Bertelsmann AG
Synopsis
On July 28, 2002, Bertelsmann announced the firing of its CEO, Thomas Middelhoff, in a move that surprised industry observers, analysts, and many employees. Bertelsmann, a privately held company headquartered in Germany, was one of the largest global media conglomerates, with businesses spanning book publishing, printing, music, and television. Between 1998 and 2002, Middelhoff had initiated a series of strategic initiatives aimed at fostering greater integration among its diverse business units and strengthening their competitive positions, articulated a series of guidelines that would reevaluate Bertelsmann's portfolio mix, and looked to prepare Bertelsmann for a transition to a planned initial public offering in 2005. This case describes these initiatives in detail and the decision of the supervisory board to effect a change in leadership. The new CEO, Gunter Thielen, had to decide whether to effect a fundamental shift in the company's corporate strategy or a more modest reinterpretation of the course charted by Middelhoff. Includes color exhibits.
- Copyright:
- 2003 President and Fellows of Harvard College
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- ISBN-13:
- Publisher:
- Harvard Business School Publishing
- Date of Addition:
- 2019-04-03T20:25:43Z
- Language:
- English
- Categories:
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.