Following the acquisition of Sky Deutschland, RTL Deutschland is continuing to drive forward the organisational integration of the two companies. By introducing new roles in the areas of technology and communications, the media group is consolidating key functions in preparation for the next phase of its development as an integrated media and streaming company.
Patrick Sturm is set to take on the role of Executive Vice President Technology, with responsibility for RTL Deutschland’s technology organisation. The former Chief Technology Officer of Sky Deutschland is tasked with merging the technological structures of both companies and driving forward the further development of key platforms.
His responsibilities include the integration of technology platforms in areas such as infrastructure, playout, streaming, CRM, and data and AI applications. The aim is to combine the technological expertise of RTL and Sky and to further expand the company’s digital capabilities.
Andreas Fischer, Chief Operating Officer of RTL Deutschland, describes technology as a key factor in the company’s future success. In Patrick Sturm, RTL has gained an experienced technology and transformation manager who is set to drive the organisation’s development into its next phase of growth.
RTL Deutschland is also setting a new course for its communications strategy following the merger with Sky. Eva Messerschmidt will remain in her role as Executive Vice President, continuing to oversee all communications for the merged company.
She will be supported in future by Lisa Steiner, who joins from Sky Deutschland and, as Senior Vice President, will take on the role of Deputy Head of Communications. Steiner was previously responsible for corporate communications at Sky, where she oversaw the company’s transformation and its merger with RTL.
Her focus at RTL Deutschland will be, in particular, on transformation communication, internal integration and leadership communication. In addition to overall responsibility for communications, Messerschmidt is also in charge of the digital development of the division, as well as the presentation of content and formats across various platforms and channels.
These two personnel decisions demonstrate that RTL Deutschland is continuing to drive forward the integration of Sky not only at the content and platform levels, but also within the core corporate functions. For the moving-image industry, the reorganisation of the technology division is particularly significant: streaming infrastructure, data expertise and digital distribution channels are increasingly becoming decisive factors in the production, marketing and exploitation of film and series content.
By consolidating its technological and communications structures, RTL Deutschland is aligning its organisation with a more integrated media market, in which traditional TV services, streaming platforms and data-driven business models are becoming increasingly intertwined.