The German operator said it is continuing to focus on its successful digital lifestyle strategy and is aiming significant growth, particularly in the IPTV segment
German operator freenet’s board has appointed Robin John Andes Harries as its new chief executive officer with effect from 1 August 2025 at the latest and for a term of three years. This is in response to the announcement by the long-standing CEO Christoph Vilanek (above) that he will not renew his contract, which runs until the end of 2025.
Harries (below) has been a member of the board of Nasdaq-listed trivago N.V. since April 2024, having already held senior positions in that company from 2012 to 2018. The operator said that thanks to his many years of management responsibility as a member of the board and managing director of 1&1 Telecommunication SE and Drillisch Online GmbH from 2018 to 2024 – where he was responsible for customer acquisition for all brands and products – Harries not only has “excellent knowledge” of the mobile communications market, but also extensive expertise in marketing, sales and digital transformation.
Last November freenet outlined its IPTV growth aspirations out to 2028. EBITDA is expected to increase at an average annual growth rate of around 4% to at least €600 million by 2028 compared to the 2023 financial year, taking into account the expected market developments in the mobile segment as well as TV and Media. This corresponds to growth of at least €100 million or around 20% over the entire period.
The operator emphasised that it will be achieving this without M&A. It said the TV and Media segment is expected to make a significant contribution of at least €80 million, including a €20 million lower EBITDA contribution from Media Broadcast due to the decline in terrestrial TV business (B2B and B2C). In the IPTV business (waipu.tv), the EBITDA contribution is expected to increase by at least €100 million. Freenet made this assumption by expecting a further increase in IPTV penetration, which should lead to an increase in subscribers to around 3.5 million by the end of 2028 based on waipu.tv’s market positioning.
Harries will also pick up the operator’s plans to add €20 million to EBITDA in the mobile segment. This figure includes an expected average annual increase in overheads and personnel costs of around 3%. Overall, freenet believes its cost increases should be more than offset by a €40 million increase in gross profit in mobile. This is based on continued moderate customer growth with largely stable ARPU in the postpaid segment, as well as the continuous optimisation of its omni-channel sales approach and the long-term secured relationships with the three German mobile network operators.
Strategic experience
“Robin John Andes Harries brings with him a wealth of industry-specific and strategic experience that will enable him to develop the company further and make it even more future- and profit-oriented,” said freenet chairman Marc Tüngler.
“I would also like to thank Christoph Vilanek for his successful and resilient leadership of the company over the past 16 years. [He] has led the company since 2009, transforming it from a pure mobile service provider into a company with two strong pillars: mobile communications and digital lifestyle services as well as TV and media,” he said.
“The company’s earnings have grown sustainably in recent years and the management has set a clear ambition for further growth by 2028,” he said. “In this respect, the supervisory board considers the timing of the handover to be ideal, as the long-term agreements with the three network operators and the sustained growth in the IPTV business provide an extremely solid basis for new impetus and business ideas.”
“I am very much looking forward to becoming CEO of freenet AG and returning to the telecommunications industry,” said Harries. “I am grateful for the confidence placed in me by the Supervisory Board. Freenet is an impressive and broadly based company with exciting prospects for the future. Together with the dedicated team, I look forward to seizing the opportunities and driving the company forward.”
Christoph Vilanek concluded: “I am delighted that Robin Harries is taking over responsibility for this great company. Along with this joy, I also feel a little melancholy today. Freenet has been my home and the centre of my life since 2009 and I will miss everything here.”
