Axel Springer vs Handelsblatt Research Institut

Morning Brew Acquires Express Checkout Newsletter

Morning Brew Inc., the business media publisher owned by Axel Springer, has acquired Express Checkout, a creator-led media brand focused on the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. The all-cash deal, whose terms were not disclosed, gives Morning Brew 100% of Express Checkout's intellectual property. Co-founders Nate Rosen and Jenna Movsowitz will join Morning Brew full-time. Express Checkout started as a weekly newsletter covering CPG and e-commerce. This acquisition continues Morning Brew's strategy of bringing independent creators and their audiences into its portfolio.

• Morning Brew Inc. acquires Express Checkout, a creator-led CPG media brand.
• The deal is all-cash and includes 100% of Express Checkout's intellectual property.
• Co-founders Nate Rosen and Jenna Movsowitz will join Morning Brew full-time.

Carsten Schwecke to Lead Retail Media at MediaMarktSaturn

Carsten Schwecke, formerly Chief Commercial Officer at RTL Deutschland and previously head of marketing at Seven.One Entertainment Group, will become co-CEO and Managing Director of MediaMarktSaturn Marketing GmbH on November 1, 2026, leading the retail media and partner marketing unit jointly with CMO Michael Schuld. Schwecke focuses on expanding first-party data activation, offsite media, and the publisher business, broadening the growth strategy beyond retail media and partner marketing. He succeeds Boris Prondzinski and Torsten Ahlers, who are leaving amicably; Ahlers supports the handover until January 31, 2027. In fiscal year 2024/25, retail media revenue reached around 91 million euros, up from about 5 million three years earlier. For offsite expansion, MediaMarktSaturn partners with Unlimitail.

• Carsten Schwecke becomes co-CEO and Managing Director of MediaMarktSaturn Marketing GmbH on November 1, 2026, alongside CMO Michael Schuld.
• Schwecke previously held leadership roles at RTL Deutschland, Seven.One Entertainment Group, and Axel Springer.
• He will focus on first-party data activation, offsite media, and expanding the publisher business as part of a broader growth strategy.

Peter Thiel mit dem Axel Springer Award 2026 ausgezeichnet

Unternehmer und Investor für seinen prägenden Einfluss auf die digitale Transformation gewürdigt / Diskussion über Innovation, Freiheit und die Zukunft westlicher Gesellschaften

Andrea Wasmuth, Sebastian Christensen und Stefan Buhr leiten Holtzbrinck Media

Zum 01. Januar 2027 übernehmen Andrea Wasmuth, bislang Vorsitzende der Geschäftsführung der Handelsblatt Media Group und der DvH Medien, Sebastian Christensen, Geschäftsführer der Handelsblatt Media Group, und Stefan Buhr, Geschäftsführer der Tagesspiegel Gruppe, die Geschäftsführung der Holtzbrinck Media. Andrea Wasmuth wird Vorsitzende der Geschäftsführung.

Holtzbrinck Media Names Leadership Trio for New Group

The leadership team for the newly formed integrated publishing group Holtzbrinck Media has been announced. The group, created from the merger of Handelsblatt Media Group, Tagesspiegel Group, and Dieter von Holtzbrinck Medien, will launch on January 1, 2027. Andrea Wasmuth, previously head of Handelsblatt, will chair the management trio, joined by Sebastian Christensen and Stefan Buhr. Christensen, a managing director at Handelsblatt since 2023, and Buhr, Tagesspiegel's managing director since April 2025, bring complementary expertise. Nicolas Köhn, Tagesspiegel's co-managing director, will depart at year-end after leading its digital growth, increasing Tagesspiegel Plus subscriptions from around 30,000 to over 50,000. The new team aims to combine strengths for a modern media house, following publisher Dieter von Holtzbrinck's decision to consolidate his holdings and sell his 50% stake in 'Zeit'.

• Holtzbrinck Media will be formed on January 1, 2027, from Handelsblatt Media Group, Tagesspiegel Group, and Dieter von Holtzbrinck Medien.
• Andrea Wasmuth will chair the management board, joined by Sebastian Christensen and Stefan Buhr.
• Nicolas Köhn will step down as managing director of Tagesspiegel Group at the end of 2026.

Jan Kleibrink Takes Leadership Role at Tagesspiegel Background

Jan Kleibrink has been appointed as Managing Director Publishing at Tagesspiegel Background, a Berlin-based provider of specialized political information. He will lead the new professional information unit of Holtzbrinck Media together with Charlotte Morré, who heads the editorial and product side. The unit combines Tagesspiegel Background and the Handelsblatt Research Institute (HRI). Kleibrink will focus on business development including sales, marketing, licensing, and customer retention. His goal is to create a one-stop shop for specialized policy and economic news. He previously served as Chief Growth Officer and Managing Director at HRI. The move signals closer cooperation between the Handelsblatt Media Group and Tagesspiegel under the Holtzbrinck Media umbrella.

• Jan Kleibrink becomes Managing Director Publishing at Tagesspiegel Background.
• He co-leads the new professional information unit of Holtzbrinck Media with Charlotte Morré.
• The new unit combines Tagesspiegel Background and Handelsblatt Research Institute (HRI).