History

Established in 1986 as a mail order company for film music by the current CEO and majority shareholder Michael Haentjes, edel has advanced to become the largest independent recorded music company in Germany. Between 1998 and 2001, the Company was listed on the Neuer Markt, expanding swiftly into the international market during this period. After the departure from this acquisition strategy pursued during the years of the “stock market exuberance” and the switch to the regulated market, a comprehensive restructuring program was implemented in 2002 in conjunction with Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, as a result of which individual operations and equity interests were sold and loss-making companies closed. In this connection, the headcount was trimmed from over 1,700 to around 750 people. Since then, edel AG has been concentrating on the successful organic growth which it had been achieving prior to its stock market flotation and channeling its efforts into the German and European market, in which it is traditionally strong.