Experience exciting keynotes, panel discussions and much more!
From 27 February to 1 March 2025, the 13th MaFo will take place at Mannheim Palace - an event that offers you unique insights into the intersections of politics, business and society. During these three days, you will have the opportunity to exchange ideas with leading personalities from various fields and learn how they assess current topics. The varied programme includes inspiring keynotes and exciting panel discussions in which experts share their opinions and visions.
Interactive workshops will give you the opportunity to develop your skills, learn from renowned experts and familiarise yourself with the latest trends. MaFo Connect will be particularly exciting, where you can meet interesting companies and make valuable contacts for your professional future. In addition, career talks and speed dating sessions offer a perfect opportunity to exchange ideas directly and individually with company representatives and to further concretise your career goals.
You can round off the day at exclusive evening events - ideal for deepening the day's discussions or simply enjoying a relaxed time with friends. The Mannheim Forum 2025 offers you the perfect setting to expand your network and optimally position yourself for your professional future. Take part and actively shape your future!
Panel Discussions, Keynotes & Abendevents
Thursday (27.02.)
Opening Event
The opening event on Thursday evening traditionally marks the start of the forum and will begin with a champagne reception and a few words of welcome. In the subsequent Fireside Chat with Dr Ingrid Hengster and Armin von Falkenhayn, we will pick up on our main theme ‘Innovation as a driver of growth - achieving change together’ and provide initial impetus. This exchange will provide a joint introduction to the congress and set the mood for the coming days.
Speakers
Dr. Ingrid Hengster
CEO Barclays Germany and Global Chairman Investment Banking
Armin von Falkenhayn
Country Executive Germany and Head of Corporate and Investment Banking Germany, Austria & Switzerland
Christian Specht
Lord Mayor
Prof. Thomas Fetzer
Rector of the University of Mannheim
(Photo credit: Alexander Münch)
Alexander Schwörer
Owner and member of the Advisory Board PERI
Friday (28.02.)
Opening keynote
This year's opening keynote will be given by Dirk Görgen.
Dirk Görgen joined DWS in 2018, where he has since been responsible for establishing and developing the Client Coverage Division. His responsibilities include the global business with wholesale and institutional clients across all asset classes (active, passive, alternatives). Previously, Dirk was head of sales for private clients in Germany at Deutsche Bank. In this role, he was largely responsible for the further development of digital sales channels, the traditional branch business and cooperation with strategic sales partners.
Previously, Dirk worked for the management consultancy Bain & Company. His consulting activities focussed on large financial institutions, which he supported with strategy development, the implementation of strong cultures and the realisation of major transformation projects.
Dirk Görgen
CEO DWS Americas
Panel Discussion: New reality - How can Germany become more resilient?
Since Russia's attack on Ukraine, the issue of external security has once again moved centre stage and is having a profound impact on our country and our democracy: Olaf Scholz called for a ‘turning point’ after the attack on Ukraine. Boris Pistorius is calling for a ‘war-ready’ Bundeswehr. The Bundeswehr received a 100 billion special fund and conscription is being discussed again.
The panel discussion will shed light on important questions: Is it right to talk about ‘war fitness’? How can the rearmament of the Bundeswehr be financed in the long term? What should Germany supply to Ukraine? And for how long?
The return of war in Europe is not the only attack on the rules-based world order. There is also the Hamas attack, attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea, an increasingly aggressive China and the threat of war in Taiwan. How should Germany position itself? And since January 2025, US foreign policy has once again been dictated by Donald Trump. How can Europe come to terms with Trump? Will Europe have to assume the role of leading power in the free world?
The consequences of this new reality are not only being felt politically and militarily: for a long time, Germany as an export nation was dependent on cheap gas from Russia and the Chinese sales market. As a result of the war in Ukraine, energy prices have risen sharply and the Chinese economy is increasingly focussing on the local market. How can renewed dependence on one supplier be prevented? And how can the German economy become more geopolitically resilient?
Moderated by Dr. Martin Thunert
Heidelberg Center for American Studies
Speakers
General Carsten Breuer
Inspector General of the Bundeswehr
Dr. Hans-Christoph Atzpodien
CEO BDSV e.V.
