After studying computer science, Gerrit Schumann founded the Cologne-based company element 5 in 1996 together with three partners. The start-up provided a platform to computer programs over the Internetto send. A market gap with potential, recognized in 2004 by the US group Digital River and bought the company. Schumann joined the board after the acquisition and expanded the European business. In 2007 he founded his second start-up with Music Networx. The company produced live recordings of concerts and distributed them digitally. Music Networxs went into the company Simfy in 2009 and brought the first advertising-financed music streaming service for the German-speaking countries on the market. In 2013, Schumann moved to the streaming provider and Spotify competitor Deezer. He was previously responsible there as Chief International Officer for the worldwide expansion of the operative business before becoming CDO of Handelsblatt in 2017.