Rolf Schmidt-Holtz is this year’s chairman of the NEXT Conference. Thereby, one of the well-known representatives of the traditional media world is now chairing the most important European conference of the digital economy. He will be co-chairing the conference together with Matthias Schrader, CEO of SinnerSchrader and founder of the NEXT Conference.
The experienced media manager is giving up his CEO position at Sony Music Entertainment, New York at the end of March 2011. He dedicates his future work to start-ups of the digital economy. His engagement at the most important European conference of the digital economy in Germany has to be understood within this framework.
The well-known manager and journalist sees a great opportunity to enhance the dialogue between politics, traditional and new media within the setting of the NEXT Conference. As it the chairman of NEXT11, which will be taking place under the motto “Data Love” on May 17 & 18, 2011 at the STATION-Berlin, he will further close the gap between the classical and digital media world.
“My international experience in various media areas tells me: the future is digital. The NEXT Conference consequently follows this principle since its first edition and developed to be a top event in terms of networking and trends”, illustrates Rolf Schmidt-Holtz his engagement as chairman.
From New York back to Hamburg
Rolf Schmidt-Holtz was known for his position as Editor-in-Chief of the “Stern” magazine. After the fiasco with the Hitler diaries he reestablished the journal to be accepted within a reputable media landscape again. In 1994 the today 62-year-old joined CLT-Ufa, the TV section of Bertelsmann, in a managing position. Being part of the board since 1999, Rolf Schmidt-Holtz started off as Chief Creative Officer, followed by the CEO position at the Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) in New York in 2000, which now trades under the name Sony Music Entertainment.
Supporting and shaping the digital economy
His future engagement for Germany as a location for the digital economy shows off already in his function as co-founder and chairman of the supervisory board of the Just Software AG. As one of four co-founders of the incubator Hanse Ventures, established in 2010, his attention lies on start-ups within the digital economy, who also will be supported at the NEXT Conference with the format of the NEXT Elevator Pitch.
NEXT as bridge between classic and digital
Next to his representative tasks as chairman of the NEXT Conference 2011 he wants to forward and shape the dialog between politics and the digital economy. For this purpose Rolf Schmidt-Holtz supports the programme advisory board of NEXT with the goal to win over further top-class speakers of his own network, who are foremost positioned within the traditional media economy.
