26th Edition · 26 June 2026 · Cologne
— Unite to Compete
with engaged students, experts, and leaders.
Stage Program
Keynotes, panel discussions and live interviews with Europe's leading voices.
Company Speed Datings
Fast-paced 1:1 sessions connecting students directly with company representatives.
Dialogue Sessions
Small-group conversations between students and senior company executives.
Career Fair
Open-format meetings with recruiting teams from Europe's leading organisations.
Afterparty/Dinner
Continue the conversation in a relaxed evening setting with speakers and guests.
The World Business Dialogue addresses the great questions about the future of Europe in a period of profound change. That is our shared responsibility — as Germans and as Europeans.
Prof. Dr. Jens Südekum
Economist & Advisor to the Federal Minister of Finance, Lars Klingbeil
Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Grube
Former CEO Deutsche Bahn Group & Multi-Chairman
Sabine Verheyen
First Vice-President of the European Parliament (CDU)
Prof. Dr. Hermann Simon
Founder & Honourary Chairman of Simon-Kucher & Partners
Julius van de Laar
Political Strategist & Campaign Consultant
Lorenz Seeger
Managing Director, diesdas.digital & Founder of Mehrheit Machen
Damian Boeselager
Member of the European Parliament & Founder of VOLT Europa
Sven Weizenegger
Head of the Cyber Innovation Hub of the Bundeswehr (CIHBw)
Matthias Lehna
Vice President at Quantum Systems & MD of Quantum Frontline Industries
Claudius Laskawy
Vice President at DTCP Liberty
Ulrike Sapiro
Managing Director of the Jacquues Delors Friends of Europe Foundation
Dirk Olufs
Chief Information Officer of DHL Express
Katharina Utermöhl
Head of Thematic & Policy Research at Allianz Research
Cihan Sügür
Associated Partner (Public & Defense) at MHP – A Porsche Company
We are pleased to welcome our academic partner, the Adenauer School of Government (ASG) at the University of Cologne, a new, non-partisan academic institution dedicated to becoming a leading center for multidisciplinary, evidence-based governance research and education.
Supported by the non-profit Alfred Landecker Foundation, the ASG's mission is to address the demands of increasingly technology- and data-driven policy environments.
The ASG is building an internationally competitive research environment while simultaneously developing a one-year Master's Program in Public Governance launching in fall 2027. This academically rigorous and policy-relevant program features innovative learning formats such as bootcamp-style modules, blended learning, and capstone projects with excellent teachers from globally leading research, education, and public institutions. Designed to educate excellent decision-makers, the program is aimed at students and early-career professionals who aspire to work at the intersection of research, policy, and public life.
The ASG's emerging research agenda addresses important governance challenges of our time such as AI and the digital state, security, energy, and climate. The ASG's research activities inform the teaching program, ensuring that students engage with excellent scholarship grounded in real-world relevance.
The Master's Program in Public Governance is the entry point for students who wish to collaborate on high‑impact projects, with a broader portfolio of programs to follow as the ASG's faculty and network grow.
While the Master's Program is set to launch in fall 2027, we invite you to follow the ASG's development. Stay informed about upcoming events and news on our study program as the ASG takes shape.
Moments of debate, connection, and impact from our 2025 edition.
· Limited seats available
WBD is entirely student-run. Every speaker invited, every session shaped, every moment crafted by a team of committed students just like you. Applications to join our team are open.
Apply Now
The WBD 2025 Team
