After studying in Oxford, London and St. Gallen, Hesse (45) began his career in 1991 as a consultant with McKinsey, leaving in 1996 to join what is now the RTL Group, and subsequently taking on various executive positions within Bertelsmann until 2008. Thomas Hesse has served as head of the worldwide digital business and chief strategist at Sony BMG, now Sony Music Entertainment, since 2005; in this New York-based position he is also responsible for US sales. With effect from 1 February 2012 he will be Member of the Bertelsmann Executive Board and head the central department for corporate development and new businesses. In this role he will be responsible for the growth platforms Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) and Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI), for the Education business and for the holding in the BMG music rights company.

^** subject to AGM approval