Bertelsmann has named Thomas Coesfeld as its next Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, marking a generational shift at the top of the German media group.
The Supervisory Board confirmed the 35-year-old Executive Board member – and grandson of Bertelsmann patriarch Reinhard Mohn – as successor to long-serving CEO Thomas Rabe, whose tenure will conclude at the end of 2026 after 15 years in the role. Coesfeld will take over on 1 January 2027.
Coesfeld, currently CEO of music subsidiary BMG and a Bertelsmann Executive Board member since 2024, has been credited with accelerating BMG’s growth and steering the company deeper into the streaming era. Supervisory Board Chairman Christoph Mohn praised him as “a successful entrepreneurial leader” and a strong choice to guide the group’s next chapter. “His appointment marks a generational change in Bertelsmann’s leadership,” Mohn said.
Rabe welcomed the decision, emphasising his long-standing working relationship with Coesfeld and pledging support for a smooth handover. “Bertelsmann’s leadership will be in excellent hands with him and his team,” he said.
Coesfeld expressed gratitude for the board’s confidence and highlighted the scale of the task ahead: “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.”
As part of the leadership reshuffle, the company also announced that Clément Schwebig will join the Bertelsmann Executive Board and become CEO of RTL Group from 1 May 2026. Schwebig brings more than two decades of media experience, including senior roles at RTL Group and Warner Bros. Discovery across Europe and Asia. Mohn said Schwebig would continue to advance RTL’s transformation, particularly in streaming and production.
