Service, innovation, perseverance and reliability – these are all attributes with which we at Messe Frankfurt are investing in interaction with our customers with a view to maximising their success.
Messe Frankfurt represents diversity, with its product portfolio, its corporate culture and its employees around the world. Our company aims to think and plan far ahead. We do so by working closely together with the City of Frankfurt and the state of Hesse, with which close ties have been forged over the years.
As a trade fair company, we are constantly active in the interests of our sectors with our expertise and worldwide network – our focus is on the business interests of our exhibitors and visitors all over the world. Joint goals, concerted action, respect and fairness – this is all part of who we are and what we do.
Since 1 April 2010
President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Messe Frankfurt GmbH
Member of the Board of Directors of AUMA (Association of the German Trade Fair Industry); Member of the Board of Directors of UFI (Global Association of the Exhibition Industry), Member of the Executive Committee of the German Chamber of Commerce in Austria
February - March 2010
Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt
2004 - 2009
CEO of Leipziger Messe
Honorary consul of Italy for the Free State of Saxony (2008-2009); Chairman of IDFA, Interest Group for German Trade Fair and Exhibition Cities (2007-2009)
2001 - 2004
CEO of GHM (Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH)
1997 - 2000
President of Messe Düsseldorf North America
1991 - 1996
Exhibitor Group Director at Messe München GmbH
1990 - 1991
Exhibition Manager at IMAG Internationaler Messe- und Ausstellungsdienst, Munich
1988 - 1990
Project Manager at forwarding company Schenker
Training to become a freight forwarding agent, Schenker, Munich
Studied business administration with a focus on foreign trade
Military service with the German Air Force, medal of honour from the German Armed Forces
‘We orient ourselves towards the topics that will move our customers in the future and with our events accompany the changes taking place in their sectors, which are being driven at a rapid pace by digitalisation.’
Since October 2004
Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt GmbH
2000 - 2003
WPP Group, J. Walter Thompson, Worldwide
Chairman & CEO Central and Northern Europe
1998 - 2000
Joop! GmbH, Hamburg,
Managing Director
1993 - 1998
Joh. A. Benckiser GmbH, Lancaster Group Worldwide,
Vice President, International Marketing, Paris; Managing Director Marketing, Germany
1985 - 1993
Philip Morris International, Munich, New York, Tokyo,
most recently Marketing Manager Produkt Family Marlboro
Studied at the European Business School, Oestrich-Winkel, graduated with a degree in business management majoring in marketing and sales
‘As an internationally leading business ecosystem, Messe Frankfurt is the global anchor of stability in a volatile world. We offer more than a space for events – we play an active role as moderators at the heart of the economic transformation. And with our trade fairs, congresses and services, we are instrumental in the success of our customers, with first-class infrastructure and cutting-edge IT at our Frankfurt exhibition grounds.’
Since August 2026 Member of Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt GmbH
2020 to July 2026 Head of Corporate Real Estate EMEA1, Bayer AG
2017 to 2020 Corporate Real Estate Manager Latin America, Middle East & Africa, Bayer AG
2000 to 2017 Vice President Real Estate, Projects and Corporates Restructuring Unit, Bayerische Landesbank (BayernLB) between 2013 and 2016; other management positions in risk and transaction management prior to this
1995 to 2000 Legal advisor specialising in civil law, construction law, company law and competition law, Ravensberger Bau-Beteiligungen AG and Terrawert Bau AG
PhD in Law, studied at the Universities of Munich and Freiburg; MSc in Real Estate Investment & Finance, Henley Business School in Reading, UK; member of Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors; certified and qualified supervisory board member and certified consultant in sustainability reporting.
Since September 2024
Chief of Corporate Identity (CCI)
Vice President Corporate Communications, Protocol & Political Affairs, Corporate Branding & Marketing
Since September 2014
Head of Corporate Communications & Protocol (and continuing Senior Vice President Technology)
Since September 2010 Senior Vice President Technology
2006 - 2010 Vice President Technical Fairs, Messe Frankfurt GmbH
2000 - 2006 Director of Marketing Communications for the trade fairs ISH, Light+Building, Automechanika, IFFA, The Design Annual, Texcare and Material Vision Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
1999 - 2000 Press work for technical fairs at Messe Frankfurt
1992 - 1999 Management position in the field of sales and customer communications, RheinEnergie in Cologne
1989 - 1992 Press work for industrial employers association IAV and metal and electronics industry association Verband der Metall- und Elektroindustrie Osnabrück – Emsland e.V.
1981 - 1988 Studies in Medieval and Modern History Communications and Political Science Georg August University, Göttingen
August 2017 - present day
Chief of Finance
Board of Management, Messe Frankfurt Group
2010 - present day
Vice President with responsibility for Mergers & Acquisitions projects, international subsidiary management, corporate and project research
2000 - 2010
Various managerial positions in the areas of Mergers & Acquisitions, subsidiary controlling and international subsidiary management
Fraport AG, Frankfurt am Main
1996 - 2000
Various positions (some managerial) in the financial division of the RAG Group, Essen
Ruhrkohle AG / RAG EBV AG / RAG Immobilien AG, Essen
1995 - 1996
Assistant to Head of Finance
Klöckner Werke AG, Duisburg
1989 - 1995
Studied for degree in Economics
Freiburg, Bonn
1987 - 1989
Training as bank officer
Bayerische Vereinsbank AG, Düsseldorf
1995 - 1999
Appointment to the Board of Management as Chief Operating Officer, Blenheim / Miller Freeman Deutschland GmbH
General Manager, Miller Freeman Verlag
1994 - 1995
Divisional Manager, Blenheim International Deutschland GmbH
November 1992 - 1994
Departmental Manager of IMA, the 'Inter Airport' fair, 'the Pollutec' environmental fair and the'Networks' computing trade fair, Blenheim International Deutschland GmbH
February 1992 - November 1992
Project Manager of IMA – International Trade Fair for Amusement and Vending Machines, Blenheim International Deutschland GmbH
1991 - 1992
International Sales Manager for FIBO, Blenheim International Deutschland GmbH
1990 - 1991
Freelance work at FIBO GmbH
Course of study in sports and journalist GermanSportsUniversity, Cologne
