Practical seminar 'Communication professions'

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What does a digital agency do? And what responsibilities does a manager have? Marc Schwieger is CEO and co-founder of PUSHH, an agency for content-driven brand building, and shares insights into his professional career with Kobe. PUSHH is an agency for content-driven brand building and a member of the Pahnke Group. It conceives, designs, creates, manages, and supports digital communication for
clients in the FMCG, retail, publishing, and digital brands sectors. The team creates websites and microsites for the web and smartphones, mobile apps for Apple and Android, as well as social media, online, TV, print, and networked campaigns right up to the POS. PUSHH relies on the latest technical platforms and contemporary digital and analog forms of expression. PUSHH's clients include digital
native companies such as AR games Pokémon GO and Monster Hunter Now, Facebook, and XING. In addition, there are analog brands such as TUI, BDO, the SPD, and merci.
In addition, PUSHH repeatedly advocates for socially important issues and supports, for example, the democracy initiative GoVote https://go-vote.de/ and Endstation Rechts, the platform against right-wing extremism.
Marc Schwieger studied German language and literature, philosophy, and linguistics at the University of Hamburg. He has worked as an author and journalist, including for SPIEGEL TV, and spent 15 formative years as a partner and creative director at Scholz & Friends. He has been a guest lecturer at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam and founded the digital agency PUSHH Pahnke und Schwieger in 2013. As managing partner, he strives to maintain an overview of the endless acceleration of digital processes.

How does a global corporation such as Robert Bosch GmbH manage consistent communication and effective marketing around the world? In this presentation, you will gain insights into the experiences and daily work of two managing directors in different marketing areas: corporate communications and business marketing.
The Bosch Building Technologies division is a leading global provider of products and systems in the areas of security, protection, and communication. In selected countries, Bosch offers solutions and services for building security, energy efficiency, and building automation. Around 10,900 employees generated sales of 2.6 billion euros in 2023. The protection of
lives, buildings, and assets is at the forefront of its activities. The product portfolio includes video security, intrusion detection, fire alarm, and voice evacuation systems, as well as access control and management systems. Professional audio and conference systems for voice, sound, and music communication round out the offering.
Isabel Martinez-Serrano studied economics and management at the University of Kent in the UK and at the University of Oviedo in Spain. She completed a summer course in marketing at California State University in the US. She then took part in a two-year ICEX program in trade affairs at the Spanish Ministry of Economy in Vienna and Madrid.
After a traineeship in human resources at Robert Bosch GmbH in Germany and Brazil, Isabel gained almost 20 years of experience in various marketing and sales positions at Bosch, including heading the marketing communications department for Bosch Building Technologies. She is currently part of the management team for fire alarm systems and heads global marketing, training, and sales in Latin America.
Carola Hehle studied economics and geography at LMU and the Ecole de Management in Lyon, France. She also worked at IFCO Systems in London for a summer semester. She began her career at Siemens Management Consulting, where she worked as a strategy consultant in Germany and the US. She then moved to Robert Bosch GmbH, where she gained nearly 20 years of experience in various marketing and sales positions at Bosch, including heading the marketing communications department for Bosch Building Technologies. She also worked at IFCO Systems in London during a summer semester. She began her career at Siemens Management Consulting, where she worked as a strategy consultant in Germany and the US. She then moved to
Robert Bosch GmbH and worked for several years in Germany and the Netherlands in the area of strategy and M&A before taking on a management role in corporate communications.
After more than 15 years of experience at Bosch, she is now Director of Corporate Communications at Bosch Building Technologies.

What happens after my training? Should I go to college? What are my chances of getting a job as an editor at a publishing house? How do I take the plunge and start my own bookstore? Are there maybe some jobs I haven't even thought about yet? Do you have questions about careers in the book industry or are you looking for the right path into the world of publishing or bookselling? You'll find the answers at our career day, book your career – next time in summer 2025. Together with the Baden-Württemberg regional association, CLAUS – the young professionals' network – invites you to the Ulm Stadthaus every two years to offer you guidance on the wide range of entry-level and development opportunities in the book industry. Throughout the day, you will have the opportunity to ask seasoned professionals from the book trade and publishing industry all your questions.
The experts explain what tasks shape their everyday lives and provide valuable tips on how you can pursue the career path that is right for you. The career day will be framed by a keynote speech in the morning and a reading at the end.
Program: From 10:30 a.m.: Arrival and admission with welcome coffee 10:45 a.m.: Welcome 10:50 a.m.: Keynote speech by Katja Meinecke-Meurer, managing director of the children's and youth book publisher Tessloff 11:20 a.m.: Introduction of all speakers 12:00 p.m.: Start of discussion rounds 2:00 p.m.: Lunch in the foyer with buffet and standing tables for networking 2:45 p.m.: Part 2 of the discussion rounds 3:45 p.m.: Coffee break and open discussion rounds** 4:45 p.m.: Author reading with Kira Mohn from the Spiegel bestseller “Die Nacht der Bärin” (The Night of the Bear) (publication date 08/2024) From 5:30 p.m.: Farewell, thanks to the speakers and author, distribution of goodie bags, and closing remarks 6:00 p.m.: End.

