Philipp Bauer

Philipp Bauer is a Berlin-based consultant for public affairs, strategy and communication. He advises federations and companies on the topics of political communication, and oversees legislative processes. He specialises in the digital and gaming field. Prior to joining Beust & Coll he managed the offices of several parliamentarians in the House of Representatives, Berlin, where he was responsible in particular for the fields of domestic, urban development and social policy. He completed his bachelor’s degree in international policy management and his master’s degree in European and world politics at Bremen City University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Bremen).

Dr. Tobias Block

Dr. Tobias Block is an industrial engineer and Senior Consultant Public Affairs, Strategy and Communication at the consulting company von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft in Berlin and Brussels. He is an all-rounder when it comes to technical, economic and political challenges at the interface between renewable energies and the automotive industry.

As a technical and strategic expert he coordinates the activities of the eFuel Alliance e.V., a platform launched by von Beust & Coll. with more than 100 member companies for the market ramp-up of synthetic fuels. After studying energy and environmental management at the University of Flensburg he obtained his doctorate on eFuels business models at the University of St. Gallen. Following his studies, he worked for more than five years in the technical development department of AUDI AG, including on the commissioning of the first industrial power-to-gas plant, electricity procurement concepts, and the market launch of various natural gas vehicles. As the success of synthetic fuels depends more on the political framework conditions than on technical solutions, he joined the German Association of the Automotive Industry (Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V.) in the summer of 2018 and coordinated the political activities related to renewable fuels for more than two years – initially in Berlin and later from Brussels.

Christiaan Boiten

Christiaan Boiten is a Senior Consultant at von Beust & Coll in Brussels.  He advises clients on EU policy strategy and retail and energy stakeholder management.

Christiaan Boiten is a multidisciplinary EU affairs expert with more than ten years of experience in union management, EU public affairs consultancy, strategy consulting, politics and non-profit organisations. His previous positions include head of the Brussels office of the Dutch Farmers' Union and senior policy advisor to the European retail association EuroCommerce. 

He holds an MSc in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics and Political Science and an MA in European Studies from Maastricht University.

Paulina Bulligan

Paulina Bulligan is a consultant to the management at the Berlin office of von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft. She supports mandates in strategic communications and digital public affairs.

Previous to this, Paulina Bulligan gained practical experience in Public Affairs, Corporate Communication and Crisis Communication working for the consultancy firm FGS Global as well as for Mahle, the ZF AG and the BMW Group. 

She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in politics and economics from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich and a master’s degree in politics, administration, and international relations from the Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen with a stay at the University of Bergen in Norway. 

Ralf Diemer

Ralf Diemer is Director at the consulting company von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft in Berlin and Brussels. His field of activity is extensive, from strategic orientation for associations, position finding and communication in the public and political sphere, to international contacts in connection with trade policy.

As an experienced expert in the automotive industry, he coordinates the activities of eFuel Alliance e.V., a platform initiated by von Beust & Coll. for the market launch of synthetic fuels, with more than 100 member companies.

During his law degree in Tübingen, he worked in the Baden-Württemberg state parliament and in the European Parliament. He then started his professional career in Berlin as an office manager in the German Bundestag. After moving to the German Association of the Automotive Industry, he headed the Brussels branch there for ten years and then the department for Economic, Trade and Climate Protection Policy in Berlin. He was involved in numerous legislative processes on a national and European level, with a focus on climate, environmental and trade policy. Political interest and involvement in politics have always been of central importance to him.

Lisa Egermann

Lisa Egermann joined the Berlin branch of von Beust & Coll. in 2019. As a senior consultant, she has many years of experience in managing complex projects. She also has extensive expertise in strategic consulting, including the development and implementation public affairs strategies in Germany. Her work primarily centres on digitalisation and sustainability; her focus here is on mediating between policy objectives and entrepreneurial realities. In her position at von Beust & Coll., Lisa Egermann is able to draw on her previous experience at a non-profit foundation, as an assistant to a member of the European Parliament, and at DAAD in London.

She completed a Master’s degree in European Studies at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt-Oder and Metropolitan University in Prague, where she researched issues of European foreign and security policy and EU-Turkey relations. As a member of ‘de'ge'pol w’, the platform for female policy advisors within the German Society for Policy Advice (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Politikberatung), Lisa Egermann is committed to networking and equal opportunities for women in public affairs.

