Frogster Appoints Interim CEO For U.S. Subsidiary

A week after firing the CEO of its U.S. arm Lars Koschin and other key executives, Frogster Interactive Pictures has appointed Dirk Meyer zu Drewer as the interim chief executive for its San Francisco office. Meyer zu Drewer joined Frogster America nearly two years ago, and has worked there as CFO since. He has also served as principal and president of consultancy firm MzD Interventures for eight years. The executive will take on the role of Frogster America's head temporarily while the MMO publisher looks for a permanent replacement. Berlin-based Frogster Interactive Pictures says that Meyer zu Drewer will work with the U.S. subsidiary's board of directors -- which includes Frogster America/Interactive Pictures chairman Christoph Gerlinger and Frogster Online Gaming CEO Andres Weidenhaupt -- to "guide the strategic direction of the company". Last week, Frogster Interactive Pictures announced its dismissal of CFO Ralf Kloppel, CAO Bjorn Koschin, and Frogster America CEO Lars Koschin. Koschin had served as chief executive for the U.S. office since April 2009, helping release the company's flagship title Runes of Magic in the States. Though no reason was offered to the public for the three executives' termination, their discharge came shortly after Gameforge, also a free-to-play online game publisher headquartered in Germany, acquired a 60 percent majority stake in Frogster at €25 ($32). It eventually boosted its bid to €27.50 ($37) to buy out remaining shareholders. Frogster Interactive Pictures' management has maintained that the the takeover is "friendly" and claims it will continue to be "sustained as an independent company with its current management and team at its existing locations, with its own culture and its successful brand names."