Issued 17 December, 2009

Lonely Planet announces new Managing Director EMEA

Lonely Planet has today announced Douglas Schatz as its new Managing Director EMEA.

Reporting to Matt Goldberg, Lonely Planet's CEO, Schatz will join the business in January 2010 and be responsible for leading the company's European business and delivering the strategy for print and digital expansion, as it makes the transformation to a cross media organisation. A key area of focus will be on growing audiences from core independent travellers to a wider psychographic target across print, digital and emerging platforms.

Matt Goldberg says of the appointment, "Douglas brings an exceptional knowledge of the travel book market and insights into the development of digital media to support Lonely Planet on our journey towards becoming a diversified travel media and services provider."

Douglas Schatz added, "I have long been an admirer of Lonely Planet for its great brand, its independent culture and its talented people, and I'm delighted to be joining them at such an exciting time. I am very much looking forward to helping the business extend its reputation as the world's leading source of travel inspiration and information across the full range of media in the digital age. "

Schatz has extensive operational management experience across high profile retail, e-commerce and B2B mapping businesses. He joins Lonely Planet from Stanfords, the UK's leading specialist retailer of travel books and map data, where he was Managing Director for more than ten years. In his time at Stanfords he led all business and brand operations and was responsible for expanding and diversifying the retail business, launching Stanfords online, and driving their digital strategy in the professional land and property market. He was also responsible for publishing Stanfords own-branded travel books, maps and stationery.

Schatz was involved in the early review of new digital media in the book trade, serving on the Bookseller's Association's digital committee and subsequent task force. He is a former judge of the Whitbread Biography and Thomas Cook Travel Book awards, and is also a published writer, having contributed to national and trade press on travel and travel publishing, including The Guardian, The Independent, The Bookseller and Wanderlust.