Bertelsmann Firms Ostrowski’s Post

Bertelsmann has confirmed that Hartmut Ostrowski will replace Gunter Thielen as chairman and chief exec from the beginning of next year.

As previously reported, Thielen will retire although he will also move across to the company’s supervisory board as elected chairman.

The supervisory board’s January 19th meeting also announced the departure of Dieter Vogel after 20 years – although he remains a shareholder – and that Rolf Buch is to take a seat on the executive board.

Ostrowski, whose promotion was first reported in the U.K.’s The Sunday Times on January 14th, has been a member of the Bertelsmann AG executive board since 2002.

During this time, he consistently kept the Arvato division on a growth track and led it to great business success. His major achievements as an entrepreneur include building Arvato into an international media and communications services provider with 47,000 employees in 37 countries.

As a result of Hartmut Ostrowski’s appointment, Buch – currently chief exec of Arvato Direct Services – will succeed as chairman and chief exec of the Arvato division and assume his seat on the Bertelsmann AG executive board.

As a member of the Arvato executive board, Buch was instrumental in the group’s success and contributed significantly to expanding the services business.

Liz and Reinhard Mohn, head of the family that owns most of the company and effectively runs it, released a statement saying Ostrowski’s appointment is part of a change in Bertelsmann’s top leadership that’s intended to "safeguard the company’s successful development for the long term."

It also said that Bertelsmann today is stronger than ever and holds out an excellent future for its 95,000 employees.