was born on 2 May 1912 in Altona near Hamburg. After an apprenticeship as a typesetter and printer in his father Hinrich Springer's company and a traineeship at the news agency Wolffs Telegraphisches Bureau and the Bergedorfer Zeitung, Springer returned to his father's newspaper Altonaer Nachrichten in 1933. The rise of his media empire began in 1946 with the founding of the magazine Hör Zu! In 1952, he conceived his media recipe for success: the first edition of the tabloid Bild. Axel Springer died on 22 September 1985 in West Berlin.

Mathias Döpfner is Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Axel Springer SE. He is also the largest shareholder after Friede Springer, whose shares he also manages. He is Friede Springer's designated successor and thus controls and owns almost all of Axel Springer SE. 

Mark Dekan is Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Axel Springer SE. He is responsible for finance, legal, compliance, and corporate services and is a member of the executive board. Previously, he was among other roles CEO of Ringier Axel Springer Media AG, where he significantly shaped the company's international digital and growth strategy. Dekan is regarded as an experienced media manager. He was elevated to his current position during the group's restructuring and is considered a close confidant of Mathias Döpfner.

Claudius Senst is Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Axel Springer SE and a member of the executive board. He is responsible for the operational business of media brands and central strategic projects for the group's digital development. Previously, he led Axel Springer News Media National Digital GmbH & Co. KG and held senior positions in the international digital and media sector. He is also a confidant of Mathias Döpfner. He previously served as CEO of BILD and is considered a close associate of former BILD editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt, who was dismissed.

Jan Bayer is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Axel Springer SE and is regarded as a close confidant of Mathias Döpfner. He began his career at Süddeutsche Zeitung and joined Axel Springer SE in 2006, where he held various senior management positions, including responsibility for regional newspapers, the WELT Group, and BILD. Most recently, he served as Deputy Board Chair and Board Member for News Media USA, where he significantly advanced the group's digital and international expansion strategies, particularly in the US market with brands such as Politico and Insider.

As part of a restructuring of Axel Springer SE, the number of supervisory board members was reduced to three. Since then, Jan Bayer has been a member of this board and is set to assume the chairmanship of the supervisory board from Ralph Büchi on August 1, 2025. As Chairman of the Board of Directors of Politico and member of the Board of Directors of Morning Brew, he continues to bring his extensive experience in digital transformation and internationalization to the strategic direction of the media company.

Friede Springer is not only the majority shareholder in the Axel Springer Group but also deputy chair of the supervisory board. She is one of Germany's most influential publishers and the widow of publishing founder Axel Springer. After her husband's death in 1985, she assumed significant responsibility for the publishing empire and ensured its continuation and the maintenance of her husband's editorial principles. She played a key role in guiding the company through turbulent times and inheritance disputes and in shaping its strategic direction, particularly regarding digital transformation and internationalization.

Johannes P. Huth is a top-tier manager in the private equity sector and represents the interests of major shareholder KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) at Axel Springer SE. Huth served for over two decades as partner and chairman of KKR for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and played a key role in numerous European investments by the financial investor, including the acquisition and delisting of Axel Springer SE.

As a member of the supervisory board of Axel Springer SE since January 2020, he represents the perspective of the largest individual shareholder and participates in strategic decisions of the media group. Alongside Friede Springer and Jan Bayer, he is a member of the supervisory board, which has been reduced to three persons. Currently, Huth remains connected to KKR as Senior Advisory Partner and has served as CEO of Belgian financial investor Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL) since May 2025. His role on the Springer supervisory board underscores the financial and strategic importance of KKR to the company.