The Grand Opening 2022 – with Head of the German Federal Chancellery Wolfgang Schmidt and International Creative Bureaucracy Leaders (DE/ENG)

Wolfgang Schmidt ist ein deutscher Politiker (SPD) und Jurist. Seit dem 8. Dezember 2021 ist er Bundesminister für besondere Aufgaben und Chef des Bundeskanzleramtes im Kabinett von Olaf Scholz. Er war von März 2011 bis März 2018 Staatsrat der Hamburger Senatskanzlei und Bevollmächtigter der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg beim Bund, bei der Europäischen Union und für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten und von März 2018 bis Dezember 2021 Staatssekretär im deutschen Bundesministerium der Finanzen.

María Fernanda Espinosa is an Ecuadorian diplomat, politician, and academic with more than 30 years of experience in international organizations, the Ecuadorian government, NGOs and academia.

Espinosa served as President of the 73^rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (2018-2019), becoming the fourth woman in history and the first from Latin America and the Caribbean to preside over this body. Previously, she was Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Integration (2007-2008 and 2017-2018), Minister of Cultural and Natural Heritage (2009-2012), and Minister of Defense (2012-2014). She also served as ambassador and permanent representative of Ecuador to the United Nations in New York (2008-2009) and Geneva (2014-2017).

Espinosa is currently acting as commissioner to the Lancet COVID-19 Commission, member of the Global Women Leaders Voices for Change and Inclusion as well as the Advisory Council of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, and as Goodwill Ambassador for the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean (FILAC), among others. Prior to her political and diplomatic career, she worked as academic and advisor on biodiversity, climate and indigenous peoples’ policies.

Christian Bason, Ph.D., is CEO of the Danish Design Centre and a leading international authority on design, innovation and leadership in business and government. From 2007 to 2014, he was Director of MindLab, the Danish government’s innovation team, and before this Business Manager with the global consultancy Ramboll. Christian is the author of numerous books, most recently EXPAND: Stretching the Future by Design (2022), and a lecturer at several executive educations. He is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Agile Governance and the former Chair of the European Commission’s Expert Group on Public Sector Innovation.

Stefanie Rupp ist seit Juli 2019 Senior Managerin bei der PD – Berater der öffentlichen Hand GmbH im Geschäftsbereich Strategische Verwaltungsmodernisierung mit dem Schwerpunkt Strategie. Ihre Beratungsschwerpunkte sind strategische Aufstellung öffentlicher Organisationen und Beteiligungen, wirtschaftliche und politische Beratung, Governance und Strategien für neu gegründete und existierende öffentliche Unternehmen, Stakeholder-Management und Kommunikation. Von 2012 bis 2014 war sie Executive Director beim britischen Wirtschaftsministerium (Department for Business). Von 2009 bis 2012 war sie Economic Adviser beim britischen Finanzministerium (Treasury).

Astrid Frohloff is a familiar face on German Television. The ARD journalist has been moderating many popular TV shows, talks and magazines in German TV, amongst others the well-known political TV magazine “Kontraste”/ ARD. She lived as a correspondent in Jerusalem, where she set up a television studio and reported from the Middle East. She also has been contributing her journalistic expertise to business and politics for many years. As an experienced moderator and consultant, Astrid Frohloff accompanies international high-level conferences. Her portfolio includes concept development and curating of event formats as well as media training and business coaching. Her clients include the Office of the Federal President, federal ministries, associations and companies.

Charles Landry works with cities around the world to help them make the most of their potential and facilitates complex urban change projects. His aim is to connect the triad culture, creativity and city making. He is co-founder of the Creative Bureaucracy Festival.

He has published extensively – most recently The Civic City in a Nomadic World, The Creative Bureaucracy (with Margie Caust), An Advanced Introduction to the Creative City, Psychology & the City (with Chris Murray) and The Digitized City. You can download these books as PDF files via Charles’ website: www.charleslandry.com