Doodle Founders Leave Scheduling Startup, Swiss Publisher Tamedia Plans To Acquire Remaining Stake

The founders of Doodle, which offers an online scheduling service for individuals and businesses, are leaving the Swiss startup they founded in 2008. According to a company blog post, Michael Näf and Paul E. Sevinç will step down during the next couple of months, to be replaced by Michael Brecht as new CEO as of 1st February. He’ll lead the company along with a management team consisting of current Doodle employees.

Coinciding with a change of guard, Doodle is also announcing that Swiss publisher Tamedia plans to fully acquire the company “in 2014”, following its original purchase of a minority 49 percent stake in May 2011 that saw German VC firm Creathor Venture sell its share in the company.

At the time, Tamedia talked up synergies between the scheduling service and its online directory search.ch, giving Doodle a boost in its domestic market of Switzerland with regards to the SME sector. Terms of the minority acquisition were undisclosed, and I wouldn’t expect any more transparency this time around, though we’ll update this post if we hear any different.

Operating out of Zurich, Switzerland, Doodle claims 15 million users per-month. The service, which makes it easy for users, groups and businesses to schedule meetings or take appointments, comes in a free basic version as well as various premium offerings.

Meanwhile, Tamedia says it will invest in Doodle to further fuel its international growth.

New CEO Michael Brecht is said to have more than 20 years of experience in the IT and online sectors and has held several international positions, including Managing Director at Germany-based CompuNet where he was responsible for building the UK business; founder of urbia.com, an online portal for families and children (acquired by media house Gruner & Jahr); and founder of 52weine.de, a shopping club for wine.