Speakers 2023

MP Bundestag, Danish-German politician of the South Schleswig Voters’ Association (SSW)

2007 EU program manager for the German-Danish funding program “INTERREG”, then political advisor for cooperation in the German-Danish borderland at the Southern Danish regional government (Region Syddanmark); 2014 until entering the Bundestag in 2021 coordinator of the Schleswigholstein state government for cooperation with Denmark at the Ministry of Justice and Europe of the State of Schleswig-Holstein.

Since 1996, member of the Südschleswigsche Wählerverband (SSW) and politically active in numerous committees of the party. Member of the German Bundestag for the SSW since 2021.

Stefan Seidler holds a master’s degree in political science from Aarhus University in Denmark.

Vice Chairwoman of the Regional Development Board of Region Västerbotten and Vice Chairwoman of the Board of the Kvarken Council EGTC

I started doing extra work during holidays and weekends when I was thirteen years old in our family business. Throughout my life I have always worked and I like to be useful and try to make a difference. After high school, I started working full-time in the family business, which I then took over.

One of my mottos is “every day new knowledge” and this is really something I live by, I have almost constantly developed myself according to what I have been interested in at the time and which I have benefited from.

Head of Division managing the OECD’s Local Employment and Economic Development Programme in the Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities.

Over the last 17 years at the OECD, she has authored numerous OECD publications on local development, innovation and clusters, including Regions and Innovation: Collaborating Across Borders. Prior to joining the OECD, Maguire worked as an investment banker for UBS in New York, an international consultant in economic development and a research analyst for the Urban Institute in Washington, DC.

Karen Maguire holds a BA in economics and sociology from the University of Chicago and an MPP from Harvard University´s Kennedy School of Government.

Chairman, Fehmarnbelt Business Council (FBBC)

Dr. Probst is partner at Deloitte in Hamburg, Regional Partner and Lead of the Center for Corporate Governance. Dr. Probst publishes regularly on corporate governance topics and is a lecturer at Leuphana University in Lüneburg and speaker at Handelsblatt and ESMT.

Member of the Regional Council of Region Zealand

Christian Wedell-Neergaard has been a member of the Danish Parliament from 2004 to 2007. He is a member of the Regional Council of Region Zealand since 2010, elected for Det Konservative Folkeparti. In the Danish Parliament, he was the party’s environment and finance spokesman.

Since 2022 Head of Acquisition / Operations Director Denmark at Peper & Söhne Unternehmensgruppe

2018-2021 – Senior Business Development Manager, DLH Deutsche Logistik Holding
2017-2018 – Development Manager, SEGRO Germany
2015-2017 – CEO Project Development Stade GmbH & Co. KG, Hansestadt Stade
Before 2017 – Project Development with focus industry and logistics, Various companies

Marco Dibbern holds a Bachelor of Engineering, construction and real estate management

Minister of Agriculture, Rural Areas, Europe and Consumer Protection

Werner Schwarz (CDU / liberal-conservative party) has been minister since June 2022 at the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Areas, European Affairs and Consumer Protection (MLLEV) of Schleswig-Holstein. He is responsible for the agricultural sector and all associated challenges, rural development, forestry and fishing as well as various aspects relating to European politics and consumer protection in Schleswig-Holstein.

Werner Schwarz is an state-certified farmer. Before becoming Minister, he has been president of the Schleswig-Holstein farmers` association and vice-president of the German farmers` association.

CEO of GREEN2X

Santa Fe Relocation, COO
Orsted, Vice President B2B
McKinsey & Company, Consultant

Managing Director of Robert C. Spies KG

Andreas Fuchs has been working for 30 years in leading positions in the real estate industry. After 21 years with a market-leading project developer, he joined the Robert C. Spies Group in 2014, an owner-managed northern German real estate consulting and brokerage company with 120 employees in Hamburg, Bremen, Frankfurt and Copenhagen.

As Managing Director of Robert C. Spies KG, Andreas Fuchs is responsible for the Projects & Development division and, as Managing Director, for the corporate activities of Robert C. Spies Nordics ApS in Denmark, which specializes in German-Danish cross-border business and offers German and Danish clients market expertise and many years of interdisciplinary consulting and brokerage services in all asset classes.

