Christoph Mohn

Christoph Mohn
Christoph Mohn, 2018
Born	Christoph Scholz (1965-07-06) July 6, 1965 (age 59) Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
Nationality	German
Alma mater	University of Münster
Occupation(s)	Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Bertelsmann
Board member of	Chairman of the Executive Board, Reinhard Mohn Foundation Member of the Board of Trustees, Bertelsmann Stiftung

Christoph Mohn (born (1965-07-06)July 6, 1965) is a German businessman.^[1] In 2013, he became chairman of the supervisory board of Bertelsmann.^[2] Since 2021, he has also been Chairman of the Steering Committee of Bertelsmann Verwaltungsgesellschaft (BVG) and has assumed the role of family spokesperson there.^[3] Moreover, Mohn chairs the executive board of the Reinhard Mohn Foundation and is on the board of trustees of the Bertelsmann Stiftung.^[4]

Family

Mohn is one of six children of media businessman Reinhard Mohn, who died in 2009.^[5] Up until 2021, his mother, Liz Mohn, was chairwoman of the Bertelsmann Verwaltungsgesellschaft, representing the fifth generation of the business-owning family.^[6] The parents had married in the year 1982,^[7][8] and Reinhard Mohn then adopted their mutual children Brigitte, Christoph and Andreas Mohn [de].^[9]

During his studies, Mohn met Indian mathematician Shobhna.^[10] The couple are married and have three daughters.^[11]

Education

After earning his German baccalaureate (Abitur) at the Städtisches Gymnasium in Gütersloh, Mohn completed his military service.^[1] In 1985, he took up studies in Business Administration, majoring in Marketing, at the University of Münster.^[12]

Career

Mohn started his career in 1992 at Bertelsmann Music Group in Hong Kong and New York City.^[13] After three years, Mohn switched over to the McKinsey & Company consulting firm in Düsseldorf.^[14] There, he monitored trends and developments surrounding the Internet and new media.^[15] Mohn returned to Gütersloh in 1996 and worked for the multimedia division at Bertelsmann,^[16] which was headed by Thomas Middelhoff at that time.^[17] As Vice President of the subsidiary Telemedia, he helped expand the company's online business.^[1]

Lycos Europe

Mohn assisted in establishing a joint venture between Bertelsmann and Lycos,^[16] and in 1997, he became chief executive officer (CEO) of Lycos Europe.^[18] For a certain period, Lycos Europe was the most successful Internet portal in Europe.^[19] Mohn took the company public in the year 2000,^[20] and due to a difficult market environment after the dot-com bubble burst,^[21] he instituted comprehensive restructuring measures.^[22] In 2008, the owners decided to wind up Lycos Europe.^[23]

Bertelsmann

From 2001 to 2007, Mohn was a member of the Bertelsmann Verwaltungsgesellschaft.^[1] It controls the voting rights of Mohn family members and foundations having indirect shareholdings in Bertelsmann.^[24] After the death of Reinhard Mohn in the year 2009, his son Christoph assumed his position in the Bertelsmann Verwaltungsgesellschaft,^[25] now representing the sixth generation of the Mohn family.^{[26] [27]}

Since 2006, Mohn has been a member of the Bertelsmann Supervisory Board, ending speculation about a possible move to the Executive Board.^[28] In this way, the family also expanded its influence on Bertelsmann.^[29] Finally, in 2013, Mohn became Chairman of the Supervisory Board.^[30] In this position, he has been supporting the transformation of the Group, under the leadership of Thomas Rabe, who became CEO in 2012.^[31]

In 2021, upon reaching the age of 80 years, Liz Mohn stepped down from the executive bodies of Bertelsmann Verwaltungsgesellschaft. Christoph Mohn then took over the chairmanship of the Steering Committee and the duties of Speaker of the family there.^[3]

Other activities

In the year 2009, Mohn became a member of the Board of Trustees of the non-profit Bertelsmann Stiftung.^[32] In 2010, he also took over the chairmanship of the Reinhard Mohn Foundation established back in 2006, dedicated to the lifetime achievements of Reinhard Mohn.^[33][34]

As an investor, Mohn also supports start-up companies in their early stages and in building up their business.^[35]

