Dr Markus Schäfer to remain President and CEO of ZDF Studios
Mainz, 8 June 2026
ZDF Studios GmbH and Dr Markus Schäfer have reached an early agreement to extend his contract as President and CEO until 2030. Dr Schäfer has held this position since 1 July 2022.
Markus Schäfer and Co-Managing Director Karoline Meichsner-Sertl have reorganised the ZDF Studios Group structurally and driven its continued development in a consistent manner. A particular focus has been placed on strengthening synergies across the entire group – through clearly defined processes, more efficient workflows, and the implementation of future-proof digital solutions. At the same time, ZDF Studios GmbH at its Mainz location has further sharpened its market and competitive orientation.
ZDF Director-General Dr Norbert Himmler, who also serves as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ZDF Studios, commented:“Under the leadership of Markus Schäfer, ZDF Studios has been given a clear strategic direction in recent years. The group has established itself as a significant production and distribution partner with an international presence. The integration of production, distribution and digital business models has been continuously advanced. I am delighted that Markus Schäfer will continue to pursue this course over the next five years.”
Dr Markus Schäfer: “Our goal is clear: to position the ZDF Studios Group even more strongly as a relevant content and distribution partner. Together with Karoline Meichsner-Sertl and our colleagues across the entire group, we have succeeded in expanding our capabilities in the creation and exploitation of outstanding programmes. At the heart of this is closer connectivity within the Group, combined with a clear market and customer focus to unlock further growth potential. We have created the right structures for this – now it is a matter of using them consistently and driving them forward in a targeted manner.”
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About ZDF Studios
ZDF Studios is a commercial subsidiary of ZDF, one of the largest TV broadcasters in Europe. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Mainz, Germany, the ZDF Studios Group operates more than 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates spanning TV production, distribution and services. The parent company, ZDF Studios, is responsible for global programme distribution, realisation of international co-productions, acquisition of licences and merchandising of successful programme brands under its own name, for ZDF and third parties. ZDF Studios has the largest German-language programme inventory in the world and a constantly growing range of international productions, consisting of series and mini-series, television films, documentaries and children's programmes.
The companies of the ZDF Studios Group cover the entire value chain from the development of scripted and unscripted TV content to production, marketing and monetizing, including TV and streaming licences as well as merchandising and online rights. The positioning of ZDF Studios as an integrated media company enables the development of innovative, outstanding and high-quality programmes and makes the Group an attractive workplace for German and international talent to flourish in a very inspiring and creative environment.
Contact ZDF Studios
Christine Denilauler (VP Marketing and Corporate Communications), ZDF Studios GmbH, Erich-Dombrowski-Str. 1, 55127 Mainz/Germany, tel.: +49 6131-9911130, email: christine.denilauler@zdf-studios.com, www.zdf-studios.com