MUMBAI: There’s change at the top at RTL Group–which owns Fremantle Media and operates a clutch of 61 TV channels–including RTL CBS and RTL CBS Extreme–and 30 radio stations in Europe. At his own behest, Guillaume de Posch will step down as co-CEO of RTL Group, effective 1 January 2018. He will continue to serve as a non-executive member of RTL Group’s board.

Bert Habets, who has been co-CEO of RTL Group since April 2017, will now lead it as the sole CEO, with overall responsibility for the strategy and day-to-day management. He joined RTL in 1999 and became CFO of RTL Nederland in 2001. As CEO of RTL Nederland (2008 to 2017), he transformed the company from a traditional broadcaster into an all-round media and entertainment company.

Elmar Heggen will remain CFO of RTL Group and will also become the group’s deputy CEO, taking over the portfolio responsibility for Groupe M6 and RTL Belgium within the RTL group’s executive committee.

Says RTL Group chairman Thomas Rabe: “On behalf of the whole board, I would like to express a big thank you to Guillaume de Posch for his leadership at the helm of RTL Group since 2012. He has been key to transforming it into the most digital European broadcasting company, and to re-invigorating FremantleMedia’s creative drive. High-end drama productions such as The Young Pope and American Gods stand testimony to this achievement. I regret, but fully respect his decision, and I’m delighted he will continue to contribute his expertise across broadcast, content and digital as a non-executive director on our Board.”

Thomas Rabe continues: “With Bert Habets, RTL Group will be led by a digitally savvy media entrepreneur with an exceptional inhouse career development at RTL Group. He will ensure long-term continuity in the Group’s leadership, and accelerate the execution of its ‘Total Video’ strategy. This strategy includes a strong focus on fostering creativity and building more direct-to-consumer businesses in the video-on-demand domain. I look forward to continuing our close collaboration, and wish him – as well as Elmar Heggen – every success in their positions.”

Guillaume de Posch, Co-CEO of RTL Group, says: “I had a fantastic time at the helm of RTL Group. Leading this pan-European pioneer – at which I started my career in the TV industry in 1993 – was a dream come true for me. Now is the right time to hand over to Bert Habets, who will drive the group to its next level. I would like to thank all my colleagues across the whole group – and in particular my fellow executive committee members Bert Habets and Elmar Heggen and, of course, Anke Schäferkordt and Thomas Rabe. I’m very much looking forward to becoming a non-executive director of this inspiring company.”