OTTO Payments: Leon Merx joins as a new Managing Director

Leon Merx is a payments expert with extensive experience in financial technology, digital payments and corporate management. The 36-year-old comes from the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, where he worked at the regulated Wallis GmbH, based in Hamburg. In this position, he was responsible for central innovation projects in payments and regulatory affairs as a Managing Director. Prior to that, until 2022, he worked at Star Finanz GmbH, where he directed the development of mobile applications and B2B financial products, among other things. Other positions took him to the zeb management consultancy and the UniCredit Bank AG in Munich.

From 1 July 2025, Leon Merx will gradually take over the OTTO Payments back office processing and control business areas from Hans Georg Spliethoff, who will leave the management board on 30 June 2026 and then will take on a new role within the Otto Group. With the one-year transition

period, OTTO Payments ensures a seamless transition in all business areas affected by the change. Hans-Georg Spliethoff has worked for the Otto Group in various functions since 1993. The graduate mathematician and proven finance expert has successfully helped to build up the Payments division at OTTO in recent years and took over the management position at OTTO Payments at the end of 2020.

Additionally, as of 1 July 2025, Nicola Bause, who has supported the development of OTTO Payments since the beginning of 2020, will be appointed authorised signatory in addition to her role as Head of Product. She will take on additional supervisory tasks to support the management team.

Katy Roewer, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Member of the Executive Board for Finance, Controlling, and Human Resources of the Otto Group: "I would like to congratulate Hans Georg Spliethoff on his outstanding achievements in establishing OTTO Payments. As a member of the Management Board, he has made a significant contribution in recent years to the development of OTTO Payments, shaping the company into a fully stable and economically successful entity. That said, I am also looking forward to the future developments led by Leon Merx."

Andrea Becker, OTTO Management Board Member for Service, Finance, and Human Resources, and – as of May 2025 – the newly appointed Chairwoman of the OTTO Payments Advisory Board: "I am very happy that Leon Merx will join the OTTO Payments management team soon. With his extensive and long-standing expertise in the payments industry, Leon will drive our growth strategy with a clear focus on both customer orientation and compliance, and further develop the company."

Mirko Krauel, CEO of OTTO Payments: „I greatly anticipate working with Leon and embracing Nicola's expanded role. Together, we are well positioned to tackle the upcoming challenges and projects. I would also like to thank Hans Georg Spliethoff for his extraordinary commitment to OTTO Payments and wish him all the best in his future career within the Otto Group.“

Leon Merx,designated Managing Director of OTTO Payments: "I am truly looking forward to my new role and collaborating with the OTTO Payments team. Together, we will enhance our customers' satisfaction and further develop OTTO Payments as an innovative and economically robust payment partner, well-prepared for future challenges posed by competition and regulation in the digital payments landscape."

OTTO Payments is the payment service provider of the Otto Group. With modern, secure payment solutions, OTTO Payments handles the complete payment processing at OTTO, the largest German online shop, and supports payment projects within the whole Otto Group.