Change in leadership at Visable: Patrick Sostmann to take over from Peter F. Schmid as CEO of Visable Group on January 1, 2026

Over the past 13 years, Peter F. Schmid has transformed the long-established German business directory wer liefert was (wlw) into the internationally active digital company Visable, which now operates the two leading B2B marketplaces europages and wer liefert was (wlw). The last key milestone was Alibaba.com becoming majority shareholder in 2023. With these steps, Peter F. Schmid has set the course for a successful future.

Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com, praises Peter F. Schmid's contribution to the successful development of Visable: "Under the leadership of Peter F. Schmid, Visable has developed into a strong digital B2B brand in Europe. His strategic vision and commitment were crucial to the successful integration into the international Alibaba.com network. We thank him sincerely for his achievements and wish him all the best for the future." Peter F. Schmid looks back on his time at Visable with gratitude: “The past 13 years have been an extraordinary entrepreneurial journey – from the transformation of a directory to an international enterprise with a digital portfolio. I would like to thank Kuo Zhang and Alibaba.com for the trust they have placed in me and my team. Together, we have led Visable to a strong position for the future.”

The new CEO, Patrick Sostmann, will take on a dual role: He will serve as both CEO of the Visable Group and General Manager Western Europe at Alibaba.com. This will enable him to optimally coordinate the joint strategic direction of all Visable and Alibaba.com platforms. Patrick Sostmann previously served as Chief Sales Officer at Visable from 2017 to 2021, during which time he played a key role in driving the company's success. After successful stints as CEO at Kaffee Partner and LR Health & Beauty Systems, Patrick Sostmann returned to Visable in the summer of 2025 with expanded responsibilities as Chief Commercial Officer.

Patrick Sostmann is committed to positioning wer liefert was (wlw) and europages as leading, intelligently networked platforms in the European B2B environment and taking the digitalization of small and medium-sized businesses to a new level. “Visable is ideally positioned to make European companies even more visible in digital commerce. Together with Alibaba.com, we will develop our traditional product marketplaces into data- and AI-supported purchasing agents that deliver completely new opportunities for both buyers and suppliers.” In close cooperation with Alibaba.com, CEO Patrick Sostmann and his team at the headquarters in Hamburg and at the Visable locations in Paris, Berlin, Münster, Milan, Madrid, and Hangzhou will initially focus on the technical and commercial development of the platform offering.

Kuo Zhang also emphasizes his confidence in the leadership under the new CEO: “Patrick Sostmann is exactly the right person to lead Visable into the next phase of AI-driven B2B marketplaces. With his experience, vision, and leadership skills, he will further strengthen the successful collaboration between Visable and Alibaba.com.”