Georg Ehrmann

Georg Ehrmann, lawyer since 1997, works as a legal advisor for an Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, 12 years as managing director of an NGO, expert on various committees at regional, federal and EU level, government adviser on the Federal Youth Advisory Board (BJK), consultant in the field of public affairs, strategy and crisis communication; he founded Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft with Ole von Beust in 2013, in addition he is inter alia the managing partner of Coll International GmbH, managing director of The Maritime Platform and National Director of CLIA in Germany.

Sara Karan

Sara Fischer is a senior consultant for public affairs, strategy and communication based in Cologne. She handles clients mainly in the fields of labour and transport policy. Previously, Ms Fischer worked for trade associations in Berlin and Bonn in the field of communication and digital public affairs. She completed her Master's degree in European Studies at the Science Po Strasbourg and the Viadrina European University in Frankfurt (Oder).

Jan Fluck

Jan Fluck has been a Public Affairs Consultant at von Beust & Coll. in Hamburg since 2024.  He previously worked at Miller & Meier Consulting in Berlin. Digital policy, sustainability policy and food policy are his key areas of expertise. He completed his master’s degree at the Dublin City University (MA International Relations) and majored in International Organisations. 

Laura Carolin Freitag

Laura Carolin Freitag has been a senior consultant for political strategy and public affairs at von Beust und Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft since 1 August 2023. Alongside digital policy, she also specialises in energy and health policy. Most recently, she worked for GAULY Advisors as a Senior Associate in Public Affairs & Government Relations. Former posts included Miller & Meier Consulting and the Federal Foreign Office. She completed her Master's degree in Politics, Economics and Philosophy at the University of Hamburg with periods spent studying at the Sorbonne in Paris and Harvard University.

Sebastian Frevel

Sebastian Frevel is Managing Partner of von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft. An expert in corporate and public affairs, he has been advising companies and associations since 2004 and specialises in strategic representation of interests, political business reputation and stakeholder management. Another core focus of his work is organisational consultancy for associations and companies, for example, founding of an association, establishment of a representative office in the capital and public affairs structures in corporate groups.

Previously, he was responsible for the public affairs portfolio of Advicepartners GmbH as its Managing Director - a business consultancy for strategy and communications management in Berlin. The political scientist has been an assistant lecturer in public affairs at the Quadriga Hochschule Berlin since 2013.

He is, among other things, a member of de'ge'pol – the German Association of Political Consultants (‘Deutsche Gesellschaft für Politikberatung e.V.’) and the Society for the Study of Structural Political Issues (‘Gesellschaft zum Studium strukturpolitischer Fragen e.V.’) as well as founder of the ‘Hintergrundkreis’ (a select behind-the-scenes discussion group involving politicians and journalists) #Kabinett.

Paul Gerhards

Paul Gerhards joined the Executive Board of von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft in May 2024 as a management consultant for the Cologne and Brussels branches. He specialises in advising clients from the construction and real estate industry as well as gathering and analysing information in the areas of consumer protection and sustainability.

Before joining von Beust & Coll., Paul Gerhards studied Social and Political Science at the University of Cologne and Duquesne University Pittsburgh. He gained practical experience in the German Bundestag, the European Parliament and at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

Dr. Martin Gerig

Dr Martin Gerig is a shareholder at von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft. He advises companies and associations on regulatory requirements and processes and on developing and implementing strategies for political positioning. He is also the head of a cross-industry alliance advocating for consumer-friendly, environmental-friendly and non-discriminatory use of beverage packaging with mandatory deposits. He has many years of experience in steering legislative processes, establishing strategic alliances, and developing public affairs structures in companies. He has specialist sector expertise in the areas of the environment, food and energy.

Before joining von Beust & Coll., as Director of Regulatory & Government Affairs Europe at Red Bull GmbH he managed a team of public affairs and regulatory experts and represented the company before national authorities and European institutions. Previously, as Head of Public Affairs at the Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer law firm in Berlin, he advised clients on political positioning and legal issues regarding proposed legislation in public economic law. He also gained an in-depth understanding of work at the interface of business, politics and society from his activities in various federal ministries, as a parliamentary group spokesman in the Deutscher Bundestag (German federal government), and as an employee of a law firm specializing in the representation of interests, headquartered in Berlin and Brussels.

