Deezer appoints Jeronimo Folgueira as new CEO to drive continued growth and innovation

·   Experienced leader with a proven track record of transformation and growth in highly competitive digital industries

·    Hans-Holger Albrecht will continue supporting the company as a Member of the Board of Directors

Deezer, the global audio streaming service, today announced that Jeronimo Folgueira has been appointed as the company’s new CEO. He takes over the position from Hans-Holger Albrecht, an entertainment industry veteran who has been responsible for the company’s transformation and growth since 2015. Hans-Holger will continue to support Deezer as a Member of the Board of Directors. The transition will take place at the end of June 2021. 

Prior to joining Deezer, Jeronimo served as Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Board of Spark Networks (NYSE: LOV) in Berlin. During that time he led the transformation of Spark Networks through three strategic M&A transactions, quadrupling the size of the company in four years. He also oversaw the company’s listing on the New York Stock Exchange in November 2017. This made him the youngest European CEO on the NYSE at the time. 

Jeronimo has also held a number of senior management positions, including at Betfair, Bigpoint and RTL Group. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from University of Navarra. He is a Member of the Board of Directors of Tio Tech, a Nasdaq listed SPAC that aims to help European unicorns access US capital markets.

Jeronimo Folgueira, newly appointed CEO of Deezer commented: 

“I couldn’t be more excited to join Deezer. I’m passionate about music and podcasts. They hold a unique place in our hearts and Deezer’s team has built a service that is the perfect companion to people’s daily lives. Deezer is a key player and contributor to the fast growth of music streaming around the world. We have a highly competitive platform with unique features that listeners love. That means we’re in a great place to accelerate our growth and capture many new opportunities, which will benefit both artists and music fans. I look forward to getting to know the team and writing the next chapter in the company’s history together.”

Hans-Holger Albrecht, CEO of Deezer commented: “My years as the CEO of Deezer have allowed me to lead a fantastic team on a growth journey. With the support of all shareholders and partners, a passionate team of 600 people have built the 4th largest global audio streaming service in the world. Our revenues have grown over 300% in the last five years and our platform averages more than 600 monthly streams per active user.  We have a clear strategy in place to deliver long term, sustainable growth and value for shareholders, artists and users. The recent investment in Dreamstage will also allow us to continue innovating the relationship between artists and fans.”

“My special thanks go to Len Blavatnik, who has been an amazing supporter and shareholder during these years, and to my Chairman, Guillaume d’Hauteville. He’s been a perfect wingman and creative partner and I look forward to working with him and the rest of the Deezer Board as an advisor and Board Member. I will also continue to be an investor in Deezer going forward,” added Hans-Holger. 

Guillaume d’Hauteville, Chairman of the Board of Deezer, commented: “I look forward to working with Jeronimo. His experience, vision and passion make him the perfect leader to build on the success we’ve had so far and grow Deezer going forward. I would also like to thank Hans-Holger for his service and dedication. His leadership and focus have helped Deezer grow into a global player that challenges international giants, helps artists thrive and delivers a unique service to customers. It has been a pleasure to work closely together all these years and I look forward to having him on the Board of Directors.”

Jeronimo will now begin his work with Deezer’s Board of Directors, executive management and team to ensure a smooth transition in June.