Want to get started as a TV presenter? Ralph Caspers doesn't know how to do it either. With his various formats and programs, he primarily targets children and young people as his audience. At Kobe, he provides insights into his professional career and the specifics of his job.
After graduating from high school, Ralph Caspers worked in pathology, at an advertising agency, and in the technical department of television companies before starting his current career: At Sat.1, he devised games for the show “Geh aufs Ganze” and hosted his first own show, “Muuh - Das Tiermagazin,” on Super RTL in 1995. In 1996, Ralph Caspers moved to WDR, where he hosted “Maus Club.”

Während der Arbeit studierte Ralph Caspers an der Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln. Seit 1999 moderiert er „Die Sendung mit der Maus”, drei Jahre lang moderierte er auf KiKa die Talkshow für Kinder „QuasselCaspers”. Von 2001 bis 2022 stand Ralph Caspers für die Wissenssendung „Wissen macht Ah” vor der Kamera und schrieb dafür teils auch selbst die Drehbücher. 2003 bis 2004 veröffentlichte Ralph Caspers an besonderen Feiertagen sein Reportage-Magazin „Neufundland”. Außerdem ist er Experte bei der Quizshow „Die große Maus-Show”. Von 2011 bis 2016 moderierte er die
Sendung „Du bist kein Werwolf - Über Leben in der Pubertät”. Seit 2010 moderiert Ralph Caspers die WDR-Fernsehreihe „Quarks”. Seit Ende 2022 veröffentlicht Caspers Videos auf dem Youtube-Kanal „Quarks Dimension Ralph”.

What happens behind the scenes of a television program? We will participate in the BR24 program and get a close-up view of everything. Beforehand, we will have the opportunity to talk with editor-in-chief Andreas Bachmann. After the program, we will discuss it with the journalists. The event will last approximately 2.5 hours (5:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.). The number of participants is limited to 20. Please only come to the event if your participation has been confirmed by email.
Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) provides creative and reliable information, culture, knowledge, and entertainment from and for Bavaria: on the radio, on television, in the media library, on BR24, Instagram, and other platforms. The BR Orchestra and the BR Choir delight listeners all over the world. BR is a member of ARD and proud to contribute significantly to diversity of opinion and media with its diverse and high-quality offerings.

How is television programming planned? Which topics make it into a television program, which don't, and why? And how is the BR24 studio set up? We will visit the BR24 television editorial office. There, we will take part in the morning editorial meeting, get a tour of the studio, and have the opportunity to talk with editorial director Andreas Bachmann. The event will last approximately 2.5 hours (8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.). The number of participants is limited to 10. Please only attend the event if your participation has been confirmed by email.
Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) provides creative and reliable information, culture, knowledge, and entertainment from and for Bavaria: on the radio, on television, in the media library, on BR24, Instagram, and other platforms. The BR Orchestra and the BR Choir delight listeners all over the world. BR is a member of ARD and proud to contribute significantly to diversity of opinion and media with its diverse and high-quality offerings.

