Strategic
Advisory Board
Building bridges between universities and business,
Administration and associations
A strategic project advisory board made up of high-ranking representatives from industry, public administration and the social economy supports the development of a bridging function between universities and industry or job market.
The Institute for Economy, Work and Culture (IWAK) is responsible for the technical support.

Prof. Ahrend studied in St. Gallen, Switzerland and received his doctorate in Trier. He conducts research at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences on sustainable business models, regional value creation, sustainable design thinking, digitalization and sustainability. HEAG is responsible for investment management for the HEAG Group as well as for all other direct and indirect subsidiaries of the city of Darmstadt. HEAG therefore acts as an internal management consultant to the city of Darmstadt in all economic matters relating to the municipal economy.
Dr. Alinaghi studied Applied Linguistics in Lille, France and Political Science in Mainz, Germany. She then worked for the France Telecom Group and Carl Duisberg Centren, among others. The Paritätische is an umbrella and umbrella organization of the independent welfare services in Hesse. It covers the entire spectrum of social work and social commitment. Around 830 legally independent member organizations employ more than 55,000 full-time staff and 35,000 volunteers.
Prof. Brüne studied biochemistry in Tübingen and obtained his doctorate at the University of Constance, where he also habilitated. After professorships in Erlangen-Nuremberg and Kaiserslautern, he has headed the Institute of Biochemistry I at the Faculty of Medicine at Goethe University since 2004. He has also been Vice President of the university since 2021.
Goethe University pursues interdisciplinary approaches in the humanities, social sciences, economics, natural sciences and life sciences in 6 profile areas. It acts as a driving force for progressive development and seeks dialog with society within the framework of knowledge and technology transfer.
Dr. Burkert studied social sciences in Nuremberg and Bath, United Kingdom, and completed her doctorate at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. At the IAB Hessen, she analyzes many topics for the Hessian job market - including the need for skilled workers and bottlenecks, demographic change and the digital and ecological transformation at job market. The IAB researches job market in its entire breadth from the perspective of different disciplines and in a social context.
Mr. Gieseler was mayor of the Hessian town of Dietzenbach from 2001-2009 and has since alternated as director and managing director of the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns. Since 2019, he has also held the position of Managing Director of the Hessian Association of Administrative Schools. He is also a member of the executive committee of the German Association of Towns and Municipalities. The Hessian Association of Cities and Towns is the association of independent cities, towns and municipalities in Hesse. It bundles the interests of 84 towns and municipalities in Hesse.
Prof. Gramminger studied human medicine in Heidelberg and worked as a surgical assistant for six years after gaining his license to practice medicine. Since September 2018, he has worked for the Hessian Hospital Association as Managing Director with a focus on medicine, quality and financing, and since February 2020 he has been solely responsible for the business of the same institution as Managing Director. The Hessische Krankenhausgesellschaft e.V. (HKG) is the umbrella organization of hospital operators in Hesse. Among other things, it represents the interests of hospitals in health policy discussions.
Mr. Grimmke holds a degree in public administration and law. He has worked for the Employers' Association of the Private Banking Industry (AGV Banken) since March 2001, initially as a consultant for labor and social law, from September 2004 as head of job market and education policy and now as managing director. He is also a deputy member of the Board of the German Pension Insurance Association (DRV Bund) and the Federal Board of the German Pension Insurance. The Employers' Association of the Private Banking Industry (AGV Banken) is the leading collective bargaining and social policy organization for around 100 private banks in Germany.
Dr. Honecker is a trained journalist and science manager. As Chief Communication Officer at TU Darmstadt, he is a member of the extended Executive Board and heads the Strategic Science Communication and Brand Management division. Under his leadership, the Science Communication Center (SCC) was established at TUDa. The Technical University of Darmstadt stands for excellent and relevant science. Global transformations - from the energy transition to Industry 4.0 and artificial intelligence - are challenging it. It is helping to shape these far-reaching processes of change through outstanding findings and forward-looking study programs.
