Axel Springer announces Claudius Senst as CEO of BILD Group and WELT Group, with a focus on growth

Axel Springer has announced that Claudius Senst will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer at the company’s BILD Group and WELT Group by 1 July. In this newly created position, Senst will oversee the publishing divisions of both Axel Springer brand groups, including print, digital, TV, and audio.

Leaving behind his current position as COO of Insider Inc., a subsidiary of Axel Springer, Senst will be reporting directly to Jan Bayer, President, News Media. He will join Insider’s Board of Directors and remain on the Board of Directors of Morning Brew.

The new position is a return of sorts for Senst, who started with Axel Springer in 2013 as a Junior Executive working directly with the Management Board. Senst has been in the United States since 2016, where he helped oversee Axel Springer’s investment portfolio in the country. In the autumn of 2017, he joined Insider Inc. as Head of Subscriptions, and in 2020 he was promoted to Chief Operating Officer, in which he has been responsible for overseeing all business operations.

Jan Bayer commented: “Claudius has a great understanding of how journalism can thrive in the digital age by coupling innovation with quality and a unique positioning. We are thrilled that BILD and WELT will profit immensely from the experience Claudius has gained in the US. Moreover, he will play a key role as part of our strategy is to share know-how and best practices across our global media brands.”

Claudius Senst said: “The appeal of our BILD and WELT brands is unique. I am deeply impressed with the way they have consistently expanded over the past several years, especially with the great success of their digital subscription products and services and the strength of the brands’ live video reporting as well as with the continuous evolution of excellent print offers. BILD and WELT are ideally positioned for the hotly competitive media landscape, and I look forward to working closely with their fantastic teams to execute on our big plans for the future.”

Henry Blodget, CEO and co-founder of Insider Inc. said: “Claudius is brilliant and talented and a pleasure to work with, and he has helped drive our growth and diversification over the past few years. We will miss working with him day-to-day but are excited to continue to have him on our board.”