Bertelsmann is a group of companies that is synonymous with first-rate media contentand services. All over the world, Bertelsmann occupies leading positions in its core markets – television, books, music, magazines, media clubs, and media services.

The Bertelsmann group includes market leaders such as RTL Group, the No.1 televisionand radio business in Europe, and Random House, the world’s largest consumer bookpublisher with more than 100 imprints. Creativity and strong brands are also trademarksof Europe’s biggest magazine publisher Gruner + Jahr, with its variety of high-qualitytitles, and the BMG music business, with its wide-ranging repertoire. The media servicesoffered by the Arvato division include distribution facilities, call centers, and customerloyalty systems, as well as state-of-the-art printers, storage media production houses,and comprehensive IT services. Direct Group bundles book and music clubs with aworldwide membership of over 30 million.

BERTELSMANN – MEDIA WORLDWIDE

17.016.818.3

2002 2003 2004

1,429

1,026787

2002 2003 2004

Overview of Group Performance

Revenues in € billionsOperating EBIT in € millions

RTL Group27.7%

Random House10.2%

Gruner + Jahr13.9%

BMG14.5%

Arvato21.3%

Direct Group12.4%

Revenue Share by Division in percent

Media Services26.3%

Advertising22.5%

Direct-to-customer22.7%

Content28.5%

Consolidated Revenues by Category in percent

Our lines of business are diverse, dynamic, and deeply competitive. That’s why we arelooking for people with an excellent education, great personality, high aspirations, anda proven record of high performance. In our executives, we look for and cultivate uni-que individuals, unconventional thinkers, and entrepreneurs with strong leadershipqualities. We work together as partners and cooperate within our worldwide networkof decentralized companies. At Bertelsmann, the quest for talent and its developmentis not a sideline, but a top priority on our management’s agenda. In the future, only withthe best people will we be able to continue satisfying our customers with creative con-tent, innovative ideas, first-class service, and flawless logistics.

FROM TALENT TO SUCCESS: THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE OUR MEDIA.

WE DO BUSINESS ALL OVER THE WORLD: 76,000 PEOPLE IN 63 COUNTRIES GENERATE ANNUAL REVENUES OF 17 BILLION EUROS.

WE STRIVE TO INSPIRE PEOPLE’S DAILY LIVES ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH OUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.

OUR EMPLOYEES ARE ENTREPRENEURS: THEY ARE CREATIVE, INDEPENDENT, AND INDIVIDUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR BUSINESS.

RTL GROUP is Europe’s leading broadcasting and TV production company, with interests in 31 TVchannels and 33 radio stations in ten countries, and worldwide content production. Its television portfolio includes the RTL family of channels in Germany, M6 in France, Five in the U.K., RTLchannels in the Benelux countries, Croatia, and Hungary, Antena 3 in Spain, and TVI in Portugal.RTL Group’s flagship radio station is RTL in France and its content production arm, FremantleMedia, is one of the largest international producers outside the US.

www.rtlgroup.com

“WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONNAIRE” ON RTL TELEVISION: THE MOST POPULAR QUIZ SHOW ON GERMAN TV.

“YOU HAVE TO

MAKE DECISIONSALL THE TIME. LIFE IS A CONSTANT YES OR NO.”

BERT HABETS, 34, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER,

RTL NEDERLAND, HILVERSUM

What have been the best decisions in your life thus far?

To move out of the banking industry. My character

and ambition did not match that industry.

In contrast to that, what makes working with RTL

so interesting?

RTL offers me the opportunity to be in

charge of a broad portfolio of activities in

a dynamic, challenging environment.

With regard to your business, how would you define

“decision-making” in your career?

Decision-making needs to be backed both by factual

arguments and analysis. But I think it also has to be

combined with a good “gut feeling” so that each decision

can be explained both rationally and emotionally.

What are your personal strengths?

I am a focused, determined, analytical, accessible,

and decisive person. Given the dynamics of our business,

these are very important characteristics to possess.

What is important to you when making decisions?

I believe decision-making is mainly based on well-prepared,

honest, and transparent discussions in which the final

decision is respected and communicated with diplomacy.

Sounds like creativity is called for in finding

the best solutions?

