ProSiebenSat.1 names new CEO

German broadcast group ProSiebenSat.1 has appointed a replacement for its long-serving CEO Thomas Ebeling, who is leaving the company this week.

Max Conze

Max Conze was named CEO by the ProSiebenSat.1 board today and will start work on June 1.

He replaces Ebeling, who announced in November he would stand down in February after nine years in the role.

Conrad Albert, deputy CEO of ProSiebenSat.1 Media, will oversee operations as interim chairman until Conze arrives in the summer.

Conze is new to the broadcast industry having been CEO of UK technology group Dyson from 2011 to 2017

Prior to that, Conze spent 17 years working for consumer goods firm Procter & Gamble in various management and marketing positions in Germany, the US, China and Switzerland.

Werner Brandt, chairman of the ProSiebenSat.1 supervisory board, said: “Max Conze has extensive international management experience in various industries. He also successfully implemented the digital transformation at Dyson, turning the company into a rapidly expanding global technology corporation.”

Conze added: “Entertainment has always excited me. The digital transformation of this industry combined with the commerce business makes ProSiebenSat1 unique.”

ProSiebenSat.1 operates commercial channels in Germany including Sat.1, ProSieben, Kabel Eins, Sixx, Sat.1 Gold, ProSieben Maxx and Kabel Eins Doku.

It also owns international producer and distributor Red Arrow Entertainment Group, which it combined with multi-channel network Studio71, as well as merging its pay TV operations with its Maxdome SVoD service in December.

The overhaul has created three business areas, incorporating entertainment, content production and commerce operations.

Red Arrow Entertainment Group will be brought together with multi-channel network Studio71 under the name Red Arrow Studios, with digital and traditional production businesses brought under the same roof.