Observed Signal · Oct 13, 2016 · Staff Departure · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Pinterest Germany Country Manager Jan Honsel Departs
Jan Honsel, Pinterest's first Germany-DACH country manager, will leave the company at the end of October after declaring his mission in the region fulfilled. A Pinterest spokesperson told Horizont that now is a good moment for a leadership handover, effectively signaling 'mission accomplished.' The piece notes that there are still no published DACH user figures, and it cannot be verified whether Honsel helped Pinterest become the second-largest social network in Germany. Under his leadership, the Berlin office reportedly grew from three to seven employees. After the market-entry phase he led, the company intends to push advertising sales and monetization more aggressively. Horizont suggests Honsel’s departure reflects a transition to the next phase, but further details and the identity of a successor remain unconfirmed.
Moderate industry impact due to leadership change at Pinterest's DACH operation.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Jan Honsel leaves Pinterest as Germany-DACH Country Manager
- Departure scheduled for end of October
- Honsel was Pinterest's first DACH country manager
- Berlin office headcount grew from 3 to 7 under his leadership
- Next phase focus: push advertising sales and monetization
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Pinterest Appoints Lucas Brinkmann as DACH Managing Director
Pinterest has appointed Lucas Brinkmann as Managing Director for the DACH region, filling a vacancy after Martin Bardeleben left the role in September 2025. Brinkmann brings senior leadership experience from agency groups Wavemaker and Iprospect, and held senior roles at Google where he helped grow video and programmatic business with agencies. He took a seven-month break in 2024 and worked as a consultant from January 2025 before joining Pinterest. In his new role Brinkmann will focus on developing advertiser and agency relationships, advancing full-funnel use of Pinterest's platform and supporting clients including Danone and L'Oréal. The hire underlines Pinterest's emphasis on the competitive German market and the growing importance of retail media and social commerce for the company’s European growth strategy.
The Trade Desk appoints Tamer Batan as DACH head
Tamer Batan has been appointed Vice President DACH at The Trade Desk, succeeding Daniel Neuhaus who left in May 2026. Effective immediately, Batan will lead the company’s business across Germany, Austria and Switzerland and report to Lukas Fassbender, Senior Vice President EMEA. He brings nearly two decades of marketing, media and ad-tech experience, including five years at Pinterest—where he led CPG for DACH and served as interim Managing Director DACH—and 14 years at Procter & Gamble in senior EMEA roles. The hire is part of a regional leadership reshuffle to accelerate DACH growth, with a focus on data-driven advertising in the premium open internet and growth channels such as Connected TV, Retail Media and Digital Audio. The appointment was announced by MEEDIA on 2026-08-03.
Pinterest AI Converts Beauty Pins into Action Plans
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