Zeal CCO to depart in Q1 2024 as operator streamlines executive board
Sönke Martens calls time on near-decade-long association with German firm as CEO and chair praise his contributions
Zeal chief commercial officer (CCO) Sönke Martens will leave the German lottery operator at the end of February 2024.
In addition to departing as CCO, Martens has chosen to step down from his position on the Zeal executive board, effective from today, 30 November.
He will remain with the business during Q1 to “ensure a seamless transition of his responsibilities” to other senior management heads.
Martens joined Zeal almost a decade ago and has held various roles within the business.
He cut his teeth with the group’s eSailors division, where he rose to become MD, before shifting to become CCO of the Lotto24 and Tipp24 businesses.
Then, in July 2021, Martens was named group CCO and joined the firm’s executive board.
Additionally, following Martens’ departure from the board, Zeal confirmed it would be moving ahead with only three board members, effective from tomorrow, 1 December.
Helmut Becker, Zeal CEO, said: “On behalf of the entire executive board I would like to extend my gratitude and best wishes to Sönke for his passion and start-up spirit he brought to the company.
“We regret his decision to leave Zeal and pursue entrepreneurial opportunities outside of Zeal, but wish him the best for the future.”
Peter Steiner, Zeal board chair, added: “I would like to thank Sönke Martens for his relentless dedication towards Zeal and its brands Lotto24 and Tipp24 in the past years.
“With his innovative spirit, he has shaped Zeal’s culture and made significant contributions to making Zeal a best-in-class e-commerce company and the market leader for online lotteries.”