Interim CEO and CDO for digital transformation of B2B publishing and media group

Portfolio company of private equity fund

Medium-sized B2B publishing and media group

Christof Wahl, Michael Hengstmann, Ralph Schwehr, Dr. Jürgen Wolf

Short-term leadership vacuum for CDO, CEO and Sales Director positions
Ongoing exit process by private equity owner for some of the media groups’ subsidiaries and assets
Number one or two market leadership positions, but deteriorating sales development in traditional print advertisement and subscription business
Loss-making business units and subsidiaries without any significant synergies with core media business
Lack of customer orientation and rather passive approach in sales
Resistance of some senior management team members against both change and digital transformation
Sudden order cancellations, dramatic loss of revenues and customer insolvencies in some industries caused by Cornona pandemic

Assumption of interim roles as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Digital Officer and Sales Director
Development and execution of new digital strategy for profitable top line growth in disruptive market environment
Development of operational transformation plan for cost efficiency improvement and proactive sales approach
Set-up of program office for sales, digitalization, content management, cost savings, purchasing
Hands-on execution of strategic and operational projects
Constant communication with all employees and monitoring of change initiatives with scoring cards
Screening of market for strategic corporation partners for additional digital content
Set-up of data room for non-core business unit and development of liquidation plan for closing down unprofitable and unsustainable business of subsidiary
Later set-up of Corona task force

Establishment of new leadership team
Carve-out and successful sale of non-core business unit to strategic buyer
Close-down of unprofitable subsidiary
Successful migration of business model and content of loss-making B2B print magazine in subscription-based database application
Carve-out, acquisition and integration of leading B2B streaming platform from industrial conglomerate to strengthen digital business model
Strategic and exclusive cooperation with start-up company and integration of digital content in subscription-based database application
Reduced HR costs, elimination of management layer, improved processes and savings for indirect and direct costs
Increased sales of inhouse online shop by 66%
Increase of conversion rate by 46% and reduction of churn rate by 79%
Relaunch of digital database model, launch of social media activities resulting in 90,000 digital subscribers and 350.000 followers
Increase of digital revenues by 9% and growth of overall subscription revenues after years of decline
Successful launch of new digital solution for advertisement customers in industry
Growth of sales in relaunched business unit by 74% and increase of market share from 5% to 13% within one year
Execution of program to deal with Corona crisis by introducing of short labor regime and refinancing of balance sheet with new state-guaranteed loan facility

Further Challenges

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