Joachim Bitterlich
Former German National Security Advisor (Kohl) | Professor (affiliate), ESCP in „EU in its geopolitics“
Joachim Bitterlich was born in 1948. He studied Law, Economics and Politics at the University of Saarbrücken, and was research assistant at the same university. He was also student at the French National School of Administration (ENA) in Paris (1974-75). Joachim Bitterlich entered in 1976 into the Federal Foreign Office; he was posted to Algiers (1978-81) and Brussels (Permanent Representation to the European Communities –1981-85). He was Advisor in the private office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hans-Dietrich Genscher (1985-87), head of the European Policy Department at the Federal Chancellor’s Office (1987-93) and Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl (1993-98), and then Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany on the North Atlantic Council Brussels (1998-99), Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain and the Principality of Andorra (1999-2002). He was is Executive Vice President International Affairs of Veolia Environment SA in Paris (2003-2012), and also Chairman of Veolia Environment Germany in Berlin (2009-2012). Since 2013, Joachim Bitterlich is Independant Consultant, mandates and member of boards in different public and private companies and institutions. Specific mandates are : Senior Advisor of BGA Berlin Global Advisors (Berlin-London-New York); EUTOP Brussels/Munich, Austrian Home Ministry and others; founding member of CogitoPraxis Paris, member Independant of Historical Commission of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Berlin ; Board of administration of the École Nationale d’Administration ENA, Paris/Strasbourg; member of the Board of Trustees of « Friends of Europe » Brussels, Co-Chairman and Co-Founder of the “Club Rhénan”, member of the Advisory Board of the Franco-German Business Club (CEFA), Paris ; Chairmanof the Franco-German Business Circle (DFWK), Berlin ; Deputy Chairman of the German Economic Board (Wirtschaftsrat) Working Group on French-German relations, Advisory Board of the Institut du Bosphore, Paris/Istanbul ; Advisory Board of the Instituto Universitario de Estudios Europeos, Universidad San Pablo CEU, Madrid and Scientific and strategic Committee Regional Council “Normandy for peace”, Advisory Committee Region “Grand Est”. Joachim Bitterlich is Professor (Adjunct) at the École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris (ESCP Europe) and Vice-President of the Jacques Delors Institute.
Olaf Böhnke
Berlin Director, Rasmussen Global; Alliance of Democracies, Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity (TCEI)
Olaf Böhnke is a strategic leader and passionate advocate for democracy, boasting over 20 years of experience in international politics, particularly at the nexus of geopolitics, digital technology, and democratic processes. As the head of the Berlin offices for both the Alliance of Democracies Foundation & Rasmussen Global, he has spearheaded initiatives combating foreign election interference and cyber intrusions, significantly bolstering democratic institutions worldwide. His commitment to democracy has spurred the development of innovative pro-democracy tools and campaigns like the "Pledge for Election Integrity," "The Disinformation Diaries," and the "Digital Media LitLab," all aimed at raising awareness and mobilizing political leaders and the public to safeguard democracy. Recognized as a prominent voice in global media outlets such as the New York Times, The Economist, CNN, BBC, and many others, Böhnke tirelessly advocates for transparency, integrity, and democratic principles on the international stage.
Frederick Bordry
CTO, Gauss Fusion | Former Director of Technology at CERN
Frederick Bordry is the Chief Technology Officer for Gauss Fusion (since 2023). He is also an honorary member of CERN, where he previously served as the director for Accelerators and Technology until December 2020. He is an electrical engineer who has spent years teaching and conducting energy conversion research. Bordry came to CERN in 1986, joining the group working on power converters for the Large Electron-Positron Collider (LEP). In 2009, Bordry was promoted to Head of the CERN Technology Department - responsible for technologies specific to existing particle accelerators, facilities and future projects – where he remained until 2013. From 2014 he acted as the Director for Accelerators and Technology, where he is responsible for the operation and exploitation of the whole CERN accelerator complex, with particular emphasis on the LHC and for the development of new projects and technologies.
