Gabriel Brotman’s Post

Last Thursday's 🏳️🌈 gathering at Axel Springer Haus was a great reminder of what Pride means to our Axel Springer U.S. community.   Representation matters deeply in our workplace. Seeing queer and gender non-conforming individuals in various roles – from editor and senior sales executive to client and COO – demonstrates that Axel Springer has space for everyone to succeed. Equally important are the allies who show up and vocally support inclusivity.   To me, Pride extends beyond rainbows and parties. It's about acknowledging progress, creating a safe environment for authentic self-expression, and empowering future generations to be themselves without fear of hiding their identities.

It's clear that this next cycle of innovation and entrepreneurship won't just be in Silicon Valley, but on both sides of the Atlantic. As a transatlantic team, we’re proud to play a very small part in Along's journey and to continue partnering with our venture funds, including HEARTFELT_, to nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs! It's great to have you as our "entrepreneurs in residence" at Axel Springer Haus New York, Julian and Frederik!

Excited to announce Axel Springer's investment in Particle, an innovative startup creating new AI-powered experiences for everyone to read and discover the news. AI holds immense potential for journalism - to enhance capabilities of journalists and readers alike, to augment enterprise storytelling, and to create more personalized user experiences. Early investments like this will provide valuable insights into how we can embrace disruptive technologies and new digital business models. Sara Beykpour, Marcel Molina and the Particle team's commitment to responsible publisher relationships aligns with our values. We look forward to seeing their technology benefit our US brands and the broader news industry!

I just returned from a whirlwind week in Krakow, Warsaw, and Berlin, where roughly 100 top executives from across Axel Springer's transatlantic portfolio convened at several programs surrounding the group's annual leadership summit, this year impressively hosted by the team at Ringier Axel Springer Polska. My 3 takeaways? 1. 🧗♂️ The media business has always been in perpetual motion, but AI and other new technologies have the potential to set off an exponential speed of industry transformation. Companies that embrace change and experiment will thrive. Those that don't will die. 2. 🤼 Human connection remains at the heart of the media business. Surrounding yourself with warm, open, and daring colleagues is key for transformative change. Gatherings like this week's is proof that this collaborative spirit and feeling of "togetherness" is core to the Axel Springer spirit. 3. 🎯 Progress only happens with performance. And my highlight? Catching up with Europe-based colleagues whom I rarely see off video calls, and spending quality time with my awesome, hilarious colleagues from POLITICO, Business Insider, EMARKETER, and Morning Brew outside of our normal day-to-day grind. Jan Bayer Barbara Peng Goli Sheikholeslami Cally Baute Maggie Milnamow John Harris Nicholas Carlson Mark Dekan Rachel Loeffler Jeremy Bowers Sonia Fernandes Matthias Braun Harry Hope Steve Lagnado Austin Rief Robert Dippell

Since 1967, Axel Springer has been guided by a set of core values that have helped shape the company's social responsibility throughout decades of social, political, and technological change. One of our "Essentials" stands out today, on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia: "We reject political and religious extremism and all forms of racism and sexual discrimination." International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia commemorates the World Health Organization's decision to remove homosexuality from its list of mental disorders on May 17, 1990. 34 years later, more than one-third of countries around the world still criminalize consensual same-sex acts between adults. 26 countries impose prison sentences of 10 years or more for same-sex sexual acts, and 11 countries even impose the death penalty. We’ve also seen anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric increase in some of the world’s largest democracies, including Poland, Hungary, India, South Korea, and the United States. As an openly gay man, I am proud to work for a company that supports and empowers me and many other LGBTQ+ colleagues to come to work as ourselves. Axel Springer not only stands up against discrimination on this day or during Pride Month but has done so throughout its 77-year history.