DirectGroup's History

2009

January – DirectGroup France Takes Over Chapitre.com

With the planned takeover of the 50.5 percent in the online shop Chapitre.com, DirectGroup France secures its multichannel strategy.

2008

December – Bertelsmann Divests ECI and BCA

The Dutch investor Clearwood acquires the Dutch and Flemish businesses grouped around the media club ECI, and the German industrial holding Aurelius takes over the British clubs of Book Club Associates (BCA).

July – Sales Process Initiated for Smaller DirectGroup Businesses

By deciding to enter a sales process for smaller countries in Western and Eastern Europe, Bertelsmann is concentrating on the DirectGroup businesses in the large European markets: The French- and German-speaking countries as well as Southern Europe with Spain, Portugal and Italy. 

April – DirectGroup Portugal Acquires the Renowned Publisher Pergaminho

With the acquisition of the renowned publishing group Pergaminho, the DirectGroup publisher strengthened its existing portfolio. The addition of bestselling authors like Paulo Coelho and Erich Fromm add more clout in fiction and psychological non-fiction and makes DirectGroup Portugal a stronger, more diversified book company

Spring – Asian DirectGroup Businesses are Closed

2007

October – Asian DirectGroup Businesses Move to Arvato

September – Bertelsmann Reorganizes DirectGroup's Operations

Gütersloh, September 3, 2007 – The international media company Bertelsmann is charting the course for a reorganization of its direct-to-customer businesses, united in its Direct Group division. In his new capacity as CEO of Direct Group, Fernando Carro will supervise the division’s European and Asian operations, and report directly to Bertelsmann’s Chairman & CEO. The book, DVD and music club business Bertelsmann Direct North America, managed by Stuart Goldfarb, President and CEO, will now report to Bertelsmann Executive Board member Peter Olson, Chairman and CEO of Random House.
April 2007, DirectGroup Bertelsmann Acquires Time Inc.’s 50% Stake in Bookspan Partnership
DirectGroup Bertelsmann announced that it has purchased from Time Inc. its 50 percent share of Bookspan, which was established in 2000 as a partnership between the two companies.

2006

June – DirectGroup Bertelsmann to Acquire Largest Portuguese Bookstore Chain Bertrand

DirectGroup Bertelsmann is purposefully further strengthening its market position in the European book distribution business by acquiring Livraria Bertrand, the largest chain of bookstores in Portugal with 48 branches. Headquartered in Lisbon, the Bertrand Group generated revenues of more then EUR 40 million last year and employs a workforce of approximately 400. The main shareholder in the company was previously a group of investors from Luxemburg.

2005

October – DirectGroup acquires French bookselling chain Alsatia

DirectGroup expands its position in France. The French club France Loisirs acquires Alsatia Group, a bookselling chain with 22 stores.

May – Liaoning Publishing Group and DirectGroup Bertelsmann Form Liaoning Bertelsmann Book Distribution Co., Ltd

The joint venture, which will do business as Liaoning Bertelsmann Book Distribution Co., Ltd, is the first book distribution company in the Chinese market co-founded with state-owned and foreign funds.

May – DirectGroup Bertelsmann Acquires Largest Specialized Retailer of DVDs in the U.S.

Columbia House is the largest mail-order specialist in DVD movies in the US. The step brings together two powerful brands with complementary structures and business models. Merging the two companies allows for offering the members of both clubs a broader spectrum of products.

April – DirectGroup Bertelsmann Acquires France’s Biggest Independent Bookselling Chain Privat.

The move strengthens DirectGroup's position as # 2 book distributor in the French market.

2004

September – DirectGroup Bertelsmann Takes Over Market Leading Book Mail-Order in Ukraine

The Family Leisure Club was founded in the year 2000 as a mail-order company, reached breakeven within just three years.

2003

December – DirectGroup Bertelsmann Acquires Shares of 21st Century Book Chain to Build First Nationwide JV Book Chain in China.

The new company rolls out book chains in mainland China based on the model of existing Bertelsmann Book Club Centers in Shanghai and Beijing.

July – Barnes & Noble, Inc. acquires Bertelsmann's interest in Barnes&Noble.com

Selling the shares in Barnes & Noble.com is in line with DirectGroup’s strategy to exit all pure media e-commerce businesses and focus on the worldwide book and music clubs

2002

September – New Strategic Priorities: Focus on Club Businesses

DirectGroup decides to phase out its involvement with BOL in Germany/Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden.

August – Ewald Walgenbach is appointed as DirectGroup's CEO

Ewald Walgenbach replaces Klaus Eierhoff, who leaves Bertelsmann.

April – Sale of holdings in the Korean e-mail provider Daum, and clear strategic focus on the local club’s core competence.

2001

December – The Bertelsmann eCommerce Group (BeCG) and DirectGroup’s music ventures in the US are combined into BMB Direct.

December – Acquisition of the Zooba.com e-mail marketing service in the US.

November – As part of a restructuring process, Pixelpark AG is moved to the Arvato corporate division as a pure business-to-business venture.

July – DirectGroup Bertelsmann becomes sole shareholder in the leading French book club, France Loisirs.

May – Realignment of the direct-to-customer businesses: book clubs and BOL in Europe and Asia merge into an integrated multi-channel business.

February – DirectGroup bundles its print and paper procurement processes for 15 book clubs in 13 European countries

In addition, specifications and formats for print products are standardized throughout Europe.
 

February – Broadband Group moves to RTL

DirectGroup Bertelsmann and RTL Group jointly extend their broadband activities: to this end, Bertelsmann Broadband Group, previously part of Bertelsmann eCommerce Group, is taken over by RTL Group under corporate law, and is integrated in RTL New Media.
January 2001, DirectGroup swaps its holdings in the DealTime Europe joint venture for a share in the parent of its joint venture partner, DealTime Ltd, thereby becoming the biggest shareholder in DealTime Ltd.
 

2000

December – Launch of BOL in China.
 

July – DirectGroup Bertelsmann founded

The new corporate division unites the e-commerce ventures of the former Multimedia Division with Bertelsmann AG’s book and music division’s club ventures. Thus, DirectGroup represents a first-ever bundling of Bertelsmann AG’s major direct-to-customer businesses.