German Publishing M&A Activity Down in 09

By Siobhan O’Leary

There were only 38 mergers and acquisitions in the German publishing and media industries in 2009, as compared with 66 in 2008, according to the consulting firm Bartholomäus & Cie and as reported in Buchreport. The acquisition of bol.com from the Holtzbrinck Group by Dutch equity investor Cyrte Investments was, according to B&C, the largest deal in the book trade in 2009. Overall, German M&A activity was down for the first time since 2004, with a total of 213 mergers and acquisitions across all industries in Germany. The trend is expected to continue in 2010.

About the Author

Edward Nawotka

A widely published critic and essayist, Edward Nawotka serves as a speaker, educator and consultant for institutions and businesses involved in the global publishing and content industries. He was also editor-in-chief of Publishing Perspectives since the launch of the publication in 2009 until January 2016.