Management Team

Managing Directors
Eric Eichmann
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer

Eric Eichmann joined Spark Networks in November 2019. Previously, Eric was Chief Executive Officer at Criteo S.A. (NASDAQ: CRTO). Prior to joining Criteo, Eric was Chief Operating Officer at Living Social and at Rosetta Stone, SVP of Advertising Operations and Technology at AOL, and Eric was also a senior engagement manager at Mckinsey&Co. Eric holds a master’s degree in computer engineering from EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.

Gitte Bendzulla
Managing Director & General Counsel
Gitte Bendzulla

Gitte Bendzulla has been the General Counsel of Spark Networks since November 2018. As Managing Director she is responsible for the Legal Department, the HR and Talent Engagement Team, Customer Care and drives the Company’s process around OKR’s. Before joining Spark Networks, Gitte held several senior legal positions on a European and global scale with Juniper Networks, APM Terminals, Eaton Industries and the SITA Suez group. Gitte started her career at the German-based law firm Graf von Westphalen in 2004. She is admitted to the German bar and holds a master’s degree from the University of Bayreuth (Germany), as well as a bachelor’s degree obtained in Berlin (Germany).

Bert Althaus
Managing Director & Chief Financial Officer
Bert Althaus

Bert Althaus joined Spark Networks in September 2019. In his previous position, he served as Senior Vice President Finance for Berlin-based home24 SE, the leading home and living e-commerce platform in continental Europe and Brazil. A data-driven technology company, home24 is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (H24.DE). Prior to joining home24, he spent over eight years at Ernst & Young. Bert holds a bachelor's and master's degree in business administration from Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Thuringia, Germany, and brings great international experience having also worked and lived in the USA, Argentina and Russia.

Senior Management
Benjamin Hoskins
Chief Technology Officer
Benjamin Hoskins

Benjamin Hoskins has been Chief Technology Officer for Spark Networks (formerly Affinitas GmbH) in Berlin since January 2017. Prior to joining Spark Networks, Ben worked with OLX (registered as PT Tokabagus) in Indonesia as Chief Technology Officer and Acting Chief Product Officer from May 2015 until December 2016. Ben served as Head of Product Development Europe for eBay UK Ltd. from February 2012 until April 2015. He was previously an Principal Agile Consultant, and, in parallel, as Head of Product Development at Emergn, where he worked from January 2008 until February 2012.

Kirill Priyatel
Chief Commercial Officer
Kirill Priyatel

Kirill Priyatel has been the Chief Commercial Officer for Spark Networks since January 2020. He joined Spark Networks in January 2016 and held various positions in monetization, analytics and strategy. Prior to joining Spark Networks, he led the small domestic appliances sector for global marketing consultancy company Gfk, and spent several years in the sports industry, working with ice hockey clubs across Europe. Kirill holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Higher School of Economics in Russia, as well as a master’s degree in business administration from Jönköping International Business School in Sweden. He brings international experience to his role at Spark, having lived and worked in Russia, Sweden, and the Czech Republic before moving to Germany.