Mr. Köhler studied law in Freiburg im Breisgau before completing his legal clerkship in Frankfurt am Main. Since 2024, he has been Head of Human Resources Policy &
-Controlling for the Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen (Helaba). As one of the largest commercial banks in Germany, Helaba offers its customers comprehensive financial services. As the central bank for the Sparkassen in Hesse, Thuringia, North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg, it is a partner for 40 percent of all German Sparkassen. Under the umbrella of Helaba, WIBank supports the state of Hesse in a variety of ways with various development programs.
Ms. Kranenberg began her professional career as a lawyer and as a lawyer in various functions for WestLB AG. She later worked for RWE, innogy and Avacon AG. Kranenberg has been with Fraport AG since November 2022 and is responsible for the areas of "Ground Services", "HR Operations" and "HR People and Culture". Fraport AG is one of the leading international companies in the airport business and is active at 30 airports on four continents.
Mr. Meyer completed a degree in economics and subsequently held various positions in the HR department of the Deutsche Bahn Group. From 2001, Mr. Meyer worked for the German Chemical Employers' Association (BAVC), most recently as Managing Director for the Economy, Education and job market departments, before becoming Managing Director of the Employers' Association of the Chemical and Allied Industries for the State of Hesse in March 2016. HessenChemie is the association of over 300 companies in the chemical, pharmaceutical and plastics processing industries in Hesse.
Dr. Riess studied law in Tübingen and Munich. He then completed his doctorate in Hanover. Since October 2003, he has been Managing Director of the Chamber of Skilled Crafts Frankfurt-Rhein-Main. The Chamber of Skilled Crafts Frankfurt-Rhein-Main represents more than 32,000 entrepreneurs and 153,000 tradespeople from the metropolitan region of Frankfurt-Rhein-Main. It offers its members extensive support and services in areas such as business start-ups, training and further education, business advice, representation of interests and business succession.
Since March 2024, Mr. Ruder has been one of the two managing directors of the municipal umbrella organization of the 21 districts in Hesse, based in the state capital Wiesbaden. Prior to this, he worked for 24 years as head of the Legal, Constitutional and European Affairs department and press spokesperson at the Hessischer Landkreistag (HLT).
The Hessischer Landkreistag is the association of the 21 Hessian districts, which represent over 5 million of the state's 6.4 million inhabitants. Like its member districts, the HLT is committed to the well-being of all citizens.
Prof. Saenger studied civil engineering at the University of Karlsruhe and later completed her doctorate at TU Darmstadt. She has been a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (h_da) since 2010, conducts research in the field of river ecology and small hydropower (water wheels), and has been Vice President for Research and Sustainable Development since 2021. As one of the largest universities of applied sciences in Germany, h_da follows in the tradition of German universities of applied sciences: it combines scientific and application-oriented studies.
Prof. Schocke studied in Darmstadt and Strasbourg, France, and has been Professor of Production and Logistics at Frankfurt UAS since 2011. Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences is one of the largest universities of applied sciences in Germany and is characterized by practical relevance, interdisciplinary education, international orientation and a diverse continuing education programme.
Dr. von Schnurbein studied modern history and political science in Vienna, Austria and Tübingen. He then completed his doctorate in Vienna. He has been working for the Federation of Hessian Business Associations (VhU) since February 2014, initially as a consultant for energy and climate policy, from September 2004 as Head of Environmental, Energy and Climate Policy and now as Managing Director for Social and Education Policy. The Vereinigung der hessischen Unternehmerverbände (VhU) is the umbrella organization of the Hessian economy. It represents the interests of 86 employers' and business associations.
Prof. Waller studied law in Bayreuth & Göttingen, public administration in Speyer, Leiden & Rotterdam. After her 2nd state examination, she completed her doctorate on the international law of regulated public procurement and worked for 6 years in a management consultancy, where she was responsible for human resources, among other things. The Professor of Business Law was later Dean and Vice President at Bochum University of Applied Sciences. She has been President of HSRM since January 2021. The internationally oriented HSRM is recognized for practice-oriented teaching and application-oriented research in architecture & civil engineering, design & media, computer science & engineering, management & social work.
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Ms. Wesner studied administrative sciences at the Federal University of Applied Sciences before working in various operational and strategic areas of the Federal Employment Agency between 1990 and 2006. In 2006, she became head of the "Labor and Family Policy" department in the Hessian State Chancellery. In 2014, she set up the "Skilled Workers for Hesse" staff unit, which she has headed since August 2014.