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Berlin, Germany, 16.07.2025: Sophie Ziervogel has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of IMAGO, as the company continues its growth path to establish itself as the leading European force in the visual content industry and strengthen its influence on a global stage.
Sophie succeeds Markus Kohl, who is stepping down after eight years as IMAGO’s CEO and more than 25 years of dedicated service to the company. Throughout his tenure, he played a pivotal role in shaping IMAGO’s evolution from a German picture agency into one of the world’s largest visual content providers with a continuously growing international footprint. IMAGO sincerely appreciates his outstanding contributions and long-term commitment to the company.
Sophie served as Chief Growth Officer and Chief Operating Officer at IMAGO before being appointed as the new CEO. Prior to joining the company, she worked as a Strategy Consultant at McKinsey & Company, supporting international clients on business strategy, transformation, and organizational challenges. With close family ties to IMAGO’s founding, she offers insight into IMAGO’s values and long-term vision. Her forward-thinking approach now guides the company into its next chapter.
In a joint statement, IMAGO co-founders Alexander Krabbe, Heiko Herzberger, and Thomas Leistner said: “This transition marks an exciting next step for IMAGO. Sophie brings both a clear strategic perspective and a deep understanding of what has defined the company from the beginning. Based on her contribution to IMAGO in the last years, we are confident in her ability to lead IMAGO with integrity, ambition, and clear, purposeful direction as the company continues to grow.”
Reflecting on her new position, Sophie said: “I take on this role with a strong sense of responsibility to both IMAGO’s history and its future. We want to define what it means to be an independent European leader in the visual content industry. To achieve that, we listen to our partners and customers, invest strategically in talent and technology, and stay sharp and relevant in a rapidly changing media world.”
Alongside Sophie Ziervogel, IMAGO’s leadership team includes Ferhat Beyaz as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Anish Rawat as Chief Sales Officer (CSO), both of whom play a key role in shaping the company’s expansion across technology, commercial strategy, and international markets.
This leadership transition marks a new phase for IMAGO, built on the company’s strong foundation and a clear focus on the future. As the visual content landscape continues to evolve, IMAGO remains committed to independent thinking, long-term partnerships, and a focused, strategic approach to tech-enabled growth.
About IMAGO
IMAGO is a global visual content provider with headquarters in Berlin. One of the world’s largest collections of images and videos from News, Sports, Entertainment and Creative can be licensed through IMAGO.
Founded in 1997 in Berlin, IMAGO offers many years of expertise and customer orientation through dedicated account managers, an in-house picture desk, commissioned photography, photo and video research, image selections, FTP feeds, and newsletters for inspiration.
IMAGO provides solutions for every need. Content can be licensed with one click via our webshop, and larger projects can be implemented easily and successfully with our individual enterprise solutions.
Website: www.imago-images.com
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