Working in the media sector implies a continuous

search for creative solutions with both the advertisers

and the producers. It is absolutely essential…

Do you like making decisions?

Yes! You have to make decisions all the time. Life is

a constant yes or no. But it is the quality of decision-

making in business affairs that challenges me.

MY BACKGROUNDMaster of Economics and Law (fiscal) at the University of Maastricht and MBA at the University of Barcelona. In 1999 I joined Bertelsmann as Project Manager in CLT-Ufa’s Business Development unit.

How would you describe your talents:

Are you more creative or more analytical?

My strengths tend to be analytical and this is essential

in the business. But I have to present creativity effectively

and improvise when faced with the demands of changing

policies, reporting tools, and presentations. These are

attributes that can be enhanced and must thrive in order

to retain success.

Were you ever fascinated by the media? If so, are you still?

Of course, media is a huge stimulus in my life. Media

surrounds us daily and provides us with an immense

amount of information; it is impressive how technological

advances of the 21st century have facilitated media

to reach the population on broader scales. I often

contemplate the life expectancy of some old forms of

media that have endured, such as newspapers, books,

and magazines.

What do you like most about books?

What I like most about books is the companionship

they give us; you never feel alone with a good book.

It goes without saying that they add tremendous

value to our lives, whether from an educational or

recreational standpoint. In my opinion, books

are the true testament to our civilization, and will

continue to be passed down through the ages.

What surprised you most about Bertelsmann when you

first joined the company?

I was most surprised at the vision Bertelsmann has

maintained through the years to achieve the significant

market share it claims today in the media industry. Also,

by occasionally joining resources with other companies,

Bertelsmann has accelerated its growth and developed

a competitive advantage over its competitors.

What does working for a global company mean to you?

First and foremost, it means sustaining a certain aware-

ness of the market development and competitors. This

is essential to ascertain, evaluate, and apply our under-

standing of economic demands. It is one of the basic

requirements for economic growth. I feel that each and

every employee contributes to the success of the company,

so one must always uphold a teamplayer mentality.

Growth is a shared effort. As a business analyst, I have an

encompassing “big picture view” of financial statements,

budgets, management reports, and author contracts for

Spain and the Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America.

“I FEEL THAT EACH AND EVERY EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTES TO

THE SUCCESS OF THE COMPANY.

GROWTH IS A SHARED EFFORT.”CRISMEYLIN RIVANO, 31,

BUSINESS ANALYST,RANDOM HOUSE MONDADORI, BARCELONA

MY BACKGROUNDBachelor in Business Administration, with concentration in Accounting, at Baruch College, New York City. I joined Random House Inc. in New York in 1998.

Random House is the world’s largest consumer book publisher and the only one that publishes adultand children’s fiction and non-fiction hardcovers and paperbacks in English, German, Spanish,Japanese, and Korean. Its portfolio comprises more than 100 editorially independent imprints. Eachyear, nearly 10,000 new books enhance an active catalogue of more than 50,000 titles. No othertrade publisher tops the national bestseller lists as often while also publishing as many Nobel PrizeLiterature laureates on its author roster.

www.randomhouse.com

AWARD-WINNING LITERATURE: RANDOM HOUSE AUTHOR TONI MORRISON ACCEPTS THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE IN 1993.

The Gruner + Jahr printing and publishing company is Europe’s biggest magazine publisher. It pro-duces more than 260 magazines in over 20 countries, as well as the publications’ complementary web-sites. G+J publications include Stern, Brigitte, Geo, Capital, Gala, Neon, Financial Times Germany,Essen & Trinken, National Geographic, as well as Télé 2 Semaines and Femme Actuelle – many ofthem in multiple editions and several countries. Gruner + Jahr stands for quality journalism at itsbest: thoroughly researched, informative, inspiring, and entertaining.

www.guj.com

CLOSE UP, PERSONAL, AND ENTERTAINING: GRUNER + JAHR IS GERMANY’S MARKET LEADER IN WOMEN’S MAGAZINES.

kind of enthusiasm with a healthy dose of pragmatism,

keeping the goal clearly in mind. Happiness on the job is the

engine behind discovering things anew each and every day.