Majority leader/politician at Østfold fylkeskommune

Siv Henriette Jacobsen is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party. Mrs. Jacobsen has been a member of the county council of Viken since October 2019, and she is now the Chairwoman of the County Cabinet of Viken since 14 October 2021.

Mrs. Jacobsen served as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Østfold during the terms 2005–2009 and 2017–2021. Mrs. Jacobsen studied in the US and obtained a MA in International Relations and Affairs, before Mrs. Jacobsen settled at Jeløya. After stints in Moss municipal council and Østfold county council Mrs. Jacobsen became deputy county mayor in 2015.

Group Senior Vice President, Vestas Wind Systems Denmark

For the last +10 years, he has played a growing role at Vestas – originally in China and then globally – in government and public affairs and business development, helping Vestas expand into new markets and supporting the development of effective wind and renewable energy policy in countries around the globe.

Currently based in Denmark, Mr. Dyrholm is the head of Vestas’ Global MarCom, Sustainability and Public Affairs function, as well as Chairman of the Global Wind Energy Council, Vice-Chairman of the Danish Wind Association, Vice-Chairman of the Danish Chinese Business Forum and Board Member of WindEurope.

Morten Dyrholms holds a Master degree in Political Science and Chinese Politics

Minister for Economy, Transport, Labor, Technology and Tourism

2019-2022 – Lord Mayor of the Hanseatic City of Rostock
2014-2019 – Vice President of the German-Danish Chamber of Commerce in Denmark
2013-2019 – President of the Rostock Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Managing Director of STRING

Thomas Becker is the Managing Director of the political cross-border organisation STRING. Thomas has several years of experience within green tech, climate policy and sustainable development from both the public and the private sector. He has worked for the Danish government, the OECD and the UN, including the preparation of the COP15 under the Danish presidency in 2009.

Thomas holds a Master of Laws degree from the University of Copenhagen.

Senior Research Fellow, Nordregio

Researcher in regional development with long experience in regional planning, regional policy and governance.

Director PtX Project Development

Overall responsible for European Energy’s PtX Portfolio in Denmark, the Nordics and Germany. Furthermore, project manager on European Energy’s Kassø PtX Project, which is currently being constructed and which will be the worlds first and largest e-methanol plant of its kind. Professionally trained as a lawyer with more than 12 years of experience within construction law and project financing of wind farms globally.

Change leader and strategist

Hanne Klintøe is an internationally acclaimed strategist, innovator, process designer and facilitator of engaging transformation processes. Hanne has developed strategies, innovation and large-scale transformation projects for organisations such as IKEA, Wind Europe, Capgemini, STRING megaregion a.o. and is a popular keynote speaker and workshop facilitator on topics within innovation, sustainable development, transformative project design and more.

Her work an Industry Leader at Hyper Island, lecturing and leading education programmes in future-proofing, strategy, brand transformation, and innovation culture, has led to innovation projects for Volvo, Adidas and CarbonClear, among others.

Member of the regional council Region South

• Member region of Southern Denmark since 2018
• Chairman regional development and EU since 2022
• Member local government, the municipality of Kerteminde since 2022

Professor for Technology Management, Kiel University

Carsten Schultz is Professor for Technology Management at Kiel University and founding director of the Kiel Institute for Responsible Innovation. From 2008 to 2011, he held the Deutsche Telekom assistant professorship for Management of Service Innovations and Technology Transfer at the Technical University of Berlin. In 2004 – 2008 he managed the Siemens Center for Knowledge Interchange, the strategic partnership between Siemens and TU Berlin. His work focuses on analyzing the challenges and needed capabilities of innovation management, of digital business models and services, and of the increasing complexity of value creation in open innovation processes. He is dedicated to the specific aspects of innovation activity in the healthcare and energy industries as well as the success factors of university-industry collaborations.

Shareholder of Baltic Group of Companies

Lars Ulrich Kahl works with comprehensive energy solutions for companies and public institutions, wind energy – production of turbines, approval planning and project management, commercial photovoltaics, photovoltaic ground-mounted systems, heating systems, e-mobility, big storage systems, H2—systems CNC machining of parts for the automotive supply sector copper recycling.

Member of the Copenhagen City Council

Katrine Kildgaard resides in the city of Copenhagen, and studies Political Science at Copenhagen University. Mrs. Kildgaard is a member of the Copenhagen City Council and the Health- and Social Committee.