Achim Berg, member of the Bertelsmann Executive Board and CEO of Arvato since April 2013, has left the company with immediate effect.
BMG owner Bertelsmann has wasted no time replacing him, appointing Fernando Carro (pictured left) as the new Arvato CEO.
Carro was previously President of Bertelsmann Latin America and Spain.
Berg (pictured right) was CEO of Arvato for more than two years. He oversaw the expansion of Arvato’s financial and e-commerce services and the related acquisitions of Gothia and Netrada.
Before joining Bertelsmann, Berg served as Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Channels Operator at Microsoft Inc. in Seattle, Washington (USA).
He had joined Microsoft in 2007, and was in charge of the company’s Germany business. The business IT specialist’s prior career stations included executive positions at the Deutsche Telekom subsidiary T-Com, as well as the computer manufacturers Dell and Fujitsu Siemens.
“The board regrets achim berg’s departure and wishes him all the best for his personal and professional future.”
Christoph Mohn, Bertelsmann
Christoph Mohn, Chairman of the Bertelsmann Supervisory Board, commented: “The Supervisory Board regrets Achim Berg’s departure, and wishes him all the best for his personal and professional future.
“In the past two years, Achim Berg has successfully advanced Arvato’s development and aligned it with Bertelsmann’s corporate strategy. Arvato can now build on this strong foundation.
“I would like to cordially thank Achim Berg on behalf of the entire Supervisory Board.”
Thomas Rabe, Chairman & CEO of Bertelsmann, said: “Achim Berg was responsible for an extensive change process at Arvato. Under his leadership, the company achieved significant strategic milestones.
“The acquisitions of Gothia and Netrada are examples for the successful expansion of financial and e-commerce services, two important growth platforms for Bertelsmann. Arvato’s businesses have great potential.
“On behalf of the Board, I wish Achim Berg continued success for the future.”
Achim Berg, CEO of Arvato, added: “I thank the Supervisory Board and my fellow Executive Board members for their support with the landmark decisions and changes of the past two years.
“We are parting on the best of terms. I wish the company and its employees all the best for the future.”
Arvato’s Solution Groups will now report directly to Fernando Carro and will be supported by the central departments at Bertelsmann Corporate.
Further to these changes, the Arvato Executive Board will be disbanded and replaced by a management team consisting of Arvato CEO Fernando Carro and Arvato CFO Rolf Hellermann, who takes over this function in addition to his role as Head of Bertelsmann’s Corporate Controlling and Strategy department at the Corporate Center.
Andreas Krohn, CEO Customer Relationship Management, Frank Schirrmeister, CEO Supply Chain Management, and Michael Weinreich, CEO Financial Solutions, each are to take a seat on the Bertelsmann Group Management Committee (GMC). Ulrich Cordes, previously CFO of Arvato, will take responsibility for the Digital Marketing, Print Solutions, IT Solutions, and Replication Solution Groups.
Christoph Mohn, Chairman of the Bertelsmann Supervisory Board, said: “I’m delighted by the appointment of Fernando Carro to the Bertelsmann Executive Board. Fernando Carro started his career at Bertelsmann in 1993 and so he has known the company inside out for over 20 years. He has proven his entrepreneurial skills, his strong leadership and focus on his staff in a number of management positions.
“He successfully managed the downscaling of our club and direct-marketing businesses, and his international experience, including as President of Bertelsmann’s growth region of Latin America, will be very valuable in the global expansion of the various Arvato businesses he is now responsible for. I wish him continued success in his new role as CEO of Arvato on the Bertelsmann Executive Board.”
Thomas Rabe, Chairman & CEO of Bertelsmann, said: “This development strengthens the entrepreneurial autonomy of Arvato’s Solution Groups while also creating a closer link to the Bertelsmann Group. This will help to step up the pace of growth. With the acquisitions of Gothia and Netrada and a stake in Intervalor in Brazil, Arvato has already set important milestones in developing the strategic growth platforms of finance and e-commerce services.
“I look forward to working even more closely with Fernando Carro on the Bertelsmann Executive Board, and soon with Andreas Krohn, Frank Schirrmeister and Michael Weinreich on the Bertelsmann Group Management Committee, as well as with Ulrich Cordes in his new position. I’m also pleased that Rolf Hellermann is taking on the role of Arvato CFO in addition to his existing responsibilities.”
Fernando Carro has worked in various management positions at Bertelsmann since 1993 and has been a member of the Group Management Committee since 2012. He was responsible for Bertelsmann’s club and direct-marketing businesses since 2007 and from 2007 to 2011 was CEO of Bertelsmann’s former Direct Group division.
After training as an industrial manager and studying industrial engineering at the Technische Universität in Karlsruhe, Carro initially worked as a sports journalist.
He joined Bertelsmann via the company’s Corporate Junior Executive Program. Just one year after joining, Carro became Managing Director of the specialist information publisher Etrasa in Madrid, then in 1998 Managing Director of Heinrich Vogel Verlag in Munich.
In 1999 Carro was appointed to the divisional Executive Board of Bertelsmann Springer, before moving to Barcelona two years later as Managing Director of Círculo de Lectores.
He became a member of the divisional Board of Direct Group in 2005 and at the same time took over the operational management of the German Clubs as CEO.Music Business Worldwide