As Executive Publisher, you also manage

complicated matters like brand management.

Doesn’t that sometimes kill the fun?

The more difficult things are, the more fun they can

be. Brand management is an interesting topic, especially

at the “Brigitte” publishing group, because in fact the

editorial team reinvents the product every two weeks.

And yet, we strive to keep conveying the same basic values:

responsibility, closeness, and courage. That’s what Brigitte

stands for among its readership. It forms styles and reflects

the life of women in Germany, in all facets. This results

in an in-depth dialog between the readers and the editorial

team that is unusual for a magazine.

And yet you probably didn’t start your career with

the idea of going to work for “Brigitte”.

How did you come to join Bertelsmann?

You won’t believe it: it was an image brochure like the

one you’re interviewing me for right now. It was handed out

to me at a recruiting event at my alma mater in Boston,

and in it I read about someone who, like myself, had earned

a humanities degree and now worked in a position that

combined the content side with the business side. That

fascinated me. And I thought to myself, that’s what I want!

As Executive Publisher of “Brigitte,” you inspire

millions of women – is this proof of the fact that

enthusiasm is infectious?

“Brigitte” is put together by an enthusiastic editorial team,

which is why it is such a great magazine and a wonder-

fully vibrant brand that for 50 years has inspired women

by addressing courageous topics, giving them a sense of

closeness, and above all entertaining them.

How would you define “enthusiasm” in your life?

Professionally speaking, it means getting up each morning

thinking: I have Germany’s most fantastic job! That’s my

personal style of enthusiasm. Being as interested in content

as I am, working creatively is very important to me.

John Irving once wrote “You’ve got to get obsessed

and stay obsessed”. Is this the ideal reciprocity

between a personal need to inspire

people and the motivation provided by success?

I can’t think of a better way to put it. Meanwhile, all

enthusiasm aside, you have to remember to keep your

thoughts and actions clear. It’s good to combine any

“IT’S GOOD TO COMBINE ANY KIND

OF ENTHUSIASM WITH AHEALTHY DOSE OF PRAGMATISM,

KEEPING THE GOAL CLEARLY IN MIND.”JULIA JÄKEL, 33,

EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER, BRIGITTE, GRUNER + JAHR, HAMBURG

MY BACKGROUNDM.Phil. in International Relations, University of Cambridge, England. I joined Bertelsmann AG in 1997 as part of the Bertelsmann Entrepreneur’s Program, which eventually resulted in my being sent to Gruner + Jahr in Hamburg.

Does taking risks make sense to you – in the business realm?

Risk is an important element in any negotiation, as there

is risk in every business decision. I am empowered at BMG

Music Publishing to make important decisions that affect

the outcome of the deals that I negotiate. As part of this

empowerment, I use my discretion to balance risks against

the potential reward or pitfalls that might result. In business,

you cannot win every negotiation, so you must learn to

choose your battles within every negotiation, and to take

risks where the fruits of the risk are realistic.

How would you describe your talents?

My talents involve a keen sense of negotiation and a great

ability to make a positive out of a negative. In business

as in life there are many ups and downs. I think success in

business often hinges on one’s ability to create positive

solutions out of challenging situations, to provide unfore-

seen value to your company.

Do you see any relationship between music and risk?

There is an aspect of risk in every business. Many people

often overlook the inherent risks involved in the music

business. Music trends often change from year to year and

failure often rides on the heels of success (and vice versa).

What might be an incredible success one year may not

be the next. The “music” product is very different from many

other consumer products – there is no “new and improved”

version of music. Instead, our product constantly changes,

for the good or for the bad, and it is our responsibility

to invest resources in areas that we feel will be lucrative.

Why did you start a career in the Music Business?

I entered the music business because I have a great passion

for music. I always wanted a career that would allow me

to apply my passions along with my business skills and

legal expertise. And I am a long-time believer in the fact that

skills can be more rewarding if used within businesses in

which the skill possessor has an underlying knowledge and

passion for the product itself. As a music enthusiast, I am

able to take my knowledge of trends in the marketplace and

use them to my advantage on an everyday basis. I always

felt that applying my passion alongside my skill set would

lead to a successful career.

