Overview
- Thomas Coesfeld, 35, will succeed Thomas Rabe as Bertelsmann chief on January 1, 2027, with Rabe pledging a smooth handover until his departure at the end of 2026.
- Coesfeld will continue to run BMG in personal union, extending the role he has held since 2023 after joining the music unit in 2020 and previously working at McKinsey.
- Clément Schwebig will become RTL Group CEO on May 1, 2026 and join the Bertelsmann executive board, returning from Warner Bros. Discovery after earlier roles at RTL.
- The appointment places a Mohn family descendant at the top of Bertelsmann for the first time since 1981, with supervisory board chair Christoph Mohn publicly endorsing Coesfeld’s selection.
- RTL Group’s leadership shift also includes the exit of deputy CEO and COO Elmar Heggen at the end of 2025, with CFO Björn Bauer remaining to form a two-person executive team with Schwebig.