Babbel Appoints Tim Allen as New CEO to Unlock Next Phase
Former CEO at Ask.com, Care.com, Vimeo to lead Babbel as CEO from its Berlin headquarters
Appointment comes at a pivotal time for language learning industry, balancing AI acceleration with human-centered innovation
Co-founder Markus Witte is transitioning back to the role of Executive Chairman, ensuring continuity of focus and vision.
New York, 27 June 2025 – Babbel, the company that creates mutual understanding through language, has announced the appointment of Tim Allen as its new Chief Executive Officer. He will lead Babbel's mission to provide millions of learners worldwide with a clear path to language proficiency. With his extensive background in scaling global technology platforms, Allen is well-placed to drive Babbel's next phase of innovation. His appointment comes at a time when digital products, and language education in particular, are being transformed and accelerated through AI. His aim is to unlock Babbel’s next wave of strategic growth by embedding AI thoughtfully while staying anchored in learner trust and pedagogical integrity.
“I'm excited to join Babbel at this transformative moment in language education. The opportunity to help millions of people belong is outstanding," says Tim Allen, Babbel CEO. “Babbel is a pioneer with all the tools necessary to deliver an effective, highly personalized and enjoyable language learning experience on a large scale. By accelerating our deep pedagogical expertise with AI, we'll empower learners to connect with confidence across cultures and transform their lives."
Allen brings a wealth of knowledge to the role, having previously led Ask.com and Care.com as CEO. He started his two-decade-long career as a company leader in 2005 when he became General Manager at Vimeo. Tim’s international perspective is a perfect fit for Babbel's mission to foster mutual understanding on a global scale. As an American at the helm of a German-founded company, Allen embodies the cross-cultural exchange at the heart of Babbel's purpose. Having relocated to Berlin, he is taking over operational duties from Babbel co-founder Markus Witte, who led the company during an interim phase.
“Tim's vision for technology that empowers human connection makes him the ideal choice to lead Babbel forward. His track record of driving innovation while maintaining a strong focus on user experience and company culture aligns perfectly with our values”, says Markus Witte, Co-founder and Executive Chairman at Babbel. “I'm confident Tim will unlock Babbel's next wave of growth, thoughtfully embedding AI while staying anchored in learner trust and pedagogical integrity.”
Witte will transition to the role of Executive Chairman, where he will continue to provide strategic guidance and support the company's long-term vision. This leadership change comes at a time when Babbel is solidifying its position as a leader in the online language learning market, having sold over 25 million subscriptions and established a presence in numerous countries.
About Babbel
Driven by the purpose of creating mutual understanding through language, Babbel has been building digital language learning products for consumers and businesses since 2007. The Babbel app helps people connect and communicate across cultures, whether for travel, friendship, or career advancement. Based on a deep knowledge of how we learn languages, Babbel aims to make learners conversational as fast as possible. And it works: Studies from institutions like Michigan State University, Yale University and the City University of New York demonstrate the efficacy of Babbel's language learning methods. Millions of language learners agree.
Babbel's secret sauce is the blend of true expertise, understanding of how humans learn, and the latest technology. Starting with one of 60,000 lessons across 15 languages hand-crafted by experts, the learner experience constantly adapts through behavior analysis to provide high quality interactive content that makes understanding a new language easy, from Spanish to Indonesian.
Because Babbel is for everyone, its team reflects this diversity. Across headquarters in Berlin and New York, a team from more than 80 nationalities represent the backgrounds and perspectives that make humans unique. With over 25 million subscriptions sold and an industry-leading retention rate, Babbel creates genuine connections with learners worldwide. For more information, visit www.babbel.com or download the apps in the App Store or Play Store.