Dr Martin Gerig has been a lecturer at the Quadriga University Berlin since 2014. Alongside completing his PhD, which earned him the title Dr. iur. (Doctor at Law), at the Freie Universität Berlin, he also completed a Master of Laws (LL.M.) at the University of Canterbury (NZ).

Anthea Geyh

Anthea Geyh (MPP) is a senior consultant for public affairs, strategy and communications at the Hamburg location. At von Beust & Coll. she focuses on digital and financial policy. Anthea Geyh is experienced in advising organisations on how to develop digitalisation, innovation and future-oriented strategies. Before joining von Beust & Coll., she worked for KPMG Deutschland, where she advised public sector institutions on communication-related support for digital transformation projects.

Through her positions at Allianz Deutschland, the Munich Security Conference, Burson-Marsteller and the Federal Office of the CDU in Berlin among others, she has acquired extensive expertise in political communications as well as in legislative processes at both the national and European level. She studied Public Policy at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where she researched topics related to agenda setting in the European Union.

Marlene Hermfisse

Marlene Hermfisse is a consultant at von Beust & Coll. in Berlin. She has primarily supported clients in the energy sector since joining in October 2020 and is on the eFuel Alliance team. Previously, Marlene Hermfisse worked at the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations in the Regional Directorate for South Eastern Europe. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Slavic Studies and Economics at the Humboldt University in Berlin and the University of Zagreb.  She completed her Master's degree in Eastern European Studies with a focus on political science at the Free University of Berlin.

Klaus-Peter Hesse

Klaus-Peter Hesse is an executive consultant and brings over 30 years of expertise from real estate and politics to the table. He works mainly from Hamburg and Berlin and advises companies and associations on political communication. Before joining von Beust & Coll., he spent more than ten years as Managing Director of the German Real Estate Association (ZIA) and three years as Director of Project Development at ECE. Alongside his professional career, the qualified real estate specialist has been involved in politics from an early age and was a member of the CDU parliamentary group in the Hamburg state parliament from 1997 to 2015, where he was, among other things, the spokesperson for transport policy and parliamentary manager. He is also an honorary member of the council of the German Association for Housing and of the municipal council of the ZIA and the Economic Council of the CDU.

Dr. Nikolas Hill

Dr. Nikolas Hill is an insurance broker, legal expert and partner at the consulting company of von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft. From October 2004 to December 2005 he was an advisor to the deputy director of NDR. From 2006 until his appointment to the State Council (State Secretary), in his role as Senate Director he was Head of Planning at the Hamburg Senate Chancellery. From 15 March 2009 until the end of his service at the Hamburg Senate on January 1, 2017, Hill served in the cabinets of two mayors of Hamburg, Ole von Beust and Olaf Scholz – first as State Councillor of the Department for Culture, Sport and the Media, then of the Department for Justice and Equality. He was also the director of Hamburg’s application committee for the 2024 Olympic Games.

During this time, his roles included chairing or being a member of several supervisory bodies in the fields of business development, media and culture:

• Elbphilharmonie Bau KG
• ReGe Hamburg Projekt-Realisierungsgesellschaft mbH
• Hamburg Tourismus GmbH
• IBA Hamburg 2013
• IGS Hamburg 2013
• Filmförderung Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein GmbH
• Hamburg Kreativ GmbH
• Hamburg Media School
• ZDF Television Council
• Deutschlandradio Radio Broadcasting Council
• Broadcasting Commission of the Länder
• Thalia Theater GmbH
• Deutsches Schauspielhaus GmbH
• Hamburg State Opera
• Kampnagel Internationale Kulturfabrik GmbH
• Hamburg Public Libraries
• Museum of Arts & Crafts

Dr. Hill also volunteers for various organisations, among others the Quadriga Hochschule in Berlin, where he is a mentor, and also serves as an advisory committee member for impct.help, on the board of trustees of the Regenbogenstiftung Hamburg, and as a member of the Wirtschaftsrat der CDU e.V. [Economic Council of the CDU].

Lars Hummel

Lars Hummel is consultant at the consulting firm von Beust & Coll. at the Berlin location. He supports clients from the industry, including the activities of the eFuel Alliance e.V., one of several platforms co-initiated by von Beust & Coll. with more than 130 member companies. Before joining von Beust & Coll., Lars Hummel worked at Evonik Industries AG and the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) in Brussels. He completed his master's degree at the University of Konstanz (MA Political and Administrative Science) and the University of Utrecht (MSc European Governance).

