Reinhard Mohn Fellows Present An Innovative Project As Thanks

The Reinhard Mohn Fellows made their way to Bertelsmann from all corners of the world, and after an intensive selection process they finally reached their destination. They needed just a few weeks to become appreciated and accepted business partners, and now, one year later, they are "already" leaving Bertelsmann. Yesterday, Bertelsmann CEO Ewald Walgenbach and CEO Human Resources Detlef Hunsdiek bid farewell to the second year Fellows. For twelve months, Tina Choi, Mariana Feged, Darren Godwell, Jonathan Govias, and Cristina Martinez have seized every opportunity to familiarize themselves with Bertelsmann in all its facets; they will now take their experiences back home to the United States, Columbia, Australia, Canada, and Mexico. But before they departed, the five Fellows gave something back to Bertelsmann in thanks: the results of their joint project. It dealt with how the clubs of Direct Group could successfully address the target group ‘children and parents’ with an international strategy. 

 "The Fellows were given this task during the 2004 Frankfurt Book Fair," said Anette Bickmeyer, the person in charge of the RMF, on Tuesday night. "Since then, they have been intensively working on a solution beyond the limitations of individual countries and continents – usually as a virtual team via phone and Internet." They received enormous support from Sven Huber, Director Marketing and Business Development, Círculo des Lectores in Spain, and from Ewald Walgenbach. The CEO of Direct Group had already posed the key questions during the book fair for which the Fellows had to find answers. He followed the team's presentation attentively and critically and declared in the end: "This is a great project, and we will seriously examine it with enthusiasm and goodwill." 

The core of the project is an independent magazine that recommends a selection of literature to the target group ‘children and their parents.’ Naturally, the titles are available through the club. While the magazine subscription is free for club members and represents an additional service, non-members have to pay for it. At the same time, however, they earn the opportunity to buy through the club with all the rights of full membership but without the obligation to make a purchase. The magazine project promises three sources of income in the Fellows' assessment: advertisements in the magazine, subscriptions, and a boost to sales of club media. Synergy effects should be achieved during the magazine's production due to the close cooperation with Gruner + Jahr, as the Reinhard Mohn Fellows recommend. In addition, they believe that an optional social component of the business idea represents an important image effect – for example, if club members can not only buy books for themselves but also, indirectly, for children in countries of the so-called third world. 

 The Fellows agreed with Ewald Walgenbach and Detlef Hunsdiek that children and their parents are looking for a shopping guide, and that they are a highly interesting target group today and young people need to be nurtured as tomorrow's club members. The Direct Group CEO and the CEO HR were also convinced by many of the approaches and ideas of the fellows, and they quickly initiated an intensive discussion with their targeted questions and remarks. At its end Ewald Walgenbach promised that he will make sure that the clubs in Spain and Great Britain – which the Fellows had picked as models – will continue to pursue the idea. 

And what does the future hold for the Fellows? Tina Choi (born 1972) will again take care of "Global Nomad Youth," an organization that she founded. She has the goal to promote talented students to use their IT and business know-how to establish networks, which can be helpful far beyond school. Mariana Féged (1978) co-founded "Kaziyadu" two years ago. In Europe and the United States "Kaziyadu" organizes support for nonprofit projects in Latin America. Darren Godwell (1970) is the founder of "Lumbu," a foundation managed by aborigines to help Australia's original inhabitants lobby for an improvement to their living conditions with the assistance of private businesses and philanthropic associations. Jonathan Govias (1976) has created employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth in Calcutta in cooperation with Canadian music students. And last but not least, Cristina Martínez (1976) has set herself the goal to improve the living and working conditions of Mexican coffee farmers through advanced vocational training.  

 While the second year Fellows are now returning to their home countries to pursue challenging tasks, Anette Bickmeyer and her team are confronted with the no less challenging task of selecting the candidates for the third year of the Reinhard Mohn Fellowship. Interested individuals from all nations had until August 1 to apply. Originally, the Fellowship program was a gift of Bertelsmann AG to Reinhard Mohn for his 80^th birthday. Once more, "social entrepreneurs" from all parts of society, who have already proven entrepreneurial drive paired with creativity and public spirit, are wanted. Up to five candidates will be accepted to the Fellowship Program at the end of November after a multi-stage selection process. They, too, will get the opportunity to further develop entrepreneurial competence and leadership talents, and to establish contacts worldwide in a one year long practice-oriented training program in various countries and companies and through intensive project work and training.