By Christo Volschenk
Ringier Axel Springer sharpened its focus on the internet in Slovakia by merging its divisions Online and Digital development into a single unit under the brand name Azet.sk and appointing Milan Dubec, current head of Azet.sk, as head of the enlarged Azet.sk.

Azet.sk operates a long list of major Slovakian online destinations, including free small ads platform Bazar.sk (previously Hyperinzercia.sk) and auto portal Autobazar.sk (with 190,000 listed ads).

„In line with the digitalization strategy of Ringier Axel Springer, which enters into force on Jan. 1 2012, Azet.sk will be responsible for the digitalization of Ringier Axel Springer in Slovakia,” the company said in a press statement.

„In future, Azet.sk and its team will help us better coordinate the strategic alignment of the online and digital products of the two companies Ringier and Axel Springer,“ said Peter Mertus, general manager at Ringier Axel Springer in Slovakia.

In the Czech Republic Ringier Axel Springer also turned the management carousel. From January Matej Husek (36) will head the online division of Ringier Axel Springer in the Czech Republic. As digital director he will report to Libuše Šmuclerová, general manager of Ringier Axel Springer in the Czech Republic. Until now Husek was director of the multi-media studio Newslab.

In Poland Ringier Axel Springer already merged different divisions into a single online division and appointed a new head in October (read here).

The joint venture Ringier Axel Springer was established on July 1 2010 by the Swiss media group Ringier and German media firm Axel Springer with the goal of merging the activities of the two firms in Mid- and Eastern Europe. It operates more than 70 print and more than 60 digital products in the growth markets of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Serbia.

The joint venture is managed out of Zurich and employs about 2,300 people.