About the WBD

About the WBD

Everything you need to know about the World Business Dialogue.

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World Business Dialogues
Who we are

Students who become entrepreneurs

We are a student-run non-profit company based in Cologne, the OfW. But most people know us as the organisers of the World Business Dialogue. Here, students become entrepreneurial early in their academic careers and work on projects and events. With our connections to the business and start-up scene, as well as to students worldwide, we create a platform for exchange. An exchange between entrepreneurs and students, between generations and between countries. At our events, we enable conversations at peer-to-peer level in an informal atmosphere. Since 1984, many stories, ideas and careers have been created in this way.

Our journey

Milestones of the OfW

From the founding in 1984 to today.

1984
The Start
Founded in 1984, the Organisationsforum Wirtschaftskongress (OfW) set out to bridge the gap between academic theory and business practice.
1987
First Conference
The inaugural conference in 1987 focused on the topic ‘Space as a Market’. Initially held under the name ‘Deutscher Wirtschaftskongress’ (German Business Conference), the event was later renamed the World Business Dialogue to reflect its growing international audience.
1995
A Milestone with Bill Gates
The undisputed highlight of the fifth conference in 1995 was the keynote address by Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
1999
First World Business Dialogue
In 1999, the conference was held under its new name for the first time – the World Business Dialogue was born.
2017
The 20th Conference
In 2017, the 20th conference marked its grand jubilee by revisiting the themes of the first three events: space as a market, artificial intelligence, and transformation in transportation.
2024
The Restart
After recovering from the effects of a global pandemic, we relaunched the World Business Dialogue in 2024. Despite losing our partner and student base over the pandemic and encountering numerous other challenges, we successfully hosted the first post-pandemic WBD to get back on track.
2025
Back on Track
In 2025, the World Business Dialogue returned for its 25th edition, once again featuring C-level and DAX executives, a growing audience of over 500 participants, and an expanding roster of corporate partners discussing the theme “Beyond Human Capital – Navigating Tomorrow’s Labour Markets.”
2026
The 26th World Business Dialogue
On 26 June 2026, the 26th World Business Dialogue took place at the University of Cologne under the theme “Generation Europe — Unite to Compete”.
The people

Meet the team behind it all

A group of students who dedicate a year of their studies to building an international platform for dialogue. Get to know the team that makes the World Business Dialogue happen.

Meet the Team →
Guidance & experience

Our Advisory Board

Experienced leaders from business, academia and public life who support the OfW with their expertise, networks and long-term perspective.

Meet the Advisory Board →
Impressions

Impressions of the last years

A look back at past editions of the World Business Dialogue.

Jens Südekum on stage — WBD 2026
Speed dating with PwC
Sabine Verheyen in conversation with students
Networking after an evening discussion
The team on congress day
Questions from the audience