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 german ministry of finance
Dr. Rüdiger Grube
Former CEO, Deutsche Bahn
Ulrike Sapiro
Managing Director, Jacquues Delors Friends of Europe Foundation
Julius van de Laar
Political Strategist & Campaigning Consultant
Prof. Dr. Hermann Simon
Founder, Simon Kucher & Partners
Matthias Lehna
Managing Director, Quantum Frontline Industries
Sven Weizenegger
Chairman of the Management Board and Head of Bundeswehr Cyber Innovation Hub
Sabine Verheyen
Vicepresident,EU-Parliament
Damian Boeselager
Member of the EU-Parliamentl and Founder, VOLT Europa
Claudius Laskawy
Vicepresident, DTCP Liberty
Dirk Olufs
CIO, DHL Express
Cihan Sügür
Associated Partner for Public & Defense, 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
