BERLIN — The Berlin, Germany business operations of the former Bruno Gmünder Group, a leading gay media company, will be resumed by the Bruno Gmünder GmbH. The new managing directors are Frank Zahn and Michael Taubenheim.
With a new shareholder structure, the company will be relaunched.
After experiencing difficulties in the last few months, it has been sold retroactively as of Nov. 1 to Zahn, who has founded the new company, Bruno Gmünder GmbH.
Bruno Gmünder continues to support the company as a minority shareholder.
He says he is delighted "that the media company Bruno Gmünder with Frank Zahn has succeeded in positioning itself new, making it well equipped for the future.
“My successors bought an agile, healthy and diverse company in 2011, however they financed it with borrowed funds and high risks. That they failed is very regrettable for all involved, but especially for all employees, friends and colleagues it became a heavy burden. Frank Zahn has now taken over the responsibility for the company and I fully support his work."
Zahn, a lawyer, reports that he is taking on the challenge with enthusiasm.
"I come from the gay community, and it was always my desire to be able to do something for the community," he said.
Still, he remains a businessman. "Of course the great potential that the company offers motivated me to make this acquisition," he said. "Here a modern multi-channel strategy has already been implemented, one which offers unique opportunities, which we will continue to expand upon."
The company has followed a networked concept for years, in which the production, distribution and direct sale are available from a single source.
Included in this strategy are, among others, book labels, the retail chain, mail order and the Spartacus brand. The traditional core areas of the company's focus continue to be books, magazines, travel guides, and a flourishing wholesale and retail trade.
“Here we have our greatest expertise, and we will now be placing more value, without losing sight of the digitalization of the market," Zahn said.
This is a corporate strategy that managing director Taubenheim also shares. Taubenheim says he stands for continuity within the company and will put more emphasis on the area of publishing. New media is a field which he particularly wishes to develop further.
"The strong networking of the community via social networks offers tremendous opportunities, precise and custom-fit with the development of community products,” Taubenheim explained. “The more points of interaction we find here with the community, the more we can recognize real needs, becoming a real service provider for gay men. And our products will become more relevant and successful."
Supporting the managing director are the company’s 70 employees.