Dominik Junker

Dominik Junker joined the Executive Board as a management consultant on 01 August 2023. His main focus is on digital policy. He previously worked as a trainee in the Siemens AG office in the capital. He graduated in political science from Freie Universität Berlin.  

Inesa Kachmarchyk

Inesa Kachmarchyk is a consultant to the management at the Berlin office of von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft. She mainly assists with the activities of eFuel Alliance e.V., a platform initiated by von Beust & Coll. for the market launch of synthetic fuels, with more than 100 member companies.

She completed her degree in German Studies at the State Pedagogical University in Ukraine and also obtained a degree in Political Science with a focus on Eastern Europe at the Free University of Berlin. Before joining von Beust & Coll., Inesa Kachmarchyk worked for the Women’s Union in the CDU Federal Office and the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) in Berlin. She acquired practical experience in the German Bundestag and as personal assistant to National Councillor Mr Tim Guldimann.

Mariam Kirvalidze

Mariam Kirvalidze (M.A.) joined the consulting firm von Beust & Coll. in May 2022 as an assistant to the executive management. She primarily organises and supports the operational day-to-day business at the Berlin office. Ms Kirvalidze completed her Master's degree in political science at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. In addition to her work for the company, she is also active in the diplomatic field.

Manuel Klement

Manuel Klement has been a management consultant to the executive board working out of Brussels since 2023. He is responsible for information procurement and analyses for clients in the trade and consumer goods industries. His main points of focus are chemicals policy and payment services. He previously gained experience at the European Parliament and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. where his responsibilities included developing the Brussels office of a professional association as well as monitoring in the commodities sector. His academic career has taken him to Sciences Po, Paris, TU Munich and the College of Europe in Bruges, where he studied politics and administrative sciences respectively.

Michaela Korb

Michaela Korb has been at von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft since 2018 as assistant to the executive management at the Hamburg office. She manages administration, human resources and internal communications for our offices in Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne and Brussels. She completed her studies in business administration, with a focus on marketing, in Kiel. Ms. Korb has a variety of experience working in different branches, such as the automotive, sports marketing, tourism and education sectors.

Victoria Kupsch

Victoria Kupsch has been a consultant at von Beust & Coll. in Berlin since 2024. Her expertise is rooted in the specialisations of Supply and Environmental Infrastructure, coupled with European Parliamentary and Social Research, and Civic Society. Most recently, she worked as a freelance consultant, was public affairs manager at Berliner Wasserbetriebe, was co-founder of the think tank European Democracy Lab and an analyst at ESI in Istanbul.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and political science from the University of Erfurt, a degree in international relations and diplomacy from Boğaziçi Üniversitesi and an MSc. in democracy and comparative politics from the School of Public Policy at University College London.

Dr. Ines Lasch

Dr. Ines Lasch has been a representative of the management board at von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft in Hamburg since 2018. Since 1990 she has worked in various positions at German and Russian companies in the maritime business sector. Until the end of 2016 she worked in communication and central services at the Association of German Ship-owners (VDR). She studied Russian language and literature in Russia, is an author, professionally-trained writer for specialist publications and technical editor.

Tizian Lehnert

Tizian Lehnert is a consultant at von Beust & Coll., and has been working in the company’s Berlin office since 2020. He supports companies and associations in analysing the regulatory environments and helps translate these into target-oriented public affairs strategies. He specialises in the areas of energy, infrastructure, industry transformation, mobility and tourism. Previous to this, Tizian Lehnert worked for Continental AG, out of their Berlin office, and for the consultancy firms FGS Global and J+K. He graduated in politics and economics from the University of Mainz and completed a Master’s in Climate and Energy Transition Policy at the University of Potsdam.

Julia Lensing

Julia Lensing is a lawyer and has been employed at von Beust & Coll. in Berlin since 2020. Ms Lensing has been a partner of Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft since 1 January 2025. 

She oversees consulting in the areas of gaming, gambling and luxury goods and advises associations and companies on the development and implementation of strategies for political positioning and the representation of interests at federal and state level.

