Dr. Gunter Thielen
Chairman and CEO, Bertelsmann Stiftung, Germany
Dr. Gunter Thielen has worked for Bertelsmann since 1980, transforming Bertelsmann’s former Printing and Manufacturing Division into the Arvato AG, a cutting edge media and communications service provider.
In July 2002, the Bertelsmann AG Supervisory Board appointed Thielen chair of the Executive Board. Since January 1, 2008, he has been chairman and CEO of the Bertelsmann Stiftung, primarily responsible for projects addressing economic issues and for the foundation’s international strategy.
He studied mechanical engineering and economics at Aachen Technical University. After earning a doctorate in engineering, he worked in a variety of executive positions at BASF before becoming technical director of the Wintershall refinery in Kassel.
At Bertelsmann Dr. Thielen became CEO of the maul-belser printing company in Nuremberg, after starting with the company. In 1985, he took over the Printing and Manufacturing Division, and became a member of the Bertelsmann AG Executive Board.
