Press Release | São Paulo, 09/07/2016

Bertelsmann Strengthens Educational Activities in Brazil

• Expansion of businesses in strategic growth region
• Investment in NRE Education Group via ‘Bozano Educacional 2’ fund
• Establishment of a medical education network in Brazil

Bertelsmann is expanding its educational activities in Brazil: In partnership with Bozano Investimentos the international media, services and education company is investing in one of the largest groups of medical higher education institutions in the country. The NRE Education Group runs three education institutions focusing on health courses in Brazil with currently 7,500 students.

The NRE Education Group is the second investment  made via the Bozano Educacional 2 fund to date: In February 2016, the fund invested in the Brazilian company Medcel, a provider of preparatory courses for medical students. Bertelsmann is the anchor investor in the fund, which was jointly set up with the renowned investment company Bozano Investimentos and support of other Brazilian investors. Its total fund capital is around 800 million Brazilian reais (approximately €230 million).

Shobhna Mohn, Executive Vice President Growth Regions at Bertelsmann, said: “Education is a growth area for Bertelsmann and Brazil a market where we intend to further strengthen our presence. The investments  in Medcel and the NRE Education Group with our valued partners at Bozano Investimentos are therefore an excellent fit with our corporate strategy and provide Bertelsmann a good basis to expand in the field of medical education in Brazil.”

Specifically, Medcel and NRE Education Group will collaborate more closely as part of the newly formed “BR Health” network which will be further expanded with future investments by Bozano Educacional 2.

Marc Puskaric, Managing Director Bertelsmann Brazil, said: We are glad that by entering, together with Bozano Investimentos, into the partnerships with the founders of NRE and Medcel we have started to fulfil our vision of building a powerful network of strong higher education institutions. In the medium term, our goal is to be one of Brazil’s largest providers of education in the medical sector and to prepare more students for a career with high-quality education offerings.”

Since the opening of the Corporate Center in São Paulo in 2012, Bertelsmann has actively invested in companies in the fields of education and digital media, both directly and through Brazilian funds. The company is active in the education business through its partnership with Bozano Investimentos, via the Bozano Educacional 2 fund, set up to invest in higher education and via the BR Education Ventures fund aimed at investing in education technologies (EdTech). In addition, Bertelsmann is a significant shareholder in Affero Lab, the leading corporate training company in Brazil.

Bertelsmann has also been active in Brazil through its divisions for many years. For instance, Fremantle Media, a part of RTL Group, has a growing presence and among others produces local editions of its successful TV formats. Penguin Random House owns a relevant stake in the Brazilian publisher Companhia das Letras. Gruner + Jahr publishes periodicals including automotive magazines through its Motor Press Brazil subsidiary. BMG launched its operations in Brazil this year with the acquisition of Basement Brazil, one of the country´s most respected music publishers. Arvato offers a broad portfolio of services and invested in the Brazilian financial services provider Intervalor.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services and education company that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the broadcaster RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the magazine publisher Gruner + Jahr, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato, the Bertelsmann Printing Group, the Bertelsmann Education Group, and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company has 117,000 employees and generated revenues of €17.1 billion in the 2015 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world.

About Bertelsmann Investments
Bertelsmann Investments unites Bertelsmann’s start-up investments around the world. The focus of its activities are the strategic growth regions of Brazil, China and India, as well as the United States and Europe. Shareholdings are acquired through the strategic investment vehicles Bertelsmann Brazil Investments (BBI), Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI), Bertelsmann India Investments (BII) and Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI). Bertelsmann owns stakes in more than 120 innovative companies via these funds.