“IN THE NEW DIGITAL WORLD, IT IS

IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE RISKSTO DEVELOP NEW MARKETS, WHILE

AT THE SAME TIME, NOT IGNORE TRENDS IN OUR TRADITIONAL INCOME SOURCES.”

JASON BOYARSKI, 30, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF LEGAL AND

BUSINESS AFFAIRS, BMG MUSIC PUBLISHING, NEW YORK

MY BACKGROUNDBachelor in Business Administration at Emory University in Atlanta and J.D. at the Cardozo School of Law in New York City. I started as Associate Director of Legal and Business Affairs at BMG Music Publishing in 2002.

The BMG division consists of the Sony BMG Music Entertainment joint venture and the BMG MusicPublishing company. Sony BMG unites legendary labels and is home to a number of domestic andinternational stars, including Avril Lavigne, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Usher,Dido, Anastacia, Alicia Keys, and Carlos Santana. The songwriters and composers signed with BMGMusic Publishing, including Maroon 5, Coldplay, Nelly, and Christina Aguilera, also enjoy a superbreputation. The music publisher is one of the world’s largest and most successful.

www.bmg.com

NINETEEN ALBUMS AND A LOYAL FAN BASE: SONY BMG STAR BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN.

Arvato AG, whose 250 subsidiaries make it one of the largest internationally networked media serviceproviders, is Bertelsmann’s media services division. Arvato AG includes the Arvato Print companies(rotogravure and offset printing plants in Germany, Europe, and America), the Arvato Direct Services(customer loyalty systems and call centers), Arvato Logistics Services (logistics and supply chainmanagement), Arvato Storage Media (CD and DVD production), and Arvato Systems/Empolis (inter-national IT services) units. The mobile entertainment provider Arvato Mobile is also part of the division.

www.arvato.com

MUSIC, GAMES, VIDEOS: ARVATO BRINGS ENTERTAINMENT TO MOBILES.

important if you intend to learn the ropes of something

quickly and then offer sustainable, persuasive solutions.

That sounds as though you seek out situations

that challenge you?

Guilty as charged – I do. That was the case when I went

to boarding school in England at 16, and it’s still the case

today. For example, a friend and I recently entered a motor

rally that took us from Paris via Madrid and Casablanca to

Cannes. 3,000 miles in six days! I don’t wait for challenges

to come and find me. I seek them out – in my personal and

professional life.

How would you define the term “managing”

in your professional life?

I would tend to interpret it to mean something more like

“guiding” – with regard not just to our customers, but also

to the team. I value people who question their limits and

skills. It is part of my job to create an environment that culti-

vates such colleagues and encourages them to keep going

one step further. After all, that’s what I myself am given.

For me, good leadership consists of giving others the space

and freedom for them to rev their own engines. It calls for

good instincts, because every person is different.

Do you prefer fast media in your personal life?

I prefer quality, just as in business. It’s important to

me to be on top of the news. I rarely watch TV, but read

a great deal – mostly about business and politics.

Technologies and people set the pace of progress.

How would you define progress?

Making life easier – I’d say that’s the main motivation

behind all technical developments. I’m convinced that

many things were invented for this reason: the wheel,

for example, helped to cover distances in less time, move

heavy loads more easily and conserve one’s strength.

…and that’s exactly what you do at Arvato?

We find solutions that are perfectly tailored to the interests

of our customers. In doing so, we have to change constantly,

to always be one step ahead of the competition. This is

the only reason that we are able to create connections and

collaborations that mean added value for our customers.

Is it difficult to create loyal customers and lead them in the

right direction?

I don’t think so. The recipe for success is simple enough

if you possess the crucial skill of empathizing with your

customers and trying to understand what it is they need

and want. Granted, that sounds very simplistic – but

it is precisely this ability to reduce complexity that is so

“FOR ME, GOOD LEADERSHIP CONSISTSOF GIVING OTHERS THE SPACE

AND FREEDOM FOR THEM TO REV THEIR OWN ENGINES.”

