The American company Central European Media Enterprises (CME) has announced the appointment of Adrian Sarbu as operational director (COO) of the entire group. This is the first major promotion of a Romanian executive in the management of a company that is listed on the international stock exchange market [Nasdaq/ US and presently is worth 3,5 billion dollars].
CME operates many TV stations in Central and East Europe – Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia and Ukraine. The group is owned by the Ronald Lauder. Last year, the company registered a total income of 603 million dollars and an operational profit (EBITDA) of 218 million dollars. During the last year, Adrian Sarbu has been coordinating directly the operations in Czech Republic and Slovakia, which have brought, according to the final statistics in 2006, 70% of the turn over and 85% of the operational income.
Sarbu says that he accepted this position due to the fact that he was bound to CME, both as manager and as partner. “In 1994, Ronald Lauder was the only man that helped me redefining PRO TV. Last year, when CME needed my experience as well as my time in order to bring the operations in Czech Republic and Slovakia at the Pro TV’s level of quality, I agreed to take this responsibility. Also, assuming the new position is first of all a moral duty to my partners”, stated Adrian Sarbu in a interview for Romanian news agency Mediafax [part of his media group Media Pro Group].
CME and the present general director (CEO) of the company, Michael Garin has encouraged the promoting of the regional managers, who were allowed over the years to manage the operations by their own rules. “During the four years of my running CME, the numbers of directors in Central and East Europe has increased to the top management level. The financial power of CME increased due to the fact that these managers have a great know-how of these countries and also great professional abilities. CME is different from the majority of the international television companies because all of our TV station directors are coming from the country in which we operate. This makes me really proud”, said Garin cited also by Mediafax.
In the press release of CME in which is announced the appointment of Adrian Sarbu, he stated: “I spent the last ten years in CME and I know from my own experience how talented our TV stations directors are. I am honored that I have the privilege of working with these people. The most important lesson that I have learnt during these years is that obtaining performance year by year is always acknowledged. CME and the local management teams will continue to focus on the increasing the profit and development of new opportunities in the markets where CME is presently operating and also beyond them”. (more…)
