CEO Dr. Horst Joepen is leaving Searchmetrics, the search and social analytics leader

London, 29 March 2012 - After four years of successfully building the company, Dr. Horst Joepen will be leaving Searchmetrics at the end of March 2012 to work on new projects. Since he joined Searchmetrics, it has grown from 20 to 100 employees and is able to win global enterprises and agencies as customers. Dr. Joepen’s successor as CEO, as well as an extended management team, will be announced shortly. Searchmetrics founder and executive, Marcus Tober, continues to be responsible as CTO for Searchmetrics’ products and SEO services.

Dr. Horst Joepen said: “I am glad that I could help Searchmetrics execute many key initiatives during the four exciting years when we built the company. We have now positioned Searchmetrics successfully as a leading global vendor for search and social analytics software. With the completion of this phase I want to use the opportunity to work and consult on new projects and ‘earlier’ startups. I will of course stay closely linked to Searchmetrics as shareholder.”

Matthias Grychta, Chairman of the Board of Searchmetrics and Managing Partner at Neuhaus Partners, said: “We regret that Horst Joepen is leaving the company - together with Marcus Tober he has created from a core of SEO services and software an excellently positioned company and also successfully attracted venture capital from highly reputed VCs. In Searchmetrics’ next growth phase, focus and execution are key for success – with the emphasis on the newly launched product generation, Searchmetrics Essentials, and international sales and partnerships.  We will recruit an extended management team of leading experts to implement these steps.”