What exactly does a market researcher do? How can market research be combined with consulting? Katharina Just is the managing director of the market research institute phaydon | research+consulting and provides insights into her exciting field of work at Kobe. phaydon | research+consulting is an independent full-service research and consulting company based in Cologne. For more than 20 years, the 20-strong team has been supporting well-known companies with relevant customer insights for strategic and implementation-oriented measures throughout the entire product development process. At phaydon, depth psychology expertise, quantitative research know-how, and agile UX research come together in a unique way: Based on an extensive portfolio of methods, the institute develops customized research concepts and focuses on impact-driven presentation of results.
Katharina Just studied media studies, psychology, and German language and literature at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. After graduating in 2008, she initially worked as a project manager at ARD MEDIA GmbH, while also completing a part-time training course in morphological market and media research at rheingold in Cologne. In 2011, she moved to phaydon, where she worked for nine years as a senior research
consultant and team manager. She has been managing director at phaydon since 2020.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly important in our personal lives, but also in terms of global competition between countries. Germany is home to one of the world's largest research centers for artificial intelligence. But how does it achieve a certain level of recognition in the media and among the general public? Jennifer Oberhofer works in communications at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and will talk to Kobe about her everyday work in this field. The German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence GmbH (DFKI) was founded in 1988 as a non-profit public-private partnership (PPP). It has locations in
Kaiserslautern, Saarbrücken, Bremen, Lower Saxony, and Darmstadt, laboratories in Berlin and Lübeck, and a branch office in Trier. DFKI combines scientific excellence and business-oriented value creation with social appreciation. DFKI has been conducting research on AI for people for over 35 years and focuses on social relevance and scientific excellence in the key future-oriented research and application areas of artificial intelligence. DFKI is one of the most important centers of excellence in the international scientific community.
Jennifer Oberhofer is an IfKW alumna: she studied communication science with a minor in law at the bachelor's level and specialized in public relations in her master's program. She completed various internships at HuffPost, the PR agency fischerAppelt, and the communications agency Serviceplan. As a working student, she worked in the PR department of a car-sharing company (now SHARE NOW). During her studies, she was solely responsible for communications for the appliedAI initiative at UnternehmerTUM. Jennifer Oberhofer has been working at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) since 2021. Today, she is Media Relations & CEO Communications Lead there.

How and where do Bavarian politicians actually work? What is the atmosphere like in the Bavarian State Parliament? What have you always wanted to discuss with legislators? Now is your chance: we are going on an excursion to the Bavarian State Parliament. First, we will watch a film about the Bavarian State Parliament, then we will be given a tour of the building, and finally we will talk to members of parliament from Munich (ideally, members from all political parties will be present, but this will be decided spontaneously). Afterwards, there will be a free lunch provided by the State Parliament (two options: with
meat or vegan). The event will last approximately three hours. Please note that the registration deadline is earlier than usual: May 15. There is also a limit on participants; a maximum of 50 students can join the excursion. If there is more interest than available spots, a lottery will be held. Please only come to the event if you have received a confirmation email.
The Bavarian State Parliament is one of Bavaria's highest state authorities. As such, the parliament is at the heart of the Free State's political system. Since 1949, the Bavarian State Parliament has been based in Munich's Maximilianeum. The 19th Bavarian State Parliament consists of 203 members due to 11 overhang seats and 12 compensatory seats. The CSU has 85 representatives in the five-party parliament. The FREIE WÄHLER have 37 representatives. The AfD has 32 members. BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN also have 32 representatives. The SPD has 17 seats.

How do you market a car brand on social media? Julian Stiller is responsible for the MINI brand's social media presence and will talk to Kobe about the highlights and challenges of his job.
With its BMW, MINI, Rolls Royce, and BMW Motorrad brands, the BMW Group is one of the world's largest automobile and motorcycle manufacturers. The company is represented in 140 countries and has its headquarters in Munich.
Julian Stiller studied media and communication at the University of Augsburg. He gained his first professional experience at Red Bull while still a student. After graduating, he moved to the marketing agency webguerillas, which was later acquired by TERRITORY, and then moved to the parent company, where he remained until 2023. In his nearly 12 years on the agency side, he held various positions –
in addition to business development, primarily in the areas of social media and editorial/content marketing. In recent years, he exclusively served BMW and MINI as clients, most recently as Executive Director of the MINI account. Since 2023, Julian Stiller has been working for the BMW Group as Global Social Media Manager for the MINI brand.

