Clément Schwebig

Source: Copyright Sebastian Pfütze

Clément Schwebig

Warner Bros Discovery’s European head Clément Schwebig is to succeed Thomas Rabe as CEO of broadcasting and production giant RTL Group.

Schwebig, currently president and managing director Western Europe & Africa at Warner Bros Discovery, will take over from Rabe in May 2026.

RTL Group’s portfolio includes 52 television channels, six streaming services and 40 radio stations in Europe, as well as production and distribution group Fremantle.

Schwebig’s appointment is part of a wider corporate leadership change at RTL’s majority owner Bertelsmann, which also owns Penguin Random House and music company BMG.

Rabe, who also serves as chairman and CEO of Bertlesmann, is stepping down from this role too after a 15-year tenure and will be succeeded by Thomas Coesfeld on January 1, 2027. Coesfeld has been CEO of the BMG music division since 2023.

Rabe, 60, announced last year that he planned to leave Bertlesmann at the end of 2026.

Schwebig’s appointment marks a return for the executive to RTL where he began his career in the media industry, spending more than a decade managing television operations across Europe. Then, in 2013, Schwebig joined Time Warner/Turner in Hong Kong working in positions including head of business development and digital for Asia, general manager China, and chief financial officer Asia Pacific.

After the merger of Warner Media and Discovery, he became president and managing director of Warner Bros Discovery in Asia, encompassing India, Southeast Asia, and Korea, based in Singapore.

In his current European role at Warner Bros Discovery he oversees the studio’s regional portfolio of TV networks, the streaming service HBO Max, local content production and Warner Bros. Studio activities.

At RTL, Schwebig is also expected to join RTL Group’s board as executive director.

As part of the changes, Elmar Heggen will step down as RTL Group’s deputy CEO and COO by the end of 2025. He will continue to serve on RTL Group board as non-executive director. Björn Bauer will continue as RTL Group’s chief financial officer.

Thomas Rabe, CEO of RTL Group, said: “Clément Schwebig is deeply familiar with the global TV industry and with RTL Group. We worked together over many years and I greatly value his expertise, leadership style and international network.”

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