Joanna Bryson
Professor of Ethics and Technology; Founding member of the Hertie School Centre for Digital Governance, Berlin
Joanna J Bryson is an academic recognised for broad expertise on intelligence, its nature, and its consequences. Holding two degrees each in psychology and AI (BA Chicago, MSc & MPhil Edinburgh, PhD MIT), Bryson is since 2020 the Professor of Ethics and Technology at Hertie School in Berlin, where she is a founding member of the Centre for Digital Governance. From 2002-2019 she was Computer Science faculty at the University of Bath; she has also been affiliated with Harvard Psychology, Oxford Anthropology, The Mannheim Centre for Social Science Research, The Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, and the Princeton Center for Information Technology Policy. Bryson advises governments, corporations, and NGOs globally, particularly on AI policy. Her research has appeared in venues ranging from reddit to Science. It presently focuses on the impacts of technology on human societies and cooperation, and improving governance of AI and digital technology.
Dr. Ionela Maria Ciolan
Research Officer, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, focusing on European Foreign Policy, Security and Defence
Dr. Ionela Maria Ciolan, a Research Officer at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, specializes in European Foreign Policy, Security, and Defence, with a focus on areas such as European Security and Defence Policy, NATO, Black Sea security, and EU relations with Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova. She is also a Re.Think CEE Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and part of the Transatlantic Security Initiative of the International Republican Institute. Previously, she held positions at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, European Policy Centre, and Center for European Policy Analysis, among others, accumulating extensive international policy expertise. Holding a PhD on the dynamics of the Eastern Neighbourhood, her policy research has been published by various reputable institutions, and she has been quoted in international media. Ionela has participated in prestigious programs such as the Manfred Wörner Seminar, GLOBSEC Young Leaders Forum, and received scholarships from organizations like the OSCE and UN Office for Disarmament Affairs. She has been recognized as a New Security Leader of the Warsaw Security Forum and a Professional Fellow of the US Department of State.
Tony Curzon Price
Economic regulation, strategy, energy, net zero, antitrust, tech regulation, former sr advisor to UK PM
Tony Curzon Price Sits on the board of Ofgem, the UK's energy regulator with responsibility for achieving Net Zero. He has worked in Number 10, the Cabinet Office, the department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and in the UK's antitrust authority. Before his civil service career, he founded Arithmatica, a silicon valley chip design company, and spent 5 years building the company in the Bay Area; he was editor-in-chief of the UK political website openDemocracy, where transformed openDemocracy into a not-for-profit editors’ cooperative for comment, analysis and investigation. He wrote his PhD on game theory and market design with Ken Binmore at UCL.
Arthur de Liedekerke
Senior Director of European Affairs, Rasmussen Global
Arthur de Liedekerke is currently the Senior Director of European Affairs at Rasmussen Global, where he has been working since November 2021. Simultaneously, he serves as a Non-Resident Fellow at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University (ISPK), a position he has held since 2021. Prior to joining Rasmussen Global, from 2020 to 2021, Arthur served as a Strategy Officer in the French Ministry for the Armed Forces, providing counsel to the leadership of its Cyber Command. Preceding this role, he worked as an External Affairs Officer at CERT-EU within the European Commission, managing communications and external relations from 2018 to 2020. Arthur initiated his career as a parliamentary assistant, supporting two prominent MEPs, including former Commissioner Mariya Gabriel. Liedekerke has made significant contributions to respected publications and think tanks, frequently appearing in the media to discuss topics spanning cybersecurity, disinformation, and geopolitics. Educationally, he holds a Master's Degree in Geopolitics, Territory & Security from King's College London, a Master's Degree in European Politics & International Relations from Maastricht University, and a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from University College Maastricht.
Sebastian Hallensleben
Head of Digitalisation and AI; Head of Strategic Technology Area "Digital Trust", VDE | Co-Chair, OECD ONE AI; UNESCO AI Ethics implementation expert group
Dr. Sebastian Hallensleben, Chair of CEN-CENELEC JTC 21 shaping European AI standards for EU regulation, also contributes to the EU StandICT program and leads the Trusted Information working group. He co-chairs OECD ONE.AI's classification and risk assessment group and holds roles in AI committees at IEC, Council of Europe, and UNESCO. Additionally, he heads Digitalisation and AI at VDE, overseeing new product/service development and providing guidance to the German parliament, federal ministries, and the European Commission. His focus includes AI ethics, generative AI impact, privacy-preserving trust infrastructures, and AI quality characterization. Previously, he facilitated dialogues between academia, industry, and policymaking and worked on international infrastructure projects. With a PhD in physics, he began his career in IT development and solutions architecture in the financial and telecom sectors. He holds an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of Tübingen and both his MSc and PhD degrees in physics are from the Unviersity of Sussexs.
