Experienced business manager joins after senior roles at HP, Novell and Holtzbrinck Publishing Group

San Mateo, September 3, 2015 - Search and content performance leader Searchmetrics today announced that Volker Smid has been appointed CEO with immediate effect. Based on his senior management experience with HP and Novell and extensive knowledge of the online sector, Smid will help further drive the international growth of the company which has offices in Berlin, San Mateo, New York, London and Paris.

Over his long career Smid has held a range of high level roles. As CEO HP Germany, he directed HP's German subsidiary from 2009 to 2014, managing all in-country operations. Prior to this he gained extensive international experience as the President EMEA and Asia Pacific with software provider Novell. He joins from Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, where he has been the Head of Digital & Technologies since February 2014, responsible for increasing the Group's focus on its online business.

Smid joins at a time when Searchmetrics is expanding rapidly. Demand for the company's Searchmetrics Suite™ rose globally by 80% in Q1 2015 compared to 2014, with sales increasing by over 150% in the important US market. In Q2 2015 Searchmetrics saw the company's highest order volume in its entire history.

Volker Smid is keen to begin work at Searchmetrics: "In recent years, Searchmetrics has revolutionized and fundamentally reshaped the industry. Managing a Big Data and B2B SaaS provider with enormous global growth potential will provide tremendous opportunities. I am looking forward immensely to making my own contribution to the success of this outstanding company."

Marcus Tober, Founder and CTO of Searchmetrics GmbH commented:
"Our objective is to develop Searchmetrics as a worldwide brand and to become a truly global company. In recent years, we have grown Searchmetrics to over 200 employees and five locations, and generate half of our sales in the USA. Together with Volker Smid, the aim is to consolidate growth and to accelerate our international expansion."

Matthias Grychta, Managing Partner at Neuhaus Partners and Chairman of Searchmetrics‘ Advisory Board, also welcomed Smid on board: "Searchmetrics is a fast growing global company that has successfully established itself in the digital environment and that operates with a very clear view of the market. With Volker Smid it now has a new CEO who knows the online business world well and above all has a wealth of international experience."