Markus Witte, co-founder of Babbel, is set to return as CEO, replacing Arne Schepker in the role
Markus Witte, co-founder of Babbel, is set to return as CEO, replacing Arne Schepker in the role
Blog Article
Arne Schepker, CEO of the popular Berlin-based language learning platform Babbel, is stepping down, and the company’s co-founder and former CEO, Markus Witte, is stepping back in to lead the company through its next phase. While Babbel searches for a new CEO, Witte will serve as Executive Chairman and Managing Director, overseeing the company's transition—which will prominently feature AI advancements.
Schepker, who served as Babbel’s sole CEO for nearly five years and co-CEO with Witte prior to that, has decided not to renew his contract. He explained that, as a CEO, he feels the role requires full dedication, and he couldn’t reach the level of commitment he believes the position demands. After joining Babbel as CMO in 2015, Schepker saw repeating cycles in the business and felt it was the right time to step down and spend more time traveling with his family.
During his tenure, Babbel's revenue grew sixfold to around $300 million, and the team expanded to nearly 1,000 people. One of his proudest achievements was Babbel’s effort to help students and Ukrainian refugees with their language learning needs during difficult times, offering free access to its platform.
Looking ahead, Markus Witte sees a new era for Babbel as AI technologies evolve. While Babbel has always incorporated machine learning, the company has never positioned itself as an “AI company.” Witte believes that with the rapid advancements in AI and large language models, Babbel is now better positioned to revolutionize the way people learn languages. With his deep ties to the company and as one of Babbel's largest shareholders, Witte is confident in leading bold, strategic shifts to stay at the forefront of this changing landscape.
Despite the growing influence of technology, both Witte and Schepker emphasized that Babbel’s core mission remains rooted in solving human problems: helping people learn languages to communicate with others. Witte envisions leveraging Babbel’s wealth of data and expertise, combined with AI, to create more personalized, effective language learning experiences.
In addition to integrating AI into its strategy, Witte also aims to foster 'moments of delight' for Babbel’s employees and users, bringing joy through meaningful experiences at all levels.