ZEAL appoints digital veteran Stefan Tweraser as new CEO
ZEAL Network SE, Germany’s leading online lottery company, has announced that Dr Stefan Tweraser will become its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He will join the Management Board on 25 August 2025 and take on the CEO role officially from 15 September 2025.
Dr Tweraser replaces Dr Helmut Becker, who has served as ZEAL’s CEO since 2015. Dr Becker will step down on 14 September and remain with the company as a consultant until the end of January 2026.
A proven leader with global experience
Dr Tweraser, 55, brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across top companies such as Google, Telekom Austria, and McKinsey. Most recently, he was CEO of Rocket Factory Augsburg AG, a German aerospace company. He also held leadership roles at Deezer and the Shiji Group.
The new CEO shared his excitement about the role, “I feel very honoured by the trust that the Supervisory Board has placed in me and my abilities. As the number one in the German online lottery market and an innovative trendsetter for products that make people dream, ZEAL enjoys strong brand recognition, an excellent reputation and an outstanding market position with brands such as LOTTO24. Together with my colleagues on the Management Board and the entire team, I will be fully committed to driving this well-positioned and future-oriented company forward.”
Carola von Schmettow, Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of ZEAL, praised the appointment, “With Dr Stefan Tweraser, we have gained a highly qualified business leader as our new CEO. He has proven his profound expertise in digital business models in various industries. Throughout his career, he has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to guide market-leading companies into their next phase of development with strategic foresight, innovative ideas and a sharp eye for detail. We are very much looking forward to working with him and are convinced that Dr Stefan Tweraser will provide decisive impetus for ZEAL’s continued growth.”
Looking back on a decade of growth
Dr Becker led ZEAL through significant milestones during his decade-long tenure. Under his leadership, the company expanded its market presence, strengthened its business model, and launched new products, including the popular dream house raffle. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, ZEAL posted an 88% rise in EBITDA, and lottery billings exceeded €1 billion for the first time.
Reflecting on his journey, Dr Becker said, “ZEAL has always been more than just a job for me. Working alongside my outstanding team has been a great personal enrichment. The company’s great success is the logical consequence of our unique team spirit, innovative mindset and customer focus. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all employees who have contributed with such great passion and expertise each day. I would also like to thank the Supervisory Board and my colleagues on the Management Board for their trusting and constructive collaboration. Together with the leadership team, I will ensure a smooth handover to my successor. I am firmly convinced that under the leadership of Dr Stefan Tweraser, ZEAL will continue on its successful path.”
Carola von Schmettow added, “He has continuously expanded ZEAL’s market leadership in the German online lottery market, strengthened the business model in a challenging regulatory market and broadened the portfolio in a targeted manner through innovative product developments such as the dream house raffle.”
From rocket science to raffles
Dr Tweraser holds a doctorate in economics from the Vienna University of Economics and Business and is also a qualified psychotherapist. He began his career at McKinsey in 1998 and is an Austrian citizen, married with four children.
Founded in 1999, ZEAL Network SE is an e-commerce group based in Hamburg with over one million active customers. It operates well-known brands such as LOTTO24 and Tipp24, and also owns ZEAL Instant Games, ZEAL Ventures and ZEAL Iberia. The company celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024.
