Thomas Coesfeld will become the new chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann.
The appointment was announced by the supervisory board of the international media, services and education company.
The 35-year-old Bertelsmann executive board member will succeed Thomas Rabe on January 1, 2027, marking the end of his 15-year tenure as chairman and CEO. Rabe’s departure had been planned in advance.
Coesfeld has been CEO of the BMG music division since 2023 and a member of the Bertelsmann executive board since 2024.
He will continue in his BMG role in a dual capacity alongside his new position as chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann.
The supervisory board has also appointed Clément Schwebig to the Bertelsmann executive board as the future CEO of RTL Group, effective May 1, 2026.
In recent years, he has taken the music company BMG to significantly higher levels of revenue and earnings and positioned it even more firmly for the streaming age
Christoph Mohn
Christoph Mohn, chairman of the Bertelsmann supervisory board, said: “On behalf of the supervisory board, I would like to congratulate Thomas Coesfeld on his appointment as the next chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann. As both an entrepreneur and a manager, he has all the qualities needed to lead Bertelsmann successfully and ensure the company’s continuity.
“Over the past 10 years at Bertelsmann, I have come to know Thomas Coesfeld as an entrepreneurial leader. In recent years, he has taken the music company BMG to significantly higher levels of revenue and earnings and positioned it even more firmly for the streaming age. His appointment marks a generational change in Bertelsmann’s leadership. I wish him every success and a steady entrepreneurial hand.”
Thomas Rabe, chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann, said: “I am very pleased with the supervisory board’s decision and congratulate Thomas Coesfeld on behalf of the entire executive board. We have worked closely and with great trust for many years, and I will do everything possible to ensure a smooth transition. Bertelsmann’s leadership will be in excellent hands with him and his team.”
Thomas Coesfeld, CEO of BMG and future chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann, said: “I would like to thank the supervisory board – and in particular its chairman, Christoph Mohn – for the trust they have placed in me. I am very much looking forward to assuming responsibility for leading Bertelsmann. It is a challenge I will take on with the full support of the executive board, top management, and all employees.”
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