Before joining von Beust & Coll., the legal expert worked as a company lawyer at one of Germany’s largest entertainment companies: Löwen Play GmbH. In addition, she took on the role of commissioner for politics and communication at the company, where she was responsible for the company’s political work at a federal, state and district level. This role also included helping to shape the substantive political work of the industry associations. During her legal clerkship, Julia Lensing worked for the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Parliament and for the FDP state parliamentary group in North Rhine-Westphalia. She studied law at the Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn.

Valeska Meyer

Valeska Meyer has worked at von Beust & Coll. since 2024. As a Human Resources and Administration Assistant, she organises and primarily supports daily operations in the HR department. She is responsible for managing the company’s human resources and helps with staff development and recruiting.  

Ms Meyer has extensive business experience in the areas of IT and consulting. 

Manuel Obertshauser

Manuel Obertshauser works for Beust & Coll. in the role of adviser to the management at the Berlin office. He specialises in the fields of Digital and Financial Policy. He previously completed a bachelor’s degree in political science at the University of Passau and a master’s degree in political and communication sciences at the University of Trier.

Parallel to his studies, he gained practical experience in the fields of Public Affairs, International Corporate Communications and Stakeholder Dialogue. He has previously worked for SKM Consultants, navos, Deutsche Telekom and the Bundesverband Mittelständische Wirtschaft, among others.

Matthías Ólafsson

Matthías Ólafsson has been supporting the vbcoll team in Brussels as an Executive Consultant since August 2024. He is an expert in the field of methanol and renewable energy.  Prior to joining von Beust and Coll., Matthías was senior EU representative of the global trade association of the methanol industry and held various positions at eMethanol pioneer Carbon Recycling International (CRI), where he was responsible for expanding sales and marketing capabilities and developing markets for renewable methanol. Matthías Ólafsson holds a degree in Political Science and Russian Linguistics from the University of Iceland.

Matthias Onken

In his role as an executive consultant at von Beust & Coll., Matthias Onken specialises in urban development issues and the management of complex projects. Prior to this, Matthias worked for almost 16 years as a journalist, including several years as Editor-in-Chief of daily newspaper “Hamburger Morgenpost” and Managing Editor of tabloid newspaper “BILD Hamburg”.

Since 2011, this native Hamburger and long-time Munich resident has been working with his company Onken + Partner as a consultant, specialising in political engineering for project developers and investors, crisis communication for companies and individuals and media relations. His clients benefit from his journalistic expertise and broad network in both the north German political world and real estate and media sectors. 

Matthias has been a certified systemic coach for executives since 2017. He primarily works as a consultant in Berlin and the north of Germany. He is highly familiar with the processes involved in obtaining planning permission and highly experienced in investment and acceptance management. As a media professional, he is a valuable contact partner for the development of communication strategies.

Lilia Richter

Lilia Richter (M.A.) has been working at von Beust und Coll.'s Berlin officesince 2018 and is familiar with the day-to-day operations. As a consultant to the Executive Board, she primarily supports clients in the fields of digitalisation and financial services. Before joining von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft, Lilia Richter worked at the German Embassy in Moscow and in the German Bundestag, where she worked in the office of a member of parliament and in the administrative department. She studied cultural, political and social sciences, with a minor in economics, at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder). 

Tessa Rodewaldt

Tessa Rodewaldt (M.A., M.Sc.) is a political scientist and associate of von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft. She studied at the University of Tübingen and the University of California at Berkeley as well as at the London School of Economics.

She entered the professional world as an advisor to a member of the British House of Commons. She has more than ten years of experience in strategic policy consulting and in working together with companies, associations and NGOs as well as with political decision-makers at the state, federal, and EU levels. Before that, she was responsible for working with international companies from the logistics and IT industries for a Berlin-based consulting agency and worked for one of the leading German healthcare companies as a lobbyist.

She worked for one of the leading public affairs agencies in London until 2009, where she was primarily responsible for mandates from the energy, water and technology sectors. Due to her extensive consultancy work, her strengths lie mainly in the development and implementation of effective political communication programs, strategy analysis, and the establishment and management of alliances/coalitions.
 

Christoph Ruck

Christoph Ruck is a consultant at the Berlin branch of the consulting company von Beust & Coll. Since 1 October 2020 he has been responsible for information procurement and analysis in food policy, consumer protection and environmental policy for clients from the retail and consumer goods industry.

