Management

CEO: Prof. Carl Bergengruen

Born in 1960, Professor Carl Bergengruen obtained his university degree after pursuing courses of study in German language and literature, as well as in Romance languages and literature. As Fulbright Scholar, he subsequently concluded a one-year graduate programme in the field of film in the USA. After that he was active in the television department at Südwestfunk, a regional state broadcaster in south-west Germany, in a capacity as script analyst; an editorial internship at the same broadcaster followed in 1990. A position as commissioning editor for films made-for-TV followed, first at Südwestfunk, as of 1992 at Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk, a regional state broadcaster in eastern Germany. He created “First Cuts” there, a serial for up-and-coming film talent. In 1994 he returned to Südwestfunk, where he was at first responsible for the serial “Debüt im Dritten”.

In 1998 he was appointed head of the editorial department at the newly founded state broadcaster SWR, as well as executive producer for those episodes of “Tatort”, a popular crime series, produced in Stuttgart. In February 2002 he assumed a capacity as head of the department “Film and Series”. Highly successful and widely discussed films made for television arose under Carl Bergengruen’s direction, including “Stauffenberg”, “Margarete Steiff”, “Nicht alle waren Mörder”, “Mogadischu”, “Romy” and “Bis nichts mehr bleibt”.

In January 2005 Bergengruen was additionally entrusted with programme direction for children and the family at SWR. The main department he led was renamed “Film and Family Programme”.

Since 2010 Carl Bergengruen has been an honorary professor in the field of Media Management at Hochschule RheinMain, a university of applied sciences.

Since February 1st, 2011 he functions as CEO at Studio Hamburg GmbH.

Deputy Chairman: Dr. Robin Houcken

Dr. Robin Houcken has been deputy chairman of executive management for the Studio Hamburg corporate group since 1 October 2012 and is in charge of the division “Atelier & Technik” (‘Studios & Technology’) in a capacity as managing director.

Robin Houcken concluded a course of studies in economic sciences at universities in Göttingen and St. Gallen. In 1998 he received his doctorate in economic sciences from the University of St. Gallen and Harvard University. The theme of his doctoral dissertation: “The International Film Industry: National Advantage and International Strategies for European Film Companies.” He was subsequently one of the founders of Boston Ventures in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the USA. He acted as an advisory consultant to German start-up and venture capital companies entering the US market.

In 1999 he joined the firm Axel Springer TV International in a position as head of business development & acquisition. From 2000-2001 he functioned as managing director at Axel Springer TV Productions GmbH. At the end of 2001 he was appointed head of equity investment management for “Multimedia & Book” at Axel Springer AG, an executive board division. He has been managing director of the holding company at Studio Hamburg GmbH since the fall of 2004. He is a member of the supervisory board at the Hamburg Media School GmbH (HMS) and chairman of the Hamburg Media School Stiftung, a foundation.