DEAG Deutsche Entertainment AG is setting the course for its next phase of growth: Markus Breitenecker (57) will join the Executive Board on 1 November 2026 and will simultaneously acquire a shareholding in the Company. He will succeed Detlef Kornett (63) as Chairman of the Executive Board. Kornett will leave at the end of 2026 upon expiry of his contract, following thirteen successful years on DEAG’s Executive Board.
During his tenure, Kornett played a decisive role in shaping DEAG’s development, serving as Co-CEO since 2023 and as Chairman since 2024. Under his leadership, the Group significantly expanded its international presence and further strengthened its market position. In financial year 2025, the Group generated revenue of approximately EUR 490 million, the highest in its corporate history. DEAG’s next phase of development will build on this strong foundation.
“My time at DEAG has been characterised by an extraordinary period of development. I am proud of what we have achieved together as a team and would like to thank all colleagues and partners for their successful collaboration. I wish Markus Breitenecker and the entire DEAG team every success in the next phase of the Company’s journey,” said Detlef Kornett, Chairman of the Executive Board of DEAG.
With Markus Breitenecker, DEAG gains a highly experienced media and entertainment executive with extensive expertise in building and developing new business areas. Among other roles, Breitenecker served on the Executive Board of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, where he acted as Chief Operating Officer. Together with the other members of the Executive Board, he will focus in particular on driving the Group’s continued international growth and further expanding its market position across existing and new business areas.
“I am truly excited to begin a new chapter with DEAG. Live entertainment has always been a personal passion of mine and, particularly in the digital age, remains one of the things that brings people together. The Company has an outstanding team and excellent foundations for unlocking new opportunities. I look forward to bringing my experience from media, technology and platform businesses to DEAG and helping to shape the future of entertainment in Europe,” said Markus Breitenecker, future Chairman of the Executive Board of DEAG.
Tobias Buck, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of DEAG, commented: “On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I would like to sincerely thank Detlef Kornett for his many years of commitment and his significant contribution to DEAG’s international development. We are delighted to welcome Markus Breitenecker as the new Chairman of the Executive Board of DEAG. With his extensive entrepreneurial and management experience, he will lead DEAG along its continued growth path and help shape the Company’s future development.”
The leadership change comes as DEAG Deutsche Entertainment AG continues to expand its footprint. Founded in Berlin in 1978, DEAG is a leading provider of live entertainment, ticketing, and entertainment services in Europe. With group companies at 25 locations, it operates in Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, Denmark, Spain, and Italy. Every year, DEAG organises over 6,000 live events and sells more than 10 million tickets, a growing share of which are sold via its ticketing platforms, including myticket.de, myticket.at, myticket.co.uk, and gigantic.com. The appointment of Breitenecker, with his background in media and technology, underscores DEAG’s commitment to innovation and international growth as it seeks to strengthen its market position and develop new business areas.
