Wishcard Technologies Group GmbH
Wishcard Technologies Group appoints new CEO and expects continued strong growth in 2021
* Digital expert Christoph Homann will take over leadership of the market leader in gift vouchers. * Further highly dynamic growth expected in the DACH region in the coming year. Düsseldorf, 20 May 2021. Christoph Homann (43) has been appointed as CEO of Wishcard Technologies Group (‘Wishcard’ or ‘the company’), which is active in the German gift voucher sector. The company’s “Wunschgutschein” product, which is known throughout Germany, is a universal gift voucher created in cooperation with 500 brand partners and sold in retail stores and online. This latest hire completes the expansion of Wishcard’s high-quality management team. The company’s two founders, Tom Schröder and Valentin Schütt, will continue to support the company in an advisory role. Homann has extensive experience in the area of digital business models: before this move, he was globally responsible for consumer technology and was part of senior management for US restaurant group McDonald’s, among other significant roles. The technology implemented by Homann at McDonald’s allows customers worldwide to order their food on the go via an app or in the restaurant via a time-saving terminal. Previously, Homann was head of Ebay’s business customer division in the UK. In the coming years, he will lead Wishcard’s next phase of growth with the support of majority shareholder Oakley Capital and the other shareholders. Founded in 2014, Wishcard operates in the consumer gift card market – the largest gift category in Germany, with a volume of six billion euros in consumer gift cards alone. The market for gift cards continues to grow at double-digit rates both in Germany and internationally. Wishcard has particularly been able to benefit from this growth due to its technology platform, which facilitates easy connection to the proprietary systems of the voucher partners. In Germany, the company is now the undisputed market leader in multi-brand gift vouchers, with more than 70,000 points of sale and a voucher volume of more than 200 million euros. Additionally, Wishcard has formed over 500 partnerships with numerous well-known brands such as Amazon, Ikea and iTunes. In 2021, Wishcard expects continued dynamic growth in Germany, as well as significant development in Austria and Switzerland. Growth has been driven by a significant acceleration in sales in the areas of e-commerce and B2B, which have been strengthened by corresponding senior management hires. Commenting on his appointment, Christoph Homann said: “With Wunschgutschein, the founders have not only developed a voucher that is convenient, yet with more emotional value than a monetary gift, but also a technology platform that is compatible with almost any billing system and a marketplace that supports e-commerce companies in acquiring new customers. I look forward to working with Wishcard’s highly motivated team to continue the exciting growth story together.” Wishcard founders Tom Schröder and Valentin Schütt are excited about the new addition to the management team. Tom Schröder said: “With this new CEO appointment, we have successfully bolstered the senior management team over recent years, creating a highly competent team which has gradually taken over our operational duties while we remain connected to the company in an advisory role.” Valentin Schütt added: “We are proud to have appointed Christoph Homann as CEO for Wishcard. His prior experience will be extremely valuable, not only for the digital aspects of the business model but also for the internationalisation of the company. Looking ahead, the company is perfectly positioned to fully exploit its growth potential in the coming years.” Ralf Schremper, Partner at Oakley Capital, commented: “Wishcard’s success story, with its mix of technology, brick-and-mortar and online retail, has fascinated us from the very beginning. With Christoph Homann, we have found a new CEO who can combine all of this with his extensive expertise, and bring his own touch to the business.” About Wishcard Technologies Group Wishcard Technologies Group is a leading technology company in the field of gift vouchers. The company’s unique multi-brand gift vouchers (“Wunschgutschein”) are sold at more than 70,000 retail locations in Germany and also provide B2B gifting solutions for corporate partners. The company was founded in 2014 by serial entrepreneurs Tom Schröder and Valentin Schütt, who partnered with private equity investor Oakley Capital in 2019 to support the next phase of growth. Since then, the company has grown rapidly to become a market leader in the DACH region. In 2020, the company sold more than €200 million worth of gift solutions, and its wish voucher products continue to grow with at a very dynamic rate. For more details, visit www.wishcardgroup.com and www.wunschgutschein.de About Oakley Capital Oakley Capital is a Western Europe-focused private equity firm with €4 billion of assets under management. Oakley invests in mid-market and lower mid-market companies across the region within three core sectors – Consumer, Education and Technology – with a clear focus on digital business models. Oakley is able to deliver differentiated investment opportunities and superior returns by leveraging its entrepreneurial mindset and deep sector expertise. The Oakley team works closely with a unique network of entrepreneurs and successful management teams to help source primary, proprietary opportunities and gain valuable insights into the businesses in which it invests. Its ability to overcome complexity, and a flexible approach to value creation, allow Oakley to support its portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth. For further information please visit www.oakleycapital.com Press Contact: Charles Barker Corporate Communications GmbH Georg Schattney / Thomas Katzensteiner +49 69 794090 44 / +49 69 794090 25 georg.schattney@charlesbarker.de / thomas.katzensteiner@charlesbarker.de End of Media Release Issuer: Wishcard Technologies Group GmbH Key word(s): Finance
20.05.2021 Dissemination of a Press Release, transmitted by DGAP – a service of EQS Group AG. |
Language: | English |
Company: | Wishcard Technologies Group GmbH |
Bahnhofstraße 43 | |
59929 Brilon | |
Germany | |
Internet: | www.wishcardgroup.com |
EQS News ID: | 1198956 |
End of News | DGAP Media |
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