MEDIAN Group CEO Dr André M Schmidt to step down after 13 years, with Philipp Schulte-Noelle as successor
MEDIAN Group today announces the departure of its long-serving Group CEO, Dr André M Schmidt, who will be succeeded by the exisiting MEDIAN Group COO Philipp Schulte-Noelle. Dr Schmidt, who has scaled the MEDIAN Group to 30 times its size since 2011, will leave his post at the end of June to spend more time with his family and pursue new professional opportunities.
Speaking of his departure, he said: “I feel priviledged to have had the opportunity to grow our unique model of rehabilitation at MEDIAN Group from just 20 clinics in Germany to 425 facilities across three countries. The MEDIAN vision has always been to support as many people as possible to participate fully in their lives, and having come through the pandemic in a strong position, we now have more patients and residents within our care than ever before, and have become the market leader in Germany, the UK and Spain.
“I am extremely proud of how MEDIAN Group is known for providing high quality care backed up by data, which we have achieved through rigorous outcome measurement, digital innovation and standardisation. We are already seeing huge benefits in working together as an international group, where we can pool our vast knowledge and expertise, and create valuable exchanges between countries and across a wide range of indications.”
Supported by Waterland Private Equity, from 2011 onwards Dr André M Schmidt built today’s MEDIAN Group through a series of mergers and acquisitions, notably the merger of RHM with MEDIAN Kliniken in 2014, and the acquisition of AHG. From the start, Dr André M Schmidt focussed on developing a robust digital platform and approach to standardising processes and collecting data to support outcomes. By 2021, ready for internationalisation, MEDIAN Group was established with the acquisition of Priory in the UK, a market leader in mental health and adult social care services. The introduction of Priory to the group brought with it a complimentary portfolio of services and many synergies, as well as the opportunity to embed the proven MEDIAN Group operating model in another European country. In 2023, Spanish rehabilitation chain Hestia joined to the MEDIAN Group family, also providing mental health and adult social care services, and cementing the MEDIAN Group position as a true pan-European organisation.
“With the appointment of Philipp Schulte Noelle,” remarked Dr André M Schmidt, “I am confident that MEDIAN Group will evolve at pace. With his background, Philipp is well equipped to take the company to the next level.”
Speaking about his partnership with Waterland private equity, Dr André M Schmidt, said: “I am very grateful to Waterland for the opportunities our partnership has brought. To work with one shareholder for 13 years has been an absolute privilege, and we have a special relationship, built on mutual trust and collaboration. From the very start, we had the same approach to developing MEDIAN Group, and our relationship always made working together easy and enjoyable.”
Dr. Carsten Rahlfs, Managing Partner at Waterland Private Equity, said: “It has been a pleasure working with Dr André M Schmidt, and I would like to thank him for his dedication and visionary leadership, which has enabled the cohesive growth and internationalisation of MEDIAN Group over the last 13 years. I wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
“Today’s MEDIAN Group has grown 30-fold since 2011 and through our buy and build strategy and more than 20 acquisitions, has become the market leader in Europe with a yearly turnover of more than €2bn, and a reputation for delivering excellent clinical outcomes. I am optimistic that the next chapter of the MEDIAN Group history will see further growth and internationalisation, under the leadership of Philipp Schulte-Noelle.”
Speaking of his appointment as the new Group CEO, Philipp Schulte-Noelle said: “I am honoured and humbled to take up this role and lead the MEDIAN Group into its next stage of development. Dr André M Schmidt is the true architect of the MEDIAN approach to high-quality rehabilitation, and I am looking forward to building on the strong foundations and strong teams he has put in place to take the organisation to the next level.”
Philipp Schulte-Noelle was appointed to the role of Group COO in September 2023, assuming responsibility across the group for digital health, research and innovation, quality management, services, estates and facilities, projects, IT, and marketing and communications. He has since taken up the role of interim CFO for MEDIAN Group, while the organisation recruits to this role. Going forward, Mr Schulte-Noelle, will lead MEDIAN’s core management team which includes: CEO of MEDIAN Germany, Professor Dr Marc Baenkler; CEO of Priory UK, Rebekah Cresswell; and CEO of Hestia in Spain, Eva Luque Lopez.
MEDIAN Group provides services across an extensive range of indications including: mental healthcare, addictions and eating disorder treatment; neurology, orthopaedics, internal medicine, pneumology and cardiology; and residential care, supported living and older people’s services. MEDIAN Germany’s digital aftercare product MyMEDIAN@home, has over 4,000 subscribers, and supports patients remotely after inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation treatment.
Dr André M Schmidt will continue to maintain a role on the MEDIAN Group Advisory Committee.
About MEDIAN Group
MEDIAN Group is a leading European provider of mental health and rehabilitation services. With more than 29,400 employees across Germany, the UK and Spain at 425 facilities, MEDIAN Group supports nearly 290,000 people a year to live their lives as fully and independently as possible.
MEDIAN Germany’s facilities are among the best in the country, with outstanding expertise in rehabilitation. Priory in the UK is one of the largest independent providers of high-quality mental health and adult social care services. While in Spain, Hestia Alliance delivers person-centred mental health and socio-sanitary care across the regions of: Catalonia, Madrid, Galicia and the Balearic Islands.
Together, MEDIAN Group represents the highest quality standards in modern rehabilitation with a unique combination of cutting-edge clinical care, superior outcomes, and digital expertise.
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