Axel Hentrei, who was previously serving as Co-CEO of the group of companies with Bertram Stausberg, assumed sole responsibility of the printing businesses at the beginning of October. Effective at the same time, Bertram Stausberg left the group at his own request and on the most amicable terms, so he can dedicate himself to a new entrepreneurial challenge.
Effective October 1, Astrid Meicherczyk and Niklas Darijtschuk have also joined the BPG management team. Astrid Meicherczyk is the BPG board member in charge of the business activities of Prinovis Germany and also continues to oversee BPG's international sales activities. Niklas Darijtschuk is the BPG board member responsible for Bertelsmann's printing businesses in the United States, for Prinovis UK and for rtv Media Group. He also focuses on comprehensive projects. Ulrich Cordes remains CFO of the Bertelsmann Printing Group and, as a member of the management team, will continue to handle issues relating to Sonopress.
Thomas Rabe, CEO of Bertelsmann, explains: "I regret, yet also respect, Bertram Stausberg's decision to leave the Bertelsmann Printing Group. I sincerely thank him for his great contribution to the development of a new printing strategy for Bertelsmann. While serving at the helm of BePrinters, Bertram Stausberg played a significant role in strategically realigning our gravure printing operations as well as effectuating the sales of our printing activities in Southern Europe and Colombia. I wish him all the very best for the future, both professionally and personally. I'm also looking forward to working even more closely with Axel Hentrei, who has done a tremendous job with the development and expansion of Bertelsmann's offset printing businesses in recent years."
Axel Hentrei adds: "As Europe's leading printing group, BPG is at the forefront of shaping the printing industry and facing the related challenges in a flexible and appropriate way. Bundling Bertelsmann's offset and gravure printing operations under a single roof was the right strategic step, as proven by the positive business growth recorded in the first half of 2016 and by the fact that major new customers have been acquired, in particular in the area of gravure printing."