Martin Wiesmann
Managing Partner Berlin Global Advisors
Gala Dinner
Enjoy a 3-course buffet with stylish music and inspiring conversations. This year, our gala dinner will take place on Friday and offers a space to continue the dialogue in a sophisticated gala atmosphere. In addition to good food and drinks, we look forward to stimulating conversations between the participants and invited guests.
Samstag (01.03.)
Panel Discussion: Climate protection and the economy - contradiction or synergy?
The debate on climate protection and economic growth is currently at the centre of many political and social discussions. In view of the global climate crisis, the question arises: are climate protection measures and economic growth fundamentally opposites, or do new opportunities and synergies arise from the pursuit of a more sustainable global economy? Many companies and decision-makers are faced with the challenge of reconciling ecological and economic interests.
The political framework must also be considered: What legal measures can promote transformation? Where do we need stronger incentives, but also controls, and where is there overregulation? To what extent can state support and international cooperation help companies to develop and implement sustainable solutions?
The panel discussion will also shed light on the question of whether climate protection is an obstacle for the economy or rather a driver of innovation and competitiveness. What role do sustainable technologies, renewable energies and the transformation of industries play? How can companies benefit from change and orientate themselves towards a resource-saving future without sacrificing profitability
Moderated by Dr. Oliver Schenker
Deputy Head of the Unit “Environmental and Climate Economics” at ZEW Mannheim
Speakers
Sabine Frank
Executive Director Carbon Market Watch
Helene Herzig
JuLis, co-founder of Ökologische Marktwirtschaft e.V.
Dr. Andre Baumann
State Secretary at the Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector, Baden-Württemberg
Panel Discussion: Threats from within - How resilient is our democracy?
Internal security in Germany and Europe is facing new challenges - extremism, populism and radicalisation are threatening democracy and the European community of states. But how resilient is our democracy really against these threats?
Right-wing and left-wing extremism, religious fundamentalism and conspiracy theories pose growing dangers to the stability of democracy. It is therefore a central concern of internal security to develop mechanisms to recognise and combat these threats at an early stage. Legal measures as well as social strategies are required to ensure the stability of democracy.
The protection of internal security must not be achieved at the expense of civil liberties. How can the state protect its citizens from internal threats without restricting fundamental rights? This balance between security and freedom is at the heart of a defence-oriented democracy. Can the protection of security be harmonised with fundamental rights? Where are the limits of state intervention?
A key factor here is the integration of migrants. Successful integration not only contributes to social peace, but also strengthens cohesion in society and protects against radicalisation. What measures need to be taken to improve integration in the long term? To what extent can integration help to reduce social tensions and stabilise democracy? How can these different approaches best be combined to effectively protect democracy against threats from within?
Moderated by Prof. Dr. Thomas König
Professorship of Political Science, European Politics
Speakers
Malu Dreyer
Former Prime Minister
Prof. Dr. Uwe Jun
Political scientist
Jonas Witzgall
State Youth Chairman of the Police Union
Panel Discussion: Reinventing Made in Germany - How do we maintain the seal of approval?
The ‘Made in Germany’ label has always stood for quality, reliability and innovation. It is a world-renowned seal of quality that recognises products and services from Germany as high-quality and trustworthy. However, in a rapidly changing global economy, this seal of quality is facing new challenges: Production costs are rising, a shortage of skilled workers is making itself felt and more and more companies are relocating their production abroad to benefit from cheaper labour and lower tax burdens.
In view of these challenges, the question arises: How can we maintain and reinvent the value of ‘Made in Germany’ - and thus also the value of the German economy? It is not enough to rely on the traditions of the past. Instead, we need to ask ourselves how we can ensure the competitiveness, innovative strength and sustainability of the German economy under the changed framework conditions. What role does digitalisation play in this? And how will the switch to climate-neutral technologies change the location?
We need to consider what political and social framework conditions are necessary to preserve ‘Made in Germany’ as a symbol of the strength of the German economy. Do we need targeted state support for companies that produce in Germany? And how can we drive innovation?
Moderated by Barbara Klauß
Business editor of RNZ
Speakers
Tim Wenniges
Deputy Managing Director of Unternehmer Baden-Württemberg e. V.
