Ad hoc announcement, Munich, Germany, 10 September 2012, 11:02 CET - The Supervisory Board of TOMORROW FOCUS AG has appointed Antonius 'Toon' Bouten (53) from the Netherlands to be the new CEO and Chairperson of the Management Board. He will join the
company no later than 1 January 2013.
Toon Bouten has amassed considerable international experience as a chief executive, having spent many years with leading European companies. He currently holds the position of CEO with European Directories, a local search and lead generation specialist based in Amsterdam and London with operations throughout Europe.
Prior to this, from 2006 to 2009, he was President and CEO of the Danish headset maker GN Netcom. Between 2004 and 2006, as Executive Vice President and General Manager, he led the European business of Philips Electronics NV's consumer electronics division with a billion-euro budget and responsibility for the group's sales and marketing activities in 48 countries.
Going further back, he spent around ten years with a number of well-known international ICT (Information and Communications Technology) and web-based companies. During this period, as Vice President and General Manager at Compaq Computers, he built up the consumer segment in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. As CEO at the online jobs portal Jobline International, he was responsible for the company's IPO. After graduating in engineering, Toon Bouten began his career in 1984 with Philips in the Netherlands.
Given his international management experience and industry expertise, the Supervisory Board believes that he is the ideal person to lead the TOMORROW FOCUS Group and maintain its successful and ambitious strategy of internationalisation.
Toon Bouten will take over from Stefan Winners. As announced, Mr Winners will leave the company and become a member of the Management Board of Hubert Burda Media Holding. In his new role, he will be responsible for the Burda Digital division, which holds a majority share in TOMORROW FOCUS AG.
TOMORROW FOCUS AG's new Management Board will therefore be made up of Toon Bouten alongside existing members Christoph Schuh (responsible for the company's advertising, dating and mobile subsidiaries) and Dr Dirk Schmelzer (CFO).