ZEAL Network SE has appointed Sebastian Bielski as its new group Chief Financial Officer for a three-year term, replacing outgoing Jonas Mattsson.
Bielski’s chief responsibilities will be to lead and coordinate matters relating to finance, investor relations and environmental, sustainable and governance (ESG) policies.
An alumni of the Leipzig Graduate School of Management and the KDI School of Public Policy and Management, Bielski has extensive experience in finance leadership and senior management, having most recently served as CFO of energy firm Energiekonzepte Deutschland GmbH.
Helmut Becker, ZEAL Network SE CEO, said: “I am looking forward to working with Sebastian as our newest member of the Management Board. With his capital market expertise and broad experience in building high-growth businesses, he is a perfect fit for ZEAL who can support us with our ambitious growth agenda.”
Prior to Energiekonzepte Deutschland, Bielski was CFO and a member of the Board of Management of loan comparison site smava GmbH for seven years and was also Chief Strategy Officer at Delivery Hero.
He joins ZEAL shortly after the firm reported strong trading during the second quarter of the year, with revenue increasing 11% from €49m to €55m encouraging the firm to reiterate its year-end projections of €110m-€120m in revenue and €30m-€35m in EBITDA.
Bielski remarked: “I would like to thank the Supervisory Board of ZEAL for placing their trust in me. I am looking forward to taking on my new responsibilities and working together with the very ambitious Management Board team. ZEAL is an extraordinary success story, and I am excited to accompany ZEAL on its future growth path.”
Meanwhile, outgoing Mattsson will end his eight-year tenure with ZEAL on 30 September although he will continue to work for the company as a Strategic Advisor until 2024.
He will also step down as CFO of LOTTO24, a position he has held since 2019, being replaced by ZEAL’s VP Group Controlling, Andrea Behrendt, who will fill the position from 1 October 2023 until 31 March 2024.
“On behalf of the entire Management Board, I would like to extend my gratitude and best wishes to Jonas for his outstanding contributions and his dedication to our company,” Becker commented.
“Jonas and his team have provided the financial foundation for the successful changes we have implemented in the past eight years, which ultimately allowed us to reach our strong position today as the leading e-commerce company defining the future of lottery.
“While we are sorry having to say goodbye to a highly valued member of our Management Board, we fully understand his reasons and wish him and his family all the best for the future.”
