Migros Media Repositions Itself: Franz Ermel becomes Head of Content

At the turn of the year, Migros Media will introduce a new organizational structure consisting of three main areas: Content, Technology & Product and Business, the company announced on Thursday. Under the leadership of Lorenz Bruegger, Franz Ermel (Head of Content), Sarah Ettlinger (Head of Technology & Product) and Rolf Hauser (Business) will join the first management level. The team will be supplemented by two staff positions, held by Besiana Lauper Bandilli (Head of Innovation) and Roman Blum (Head of Controlling).

Franz Ermel (50) will be responsible for all editorial teams, which will be reorganized by topic. Ermel, co-founder, GL member and Head of Editorial at Watson, will take up his position on January 1, 2018. Prior to Watson, he was Deputy Editor-in-Chief of 20 Minuten Online and before that Head of Production at Sonntagszeitung. He also knows Migros: From 2003 to 2007, he was Head of Internal Communications and Editor-in-Chief of the employee newspaper "M-Brücke".

Sarah Ettlinger (41) has been with Migros Media since 2008 and currently heads Digital Business Development. She is excellently networked, knows the Migros universe well and, together with her team, understands how to identify the business-relevant aspects and successfully operationalize them.

Rolf Hauser (48), who has been with Migros Media since 2010, previously headed the publishing house. Together with his team, he has repeatedly proven in recent years that he can successfully manage his business even in the face of problematic market developments. In addition to the Controlling staff position, which has been held by Roman Blum (46) since 2013, the Innovation staff position has been newly created and is held by Besiana Lauper Bandilli (36). She is a Senior Digital & Print Designer and previously worked at Mila, a start-up in the shared economy sector (Swisscom). Before that, Besiana Lauper Bandilli worked at NZZ, "Die Presse," "Zitty Berlin" and "Die Zeit." This year she successfully completed her multi-year studies as a communication and interaction designer.

Yvonne Zurbrügg (33) will take over the Society and Family department in the Content division after her maternity leave in May 2018. Her responsibilities include managing the German edition of Migros Magazine. She succeeds Hans Schneeberger. He will hand over his post to Franz Ermel ad interim at the end of the year. Yvonne Zurbrügg has been Senior Manager Content + PR at XING Switzerland since February 2016 and is responsible for all Swiss content as well as the company's communications. Previously, she was Editor-in-Chief of "Women in Business" and gained broad experience in people and local journalism as well as on the agency side. She holds a Master of Advanced Studies in Communication Management & Leadership and in 2013 was one of five newcomers under the age of 30 to receive the "Journalist of the Year" award.

Lorenz Bruegger, Head of Migros Media Directorate: "I am delighted that we are aligning ourselves even more consistently with the challenges of the future. With the new appointments in the top positions, we have now created the best conditions for continuing to position our brands and products very successfully in the market and for offering additional services and offers."

_{Migros Media is the media house of Migros. With "Migros Magazine" in German-speaking Switzerland and "Migros Magazine" in French-speaking Switzerland, they produce Switzerland's second-largest weekly newspaper with a circulation of around 2.1 million copies. The portfolio is rounded off by the cooking magazine "Migusto," the feel-good and sustainability magazine "Vivai," the online platforms of the Migros magazines, and corporate publishing services.}