and disseminates them there. 73.2 POLITICO April 21, 2015 saw the launch of POLITICO.EU – an offering of the European joint venture bet- 80.9 ween POLITICO and Axel Springer with its headquarters in Brussels. The political news platform set up the biggest newsroom there. Additional offices were also set up in Berlin, London and Paris.

15,107 Thrillist In September, Axel Springer employees on average worked in the acquired a minority share in the New York-based media company Thrillist 3rd Quarter of 2015 thus strengthening its expansion for the Axel Springer family strategy in the US digital market and extending its global reach among millenials.

UPDAY The first result of the Bonial.com: road strategic partnership between Axel to expansion Springer and Samsung is UPDAY – a content platform for aggregated, The international leading provider of digital circular algorithm-based news that orients advertising Bonial.com expanded its activities itself towards individual user interests to Norway, Denmark and Sweden making it now as well as editorially guided contents present in eleven countries. chosen by an editorial team. Find out more on page 8.

47 Frédéric Toquin, you are M Y Head of Product and Sales WEEK at SeLoger.com. What does your week look? Take us Frédéric through a week with you ... Toquin

MONDAY

TUESDAY The Monday team conference is usually there to talk about the key performance indicators, the Tuesday is always an important day goals and successes of our products. However, WEDNESDAY for us, because this is the day we this Monday following the Paris attacks is diffe- A market research organization rent. After a brief discussion with our CEO, we push the latest product developments decide to express our sympathy with the victims into production. Last Tuesday was that works for us presents its first and immediately work out a proposal for rede- especially exciting as we activated our results, which we then discuss in signing our homepage. geolocation search on SeLoger.com an all-day workshop. We work in after almost five months of work by the small groups to design new user product, design, traffic and technical experiences on multiple subjects teams. We’re all proud of this first step, that could be used for our coming and we’re the first national website in product roadmaps. France to provide this functionality.

THURSDAY FRIDAY I mainly use today to put together the 2016 roadmap. This includes the general organization, team and capacity planning and so on. A THE WEEKEND great many exciting projects are in I’m looking forward to the weekend, because I can the pipeline and everyone has to spend more time with my adorable daughters (nine know what needs to be deliver- and six years of age) and my wife. It starts off with ed and when. We have another a bike tour where we live, outside of Paris, and we enjoy this time spent together. appointment before lunch to talk Our new iPhone and iPad app has It is also time for me to play Ingress again. That’s a about our new responsive website passed all final tests and we can so-called ‘massive multiplayer game’, but instead of for commercial real estate, which push it to the iTunes Store, for final sitting in front of your PC, you have to get outside is to go live before Christmas. The testing by Apple. Time for a quick with your smartphone, find landmarks for your team team is confident that it will be up celebration! But we don’t forget to and “capture” them for your team. It’s a great way and running on schedule. continue with the tests for the to explore a region. And my daughters like playing it Android version, which is also well now as well! on its way to be pushed to production. I have a discussion with my boss Bertrand Gstalder and the Head of IT, Jean Michel Berthelier, about the next SeLoger application version. It still needs some rework, but now it’s time to go home and join my family.

Rugby Resistance Bordeaux Paris Family Football Enlightened Burgundy Brittany Friends