ProSiebenSat.1 ups Markus Breitenecker to COO, Christine Scheffler exits board

Markus Breitenecker (Source: ProSiebenSat.1)

German media giant ProSiebenSat.1 has appointed Markus Breitenecker as chief operating officer and given him a seat on the group executive board, with Christine Scheffler stepping down.

Breitenecker currently serves as CEO of Austrian TV station group ProSiebenSat.1 PULS4, and from 1 April will take over the management of the entertainment segment as COO alongside CEO Bert Habets. He will focus on streaming and digital platforms and will also be responsible for country activities in Switzerland and Austria.

Breitenecker has served as CEO of ProSiebenSat.1 PULS4 since 1998. During this time, he is credited with developing the business into Austria’s largest private television group and Joyn into its largest streaming service. He oversaw channels including ProSieben Austria, PULS 4, ATV, ATV2 and news channel PULS 24, and in 2017 founded the streaming platform Zappn in Austria, which was integrated it into Joyn last year.

“I know and appreciate Markus Breitenecker as a very committed and experienced media manager with a passion for entertainment. I look forward to driving and developing the business together with him,” said Habets.

Meanwhile, executive board member Christine Scheffler exits the company after more than five years. Prosieben said that Shceffler has asked the supervisory board to terminate her contract as of 31 March, due to “differing positions on the next steps in the company’s set-up.”

Scheffler joined the company in January 2019 as chief human resources officer and in March 2020 was appointed to the group executive board, where she is responsible for sustainability, shared services and real estate & procurement in addition to human resources.

“ProSiebenSat.1 stands for dynamism and change. Thanks to a great team, we have successfully implemented essential projects together over the last few years and thus made an important contribution to the modernization and realignment of this great group,” said Scheffler.

In the future, the executive board of ProSiebenSat.1 Media will consist of Bert Habets (CEO), Martin Mildner (CFO) and Markus Breitenecker (COO). The leadership team of entertainment segment Seven.One Entertainment Group will be Bert Habets (CEO), Markus Breitenecker (COO), Henrik Pabst (CCO) and Dr. Stefan Endriß (CFO).

The changes come in the same month that the media group revealed its annual financial results. CEO Bert Habets predicted “slight growth” in revenues over the next 12 months as it pursues its shift to focus on streaming following a torrid two years.