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7digital appoints new CEO
By Chris Cooke | Published on Monday 25 March 2019
B2B digital music and radio services company 7digital has appointed a new CEO. John Aalbers takes over from Simon Cole, who has led the firm since it merged with his radio production business, UBC Media, back in 2014.
Cole says that his departure has been planned since last year, though in the end he stayed on longer to deal with challenges posed by a key client – German consumer electronics giant MediaMarktSaturn – changing is digital music plans late last year.
Confirming Aalbers’ appointment this morning, Cole said: “This transition was planned last year when we felt that 2018 would mark the successful growth into profitability after four years. In the end, the events surrounding MediaMarktSaturn’s sudden strategic changes in December had a profound effect on the company and I felt I could not leave until that position was resolved and satisfactory settlement had been achieved”.
“Now that has been done”, he went on, “I leave 7digital in good shape and in good hands. I have enjoyed this adventure and, in particular, leading an extraordinarily talented and dedicated group of people”.
Commenting on the change in executive leadership, the company’s Chair, Don Cruickshank, added: “The board wishes to give profound thanks to Simon for his insights and vision in seeing that many companies and brands would wish to support and nurture their business models with music delivered by streaming technologies, and that they would need access to a neutral, efficient and cost-effective platform”.
Also noting recent challenges, Cruickshank went on: “That is what 7digital now provides and, after some turbulent years, it is very well positioned to thrive in the streaming-based music market of the future. We wish him well in his future endeavours”.
He then added: “We now welcome John Aalbers to the role of CEO. His career is distinguished with success in a number of not-dissimilar challenges to those facing 7digital, all based on sector focussed software and platform services. The board looks forward to working with John to build the company both in scale and scope of business”.