Amb. Tomáš Kafka
Czech Ambassador to Germany
Ambassador Tomáš Kafka is a distinguished diplomat currently serving as the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Federal Republic of Germany. With a background in History and Russian studies from Charles University in Prague, Ambassador Kafka has dedicated his career to strengthening diplomatic ties. His extensive experience within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes roles such as Attaché for culture, research, and education in Berlin, Director of the Secretariat of the Czech-German Future Fund, and Ambassador to Ireland. Recognized for his outstanding contributions, he has been decorated with the German Cross of Merit in 2001 and the Great Golden Medal of Honor with the Star of the Austria Republic in 2022. Ambassador Kafka's expertise and commitment make him an influential speaker on matters of diplomacy, international affairs, and Czech-German relations.
Michal Koran
Founder of GARI - the Global Arena Research Institute
Michal Kořan, President & Founder of the Global Arena Research Institute and Assistant Professor at Masaryk University, holds a Ph.D. in Social Sciences and co-founded the Next100 Symposium. His expertise spans globalization, technology, global politics, security, foreign policy, theories of International Relations, and philosophy of science, with a focus on applied complex data science, data-driven forecasting, and risk assessment. He explores the interplay between (de)globalizing forces, supply chains, commodities, energy, security, and their social impacts, integrating neuroscientific research into understanding complex societal behavior. Previously, he served as Deputy Executive Director at the Aspen Institute CE and held positions as a Senior Research Fellow & Deputy Director at IIR Prague. A Fulbright Scholar at Harvard, he has contributed extensively to Czech foreign policy discussions and engaged in various forums like the Czech-Polish Forum & Think Visegrad. Kořan is published in prestigious journals and publishers and frequently appears in media and public speaking engagements.
Lenka Kovačovská
Former Deputy Minister responsible for energy, CZ
Ing. Lenka Kovačovská, Ph.D, is a seasoned expert in energy security and policy. With a background in mathematics and physics from Charles University, she pursued International Relations and Diplomacy, focusing on energy security. She has extensive experience in research and analysis, having worked at think tanks and academia. Her expertise led her to roles at ČEPS, a.s., and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, where she currently serves as Deputy Minister, overseeing the energy sector. She is deeply involved in shaping energy strategy, promoting renewables, and enhancing energy efficiency. Kovačovská's multilingual proficiency in English and German strengthens her international collaboration efforts.
Donna Avellana Künzler
Head of Procurement Process Excellence & Digital Transformation, ABB
Donna Avellana Künzler is currently the Head of Procurement Process Excellence & Digital Transformation for ABB’s Robotics and Discrete Automation in Zurich, Switzerland. With 25 years of experience, she excels in international program/project management, business and IT process reengineering, risk and controls, and global system implementations.As an award-winning author, Künzler's book, "The Overseas Fabulous Pinay," published in March 2020, has earned accolades, including the Best Independent Book Award (BIBA) 2021 for Nonfiction: Travel-Living Abroad. Künzler also runs a blog about life overseas and hosts a podcast, The Ovfabpinays, featuring Filipina role models. Künzler's academic background includes a postgraduate degree in Strategy and Innovation from Säid Business School, University of Oxford, UK, and an Accountancy degree from De La Salle University in the Philippines.
Stephen Leach
Stakeholder Engagement at greenCHEM, an ecosystem for sustainable innovation in chemistry
greenCHEM is inspired by a sustainable future for our material world and is devoted to the transformation of the chemical industry. Our mission is to create an ecosystem of innovation, which unfolds sustainability impact that is routed in green chemistry. Characterized by an open culture and equipped with necessary technical infrastructure, we foster technology transfer as well as the realization of creative, forward-thinking ideas. In our vision, we see chemistry practices, where renewable and non-toxic resources are the norm, chemical products fit into the circular economy and are biodegradable. Our vision extends to bringing about societal change through education, awareness, and by inspiring a new generation of chemists committed to environmental stewardship.
