Press Release

Press Release | Gütersloh, 05/09/2016

Bertelsmann Publishes Information About New Corporate Structure Across Multiple Media

Latest Annual Report now available

Bertelsmann’s new Annual Report is now available online, as a printed edition, and as an app. The publication focuses on the new corporate structure of the international media, services and education company; the “New Bertelsmann” consists of eight divisions: RTL Group (television), Penguin Random House (books), Gruner + Jahr (magazines) and BMG (music) comprise the media business. Arvato and the Bertelsmann Printing Group provide services. The Bertelsmann Education Group combines the businesses in the education segment; and the Bertelsmann Investments division groups the company’s more than 100 shareholdings in startups.

“In the past few years, Bertelsmann has become a faster-growing, more digital and more international company. This strategic progress is reflected in the reorganization of our group. In the present Annual Report, we provide an informative and clear presentation of how the new structure came to be. We present its content on a wide range of channels – in print, as an interactive online report, as an app, and as an innovative video installation. By doing this, we bring the rich diversity of Bertelsmann to life for the widest possible public,” says Karin Schlautmann, Head of Corporate Communications at Bertelsmann.

The report itself is divided into two separate booklets for the first time – a corporate brochure and a financial report, bundled in a slipcase. The corporate brochure explains the genesis of Bertelsmann’s new structure and reports on the progress made on the company’s strategic priorities in 2015, e.g. the expansion of the education business. The financial section provides a transparent and clearly structured report on last year’s financial results. An enclosed poster provides an illustrative visualization of Bertelsmann’s new structure.

A unique video installation consisting of various glass steles was also developed to visualize this year’s motto, with each stele embodying one of the Group’s eight divisions. The installation will be exhibited at various company sites.

The new corporate structure can also be experienced in another video animation that was additionally implemented as a Virtual Reality Experience. Playing it on VR goggles gives the viewer an impressive experience of the “new Bertelsmann” in 3D.

Besides all the content of the print version, the app and online report also contain various extras such as video clips, and numerous links. The Annual Report app for smartphones and tablets is now available for free in English and German on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services and education company that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the broadcaster RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the magazine publisher Gruner + Jahr, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato, the Bertelsmann Printing Group, the Bertelsmann Education Group, and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company has 117,000 employees and generated revenues of €17.1 billion in the 2015 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world.