Since 2018, representatives of the start-up and technology sectors, international investors, and decision-makers from both midsize businesses and major corporations have gathered in Bielefeld for the “Hinterland of Things” technology conference. The event was launched by the Founders Foundation, which is supported by the Bertelsmann Stiftung. Around 2,000 participants attended this year’s conference last Thursday to explore partnership opportunities, identify synergies, share knowledge and experience, and forge new alliances. Among the event’s prominent speakers was Bertelsmann Chairman and CEO Thomas Rabe. Appearing on the main stage at Stadthalle Bielefeld, he spoke with NTV presenter Isabelle Körner about “Driving Transformation in an Age of Disruption and AI: Lessons From 15 Years at the Helm of a 190-Year-Old Company” and also offered personal insights into his role as CEO of Bertelsmann.
‘The momentum it created carried us forward’
Thomas Rabe vividly recalled the day he first entered Bertelsmann’s Corporate Center in Gütersloh. “That was in 2001. I had joined RTL the year before,” he said, reflecting on how much the company has changed since then. Looking back, he described the Bertelsmann of that time and the company today as “essentially two different companies in two completely different worlds.” The business portfolio, business models, technologies, and media consumption habits had changed dramatically, he noted, as had the importance of entrepreneurship and creativity within the company.
Responding to questions from Isabelle Körner, Rabe looked back on Bertelsmann’s transformation since he became CEO in early 2012. He outlined the strategic priorities introduced at the time – consolidating and strengthening existing businesses, driving digital transformation, building and expanding growth platforms, and expanding into new growth regions – and discussed their consistent implementation, followed by the Boost and Boost+ initiatives, which included multibillion-euro investments and the broad deployment of artificial intelligence. Rabe described the merger of Penguin and Random House in 2012, which created Penguin Random House, as the first major milestone of his tenure as CEO. “That megadeal restored our belief that we can achieve great things at Bertelsmann,” he said. “The momentum it created carried us forward.” He added that the company’s strong growth in the United States, the world’s most important media market, had proven highly beneficial, and pointed to China, India, and Türkiye as additional regions where Bertelsmann has invested significantly and plans to continue investing.
‘I am grateful for the opportunity to take on this leadership role’
The conversation was also shaped by Thomas Rabe’s personal reflections and observations. He said Bertelsmann had appealed to him as an employer because of its long-term ownership structure, its leadership model with significant autonomy for managers, its appreciative corporate culture, the media industry itself, and the international nature of its businesses. The latter aspect was particularly attractive to Rabe, who grew up multilingual in Brussels and attended a European School. “When you lead a company like Bertelsmann, you learn to look at the entire world. You engage with many different countries and gain new perspectives. I have always found that incredibly enriching,” he said, emphasizing his international outlook. As an example, he referred to a business trip to China he had just completed. “In China, you get a glimpse of the future,” he said, describing a ride he had taken in a robotaxi in Beijing. “China is no longer just a manufacturing hub. It is also a global center of innovation and a technology leader in many areas.”
Thomas Rabe also discussed his leadership style as CEO. “Taking on leadership means taking responsibility – for the business and for the people,” he said. “It means preparing decisions as a team, but ultimately making them yourself. I am grateful for the opportunity to take on this leadership role and for the support I have received from so many people. At the same time, I have had the privilege of helping many talented individuals develop their careers.”
‘That meant a great deal to me personally’
Rabe said he was particularly pleased by the recent regulatory approval of the planned merger between RTL Deutschland and Sky Deutschland. “That meant a great deal to me personally,” he said, especially given that similar consolidation efforts in France and the Netherlands had not been approved. He considers a stronger European television market essential if European companies are to compete successfully with major U.S. players. With a combined subscriber base of around 12 million, he said RTL Deutschland and Sky Deutschland are now well positioned for the future.
Looking ahead to the period after he steps down as Bertelsmann CEO, Thomas Rabe said he intends to give back to society and expand his support for social, scientific, and cultural causes. Since 2016, the Birgit and Thomas Rabe Foundation has donated around €20 million to charitable projects, including the “Butze” street children’s center in Berlin-Lichtenberg, which aims to help up to 150 homeless children and teenagers each year leave life on the streets behind and build a future for themselves. The center is expected to begin operations later this year. “It is a great privilege to be able to help,” Rabe said. “I want to do even more of that in the future.” Until his final day at Bertelsmann, however, he still has many plans to pursue. Asked how he expects to feel when the time comes to leave the company, he replied: “When that moment arrives, it will probably be a mixture of different emotions. Relief, certainly, but also a little sadness, I think, and pride in what has been achieved. Above all, a deep sense of gratitude for having been given the opportunity to lead this company.”
