Stephan Winter joins CEO Sabine Knöpfel-Ruth’s C-level management team at media agency PHD Germany with immediate effect
Frankfurt/Düsseldorf, 03.05.2023 – Promotion from within the ranks: Stephan Winter has been appointed Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of PHD Germany with immediate effect, thus complementing the top management level of the media network around CEO Sabine Knöpfel-Ruth.
In this newly created role, the 41-year-old will further advance PHD Germany’s positioning as a thought leader in the areas of strategy and innovation. Likewise, the agency-wide further development of topics such as integrated communication planning and platform-based working will be among Stephan Winter’s content-related focal points.
Prior to his appointment as CSO, the business graduate was most recently Managing Director and has played a key role in PHD’s success story in Germany over the past six years:
The media agency has grown massively through renowned account wins such as Aldi SÜD & Aldi Nord, Diageo, Unilever as well as Chanel and currently employs over 350 people.
Before joining PHD Germany, Stephan Winter worked as Director Media Consulting at Mediacom until 2016 and before that at Zentith Media for several years.
“With Stephan, I have my absolute ideal candidate for this challenging role at my side – I couldn’t imagine anyone better. I am very much looking forward to working with him and our entire management team to set the right course in terms of content and structure to lead PHD consistently and sustainably into a successful future. In view of the rapid changes and ever-increasing complexity of our industry, it is more than ever our task to offer our clients comprehensive strategic advice and to support them in a relevant way to successfully manage the transformation of their marketing.
I am sure that Stephan will make a significant contribution to this with his skills in his new role,” comments Sabine Knöpfel-Ruth, CEO PHD Germany, on the appointment of Stephan Winter as CSO.
“I am very grateful to be able to shape the future of PHD even more intensively in this new role together with my team through creative ideas and integrated strategies. In doing so, it is of great concern to me to consolidate the perception of PHD as a top address for innovative and strategic communication planning. Integrating forward-looking solutions and technologies holistically into brand and performance communication will create a decisive competitive advantage for our clients, so this is also where my focus will lie,” says Stephan Winter.
