Gunter Thielen

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File:Gunter Thielen 2015a.jpg

Gunter Thielen (born 4 August 1942 in Quierschied) was chairman and chief executive officer of the Bertelsmann Stiftung.{{cite web|url=https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/en/press/press-releases/press-release/pid/gunter-thielen-becomes-chairman-and-ceo-of-the-bertelsmann-stiftung |title=Gunter Thielen Becomes Chairman and CEO of the Bertelsmann Stiftung |date=1 February 2008 |access-date=20 October 2010 |publisher=Bertelsmann Stiftung}}{{cite web|author=Gunter Thielen |url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=2520330&privcapId=519888&previousCapId=519888&previousTitle=Bertelsmann%20AG |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007044619/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=2520330&privcapId=519888&previousCapId=519888&previousTitle=Bertelsmann%20AG |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 October 2012 |title=Gunter Thielen: Executive Profile & Biography |magazine = BusinessWeek |date= |accessdate=20 October 2010}}

He graduated from RWTH Aachen University with a PhD in mechanical engineering and economics.{{cite web|url=http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/biography/S-Z/Thielen-Gunter-1942.html |title=Gunter Thielen 1942— Biography - Early success in leadership, Redirecting company policy, Hard line on profits |publisher=Referenceforbusiness.com |date= |accessdate=20 October 2010}} He was a manager at BASF from 1970 to 1976 and a technical director at the Wintershall refinery from 1976 to 1980.{{cite web|url=http://www.nndb.com/people/100/000159620/ |title=Gunter Thielen |publisher=Nndb.com |date= |accessdate=20 October 2010}}

He was chief executive officer of Arvato AG, from 1985 to 2001. He was CEO of Bertelsmann AG from August 2002{{cite book |title=Global Dimensions of Corporate Governance |last=Luo |first=Yadong |pages=150–151 |year=2007 |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |isbn=978-1-4051-3707-2 }}{{cite web|last=Gumbel |first=Peter |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1009747,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228141609/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1009747,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 December 2007 |title=Gunther Thielen: Bertelsmann |magazine=Time |date=17 December 2004 |accessdate=20 October 2010}} until January 2008 when he was succeeded by Hartmut Ostrowski.

In 2005, he received the Johns Hopkins University Global Leadership Award.The International Who's Who 2011, p. 2058

He is on the International Advisory Board of the Atlantic Council.{{cite web |url=http://www.acus.org/users/gunter-thielen |title=Dr. Gunter Thielen | Atlantic Council |publisher=Acus.org |date= |accessdate=20 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100825190522/http://www.acus.org/users/gunter-thielen |archive-date=25 August 2010 |url-status=dead }}