Bertelsmann boss Thomas Rabe has announced his departure from the company at the end of 2026. “My contract runs until the end of 2026. My plan is that I will then turn to other tasks,” Rabe told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung” (F.A.S.) according to the preliminary report. Until then, he had been on the Bertelsmann board for almost 21 years, including 15 years as chairman. “This is the right time for new impulses – also for the company.”
Rabe said he would then no longer seek any more supervisory board mandates. The manager currently chairs the Adidas supervisory board. “Then I will leave the corporate world and will not seek any supervisory board mandates. I would then like to be free,” said Rabe. “I can only imagine one or two entrepreneurial tasks, but more as a supporter and advisor.”
In the coming years, Bertelsmann wants to build up new business areas, Rabe told the F.A.S. He sees great opportunities in the digital health business in the USA. The group also wants to rebalance its regional businesses. “In addition to the USA, Brazil, Mexico and India are also becoming increasingly important,” said Rabe. “Ultimately, it’s about a broader positioning of the group in the interests of our shareholders, the Bertelsmann Foundation and the Mohn family, who hold practically all of their assets in the form of Bertelsmann shares.” In the future, Rabe primarily wants to acquire smaller companies. “The rule is: tie small and medium-sized purchases together over time and form them into larger deals.”
Rabe told employees who support the AfD in the F.A.S. thinking about termination is close. “If the AfD is at 20 percent in surveys, then some of our employees will also support it. These employees should check whether they fit with us and our values. If not, I would definitely consider whether Bertelsmann is the right company for me.”
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