Strategy

Bertelsmann pursues four strategic priorities. The goal: to become an even faster-growing, more digital, more international and more diversified Group. To achieve this, Bertelsmann is increasingly opening up new lines of business that will benefit from megatrends such as digitalization, the rising demand for education, and growing consumption in countries such as Brazil, China and India. Creativity and entrepreneurship are the drivers of our strategy implementation. They form the core of the Group’s value creation, create transparency and orientation, and are essential to Bertelsmann’s identity and corporate culture.

The Four Strategic Priorities

Bertelsmann has since 2012 pursued four strategic priorities in transforming itself into a fastergrowing, more digital, more international and more diversified company. In recent years, the company invested more than €5 billion in digital and high-growth businesses, and is pursuing their expansion with an increasing focus on organic growth. Along with this, Bertelsmann is increasingly opening new lines of business that benefit from digitalization, the growing demand for education, and growing consumption in countries such as Brazil, China and India. At the core of the value creation of all its businesses, Bertelsmann relies especially on the innovative power of creativity, and spends more than €5 billion a year on video content, book rights and magazines, as well as catalog acquisitions and artist signings in the music sector. This figure is expected to rise to around €6 billion in the years ahead.

Strengthening the Core
Digital Transformation
Building and Developing Growth Platforms
Growth Regions

The Four Strategic Goals

Bertelsmann strives to create a faster-growing, more digital, more international and more diversified Group portfolio. Along with strengthening existing activities, this involves developing new lines of business and regional markets that ensure a broader overall revenue structure.

Higher Growth

Share of Group revenues contributed by growth businesses, in percent

20
~40
2011
34
2018
~40
Target

More Digital

Digital revenue share in Group revenues, in percent

30
>50
2011
49
2018
>50
Target

More International

Share of Group revenues generated outside Europe, in percent

20
~40
2011
28
2018
~40
Target

More Diversified

Number of business divisions

4
2011
8
2018