Meike Knops. Image: Liquid Kommunikationsdesign, Natalie Färber
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
‘A Systemically Relevant Service Provider’
The Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, Germany’s publishers and booksellers association has announced that Meike Knops is the successor to Ronald Schild as CEO of MVB.
Schild left the position at the end of July, and Knops is to assume the role on November 1.
MVB is a technology and information provider which enables major platforms to use international metadata standards to allow publishers and bookstores to promote products in their own markets and elsewhere. The formats and interfaces are adjusted according to markets’ standards, including face-to-face networking.
MVB, as Publishing Perspectives readers know, has offices in Frankfurt, London, Mexico City, New York City, and São Paulo.
Knops’ career began in finance at Pricewaterhouse Coopers before she moved to Stuttgart and work with the Holtzbrinck publishing group as chief financial officer in 2017. She moved to Cologne’s Kiepenheuer & Witsch Verlag in 2020 to handle commercial management on an interim basis, and since 2021 has work4ed for Fischer Kinder- und Jgendbuch, initially as publishing director, and currently as commercial managing director.
Karin Schmidt-Friderichs
In a comment on the news of Knops’ upcoming move to MVB, the Börsenverein’s chair, is quoted, saying, “MVB is a systemically relevant service provider for the book industry.
“Against this backdrop, I’m delighted that we’ve found a managing director in Meike Knops who has held various positions with responsibility for strategy, process control, finance, and risk management, someone who knows the industry from the inside.
“With her leadership and professional expertise, she will steer MVB through the challenges of the industry with confidence and dedication.”
Karsten Schmidt-Hern, who is chair of the supervisory board of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels Beteiligungsgesellschaft (BBG), says, “The international strategy has been an important pillar of MVB for years. In challenging times, it remains important to seize opportunities and manage risks. We’re convinced that Meike Knops will actively continue and further develop the strategy with her international expertise and entrepreneurial acumen.”
And Knops is quoted, saying, “I’m looking forward to my new tasks, especially to my colleagues at MVB and the entire Börsenverein group. With its diverse portfolio, MVB has a central role for the book industry that deserves to be strengthened. Market and technological developments are constantly posing new challenges to which we want to find answers to shape our offering accordingly.”
More from Publishing Perspectives on MVB is here. More from us on bookselling is here, more on book retail is here, and more on distribution is here. More on the Börsenverein is here. Publishing Perspectives is a brand of Frankfurter Buchmesse, operated through MVB US, Inc.