Appinio sets the stage for next growth phase: Arne Wolter becomes the new CEO

Hamburg, 04 May 2026 – Appinio, the global market research platform, has a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Arne Wolter succeeds Max Honig.

With this change in leadership, Appinio is positioning itself for the next phase of growth. Appinio is currently active in over 190 markets, employs around 250 people from over 40 nations, and counts more than 3,000 companies worldwide among its customers.

With Arne Wolter (51), Appinio gains a leader with more than 25 years of experience in scaling digital business models. For over two decades, he held various management positions within the Bertelsmann Group – most recently as Chief Digital Officer of Gruner + Jahr, where he was responsible for the digital transformation of the media company and increased the digital revenue share from 10 to over 40 percent.

His milestones include the development of the AppLike Group, the acquisition of Chefkoch, and the sale of Ligatus to Outbrain. Furthermore, Wolter is a member of the Board of Directors of Teads, a Nasdaq-listed company. Most recently, as Chief Revenue Officer at Statista, he was responsible for global Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, and Revenue Operations.

Quotes

Arne Wolter, CEO of Appinio:

"I am very much looking forward to shaping Appinio's next growth phase together with this exceptional team. The business model is unique – and the potential is huge. My focus is on further developing Appinio as the leading global platform for Consumer Insights while preserving the special culture that makes this company so successful."

Prof. Dr. Jan Kemper, Chairman of the Board at Appinio:

"In Arne Wolter, we have found exactly the leader Appinio needs for the next step: He stands for operational excellence, international experience, and a clear strategic compass. At the same time, I would like to expressly thank Max Honig for his commitment and achievements as CEO."

Jonathan Kurfess, Founder and Majority Shareholder of Appinio:

"Since 2014, we have been redefining market research – with even greater ambition in the AI era. I am delighted that we have gained Arne, a CEO with leadership experience and integrity, who will drive further development together with the great team. I will continue to closely accompany Appinio from the Board and support Arne on this journey."

About Appinio

Appinio is an AI-powered market research platform that enables companies worldwide to make decisions based on real-time consumer insights. Appinio is active in over 190 markets, employs around 250 people, and is used by more than 3,000 companies. Headquartered in Hamburg, the company combines state-of-the-art technology with scientifically sound methods, making market research faster, more accessible, and more data-driven than ever before.