Marco Ferrari, Chairman and CEO of Zodiak Active – the global digital arm of Zodiak Media – will step down at the end of 2013. His departure follows a planned succession strategy that will see Nicola Drago, current SVP Strategy and New Business for the company take over as CEO from January 2014.

Marco Ferrari founded the company, then Neo Network, 14 years ago. Neo Network  was acquired by  De Agostini in 2007 and then evolved into the global digital and branded arm of Zodiak, with Ferrari firstly appointed Chief Digital Officer of Zodiak Entertainment in 2010 and then, following the 2011 merger of RDF Contact and Neo Network into Zodiak Active – taking his current role of Chairman and CEO of Zodiak Active.

Nicola Drago – who holds a BA from Bocconi University and an MBA from Columbia University – began his career as an investment banker at Sonenshine Partners and as a consultant with McKinsey, before joining Zodiak Media in 2008. At Zodiak he began as M&A Manager and Business Controller, and was promoted in 2010 to CEO role of Zodiak America Latina. From 2012 Drago was appointed SVP Strategy and New Business at Zodiak Active, where he was responsible for Zodiak Active’s medium-term business strategy as well as overseeing the international expansion.

Marco Ferrari said: “I have a huge sense of gratitude for all the trust that I have received from the Group over the years and I would like to thank Giorgio Gori, David Frank and our shareholders De Agostini for the opportunity to have been so actively involved in a stimulating project like Zodiak. I also want to say thank you to all the amazing people and the friends who have worked with me from day one, and shared the incredibly exciting experience of these years. ”

“In the last couple of years Zodiak Active has embarked on an exciting new strategy, focused into native, scalable, digital businesses such as Programmatic Advertising and Online Video – complementing our traditional branded content and production activities – and we are thrilled with the results, with more than €10m revenues generated this year from businesses which did not even exist in Zodiak 18 months ago.”

“Having worked together on this strategy, I’m sure that Nicola will be the perfect leader to drive our amazing, loyal and rock-solid management team toward the next phase and to an even brighter future, while now the time is right for me to look forward to new entrepreneurial challenges, and get back to the start-up world.”

Nicola Drago said: “I’m honoured to be taking over from Marco Ferrari and to lead Zodiak Active through the next set of challenges. Working closely with Marco and the executive team for over a year was an inspiring journey in which we shared vision, passion, decisions and enthusiasm. I am extremely grateful to Marco for supporting my appointment and for everything he has achieved in these 14 years. I look forward to building upon that to consolidate our  leadership in digital, production and branded content business, and to push even further on the growth of our scalable, and high tech businesses such as Online Video and Programmatic  Advertising.”

David Frank, Zodiak Media CEO commented on the succession: “On behalf of everyone at Zodiak I would like to thank Marco for his incredible commitment and service to this group since Neo Network became part of Zodiak. He is one of the most intelligent and talented senior executives within the group and his contribution to strategy, planning and debate will be missed. On a personal note I have enjoyed immensely working with Marco and I want to thank him for his support and advice. I am sure he will be successful in his return to a more entrepreneurial life and I wish him all the best. I am delighted too to confirm the appointment of Nicola as Marco’s successor. The energy, enthusiasm and dedication he has shown in preparing himself for this role has been exemplary and I have every confidence that Nicola can continue to build Zodiak Active as a world-class brand. Since I arrived at Zodiak I have watched Nicola develop into a leader and outstanding executive. He deserves this opportunity and Zodiak Active is lucky to have him as its CEO.”