SPIEL: Carol Rapp becomes additional managing director

There are now surprises at Friedhelm Merz Verlag: Carol Rapp is taking on a post as additional managing director of the International Game Days.

Friedhelm Merz Verlag, meanwhile a subsidiary of Spielwarenmesse eG, has again a new member of staff on the executive floor: the two previous managing directors, Dominique Metzler and Florian Hess, will be supported by Carol Rapp as an additional managing director. strengthened and modernized.

"Organization and further development" of SPIEL 

As announced by the publisher, Rapp will be jointly responsible for the organization and further development of the International Match Days from November 15th. "With her many years of experience in management positions in the board game industry, Rapp will build on the previous positive development of SPIEL and also provide new impetus," says Friedhelm Merz Verlag. 

“Achieving goals together and always learning new things characterize my working style. I am really looking forward to the new position and the associated tasks at SPIEL. Here I can perfectly incorporate my previous know-how in the games and toys sector and also contribute future-oriented ideas,” says Carol Rapp. In addition, the Bonn team will be expanded in the coming months. This reinforcement will make SPIEL the national and international meeting place for the board game community and the leading industry platform.

Carol Rapp is no stranger to the board game scene. She worked for several years as a marketing officer in the area of ​​family and adult games at the publishing house Kosmos, before moving to Asmodee as Head of Marketing and Business Development. There she took over the position as Managing Director in 2015 before acting as Marketing Director at the Asmodee Group in early 2019. After an interlude as a coach and consultant, Carol Rapp will be working for Friedhelm Merz Verlag from mid-November. 

The reasons for the personnel adjustment have not yet been given. However, the aforementioned “further development” of SPIEL also includes the obvious plans to expand the event in the medium or long term under the auspices of Spielwarenmesse eG. For the years to come the event will remain in Essen after negotiations with the trade fair company, it is unclear what happens afterwards.

Also in the medium or long term, Carol Rapp could become the successor to the decades-long boss Dominique Metzler establish. It is possible that a first step was taken here, following the takeover of Friedhelm Merz Verlag by the cooperative. According to Metzler, one of the reasons even back then was "to secure a long-term perspective for SPIEL" - at that time under the premise that Metzler would remain on board in a controlling capacity. 

Last updated on 25.05.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX / Affiliate Links / Images from the Amazon Product Advertising API. * = Affiliate links. Images from Amazon PA API