Europe and the Emerging New Global Order

Dr. Christoph Heusgen

Ambassador Dr. Christoph Heusgen has been Chairman of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) since 2022. Heusgen was Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations between 2017 and 2021. Prior to this appointment and since 2005, Heusgen was the Foreign Policy and Security Adviser to Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel. He served as Director of the Policy Unit for High Representative Javier Solana in the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union from 1999 to 2005. Between 1988 and 1999, Heusgen served in various capacities at the Foreign Office in Bonn, including Deputy Director-General for European Affairs from 1997 to 1999 and member of Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel's Private Office in charge of European Affairs from 1993 to 1997, serving as Deputy Head since 1994. From 1990 and 1992, he was Deputy Head of the special section in charge of negotiations on the Treaty of Maastricht. He held the position of Private Secretary to the Coordinator for German-French Relations from 1988 to 1990. From 1986 to 1988, Heusgen worked in Germany's Paris Embassy, having begun his foreign service career in the Press and Economic Affairs Office of his country's Consulate in Chicago, where he worked from 1983 to 1986. He joined the Foreign Service in 1980. Heusgen is a graduate of the University of Saint Gallen in Switzerland and studied at Georgia Southern College in the United States and at the Sorbonne in Paris. He earned a post-graduate degree from the University of Saint Gallen where he is currently teaching Political Science.

Hang Nguyen

More than twelve years ago, Hang Nguyen co-founded a new organization with a group of ambassadors: the Diplomatic Council. The organization includes a global think tank, a worldwide business network and a charity foundation. The United Nations has granted the Diplomatic Council consultative status, placing it within its closest advisory circle. Hang Nguyen regularly speaks at UN conferences in New York, Geneva, and Vienna. She has also authored more than ten books on various aspects of globalization and the global economy.

Andreas Dripke

Andreas Dripke has a background in Business Informatics and has been active as an author, editor-in-chief, and journalist for over 30 years. He served as editor-in-chief at International Data Corporation (IDC), one of the world's leading analysis and market research firms, for a decade. As Managing Partner of the European Marketing Communications Agency, he has advised corporations and governments on future strategies over several decades. In his role with the Diplomatic Council, a global think tank advising the United Nations, he has participated as CEO to the United Nations in numerous closed UN conferences, gaining insights that have shaped this publication. Today, Andreas Dripke serves as Executive Chairman of the Diplomatic Council, where he addresses global issues, from digitalization and globalization to the future of humanity.

Stephan J. Kramer

Stephan J. Kramer is President of the State-Agency for the Protection of the Constitution in Thuringia (State Domestic Intelligence Service, Verfassungsschutz) since December 2015. Since 2018 also Co-Chairmen of the Sub-Workinggroup (IV, Verfassungsschutz) of the Conference of Interior Ministers and Senators in Germany. Visiting Fellow at the Eagleton Institute of Politics - Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience, RUTGERS University New Brunswick (USA). Previously served as: Director, European Office on anti-Semitism of the American Jewish Committee, Trans Atlantic Institute (TAI); Secretary General of the Central Council of Jews in Germany (Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland); Executive Director of the Zentralrat and Personal assistant to the President of the Zentralrat; Press spokesman, Consultant for individual & slave labour Compensation Funds and advisor for public and government relations, Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany (Frankfurt/Main Office).  He has served as chief of staff to three different members of the German Bundestag between 1989 and 1995, among them the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and President of the Inter-Parlamentarian-Union (IPU), the Economic Affairs Committee and the Children Commission of the Bundestag. He studied law, economics and social science (B.A. and M.A.). He is Vice-Chairman of the board of trustees of the AMCHA-Foundation Germany, a member of the advisory board of the Padeia Institute, Sweden. He serves on various advisory committees for projects against Racism and Intolerance, of Civil Society and Remembrance, also on the international advisory board of the Holocaust Museum in Northern Macedonia. He is an active reserve-officer of the German Navy (Lt.-Commander) and teaching political science and security policy at the German Naval Academy in Mürwick. He served also with the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) dealing with counterintelligence, the detection of "anti constitutional activities" within the German Armed Forces and the protection of German Armed Forces from sabotage and foreign espionage. He is a longstanding member of the German Council on Foreign Affairs and the German Atlantic Council.

