ProSiebenSat.1 joins forces with Mato Peric to found Epic Companies incubator
Berlin/Munich, February
28, 2013. ProSiebenSat.1 has joined
forces with Mato Peric (33) the former global E-Commerce CEO of
Rocket Internet, to found a new incubator based in Berlin. Epic
Companies will build on a unique combination of resources from the
start: substantial seed financing, strong media reach via TV
advertising and extensive entrepreneurial expertise. The incubator
aims at starting at least five companies per year, with its initial
focus being on e-commerce business models in European
markets.
Dr. Christian Wegner, responsible for the Digital & Adjacent
business within the Executive Board of the ProSiebenSat.1 Group
comments: "Together with our new partner, Epic Companies, the
ProSiebenSat.1 Group has expanded its venture activities by adding
a key element: In addition to minority interests through
media-for-revenue or media-for-equity investments and strategic
majority stakes, we now also participate early on and directly in
the value creation of winning internet businesses." Wegner
continues: "I am delighted that Mato Peric has agreed to join us as
CEO. He is an exceptionally experienced entrepreneur with an
outstanding global track record."
In addition to founding the new incubator Epic Companies, Peric
will further strengthen the overall Internet and venture expertise
within the ProSiebenSat.1 Group. Peric will therefore
simultaneously assume the newly created position of Chief Operating
Officer within the Digital & Adjacent area of the
ProSiebenSat.1 Group. In this function, he will actively support
and develop the entire digital portfolio of the media Group.
In his previous position, Peric was a member of the senior
management team at Rocket Internet, the incubator of the Samwer
brothers, and was responsible for the entire e-commerce portfolio
worldwide with over 15,000 employees in more than 40 countries. As
the interim CEO, he additionally built and led the
operations of two of the largest global portfolio companies:
Jabong, the second-largest e-commerce website in India, as well as
Zalora, the leading online fashion company in Southeast Asia, where
Peric was responsible for over 1,500 employees across 8
countries..
In addition to Peric, the leadership team of Epic Companies is
comprised of further experienced company builders: Uli Erxleben
(32), Janosch Novak (30), and Adrian Frenzel (29). Erxleben, a
long-time consultant at McKinsey, was most recently responsible for
the activities of Rocket Internet in the United States as Managing
Director and led several US portfolio companies as interim CEO. As
the Global Operational CFO of Rocket Internet, Novak strengthened
the development of the incubator's finance function worldwide and
most recently supported the portfolio company Payleven
operationally. Novak's prior professional experience included a
range of high-profile roles within Deutsche Bank, most recently as
Vice President in the global Group Strategy division. In his
previous position, Frenzel was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey,
where he supported clients in the development and implementation of
purchasing, logistics, and production systems as core member of
McKinsey's global operations practice since 2008.
Contact:
Marcus Prosch
Director Communications Diversification & Sales
ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG
Medienallee 7
85774 Unterföhring
Phone: +49 [89] 95 07-89 20
Fax: +49 [89] 95 07-89 26
E-mail: marcus.prosch@prosiebensat1.com