Before joining von Beust & Coll. he gained practical experience in the Lower Saxony ministry of the economy and in the Public Affairs department of Coca-Cola GmbH. He studied political science at the University of Potsdam and the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.

Britt Sieber

Britt Sieber ist a senior consultant for public affairs, strategy and communication at the von Beust & Coll. Consulting Company in Berlin. She supports companies and associations in their political positioning and accompanies legislative processes at EU, federal and state level. Her main areas of expertise include environmental, transport and health policy. 

Before joining the von Beust & Coll. Consulting Company, Britt Sieber worked for Dr. Koch Consulting e. K., where she also supported clients in the development and implementation of political strategies and in legislative processes.

Britt Sieber completed her Bachelor's degree in "European Studies" and her Master's degree in "European Governance" at the University of Osnabrück.

 

Matthias Spangenberg

Matthias Spangenberg is Director at the consulting company von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft in Berlin and Brussels. He advises companies and associations on the development and implementation of strategies for political positioning and lobbying at EU, federal and state levels. Mr. Spangenberg possesses long-standing experience in supporting legislative processes, particularly at the European level, and is also responsible for von Beust & Coll.’s office in Brussels.

Before joining Beust & Coll., he was Regulatory and Governmental Affairs Manager at the globally operating fintech company Paysafe Group in London. Here he played a part in permanently positioning the company in the political environment and represented the company’s interests vis-à-vis lawmakers, supervisory and regulatory authorities as well as to associations at the EU and nation state levels. In the past, Mr. Spangenberg also worked as a senior consultant for strategy and communications consultancy Advicepartners GmbH, where he helped clients from various areas represent their strategic interests.

Niklas Stilz

Niklas Stilz is a public affairs senior consultant and joined the Berlin office of von Beust & Coll. on 1 September 2019. He advises companies and industrial alliances, especially in the field of the circular economy. His analyses help in the shift from a "throwaway society" to a responsible circular economy and the development of necessary policies.

He studied political science and media studies at the University of Trier and the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. Before joining von Beust & Coll., he worked for the ARD capital city studio and the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government, among others.

Dr. Dorothea Stock

Dr. Dorothea Stock has been part of the von Beust & Coll. team in Cologne since 2024. She advises companies and associations on the development and implementation of their political advocacy, information gathering and strategic positioning.

Previously, she gained experience in an internationally oriented association of the construction industry, a human resources development consultancy and a service platform for associations. Dorothea Stock studied business administration for foundations and associations as well as business psychology with a focus on sustainable corporate management in Heilbronn, Bremen and Montreal. In her doctorate at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland), she researched how associations and nonprofit organizations develop innovativeness, proactivity and risk-taking and whether such an entrepreneurial orientation promotes member engagement and successful advocacy.

Ines Ulfik

Ines Ulfik has been supporting Ole von Beust's consultancy firm since 2011, particularly in the areas of accounting and office management. Furthermore, Ines Ulfik helps manage strategic alliances when dealing with questions of accounting, and has performed services for the Maritimen LNG Plattform e.V. and the smartparking-Platform e.V. (since its founding). She is a trained lawyer and notary clerk and has also worked for the law offices of von Beust Rechtsanwälte since 2008. 

Dr. Michael Vesper

Dr. Michael Vesper has been a partner at von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft since 1 September 2018. He has decades of political experience and an extensive network of contacts from the worlds of politics, sport and economics. He is a founding member of the party “Die Grünen” (The Green Party) and was Chief of the party from 1983 to 1990. From 1990 to 1995 he was Parliamentary Director of the state party, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, in North Rhine Westphalia (NRW). As a member of NRW state government, Dr. Vesper led various departments between 1995 and 2005, until his final position as Minister for Urban Development, Housing, Culture and Sport. At the same time, he held the position of deputy state premier of North Rhine Westphalia under the direction of Johannes Rau, Wolfgang Clement and Peer Steinbrück. In 2006 Dr. Vesper became chairman of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), a position he retired from at the end of 2017. Since 2018 he has been President of the Direktorium für Vollblutzucht und Rennen e. V. (Association for Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing) and is involved in several associations and initiatives including his roles as chair of Freunde und Förderer der RuhrTriennale e. V. (Friends and Sponsors of the RuhrTriennale), and advisor at Bonn Academy for Research and Teaching of Practical Politics (BAPP) and the German Committee for UNICEF.

www.michaelvesper.de

Nicole Vogt

Nicole Vogt has worked for von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft since June 2020. Ms. Vogt is primarily responsible for reception and office management at the Hamburg location. She also supports the entire team in all organisational and administrative matters.

