Strategic
Advisory Board
Building bridges between institutions of higher education, business and industry.
administration and associations
A strategic project advisory board is key to establishing a bridge between higher education and the world of work. The advisory board is made up of senior representatives from business and industry, public administration, and the social economy.
The Institute for Economy, Work and Culture (IWAK) is responsible for the specialist 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, digitalisation and sustainability. HEAG is responsible for investment management for the HEAG Group and all other direct and indirect subsidiaries of the City of Darmstadt. In this capacity, HEAG acts as an inhouse management consultant for 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(completed his traditional postdoctoral professorial lecturing qualification). After holding professorships in Erlangen-Nuremberg and Kaiserslautern, he became head of the Institute of Biochemistry I at the Faculty of Medicine at Goethe University in 2004. In addition, he has 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 actively engages with society through knowledge and technology transfer.
Dr. Burkert studied social sciences in Nuremberg and Bath, United Kingdom, and completed her doctorate at the Universität Erlangen-Nuremberg(FAU). At the IAB Hessen, she analyses a wide range of topics related to the Hessian job market. These include the demand for and bottlenecks in the supply of skilled workers, demographic change and the digital and ecological transformation of the job market. The IAB conducts research on the job market in its entirety. The aim is to consider teh job market 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 been alternating between the position of director and managing director of Hessischer Städtetag. Since 2019, he has been general manager of Hessischer Verwaltungsschulverband (HVSV - Hessian association of administrative schools). The Hessischer Städtetag is association of 84 independent cities, district-based towns and municipalities in Hesse, which represents their interests.
Prof. Gramminger studied human medicine in Heidelberg and worked as a surgical assistant for six years after getting his license to practice medicine. Since September 2018, he has been working for the Hessische Krankenhausgesellschaft (HKG), the Hessian hospitals association, as general manager focusing on medicine, quality, and financing. Since February 2020, he has been solely responsible for its operations as managing director. The HKG is the umbrella organisation of hospital operators in Hesse. This association also represents the interests of hospitals in health policy discussions.
Mr. Grimmke holds a degree in Public Administration and Law. He has been working for the Arbeitgeberverband des privaten Bankengewerbes e.V. (AGV Banken ), the employers' association of the private banking industry, since March 2001. He started as a specialist for labour and social law and became head of labour market- and education policy in September 2004. He is currently general manager of AGV Banken. He is also a deputy member of the Board of Directors of Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV Bund ) and the Federal Board of Directors of Deutsche Rentenversicherung (German Pension Insurance). AGV Banken is the leading collective bargaining and social policy organisation for approximately 100 private banks in Germany.
Prof. Harnack studied architecture, urban planning and social sciences in Stuttgart, Delft and London. She has been a professor of urban planning at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences since 2011 and took over as Vice President for Studies and Teaching in April 2024. Her research focuses on housing and housing development in post-war modernism.
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 program.
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 Center (SCC) was established at TU Darmstadt. Technical University of Darmstadt stands for excellent and relevant science, and is taking on the challenges of global transformations ranging from energy transition to Industry 4.0 and artificial intelligence. TU Darmstadt is helping to shape these far-reaching processes of change through outstanding research findings and forward-looking degree programmes.
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 and 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, Helaba 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 programmes.
Ms. Kranenberg began her professional career as a practising 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 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 Bundesarbeitgeberverband Chemie (BAVC), the federal employers' association of the chemical industry, most recently as general manager for the economy, education and labour market departments, before becoming chief general manager of HessenChemie, the employers' association of the chemical and allied industries for the state of Hesse, in March 2016. HessenChemie represents more than 300 companies in the chemical, pharmaceutical and plastics processing industries in Hesse.
Prof. Dr. Müller-Stach studied mathematics at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and the University of Bayreuth. In 2003, he was appointed Professor of Number Theory at the Institute of Mathematics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Since April 2017, he has held the position of Vice President for Research and Young Academics at JGU. With more than 35,000 employees and students from over 120 nations, JGU is one of the 20 largest universities in Germany.
Dr. Riess studied law in Tübingen and Munich. He then completed his doctorate in Hanover. Since October 2003, he has been chief general manager of t Handwerkskammer Frankfurt-Rhein-Main (HWK – Chamber of Skilled Crafts). The HWK Frankfurt-Rhein-Main represents more than 32,000 entrepreneurs and 153,000 craftspeople from the metropolitan region of Frankfurt-Rhein-Main. It offers its members extensive support and services in areas such as business start-ups, vocational training and continuing education, business advice, representation of interests and business succession.
Since March 2024, Mr Ruder has been one of the two general managers of HLT, the central municipal umbrella organisation of the 21 districts in Hesse. It is based in Wiesbaden, the state capital. Prior to this, he worked for 24 years as head of the Legal, Constitutional and European Affairs department and press spokesperson at the HLT.
The HLT is the association of all 21 Hessian districts, the latter of which represent more than 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 then Universität Karlsruhe (since 2009, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) and later completed her doctorate at TU Darmstadt. She has been a professor at 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 (waterwheels), 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 maintains the tradition of German universities of applied sciences: it combines scientific and application-oriented studies
Dr. von Schnurbein studied modern History and political science in Vienna, Austria, and in Tübingen. He then completed his doctorate in Vienna. He has been working for the Vereinigung der hessischen Unternehmerverbände e.V. (federation of Hessian business associations) since February 2014. He started as a specialist for energy and climate policy and became head of environmental, energy and climate policy in September 2004. He is currently general manager for social and education policy. The VhU is the umbrella organisation of the Hessian economy. It represents the interests of 86 employers' and business associations.
Prof. Waller studied law in Bayreuth and Göttingen, and public administration in Speyer, Leiden and Rotterdam. After her 2nd state examination, she completed her doctorate on international law of regulated public procurement. She worked for 6 years in a management consultancy, where she was also responsible for human resources. At Bochum University of Applied Sciences, she was appointed as Professor of Business Law, and later as Dean and Vice President. She has been President of HSRM since January 2021. The internationally oriented HSRM is recognised for application-oriented teaching and research in architecture and civil engineering, design and media, computer science and engineering, management and 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 Arbeit und Familienpolitik (labour and family policy) department in the Hessian State Chancellery. In 2014, she established the Fachkräfte für Hessen (skilled workers for Hesse) specialist team, which she has headed since August 2014.