Nestor Maslej
AI Index Research Manager, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI
Nestor Maslej is a Research Associate at Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI). In this position, he uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies to conduct research for the AI Index and Global AI Vibrancy Tool. Nestor also leads research projects that study AI in the context of technical advancement, ethical concerns and policymaking. In developing tools that track the advancement of AI, Nestor hopes to make the AI space more accessible to both policymakers and citizens. His work is also oriented towards building knowledge about AI in a way that facilitates more productive dialogues surrounding its future and can lead to its development in ethically responsible ways. Prior to joining HAI, Nestor worked in Toronto as an analyst in several startups. He graduated from the University of Oxford in 2021 with an MPhil in Comparative Government, where he used machine learning methodologies to study the Canadian Indian Residential schooling system and Harvard College in 2017 with an A.B. in Social Studies.
Patti Morrissey
Global Foresight Strategies | CEO & Founder
Patti Morrissey, the CEO and Founder of Global Foresight Strategies, brings 36 years of experience in national security and government, offering strategic foresight analysis to government, NGO, and private sector clients. Her areas of expertise encompass national security strategy and policy, including counterterrorism, intelligence, regional security dynamics, and arms control challenges. She excels in building interagency and foreign partner teams to address global security issues, conducting futures/foresight analyses, strategic planning, and legislative processes. With a Masters in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University and a Masters in International Affairs from The American University, she has a solid educational foundation. Additionally, her political experience spans from legislative assistant roles on Capitol Hill to hosting public access cable shows, as well as participation in various political campaigns, including two for the VA House of Delegates.
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Elizabeth Nelson
Co-Founder, Head of Innovation & Content Smart Building Collective
The author of The Healthy Office Revolution, Elizabeth C. Nelson is a researcher, writer, and Co-Founder of the Smart Building Collective | Certification. She stands on the review board for Academic publications including Nature's Digital Medicine, Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR), and Plos One. Her PhD in biomedical engineering focuses on our complex relationship with technology and a better way of living and working. Her prominent research has been conducted with such companies as CBRE and GSK and helped design such buildings as the Booking.com Campus and Edge Olympic.
Thomas Neubert
Founder Transatlantic AI eXchange
Serial Entrepreneur and Corporate Executive with a track record from inception to IPO, I am a seasoned expert in market evangelization for innovative technologies with focus on artificial intelligence and a global specialist in go-to-market strategies. My approach is customer-centric, focusing on sales and business development. As an Advisor, Mentor, and Investor, I bring a wealth of experience and insight to every role. Founder and Chief Connector of the Transatlantic AI eXchange (TAIX) Since January 2021, I established TAIX as a nascent network linking transatlantic industry experts from research, academia, corporate, startup, investment, and governmental spheres. TAIX orchestrates educational and hybrid conferences to foster a tight-knit community of experts, utilizing online platforms and video podcasts to enhance connections across the transatlantic ecosystem, aiding everything from venture fundraising to customer acquisition. In Client-Oriented Roles, ranging from Board Advisor to Fractional CxO/VP, I apply 33 years of expertise in launching startups, international subsidiaries, and innovation hubs. I serve as a reliable local representative for startups and established corporations, proficient in C-Level engagement and identifying potential customers and developer communities. At Intel (January 2017 - February 2023) as GM in the Datacenter and AI Cloud Execution and Strategy Group, I led the development of new business lines, serving as potential revenue streams. Embracing a venture capital model, I facilitated the creation of independent operating units akin to startups, promoting their success in a dynamic, fail-fast framework. Initially joining Intel's New Technology Group to spearhead global sales for 3D Perceptual Computing, I later focused on AI and Deep Learning within the IOTG group, establishing programs for application and algorithm developers to access new technologies promptly. During my tenure as VP/GM at Deutsche Telekom (January 2012 - February 2016), I spearheaded North American initiatives for innovative partnerships. Prior to this, I managed global accounts at Logitech and evangelized desktop video conferencing for over eight years as VP of Business Development. Since relocating to Silicon Valley in 1991, my journey includes contributions to the graphics industry and leading ELSA’s U.S. operations up to its 1998 IPO. As an entrepreneur and private investor, I advise numerous startups, serving as AI Advisor for the German Entrepreneurship program and Innovit the Italian Innovation Hub in Silicon Valley. Additionally, I co- founded the Silicon Valley Marathon Club (SVMC). My Mentoring Philosophy: I have always valued mentorship throughout my career and appreciated the time and wisdom of my mentors. Years ago, I committed to giving back, driven by my passion for helping individuals achieve their potential. I am open to both short-term and long-term mentoring, as well as board- level engagements.
