New senior appointment in response to impressive growth in this key European sports market

Zug, Switzerland / Frankfurt, Germany, 8 June 2011 – Infront Sports & Media today announced the appointment of Ralf Koslowski as joint Managing Director of its subsidiary company Infront Germany. As of 1 July 2011, he will share Managing Director responsibilities with Reinhardt Weinberger, taking over leadership for the sales function.

Ralf Koslowski has a very strong background and almost 15 years of experience in sports marketing and media. He joins Infront from his position as Managing Director of MMH MediaManagementHamburg, a leading German sponsorship consultancy and IPTV specialist. He spent more than six years with Sportfive as Senior Director of Sales, leading the sale of national and international sponsorship rights and the marketing of UEFA and DFB Cup matches. Before joining MMH, he was with the largest publishing house in Europe, Axel Springer, heading the continent’s biggest sports magazine Sport Bild as the General Manager.

This key appointment follows four years after the highly successful acquisition of the former DSM Sports Marketing, its integration as Infront Germany and its subsequent growth and development. Germany has always been one of the most important markets for the Infront Group and it has now become even more so. The company has added three new clubs to its football club portfolio – SC Freiburg, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Energie Cottbus – as well as additional key rights packages. Through Baden Racing GmbH, Infront Germany is also responsible for the management of the famous Iffezheim racecourse in Baden-Baden, where it has achieved early success in promoting and enhancing the key meetings of the German racing season.

As well as increasing the number of rights holders in Germany working with Infront, Infront Germany has added many new sponsorship clients, who require excellent servicing. The number of staff in Germany has more than doubled since 2007.

Philippe Blatter, President & CEO of Infront, said: “With the much enhanced management resources and experience added we ensure that Infront Germany will maintain and further expand its role a leading full-service agency in every sense of the word. The well-versed team around Reinhardt Weinberger and Ralf Koslowski will continue to be a major driver of growth for the Infront Group while delivering excellent service to its client partners. I am delighted that Ralf Koslowski has agreed to work with Infront Germany in this important role and wish him a great start.”

Reinhardt Weinberger, Managing Director Infront Germany, added: “The German sports business market has changed over the past few years and is now presenting many new business opportunities but also challenges to our clients and us. Ralf will help us to ensure we can remain our top position and take full advantage of the momentum with his broad sales network and strong expertise in the marketing and media landscape including innovative digital solutions for rights-holders and commercial partners.”  

Ralf Koslowski added: “I am very much looking forward to working together with Reinhardt, the experienced Infront team all across Germany as well as internationally and with our broad client base. Although Infront is already operating at the forefront of sports marketing in Germany there is still a lot of untapped potential for sustainable development of our business through offering even more diversified services and add-value to our partners.”

For further information, please contact:

Jörg Polzer / Nike Möhle
Corporate Communications
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
Fax +41-41-723 15 16
press infrontsports.com
www.infrontsports.com