DEAG CEO Detlef Kornett to Step Down at End of 2026
DEAG Deutsche Entertainment AG CEO Detlef Kornett will step down at the end of 2026 after 13 years on the company’s Executive Board, with Markus Breitenecker appointed as his successor.
Kornett, 63, has served as Co-CEO since 2023 and as Chairman of the Executive Board since 2024. He will leave the company when his current contract expires at the end of the year.
Breitenecker, 57, will join DEAG’s Executive Board on 1 November 2026 and will also acquire a shareholding in the company. He will succeed Kornett as Chairman of the Executive Board and lead the group into its next phase of development.
During Kornett’s time on the board, DEAG expanded its international presence and strengthened its position across live entertainment and ticketing. In 2025, the group generated revenue of approximately €490 million, the highest level in its history.
“My time at DEAG has been characterised by an extraordinary period of development. I am proud of what we have achieved together as a team and would like to thank all colleagues and partners for their successful collaboration. I wish Markus Breitenecker and the entire DEAG team every success in the next phase of the Company’s journey,” Kornett said.
Breitenecker previously served on the Executive Board of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, including as Chief Operating Officer. DEAG said his remit will include supporting further international expansion and strengthening the group’s position across existing and new business areas.
“I am truly excited to begin a new chapter with DEAG. Live entertainment has always been a personal passion of mine and, particularly in the digital age, remains one of the things that brings people together. The Company has an outstanding team and excellent foundations for unlocking new opportunities. I look forward to bringing my experience from media, technology and platform businesses to DEAG and helping to shape the future of entertainment in Europe,” Breitenecker said.
Tobias Buck, Chairman of DEAG’s Supervisory Board, said: “On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I would like to sincerely thank Detlef Kornett for his many years of commitment and his significant contribution to DEAG’s international development. We are delighted to welcome Markus Breitenecker as the new Chairman of the Executive Board of DEAG. With his extensive entrepreneurial and management experience, he will lead DEAG along its continued growth path and help shape the Company’s future development.”
Founded in Berlin in 1978, DEAG operates across Germany, the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Denmark, Spain and Italy. The group organises more than 6,000 live events annually and sells more than 10 million tickets through its activities and ticketing platforms, including myticket and Gigantic.