Bastei Lübbe AG: Cologne Bastei Lübbe AG expands executive board

Cologne Bastei Lübbe AG expands executive board

Cologne, 22 July 2014. Bastei Lübbe AG is expanding its executive board. Jörg Plathner will take over as new head of the digital media division with effect from 1 September 2014. The Supervisory Board of the Cologne-based media company unanimously appointed the 48-year old as the fourth board member.

"The proportion that the digital media segment contributes to Bastei Lübbe AG's success is constantly and rapidly increasing. By expanding its executive board, Bastei Lübbe would like to follow this development and the set the course for the next growth steps at home and abroad," explains Supervisory Board chairman Dr. Friedrich Wehrle. "We are pleased to have found Jörg Plathner for this task, an experienced manager with expertise within the area of digital media," continued Wehrle. Along with Jörg Plathner (digital media), the expanded executive board of the media company now consists of Felix Rudloff (program), Klaus Kluge (marketing, sales) and Thomas Schierack (chairman of the executive board, finance).

Jörg Plathner is known in industry circles as a proven specialist in digital media. The 48-year old Master of Communications comes from Mairdumont GmbH & Co. KG from Ostfildern, where he was responsible for the digital division, and therefore for the fact that several portals, vertical networks, mobile apps, eBooks, digital magazines and a pay-tv-channel were successfully implemented and expanded. Previously, Plathner was a director of the automobile division at Motor-Presse Stuttgart GmbH & Co. KG for many years, and was employed as managing director of Motor-Presse TV GmbH in Stuttgart. "I am really looking forward to the new challenge at Bastei Lübbe. The company performs a unique fusion of traditional publishing and exciting media visions in Germany. I am enthusiastic about having the opportunity to develop and realise the most diverse and exciting digital products for the national and international markets in the future, under the roof of a unique, strong brand. I am therefore looking forward to this new task very much!"

The proportion of digital products in Bastei Lübbe AG's total turnover has doubled almost annually in the last few years. With digital audio turnover included, the digital proportion of the total turnover is already more than 14.5%. In the medium term, the two most recent majority interests, Daedalic Entertainment GmbH and BookRix GmbH & Co. KG, are crucial contributors.

About Bastei Lübbe AG:
Bastei Lübbe AG is a media company in the form of a trade publisher. The company is based in Cologne, Germany, and has around 335 employees. In the context of its business activity, Bastei Lübbe publishes books, audiobooks, ebooks and digital products with fictional and popular scientific content as well as periodically released magazines in the form of paperback novels and puzzle books. The business activity of Bastei Lübbe also includes the licensing of rights and the development, production and distribution of gifts, decorative and merchandising items. Bastei Lübbe has been the market leader almost continuously in the growing fictional hardcover sector for many years, and in the field of fictional e-books, the company was also number 1 in 2013. In 2013, Bastei Lübbe AG celebrated its 60-year anniversary and was listed on the stock exchange. Bastei Lübbe AG shares are listed in the Prime Standard section of the Frankfurt stock exchange (WKN A1X3YY, ISIN DE000A1X3YY0)

Contact for Bastei Lübbe AG:
Barbara Fischer
Head of Press and
Event Marketing
Tel.: 0221 / 82 00 28 50
Email: barbara.fischer@luebbe.de