The family saga at Germany’s media colossus takes an unusual twist
The owner of Penguin Random House and BMG is returning to family management
It is common for family empires to eventually pass into the managerial hands of an outsider. Rarely does an heir later take back the reins. Yet that is precisely what is under way at Bertelsmann, a German media colossus. After more than 40 years of being run by a series of hired bosses, the company has signalled that one of two brothers descended from its founder will be its next leader. This is the latest surprising twist in a bizarre family saga.
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This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Oh, Brother!”
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