Axel Springer says interested in Swiss market -paper

FRANKFURT May 20 (Reuters) - Europe's largest publisher, Axel Springer AG (SPRGn.DE), plans to invest further in Switzerland and does not rule out acquisitions, Chief Executive Mathias Doepfner was quoted as saying in a Swiss newspaper.

"Switzerland is a very interesting market, in which we would like to continue to invest. This could be in the print as well as in the online sector," Doepfner told Switzerland's Handelszeitung in an interview to be published on Wednesday.

While organic growth is a priority, Doepfner did not rule out acquisitions in Switzerland, if the company came across an interesting target, the paper said.

In March, Springer said it had no plans for major acquisitions this year.

Springer has been seeking ways to expand its business beyond print by investing abroad and aggressively expanding its digital and online activities.

The publisher of Europe's best-selling tabloid, Bild, is focusing on growth in eastern Europe, Spain, France as well as Switzerland, the paper said.

Last year, Springer bought into French Internet portal aufeminin.com (OFMN.PA) for 284 million euros ($442.2 million) and acquired a 60 percent stake in Internet-based marketing platform provider Zanox for about 215 million euros. (Reporting by Eva Kuehnen, editing by Will Waterman)