Dr. Harald Schönfeld

Dr. Harald Schönfeld is a highly respected expert in Interim Management and the Managing Director of butterflymanager GmbH, a leading consultancy dedicated to this field. Since founding the company in 2003, he has passionately guided its growth and success. In 2017, he co-founded UnitedInterim GmbH, the first digital ecosystem for Interim Management in German-speaking countries, where he also serves as Co-Managing Director. Dr. Schönfeld brings a strong academic background to his work, holding a diploma in Economics from the University of Trier and a Doctorate in Economic and Social Sciences from the Vienna University of Economics and Business. He is also certified as a Supervisory Board Member (Zertifizierter Aufsichtsrat) and an Advisory Board Member (Zertifizierter Beirat), which highlights his commitment to excellence in corporate governance. As an enthusiastic author and editor, Dr. Schönfeld has shared his insights through several specialist books on Interim Management. He enjoys engaging with audiences at lectures and professional conferences, where his approachable style resonates with attendees. Additionally, he is an active member of the Diplomatic Council, a global think tank with consultative status at the United Nations. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Schönfeld has built a rich network of top interim managers and developed deep expertise in his field. This unique combination makes him a trusted advisor for executives seeking guidance on interim management solutions. His friendly demeanor and practical insights help organizations navigate the complexities of engaging and effectively utili­zing interim talent, making him a valuable resource for those looking to drive transformation and profitability.

Prof. Dr. Peter Schallenberg

Prof. Dr Peter Schallenberg (born 1963 in Oberhausen) studied theology and philosophy in Paderborn and Rome, where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1988. In 1991, he completed his doctorate under Prof. Dr. Klaus Demmer MSC at the Pontifical University Gregoriana in Rome on the subject of "The development of theolo­gical natural law in the late neo-Scholasticism of the German-speaking world." From 1994 to 1998, he taught theological ethics at the University of Wuppertal. In 2003, he habilitated at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität in Münster on the subject of "Love and subjectivity: The success of life in the shadow of 'amour pur' as a program of theological ethics." In 2004, he was appointed Chaplain of His Holiness (Monsignor). From 2004 to 2009, he was Professor of Moral Theology and Christian Social Sciences at the Faculty of Theology in Fulda. Since 2008, he has been Professor of Moral Theology and Theological Ethics at the Faculty of Theology in Paderborn. From 2010 to 2024, he has been director of the Catholic Central Institute for Social Sciences in Mönchengladbach. From 2019 to 2022, he has served as a consultant to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. He has also held various visiting professorships and visiting research positions, including at the Pontifical Institute "Giovanni Paolo II" of the Pontifical Lateran University, the Alba Iulia College of Theology in Romania, and Blackfriars Hall at the University of Oxford.

Andre Schulte-Südhoff

Andre Schulte-Südhoff is an experienced expert in industrial management, currently serving as Managing Director and shareholder of Schuko, a role he has held since August 2002. Since taking on this leadership role, he has been instrumental in driving the company's growth and innovation, particularly within the fields of energy and environmental technology. His career is dedicated to implementing environmentally responsible strategies and promoting awareness of the critical issues surrounding climate change and pollution. Since June 2023, Andre has also served as a Supervisory Board Member for NanoRepro AG, further expanding his influence in the field of innovation and technology. As a passionate advocate for family-owned businesses, Andre serves as the Chairman for Lower Saxony in the "Die Familienunternehmer e.V." association, where he actively represents the interests of entrepreneurial families and promotes their sustainable development.