Ströer Co-CEO Christian Schmalzl will leave the company when his current contract expires in the summer of 2028. The long-serving top executive, who played a decisive role in transforming Ströer from a traditional out-of-home provider into a diversified digital media group, has informed the company that he will not be available for an extension. The unusually early announcement gives the supervisory board ample time to prepare the transition at the top of Germany’s largest OoH provider.
Ströer: Co-CEO Christian Schmalzl to Leave in 2028
Christian Schmalzl, born in 1973 in Lower Bavaria, joined Ströer in 2012 as COO and became Co-CEO in March 2017. In the dual leadership model he formed with company founder Udo Müller, Schmalzl shaped the group’s strategic direction during a decade of profound change. He is widely seen as the architect of Ströer’s OOH+ strategy, which repositioned the company far beyond its traditional outdoor advertising roots. Under his leadership, Ströer systematically expanded its portfolio through a series of acquisitions, integrating online portals such as T-Online, the global data provider Statista, beauty and e-commerce businesses, and customer interaction services including call centers.
At the same time, Schmalzl oversaw the company’s decisive push into digital out-of-home. Today, Ströer is the dominant player in the booming German DooH market, commanding an estimated 80 percent market share. While strengthening its domestic footprint, the company gradually divested most of its former international OoH assets in Europe and the Middle East, focusing on building a streamlined and highly profitable German media powerhouse. Statista, one of the group’s most prominent acquisitions, has since become a globally recognised data brand, used even by the current White House administration.
Ströer’s evolution into one of Germany’s most sought-after media companies has repeatedly drawn interest from major investors. Over the past 18 months, at least two large-scale sale processes reportedly took place, both of which ultimately failed due to differences in valuation expectations. Industry observers had also long speculated that Schmalzl might seek a new professional challenge after more than a decade in top leadership, particularly as the company appeared to be navigating a stable post-pandemic trajectory. His decision to step down in 2028 therefore comes as little surprise internally.
With Schmalzl remaining in his role until the end of his contract in summer 2028, Ströer now enters a controlled transition phase. The supervisory board can prepare the succession process without pressure, a luxury rarely afforded in top management changes of this scale. For Ströer, the upcoming years will mark an important strategic period: continuing to expand its digital media footprint while ensuring stability at the top after the departure of one of the company’s most influential executives.
