Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR
Launch of the TX Group
Zurich, 26 November 2019 – TX Group: This is the name of the media group as of 1 January 2020. The holding-like organisation will comprise four largely independent companies, each with its own management and its own Board of Directors. All classifieds and marketplaces will be integrated in TX Markets, headed by Christoph Brand; the management will be transferred to Olivier Rihs by 1 May 2020 at the latest. The advertising marketing will be handled at Goldbach under the responsibility of Michi Frank. 20 Minuten combines the commuter media in Switzerland and abroad and is directed by Marcel Kohler. Under the name Tamedia, the paid media will be led into the future; the company will be jointly managed by Marco Boselli (journalism) and Andreas Schaffner (publishing services).
TX Group: digital hub for Switzerland
The TX Group is a network of media and platforms offering information, orientation, entertainment and services to over 80 percent of the Swiss population every day. TX originates from the annual “Technology Exchange”. This internal event, which was first held in 2015, was attended last June by 600 employees from the fields of technology, marketing and products. This is how the TX brand evolved. TX stands for multidisciplinary collaboration, confidence in the possibilities of new technologies and innovation. With the claim “uniting platforms”, TX positions itself as a strong and accessible network of platforms which is open to change and sets new standards.
Pietro Supino, Publisher and Chairman of the Board of Directors: “With the new decentralised organisation, we aim to create a solid basis for the continued dynamic development of our wide-ranging activities. The starting point is the proximity to the markets and cultivation of the various fields of activity, each with its own separate culture. Beyond their economic weight, publishing and journalism will remain a key interest of the Group to which I as Publisher will continue to be personally committed.”
The Group's new name and the related amendments in the articles of association are subject to the decision of the extraordinary general meeting of Tamedia, scheduled for Friday, 20 December 2019, 9:00 a.m. in Zurich (Werdstrasse 21, 8004 Zurich).
Pascale Bruderer and Christoph Tonini as new members of the Board of Directors of TX Group
At the next annual general meeting on 3 April 2020 Pascale Bruderer and Christoph Tonini will be proposed for election to the Board of Directors.
Pascale Bruderer is a shareholder of the IT start-up Crossiety and has been a national parliamentarian for many years. The former President of the National Council, member of the Council of States and President of the State Political Commission has been a member of the Advisory Board of the Swiss Media Forum since its founding. She holds a Master's Degree in Political Science from the University of Zurich and studied at the Harvard University in Boston (USA) as well as at the Executive School of the University of St. Gallen.
CEO Christoph Tonini has been a member of Tamedia's Executive Management for 17 years. As previously announced, he will be responsible for introducing the new corporate structure until the end of June 2020. After handing over the operational management, he is to become a member of the Board of Directors of TX Group.
As of 1 July 2020, Chairman Pietro Supino, Samuel Hügli (Technology & Ventures) and Sandro Macciacchini (Finance & Human Resources) will form the Group Management. The Business Development department headed by Daniel Mönch (as of 1 July 2020) and the Communications department under the responsibility of Patrick Matthey will remain associated with the Group Management.
Effective 1 January 2020, Martin Kall will become Vice Chairman and Lead Director in accordance with the Swiss Code of Best Practice for Corporate Governance.
Marina de Planta has announced that she will not continue to hold her seat and step down from the Board of Directors at the general meeting on 3 April 2020. She has enriched the Board of Directors with great commitment and will remain Chairman of the Audit Committee until her resignation. The Board of Directors would like to thank Marina de Planta for the valuable collaboration over the past years and wishes her continued success for the future.
Subject to the decision of the general meeting, the Board of Directors of TX Group will consist of the following members: Pietro Supino (Chairman), Martin Kall (Vice Chairman and Lead Director), Pascale Bruderer, Pierre Lamunière, Sverre Munck, Konstantin Richter, Andreas Schulthess and Christoph Tonini.
Cooperation with agency Made Identity
The new brand identity was again developed in cooperation with the Zurich-based agency Made Identity.