Reinhard Mohn Fellows Visit Gruner + Jahr

Nine years ago, Kevin Long set up an initiative to teach sign language to deaf-mute children in developing countries and to train teachers in teaching sign language. Now, the American would like to expand this project from African countries to other regions around the world, to give even more disabled children access to education and a secure future. As one of the participants in the Reinhard Mohn Fellowship (RMF), Long is being given the opportunity to spend one year learning from Bertelsmann businesses how his project could be expanded. Last Tuesday, Long and the four other new Reinhard Mohn Fellows visited the Gruner + Jahr publishing house in Hamburg , to gain some insight into the publishing business.

“To be successful with a concept on an international level, you have to be willing to adapt to local conditions,” recommended G+J CEO Bernd Kundrun, who welcomed the fellows to Hamburg on Tuesday. Kundrun explained G+J’s expansion strategy using the example of international titles like “Geo”. He clearly showed where a concept can encounter international limitations and where it is worth taking risks. Bernd Kundrun, “National Geographic” Editor-in-Chief Klaus Liedtke and Jürgen Althans, G+J’s Director HR Development, took an hour and a half to answer questions from Kevin Long and the other Fellows – Jasmine Taylor from the U.S., Marvin Fernandes from India, Philip Ndeta from Kenia, and Christian Rickerts, a German who set up the “Students for a Better Life” initiative (“Schüler helfen Leben”). Liedtke chaired the panel of judges that had selected these five social entrepreneurs from among the twelve finalists.

In the afternoon, the visitors met with Claudia Münster, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of “Brigitte” magazine. Münster interviewed RMF candidates during the preliminary selection rounds. On Tuesday, she presented various line extensions to “Brigitte” and explained the strategy that has kept the magazine at the top of the biweekly women’s magazine market for years. The G+J tour concluded at the “Financial Times Deutschland” offices, where the Fellows were greeted by Stefan Weigel, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of “FTD.” In the business paper’s newsroom, Office Chief Stefan Plöchinger explained to the fellows how the editorial team manages to send a complete paper into print every evening. 

Over the next ten months, the fellows will work in different Bertelsmann departments to gather work and project experience.