Ole von Beust

Ole von Beust is a lawyer and founder of von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft. From 1993 to 2001 he was the parliamentary leader in the Hamburg Parliament and from 2001 to 2010 was the First Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. Furthermore, he was also a member of the Federal Executive of the CDU in Germany. He has extensive media experience – especially in difficult situations. He is a member of the Advisory Board of Delta Management Consultants and member of the Sustainability Advisory Boards of ECE. Ole von Beust is also a member of the Supervisory Board of Novum Hospitality, Lauenburgische Treuhand AG and an Advisory Board member of a Hamburg Family Office. His detailed knowledge of political decision-making processes and his non-partisan approach to tackling problems provide him with access to the politically relevant camps.

Jan Martin Wehrhold

Jan Martin Wehrhold has been a senior consultant at von Beust & Coll. in the company’s Berlin office since 2023. As an expert in Digital Public Affairs and Public Relations, he supports vbcoll in its projects – predominantly the activities of eFuel Alliance e.V., a platform initiated by von Beust & Coll. for the market ramp-up of synthetic fuels.

Previously, he was employed as a Consultant in Public Affairs and Public Relations at DWReco, advising their clients on sustainability strategy.

Jan Martin Wehrhold studied Politics, Administration and International Relations at Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen, where he earned a Master’s degree.

Norman Wendt

Norman Wendt is a political scientist and Senior Consultant in Public Affairs, Strategy and Communications at von Beust & Coll. in Berlin, Hamburg and Brussels. He is an expert on the regulatory and policy challenges of renewable energy in all modes of transport. 

He studied political science at the University of Potsdam. After graduating, he worked for the bioethanol industry union for five years. He joined the biofuels industry union in 2016. He has been involved in the introduction of E10, the national implementation of the GHG-based fuel regulation and the union's activities in relation to the Renewable Energy Directive. After moving to the German Energy Agency, he was Team Leader for Sustainable Mobility from 2019 to 2022, coordinating various consulting projects for the Ministry of Economic Affairs. He then moved to the trade association en2x, where he most recently led the association's national fuel regulation activities, with a particular focus on renewable fuels, including the introduction of HVO.

Nina Wesselhoefft

Nina Wesselhoefft is an Executive Consultant at von Beust & Coll. Beratungsgesellschaft.

Previously, she has worked for the German American and later for the European American Chamber of Commerce as Director of Business Development in San Francisco. She has advised German companies on establishing business in the US.

Thereafter she has been appointed Executive Director for a US science management NGO. She established the organisation and ran the San Francisco office. She has been working closely with German corporations and government institutions during the tenure in the US.

On returning to Germany she continued to counsel the NGO and worked as a coach for executives in newplacement settings. Her professional focus is in the area of strategy, change processes and people management. Nina Wesselhoefft is a lawyer. She is a certified systemic coach by the 'artop Institute' at the Humboldt University and successfully attended the advanced training course for labour law. She is a fellow partner of a company in the textile industry.

Konrad Witterstein

Konrad Witterstein joined the Executive Board of von Beust & Coll. as a management consultant in May 2024. Based in Hamburg, his expertise lies in the areas of tourism and sustainability.  

He studied Political Integration and Economic Globalisation at the University of Marburg.

Prof. Dr. Carolin Zeller

Prof Dr Carolin Zeller is a director at von Beust & Coll.

She is a renowned expert for political strategy development and positioning and has helped associations and companies for many years now in developing and overhauling their political representation of interests at state, national and European levels. She advises decision-makers on how to conduct talks, negotiate positions and develop political narratives, and works with the relevant teams to develop integrated advocacy strategies and organisational guidelines.

Prof. Dr Carolin Zeller studied Political Science, Economics and Public Law in Bonn, Germany, and London and Essex, England, and did her PhD at the University of Potsdam, Germany. Between 2016 and 2025, she held a professorship at Quadriga University of Applied Sciences Berlin and, as a passionate university lecturer, was involved in a wide range of training and further education programmes.

