Bertelsmann broadens its setup and establishes a new corporate structure with eight divisions. The Media business is represented by RTL Group, Penguin Random House, Gruner + Jahr, and BMG, Services by the Arvato and Bertelsmann Printing Group divisions, and Education by the new Bertelsmann Education Group. Also new is the Bertelsmann Investments division with four funds that invest in promising start-ups worldwide, thus giving the company access to innovative business ideas.
RTL Group and Gruner + Jahr combine their ad marketing in Germany in the Ad Alliance, together reaching 99 percent of the German population. At the same time, RTL Group rapidly expands its digital ad sales business. BMG wins over more and more artists with its business model founded on fairness and transparency, and signs Pink Floyd legend Roger Waters in 2016. The company now administers more than 2.5 million music rights.