REZA GHALAMKARIZADEH, 29, DIRECTOR, CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT,

ARVATO DIRECT SERVICES, GÜTERSLOH

MY BACKGROUNDBachelor in Economics (with honors) from the University of the West of England in Bristol, M.Sc. in International Housing Policy from the London School of Economics. In 2002 I joined Arvato Direct Services in Gütersloh as an Executive Assistant.

“EVERY COUNTRY IS DIFFERENT, NOT TO MENTION EVERY PERSON. THE END RESULT

OF CHANGE IS THAT YOU KEEP

REDISCOVERING YOURSELF.”EUN-KY PARK, 26,

MARKETING DIRECTOR, BEIJING 21STCENTURY SHOP CHAIN, DIRECT GROUP, SHANGHAI

In 1492, Columbus discovered America.

When did you discover Bertelsmann?

In summer 2000, I was an intern at Bertelsmann in

Shanghai. That experience ultimately tipped the scales

in my decision to join Bertelsmann. Super people,

great products, a fascinating country with plenty of

opportunity for self-development. Direct Group’s

Marketing@Media program provided my entry into

the field of worldwide media marketing.

Did you ever daydream about future careers as a child?

If so, do those dreams still play a role today?

Hmm... I remember when I was about nine I wanted to

go off and be a missionary in Africa. But after that, I never

had a specific job in mind, but more of a wish to discover

the world. And I always wanted to organize things, preferably

in commerce and above all internationally. I travel a lot

in my personal life as well. This may sound strange, but

perpetual change provides a constant for me. It gives me a

sense of security.

Does your job call for a sense of imagination?

Of course! Especially when you grow up Korean in

Germany, and then take charge of the marketing

department in China. Fortunately, I am a very communi-

cative and creative person, and very proactive. That’s

essential in my job, as new challenges crop up every day.

Let’s talk about “discovery” – what role does this concept

play in your professional life?

I keep discovering new worlds in my professional life.

Geographically on the one hand, because I need to travel

a lot, but I also keep discovering aspects about people,

cultures, and myself that enrich my life. Living and working

abroad is a daily voyage of discovery! Part of the reason

I enjoy it so much is because I can feel at home nearly

everywhere. I carry this sense of home within myself. In

other words: I feel at home wherever I can cook myself

some spaghetti for dinner.

You work in China. Is it especially interesting

to work for a Global Player there?

For one, I can avail myself of Bertelsmann’s international

network of skills and experience at any time, and for another,

it is extremely interesting that Bertelsmann’s decentralized

culture of entrepreneurship allows it to react as dynamically

in a country like China as a smaller company. But I also

value the cultural exchange that is always a given in global

companies like Bertelsmann.

MY BACKGROUNDMaster of Business Administration and Economics at Otto BeisheimGraduate School of Management in Koblenz. I joined Direct Group through the Marketing@Media program in 2001, as a Consultant and Executive Assistant.

Direct Group bundles Bertelsmann’s worldwide direct-to-customer business with media products. Atthe heart of the business are its book and music clubs with more than 30 million members in 22 coun-tries, including famous brands like France Loisirs (France), Book-of-the-Month Club (USA), The Club(Germany), Circulo de Lectores (Spain), and BMG Direct (USA). Members can access the clubs’ broadrange of products using catalogs, the Internet, or one of the 600-odd club centers around the world.

www.directgroup.de

CASTING A SPELL ON READERS: OUR CLUBS IN GERMANY AND SPAIN HAVE SOLD TWO MILLION HARRY POTTER BOOKS TO DATE.

The Bertelsmann Corporate Network (BCN) is in charge of group-wide tasks pertaining to corporateand strategy development: in particular developing and supporting growth ideas, promoting regionalexpansion, and managing group-wide collaborations and synergies. From its Hamburg offices, theBCN team supports Bertelsmann companies in networking their content, services, and customer rela-tionships in an ideal way. The goal is to generate added earnings potential for the companies in-volved by taking joint approaches, and to help innovative business ideas achieve breakthrough.

www.bertelsmann.com

A NETWORK OF MORE THAN 400 AUTONOMOUS COMPANIES: BERTELSMANN – MEDIA WORLDWIDE.

What is more important to you personally:

happiness or success on the job?

The two are not mutually exclusive. I firmly believe that only

happy and well-adjusted people can solidly deliver peak

professional performances. I see that in the supervisors

I have worked for, and these days I see it in myself as well.