Alexander Schwörer
Owner and member of the Advisory Board PERI
Thomas Dörflinger
Member of the CDU
Spokesman for Craft Trades
Dr. Sandra Detzer
Member of the Bundestag
Green Party Spokeswoman on Economic Policy
Final keynote
The closing keynote will be delivered by Cem Özdemir. Cem Özdemir is the Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture and the Federal Minister of Education and Research. He is also a directly elected member of the Bundestag for the constituency of Stuttgart.
Cem Özdemir
Federal Minister (image source: BMEL/photothek)
Wine Night
Taste regional wines, help yourself to the snack buffet and listen to atmospheric music for an unforgettable evening. We will round off the congress at the Wine Night and look forward to presenting you with an exquisite selection of wines. Enjoy the atmosphere of the catacombs and celebrate with us and the other participants.
Workshops
Friday (28.02.)
Speaker Workshop: Hybrid Threats to the Liberal Order - Recognising and Acting (10.30 a.m. - 12.00 p.m.)
Reich citizens planning to overthrow the system, cyber attackers who want to paralyse companies and authorities and right-wing extremists who secretly form alliances online - the German security authorities have rarely faced so many challenges at the same time. Not forgetting the threats ‘from outside’, for example from the intelligence services of other countries. Russia has been very active with cyberattacks and espionage campaigns not only since the beginning of its war of aggression against Ukraine. Other countries are also targeting authorities, companies and research institutions in Baden-Württemberg.
But why exactly are the individual groups so dangerous? What is the Office for the Protection of the Constitution doing about it? And can citizens protect themselves? The workshop with Beate Bube, President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, will explore how extremists and enemies of the constitution will operate in 2025, what defence options are available and how we can all ensure that our democracy remains resilient.
Beate Bube
President of the Baden-Württemberg State Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Speaker Workshop: Let's redesign democracy! An interactive workshop on the question of how we can renew democracy in Germany and make it crisis-proof (10.30 a.m. - 12.00 p.m.)
Democracy appears to be increasingly fragile worldwide. In Germany, too, trust in democratic institutions and actors is declining and support for anti-democratic and populist parties is rising. This situation has fuelled an intensive discussion about the reasons for this development and how democracy can be made more resilient. Reforms and innovations in terms of basic democratic procedures and institutions play an important role here. What new forms of democracy would be useful and conceivable? In this workshop, participants will become ‘democracy designers’ by developing and presenting ideas for democratic innovations in the German political system.
Dr. Finn Heinrich
Director for Democracy and Cohesion, Bertelsmann Stiftung
Saturday (01.03.)
Speaker Workshop: After the elections in the USA and Germany: How does Germany position itself in relation to China? (11.45 a.m. - 1.15 p.m.)
The question of Germany's attitude towards China is becoming increasingly important, particularly in light of new governments in the USA and Germany, divisive tendencies within the European Union and Chinese support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Formerly Germany's most important trading partner and a key player in the global economy, China recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of its founding. But how should Germany respond to China's growing importance in foreign, security and economic policy, also against the backdrop of budget cuts and China's stance on the climate crisis?
The challenges are manifold: how can Germany reduce its dependency on China - for example in the case of critical raw materials such as rare earths or semiconductors? How can risks for German companies in important sales markets be minimised? At the same time, there are questions about China's economic growth and the situation on its labour market. It also remains unclear how realistic a world order decoupled from the USA is, which is increasingly characterised by China's influence.
Following the successful Mannheim Forums from 2021 to 2024, Eberhard Brodhage and Alexander Sölch will once again analyse key developments over the past twelve months. They invite participants to a lively discussion on the future role of China and the strategic options for Germany.
Alexander Sölch & Eberhard Bordhage
Associate (Manager), Oliver Wyman & Founder and Director at Asia Europe Business Partners Ltd
Speaker Workshop: Change through Law: Law as an Emancipatory Tool? (11.45 a.m. - 1.15 p.m.)
With our queer and intersectional feminist internal mission statement, we look at the law and want to create access to legal issues. In our workshop programme, we address the question of how changes can be brought about through the use of law and how law can be used as a tool of emancipatory politics. The gender pay gap, (digital) violence or parentage law are just a few examples where legal claims and legal realities diverge. In order to explain this divergence, we first take a look at how the law shapes our coexistence. We will also look at influential case law, which will be worked on interactively in small groups. Finally, we will discuss whether change is possible through the use of the law.
Julia Hirsch
Justitia – Kenne Dein Recht