Henner Bunde

 Henner Bunde brings his three decades of experience in the Berlin state administration to his role as a consultant with von Beust & Coll. For many years he worked in the Senate Department of Finance in various capacities, including on implementing M&A transactions of the State of Berlin, fundamental investment policy issues, and operational investment management. Most recently, he was permanent deputy to the Head of the Assets Department in the Senate Department of Finance. In 2012, Henner Bunde was appointed State Secretary of the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Technology and Research, later for Economy, Energy and Enterprises. There he was responsible, among other things, for regional structural policy, matters concerning company holdings and institutions under public law, commercial land development and the administration of the European structural funds. In 2019, Henner Bunde retired from the office of State Secretary and has since worked as a freelance consultant. He has been working on various projects for von Beust & Coll. for some time, and since March 2022 as an executive consultant.

Knut Fleckenstein

Knut Fleckenstein brings 10 years of expertise as a Member of the European Parliament to the advisory services of von Beust & Coll. As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, he was responsible for international EU relations and, amongst other things, accompanied various accession negotiations with new EU member states.

The trained banker brings with him many years of experience in business and politics. He was a member of the management of a large logistics company and a managing director of the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB). After working as Head of the Department for European Affairs and Development Cooperation in the Senate Chancellery and as Spokesman and Head of the Protocol of the Hamburg Parliament, he was elected to the European Parliament in 2009. In the EU Parliament he was active as vice chairman and foreign policy spokesman for the social democrats in the European Parliament (S&D) and was a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN). In 2019, Mr. Fleckenstein left the EU Parliament and since 01.09.2019 has been working for von Beust & Coll. International.

Dr.-Ing. Hans Gätjens

Dr.-Ing. Hans Gätjens is Executive Consultant at consulting firm von Beust & Coll.

He is able to look back on an impressive career in the maritime industry. Among other things, Dr Gätjens has worked at Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG (HDW) as Head of Research and Development, and as Division Manager of the project department for commercial ships. He was Director of Mechanical Engineering at Germanischer Lloyd and has held positions on the management boards of MPC Münchmeyer Petersen Marine GmbH, cruise shipping company Deilmann as well as Marine Service GmbH, an engineering firm for ship technology. In addition, he as been/is on several supervisory boards.

As of 2007, Dr Gätjens was Vice President at Bureau Veritas S.A., where he was responsible for the regions Central Europe, Russia, Finland and the Baltic states. He left on 30 June 2020 and has now decided on a career with us. He is a truly exceptional addition to our maritime advisory mandate.

Martin Gorholt

Martin Gorholt holds a degree in economics and studied economics and social sciences at the University of Dortmund. Martin Gorholt has lived and worked in Brandenburg since 1990. He brings with him 20 years of administrative experience with the Brandenburg state government, including twelve years as State Secretary, during which he was State Secretary for Education, Youth and Sport and State Secretary for Science, Research and Culture. As Head of the Brandenburg State Representation in Berlin, he represented the interests of the state at the federal level and was responsible for international issues, in particular relations with Poland. He most recently served as Head of the State Chancellery, up to the end of 2019, where he was in charge of co-ordinating government affairs. As General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) from 1990 to 1994, he helped establish the party in Brandenburg, and was the SPD federal whip from 2005 to 2008. Today, Martin Gorholt is active in various associations, foundations and committees as Chair, a board member and in supervisory roles.

Silvana Koch-Mehrin

Silvana Koch-Mehrin was Vice President of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2011. As president and founder of Women Political Leaders (WPL), a global network of women politicians, she set the goal for the non-partisan and non-profit foundation to increase both the number and the influence of women in political leadership positions. She brings expertise in the field of EU politics to her role as Senior Advisor at vbcoll in Brussels.

Jos Steeman

Having been employed by Shell and Royal Vopak for many years, Jos Steeman has a wide range of experience and expertise in the energy and logistics industry. For both companies he has worked in different business areas, e.g. retail (Germany, Netherlands), retail real estate, marine and aviation fuels (Middle and Near East) and the bulk storage of liquids and gases (South America, Netherlands, Germany). He is a commercial strategist with a sense of innovation and cross-cultural leadership abilities. He studied Applied Mathematics at Delft University of Technology and holds an MBA from Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands. His current activities include representing the City of Hamburg on behalf of the Netherlands (as the Hamburg Ambassador), for which he was appointed by the Hamburg Senate. Jos Steeman is a member of the Council of Experts of the Maritime Platform e.V..