Professional success tends to materialize by itself – partly

as a result of one’s openness for further development.

So everything depends on your basic personal attitude?

Yes, absolutely. You can’t really plan a career. People who

are at peace with themselves and their lives will bring a

sense of fun to their work and can better motivate their

teams. Interpersonal skills are clearly a high priority, as are

professional skills. Of course analytical thinking and the

ability to present complex facts in an intelligible way are

important in this job. But results arrived at jointly are more

easily accepted and usually implemented better and faster.

So one can jointly arrive at the destination?

It is absolutely necessary in fact. Like in sports – only a good

team in which everyone has their job, can succeed. There

have to be specialists as well as generalists. After all,

everyone enters their profession with their own individual

strengths, which are then accentuated in the team.

In sports, there is a lot of promotion of new talent.

Does this happen in management as well?

Of course. However, I’ve observed that Bertelsmann

gives new professionals a chance to prove themselves

professionally early on, thanks to opportunities for highly

qualified graduates to make their mark in the company –

whether they enter the company at the assistant level, as

a staff member or via “direct entry.” Perhaps sports is a

bit different in this regard because you have to wait longer

before your first big “assignment.” I have experienced a

balance between being challenged and being cultivated

that makes work here very compelling. As simple as it may

sound, here you are given the opportunity to grow with

your challenges and become qualified for new tasks and

responsibilities.

What do you find especially fascinating about your job?

Working with capable colleagues, our shared interest in

media, and the incentive that comes with being involved in

basic matters of developing the group’s fields of business

– these are the factors that make my job so exciting. The

challenge lies in arriving at a viable and accepted result

with the right team in the time provided. In other words:

scoring goals.

“YOU CAN ONLY WIN IF THE CONDITIONSARE RIGHT: THE PLAYING FIELD, THE TEAM,

AND ITS GOALS.”MAXIMILIAN DRESSENDÖRFER, 34,

VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE NETWORK AND BMG CORPORATE STAFF, HAMBURG

MY BACKGROUNDMaster of Business Administration and Economics at Otto BeisheimGraduate School of Management in Koblenz, Ph.D. in FinancialEconomics at University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. I joined Bertelsmannin 1999, as a Senior Associate in Corporate Development.

CURIOUS? HERE ARE SOME WAYS YOU CAN JOIN OUR COMPANY

Seize your future: there are many different ways to enter a company as diverse asBertelsmann. Here is a sampling of typical entry positions within our many companies:for recent graduates and new professionals with several years of experience; for well-rounded entrepreneurs with an international dynamic and executive potential; for marketing experts with experience and an interest in brand management and directmarketing; for music aficionados and “content creators” or strategists with an MBA anda background in consulting. At Bertelsmann we are able to custom-tailor our opportu-nities to match your skills, interests and strengths. What can you offer us?

Executive AssistantAs assistant to one of our Executive Board members or CEOs you will experience first-hand how our topmanagement makes important decisions. You becomeengaged in our business activities as you are givensignificant projects of your own to work on. Yourpersonal and professional skills are consistently put to the test and enriched. We are looking for peoplewho use their freedom in a creative, entrepreneurialway and who already possess solid project manage-ment skills coupled with previous work experience. In addition to an excellent education, an ExcecutiveAssistant’s skill set would be supplemented by furtherqualifications (e.g. MBA or PhD). As individual and different as your specific profile may be: the bottomline is we’re always looking for “entrepreneurs.” Theprospects for development are multifaceted and challenging.

Corporate/Business DevelopmentAnalytic and strategic thinking are your strengths? Do you have a classic consulting background and anexcellent university degree, preferably in business, and additional qualifications (e.g. MBA or PhD) and/or several years of work experience, e.g. in strategyconsulting? Then you may be interested in joining oneof the units that deal with all aspects of corporatedevelopment at our Corporate Center or the variousdivisions. After two or three years, you will haveoptions for development in demanding executivepositions throughout the group.