Tim Palmer
Pioneer & mathematical physicist | Royal Society Research Professor in Climate Physics
Tim Palmer is a Royal Society Research Professor in Climate Physics, and a Senior Fellow at the Oxford Martin Institute. He was involved in the first five IPCC assessment reports and was co-chair of the international scientific steering group of the World Climate Research Programme project (CLIVAR) on climate variability and predictability. For a large part of his career Tim has developed ensemble methods for predicting uncertainty in weather and climate forecasts. In 2020 Tim was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences. His work explores questions around where climatic processes on different space and time scales interact. He has also developed and worked on the application of weather and climate forecasts systems for malaria prediction, flood forecasting, crop yield estimation, and more. Most recently his research has focused on simulating climate at extremely high resolution
Odessa Primus
Executive Director of GARI Global Arena Research Institute, Director of the Next 100 Symposium
Odessa serves as the Executive Director at the Global Arena Research Institute (GARI), spearheading initiatives utilizing a digital twin of the globalized world for big data analysis on trade, geopolitics, and security. Noteworthy endeavors include leading the Next 100 Symposium and the ReDefine Next 100 global youth program, as well as hosting the informative "Last Week on Earth with GARI" podcast. Her outstanding leadership has earned her prestigious accolades such as the Young Leader for Europe at the European Commission’s European Development Days 2017 and participation in influential forums like the European Forum Alpbach. With expertise in migration and new media, Odessa contributes significantly to EU institutions, shaping effective migration policies and integration strategies. Committed to humanitarian causes, she actively addresses refugee and migration crises, notably in Europe and Lebanon. Odessa's initiatives extend to founding the Go Think Initiative, promoting media's impact on politics and society, and co-founding the Czech & Slovak Club Alpbach to foster intellectual and cultural exchange. Additionally, as a Global Shaper and Curator of the Prague Hub, she advocates for global dialogue and cooperation.
Hans Pung
President of RAND Europe
Hans Pung is President of RAND Europe, a not-for-profit public policy research organization that helps improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis. Pung joined RAND as a policy analyst in 2002 and continues to lead and deliver research projects, particularly around industrial economics and security policy issues. Before joining RAND, Pung served as an engineer officer in the United States Army with responsibility for logistics, personnel, and operations and overseas service in the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Germany. His recent projects include Cost Modeling and Skills Analysis, European Defense Industrial Base Analysis, Future UK Military Capability Requirements, Improving Counter-Violent Extremism Intervention. Pung is a mathematics graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point where he commanded the United States Corps of Cadets as a senior. He also holds advanced degrees in mathematical modeling and modern history from Oxford University, which he attended as a (George C.) Marshall Scholar.
Milena Roveda
Chief Executive Officer, Gauss Fusion | Innovator
Milena Roveda is the Chief Executive Officer of Gauss Fusion (since Jan 2023). Her previous roles include the Chief Finanical Officer of DEPT (2021-2022) and IFS (2018-2019) and Chief Operating Officer of MotorK(2019-2020). Roveda has over 25 years of international experience leading leams in developing and expanding businesses as well as extensive know-how in designing and executing corporate strategies.
Jeffrey Saunders
CTO, Danish National Defense Technology Center
Jeffrey Saunders the Chief Technology Officer of The National Defense Technology Centre (since 2023). He is the also the CEO of Nordic Foresight (since 2019) and is an expert in strategic futures studies and foresight with 18 years of experience. He. He formerly served as Director, Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, and led their Strategy and Innovation. He also served as an onsite advisor at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Stability Operations. He further served as a policy analyst and advisor at the Strategic Assessment Center at SAIC, where he advised the Office of Net Assessments at the Department of Defense and other government agencies. He has conducted foresight exercises for Fortune 100 organizations and governments. He has authored over 30 articles, reports, book chapters, etc., on the future work and the future of the built environment. He also authored 17 ethnographic analyses of subnational and organizational cultures along the Andean Ridge, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Joachim Schmitz-Brieber
Senior Policy Specialist Industry and Energy
Joachim Schmitz-Brieber is an economist and public policy specialist with over fifteen years of experience. Before joining EPICO, he worked for a variety of organizations, including the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Office of the Federal President of Germany, on issues ranging from Better Regulation and Industrial Policy to Energy Policy. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Maastricht and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the Hertie School of Governance. He also pursues a Professional Doctorate focused on the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries. At EPICO, he is the Senior Policy Specialist for Industry and Energy.
