HQTA AG Disposes of Its Photo-Agency ddp images to Management Team

MUNICH, GERMANY--(Marketwire - Dec 13, 2012) -  The Munich based HQTA AG (formerly dapd media holding AG) has disposed of its stake in the Hamburg based photo-agency ddp images GmbH in a management buyout. The founders Ulf Schmidt-Funke and Katharina Doerk acquired the successful company, which tripled its sales to 6 million Euros over the last 3 years.

"By passing on the company to the experienced management team, we support the continued successful development of ddp images," said Dr. Peter Löw, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of HQTA.

"Based on our excellent team and our innovative distribution technologies ddp images became one of the most successful sources for high quality images in a challenging market environment," explains CEO Ulf Schmidt-Funke."We are strongly committed to our strategy of organic growth for the coming years."

Katharina Doerk puts emphasis on the stability for the business provided by the Buy Out: "Our clients are able to further rely on a high-quality and professional cooperation with ddp images. In addition our content partners can make sure their photos are being marketed for the best outcome."

ddp images GmbH was founded in 2009 as part of the dapd media group. The picture agencies Picture Press (Hamburg) and Sipa Press, USA (New York) are subsidiaries of ddp images. HQTA AG and ddp images agreed on a long-term cooperation.

HQTA AG has recently disposed of the PR service provider ddp direct and the French news agency SIPA group to strategic investors with the aim to secure their long term development Under the HQTA umbrella the remaining affiliates airmotion and spot on news will focus on fast-growing and technologically innovative business-fields.

About HQTA

The HGTA AG is a media holding company headquartered in Munich. It comprises of the companies airmotion GmbH and spot on news ltd.

Airmotion is an international content and community agency that provides news services in the fields of mobile, industrial and media. spot on news is the new, highly ranged German news agency for entertainment. For the resorts people, lifestyle and entertainment, a number of 25 employees and numerous correspondents research and create an exclusive and high quality entertainment news feed.

About ddp images

With access to 35 Million pictures of celebrities, politics, economics, Royals, Lifestyle and stock ddp images is one of the widely spread photo sources in Germany. Our experienced team of photographers and editors guarantees a perfect service to our clients. Newspapers, magazines, online-media, tv-stations and advertising agencies rely on our ability to deliver the best image to their needs -- timely and content-wise.