As part of the further expansion of digital media activities, Thomas Spiegel (36) will be joining the Group Executive Board of Ringier AG effective February 1, 2020. He will be responsible for all of the Ringier Group’s journalistic products.
Thomas Spiegel comes to the company from Dentsu Aegis Network, where he served as CEO for Switzerland from 2015. During this time, the network’s Swiss presence experienced strong organic growth and strategic acquisitions to end up with a staff of around 800 and gained a large number of prestigious customers. Spiegel previously held leading positions for the global agency network over a number of years, a period in which he established another successful agency presence in Austria. Before joining Dentsu, he was an account manager for Google with responsibility for some of its largest international customers.
Marc Walder, CEO Ringier AG: ‘Thomas Spiegel comes to us with experience and expertise in digitally focussed media strategies, marketing and transformation. With his broad know-how and wide network, Spiegel will be able to help us further develop Ringier AG’s journalistic activities. At the same time, he will assume operational responsibility for the Blick Group.’
Alexander Theobald (55), who was both COO of Ringier Switzerland and Managing Director of the Blick Group, is taking over operational leadership of Ringier Axel Springer Schweiz AG from Ralph Büchi (62) as CEO, effective April 1, 2020. He will continue to report to CEO Marc Walder and, in his role as CEO, to the Board of Directors of Ringier Axel Springer Schweiz AG.
By amicable and mutual agreement, Ralph Büchi will be leaving Ringier AG upon expiry of his contract on May 31, 2020, to focus entirely on his role as Chairman of Axel Springer SE’s Supervisory Board in Berlin, which he took up in April 2019, as well as other mandates. He will continue to supervise selected projects during this transitional phase.
CEO Marc Walder: ‘Ralph Büchi has done excellent work for Ringier. With his vast experience as an internationally recognised media manager, he has successfully developed our journalistic activities in Switzerland, eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. On behalf of all of my colleagues, I would like to thank him for his outstanding work over the past four years.’
As of February 1, 2020, the Group Executive Board of Ringier AG will be composed as follows:
- Marc Walder, CEO
- Annabella Bassler, CFO
- Robin Lingg, International Marketplaces
- Thomas Spiegel, Global Media and Blick Group
- Alexander Theobald, COO Schweiz and CEO Ringier Axel Springer Schweiz AG
Ringier AG, Corporate Communications