References

1. "Christoph Mohn", Internationales Biographisches Archiv (in German), Munzinger, April 30, 2013, retrieved November 28, 2019
2. "Machtwechsel: Christoph Mohn wird Aufsichtsratschef von Bertelsmann.", Spiegel (in German), August 30, 2012, retrieved November 28, 2019
3. Hülsen, Isabell; Kühn, Alexander; Rainer, Anton (June 11, 2021), "Liz Mohn und die Medien-Dynastie: Die Bertelsmann-Königin klärt ihre Thronfolge.", Spiegel (in German), retrieved June 15, 2021
4. Osterkamp, Ludger (December 7, 2011), "In der Tradition seines Vaters.", Neue Westfälische (in German)
5. Karnitschnig, Matthew (December 8, 2003), "Die komplizierte Romanze der Liz Mohn.", Tagesspiegel (in German), retrieved November 28, 2019
6. "Bertelsmann: Medienmonarchie aus Gütersloh.", Handelsblatt (in German), January 30, 2011, retrieved November 28, 2019
7. "Liz Mohn: Mit den Augen einer Mutter.", Welt am Sonntag (in German), p. 39, January 7, 2001
8. Schuler, Thomas (October 17, 2009), "Die Stimme ihres Herrn.", Berliner Zeitung (in German), p. 3
9. Bähr, Günther; Meier, Tatjana (December 8, 2003), "Bertelsmann: Szenen einer Ehe.", Focus (in German), p. 188
10. "Persönlich: Christoph Mohn", Neue Westfälische (in German), p. 7, December 3, 2016
11. "Die siebte Generation wird Teilhaber bei Bertelsmann. Christoph Mohns Kinder kommen in den Medienkonzern.", Börsenblatt (in German), January 16, 2011, retrieved November 28, 2019
12. Siebenhaar, Hans-Peter (March 22, 2006), "Der andere Bertelsmann.", Handelsblatt (in German), p. 13
13. Rohde, Heidi (July 14, 2001), "Große Fußstapfen auszufüllen.", Börsen-Zeitung (in German), p. 14
14. Siebenhaar, Hans-Peter (December 15, 2003), "Der Konteradmiral.", Handelsblatt (in German), p. 16
15. Nonnast, Thomas (November 27, 2000), "Familienbande aus Gütersloh.", Handelsblatt (in German), p. 2
16. Schuler, Thomas (April 10, 2003), "Der Sohn des Patriarchen.", Berliner Zeitung (in German), p. 15
17. "Bertelsmann will mit Multimedia Milliarden umsetzen", Welt (in German), February 27, 1996, retrieved November 28, 2019
18. "Jungunternehmer: Selbst ist der Sohn.", Focus Money (in German), pp. 150–155, November 16, 2000
19. "Lycos Europe surft an die Spitze.", Frankfurter Rundschau (in German), p. 12, February 22, 2001
20. Hauke, Reimer (March 16, 2000), "Neuemissionen: Lex Lycos", WirtschaftsWoche (in German), p. 238
21. Rohde, Heidi (July 14, 2001), "Vom Schwergewicht zum Penny Stock.", Börsen-Zeitung (in German), p. 14
22. "Lycos Isn't Top Dog – but Sniffed out the Way to Survive.", Telegraph, April 7, 2005, retrieved February 28, 2019
23. Jennifer Lachmann: Internetportal Lycos Europe gibt auf. In: Financial Times Deutschland, 27. November 2008, S. 4.
24. Siebenhaar, Hans-Peter (October 12, 2009), "Christoph Mohn: Seine zweite Chance.", Handelsblatt (in German), p. 15
25. Siebenhaar, Hans-Peter (October 12, 2009), "Seine zweite Chance.", Handelsblatt (in German), p. 15
26. Ohler, Arndt (May 26, 2008), "Konzerneigner in sechster Generation.", Financial Times Deutschland (in German), p. 4
27. Graaff, Arthur (November 5, 1999), "Christoph Mohn of Bertelsmann: a European Gates (Christoph Mohn van Bertelsmann: een Europese Gates).", Computable (in Dutch), retrieved November 24, 2021
28. Hülsen, Isabell (November 16, 2006), "Mohn wird Aufseher bei Bertelsmann.", Financial Times Deutschland (in German), p. 4
29. "Mohn rückt in Aufsichtsrat.", Neue Westfälische (in German), November 16, 2006
30. Müssgens, Christian (August 30, 2012), "Christoph Mohn: Ein Familienwächter für Bertelsmann.", Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German), retrieved November 28, 2019
31. Hülsen, Isabell (September 3, 2012), "Bertelsmann: Die Berufung.", Spiegel (in German), retrieved November 28, 2019
32. "Bertelsmann: Liz Mohn hat nun alle Rechte.", Tagesspiegel (in German), p. 31, October 9, 2009
33. Siebenhaar, Hans-Peter (August 17, 2010), "Gütersloh streng vertraulich.", Handelsblatt (in German), p. 54
34. Hänel, Bernhard (October 25, 2011), "Die Rückkehr des Christoph Mohn.", Neue Westfälische (in German)
35. Wocher, Martin (October 5, 2016), "Die Deichbauer aus Nordrhein-Westfalen.", Handelsblatt (in German), retrieved February 28, 2019

External links

Media related to Christoph Mohn at Wikimedia Commons