Jiri Sedivy
Chief Executive, European Defence Agency
Jiří Šedivý has been the Chief Executive of the European Defense Agency since 2020.Additionally, he has served as the Special Representative of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Resilience and New Threats since 2019. Prior to that position he served as the Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to NATO from 2012-2019. He served as the Deputy Minister of Defense (2010-2012 and 2006-2007), NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defense Policy and Planning(2007–2010), Deputy Minister for European Affairs (January – September 2007). From 2004 to 2006, he was professor of security studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. Between 1999 and 2004, he was the director of the Institute of International Relations in Prague, and assistant professor of international relations at Charles University. He is a graduate of Charles University, Prague (PhD in political science, 1999), and of King’s College, London (MA in war studies, 1995).
Mirek Topolánek
EPH | Former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
Mirek Topolánek, a Czech politician and business manager, held the position of the prime minister of the Czech Republic from (2006 to 2009) and served as the leader of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) from (2002 to 2010). During the period from (2006 to 2009), Topolánek was a member of the Chamber of Deputies (MP) and had previously served as a senator from Ostrava from (1996 to 2004). Following his departure from politics in (2010), Topolánek became actively involved in the electric power industry, advocating for the fossil fuel industry.
Michael Vorländer
European Policy at CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group in the German Bundestag
Michael Vorländer has been working as Advisor for European Policy & Human Rights/Humanitarian Aid at the CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group in the German Bundestag since August 2022. Prior to this, he was Head of Unit for Education and Research Policy at the Permanent Representation of Germany to the EU in Brussels for almost five years. During the German EU Council Presidency from July to December 2020, he chaired the Council Working Party on Research and the Joint Council Working Party on Research and Nuclear Issues. In this role, he was instrumental in the successful conclusion of negotiations with the European Parliament and the European Commission on the current EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation ‘Horizon Europe’. Prior to his work in Brussels, he worked as Advisor for Education and Research Policy at the CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group in the German Bundestag and as Head of Division for EU Research Policy and the European Research Area at Germany‘s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). In the course of his career to date, he has also worked as Counsellor for Science, Technology and Space at the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., as Advisor for Education and Research Policy in the Federal Chancellery in Berlin (Bundeskanzleramt) and for cabinet and parliamentary affairs in the BMBF. Before becoming a federal civil servant, Michael Vorländer worked briefly as a public prosecutor in Munich after completing his law studies, his legal traineeship and a postgraduate programme (Master of Laws/LL.M. International and European Law) in Germany, Singapore, Norway, Israel and the United Kingdom.
Franz Xaver Mauerer
Senior Foreign Policy Adviser at CDU/CSU parliamentary group in German Bundestag
Franz Xaver Mauerer hails from the beautiful Bavarian Forest and has been working for CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group for 3 years- first as Europe and Human Rights Coordinator, now as Foreign Policy Advisor. A diplomat by trade, he joined the Federal Foreign Office in 2008 and has since held various positions in HQ i.e. as Palestine, Hungary, Jordan and Arab League Desk Officer as well as a 3 year posting to Ramallah. Franz holds an International Administration Bachelor from the German Foreign Service Academy and a Governance Master from University Hagen. In the free time that his two sons allow, he has a side gig in music journalism, co-leads the Association of Civil Servants Abroad and is politically active in CDU and CSU on a municipal level.
Manfred Kremmer
Head of the Experimental Physics department, CERN
Manfred Krammer, born on June 7, 1961, in Vienna, completed his physics studies at the Technical University of Vienna from 1981 to 1987, culminating in a diploma thesis and a dissertation in 1990. Engaged with CERN since his student days, he contributed to the UA1 Collaboration from 1985 to 1991. He established the Semiconductor Detectors Department at HEPHY (Institute for High Energy Physics of the Austrian Academy of Sciences) in 1987. As deputy director of the ÖAW institute, he leads projects at CERN, including the CMS Experiment. In 2012, he chaired the European Committee for Future Accelerators, shaping particle physics strategies.