Programs for Junior ExecutivesThere are other career entries to the Corporate Center and to our various corporate divisions, e.g.:� DirectGroup’s Marketing@Media program pro-

vides an entry into worldwide media marketing.� Gruner + Jahr’s trainee program teaches all

the myriad facets of the magazine business.� The Bertelsmann Entrepreneur’s Program trains

young executives for general management tasks.� The CFO program is designed specifically for

junior business executives aspiring towards theposition of Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Direct EntryIf you would like to experience working in the mediaindustry, and can bring with you outstanding profes-sional qualifications, in addition to an excellent educa-tion, experience of working abroad and very goodlanguage skills in at least one foreign language – thendirect entry at one of the six Bertelsmann divisions isthe right thing for you. You will start at headquarters orone of our six divisions:

As an Associate in an area, you will quickly assumeresponsibility for specific projects on the job. TheBertelsmann group, with over 400 individual compa-nies, offers you the opportunity to continue to develop from a professional and human standpointaccording to your strengths.

� RTL Group� Random House

� Gruner + Jahr� BMG

� Arvato� Direct Group

� More in-depth information about these and other

career entry options are posted on our website, which

links to the homepages of all our corporate divisions.

www.myfuture.bertelsmann.com

DEVELOPMENT

One thing we definitely offer you at Bertelsmann is custom-tailored development. We’ll give you the freedom to allow your visions to take entrepreneurial shape. Youwon’t be learning things in theory, but first and foremost “on the job.” Your demandsfor development are always a consideration. However by the same token, we expect youto deal with your development in an “entrepreneurial” way.

Management DevelopmentFrom the beginning, the Management Developmentteam serves as mentor, advocate and coach to ourjunior executives. Promising entrepreneurs are giventhe opportunity to develop their business ideas andstrategies and implement them on their own. Havingideas alone is not enough – you have to be able to put them to work, while utilizing Bertelsmann as a knowledge and experience network. Your own topperformance will qualify you for the next steps in your development: Bertelsmann fills the vast majorityof top management positions from its own ranks. Youwill benefit from our wide range of supplementaryeducational programs and other offerings.

Bertelsmann UniversityBertelsmann University offers top-notch programsdesigned for senior executives and high potentials. The “virtual campus” serves to promote strategic exchange between top managers and fosters col-laboration between the various divisions. BertelsmannUniversity has academic partnerships with institutionsincluding the Harvard Business School located inBoston, USA and INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France as well as the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, USA,offering a wide range of program formats and learningplatforms.

Round TablesTo enable the Bertelsmann community to get to knowyou – our junior executives – and for you to get to knowus better, we offer group-wide Round Tables. Thisprovides an opportunity for you to discuss viewpointswith our top management and allows you to discovernew perspectives. Furthermore, you will be able tolearn from colleagues and experienced executives,gain deeper insights into other lines of business, andgrow through professional exchange of knowledge.

Leadership ProgramsWe systematically prepare executives for theirmanagerial tasks. Understanding and applyingBertelsmann’s principles of leadership helps to define and develop the role of our management on three levels – Individual, Team, and Organization. The way our leaders motivate their team’s and delegateresponsibilities determines our shared success.

� To find out more and apply for career opportunities at Bertelsmann please visit our international careers website

www.myfuture.bertelsmann.com

Imprint

EditingCorporate Management Development/Corporate CommunicationsMedia Relations

DesignRingzwei, Hamburg

ProductionMedienfabrik Gütersloh GmbH, Gütersloh

Contact for Applicants

www.myfuture.bertelsmann.comwww.myfuture.bertelsmann.comwww.myfuture.bertelsmann.comwww.myfuture.bertelsmann.comwww.myfuture.bertelsmann.com

PrintMohn Media Mohndruck GmbH, Gütersloh

Photo CreditSebastian Vollmert, Matthias Jung/laif, Tony Sica/Gamma/StudioX, Getty Images, Neal Preston/Corbis, Simon Taplin/Getty Images, Scott Olson/Getty Images, Jörg Modrow/laif.

Bertelsmann AGCorporate Management Developmentc/o Bertelsmann Recruiting ServicesP.O. Box 11133311 Gütersloh, Germany

E-Mail: myfuture@bertelsmann.comHotline for Applicants: +49-5241-80-88887

Press date: July 14, 2005