Mohn to own

28 March 2012 By Quentin Webb, Chris Hughes

The new CEO of the German media group is making his mark, changing its structure to enable a float without immediately compromising family control. There’s also a new urgency to finding sources of growth. Equity-financed M&A seems likely to be the eventual outcome.

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Bertelsmann said on March 28 it was planning to change its legal structure in a move that paves the way for a possible flotation of the family owned media group.
The Berlin-based company said it would move from being an Aktiengesellschaft, or stock corporation, to a Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, or partnership limited by shares, a structure typically used for businesses with a family-style ownership.
Thomas Rabe, chairman and chief executive since January said: “Our primary goal is to grow the company faster, and to make it more digital and international. We plan to achieve this with four strategic approaches: First, by further consolidating and strengthening our portfolio. Second, by accelerating the transformation to digital of our core businesses. Third, by establishing new growth platforms. And fourth, by expanding into new geographic growth regions. On this basis, we will reshape Bertelsmann over the next five to ten years.”

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