How does working for television work? What do I need to bear in mind when presenting? How do political journalists arrive at well-founded assessments of current events? Andreas Bachmann is editorial director at Bayerischer Rundfunk and has extensive experience in political journalism. He will be answering your questions at Kobe. Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) is the state broadcaster in Bavaria, based in Munich. It is a member of ARD (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Association of Public Broadcasters in the Federal Republic of Germany). BR is the fourth largest ARD broadcaster after WDR, SWR, and NDR. Bayerischer Rundfunk broadcasts programs in the areas of news, culture, knowledge, and entertainment. BR can be found on television, in the media library, on the radio, on social media, and with numerous other offerings on the internet.
Andreas Bachmann studied political science at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and at the Munich School of Political Science. He began working for Bayerischer Rundfunk while still a student.
Angefangen als Reporter, war Andreas Bachmann von 2004 bis 2009 Landtagskorrespondent des Bayerischen Fernsehens. 2007 übernahm er im Wechsel mit Ursula Heller die Moderation des BR-Politikmagazins Kontrovers. 2009 bis 2020 war er Redaktionsleiter für Kontrovers. Er moderiert immer wieder Sondersendungen des BR, vor allem zum Bereich Wahlen. Von 2016 bis 2020 moderierte er das ARD-Politikmagazin report München. Seit 2020 ist Andreas Bachmann Redaktionsleiter der BR24 TV und Landesberichte und ist dadurch für alle Nachrichtensendungen des BR24, der Abendschau und der Abendschau-Süd verantwortlich. 2011 wurde Andreas
Bachmann für seine Berichterstattung über die Bayerische Politik mit der Bayerischen Verfassungsmedaille in Silber ausgezeichnet.

What are the special features of the market research profession? What does everyday work look like and what surprising insights can you gain? Thomas Kolbeck is managing director of the market research company Psyma Research + Consulting and can answer these questions.
Psyma is one of Germany's largest privately owned market research institutes. The company is active in eight countries and employs approximately 260 people. Using a wide range of methods, Psyma conducts ongoing research in over 40 countries. Psyma identifies customer needs and opportunities and uses this information to make recommendations for action.
Thomas Kolbeck studied political science, economics, and modern history at LMU. He worked as a research associate at TU Dresden and was research manager at the market research company for children iconkids & youth. He was deputy managing director at the market research company Monheimer Institut. Thomas Kolbeck has been managing director at Psyma Research + Consulting GmbH since 2001.

Successful editor and author: Anna Clauß heads the “Opinion and Debate” department at Der Spiegel and is the author of a biography about Markus Söder. At KoBe, she provides insight into her work at Germany's largest news magazine and her collaboration with the Bavarian Minister-President.
Der Spiegel is a German news magazine with a total of over 1,400 employees. With a circulation of approximately 680,000 copies and over 4 million readers, Der Spiegel is the most successful German news magazine, and its website, spiegel.de, is one of the most frequently used online news portals in Germany. Der Spiegel is considered one of the leading media outlets in the German press landscape.
After graduating in cultural economics from the University of Passau, Anna Clauß attended the German School of Journalism in Munich, where she obtained a master's degree in journalism. While still a student, she was employed as a copywriter at the Scholz & Friends agency group and subsequently worked as an editor at the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Anna Clauß has been writing for Der Spiegel as an editor since 2011 and as Bavarian state correspondent since 2013. Today, she also heads the “Opinion and Debate” department. In February 2021, she published her first book: a biography of Minister President Markus Söder.

The Career Service workshop teaches the method of storytelling and its applicability in a professional context (application letters, job interviews, assessment centers, etc.). In addition to a brief theoretical introduction, individual and group exercises will be used to test participants' self-reflection and concrete implementation of the method for future career options.

We visit the communications agency Consense Communications at their office in Munich. The two communications consultants Laura Berner-Knoll and Marina Fritz will give us insights into Consense Communications and the everyday life of a communications consultant in an interactive workshop.
We advise companies on change processes and challenging situations. Our holistic approach combining strategy, change, and internal communication gets to the heart of complex issues—in a value-oriented, authentic way that takes the needs of the respective target group into account. This is how we create closeness and trust and ensure a high level of identification and employee loyalty.
Marina Fritz - Has always been fascinated by how communication affects people. Her studies in communication science and psychology at LMU were therefore the perfect combination for her. Marina initially worked in corporate communications at GSK Consumer Healthcare before joining consense. She now brings her passion for the human factor in change processes to her consulting work, which focuses on change communication, employer branding, and internal communication. Laura Berner-Knoll – Is enthusiastic about using words to move people, accompany them, and bring about positive change. She is an expert in linguistic diplomacy thanks to her studies in German language and literature and law at LMU, as well as her experience in journalism, PR, and everyday life at a law firm. After starting out in classic B2C PR, she moved into external communications within a corporation and then to consense, where she gained experience in everyday agency work. She has a keen sense for finding the right words in internal structures, a great deal of creativity for change communication, and the ever-necessary spark of humor.

How can you combine a passion for art with your career? Ariana Zustra shows us how: she is a musician, writes about music as a freelance journalist, and has also written a book. She tells Kobe how she manages to juggle all of this.
Ariana Zustra studied cultural studies and sociology at the University of Tübingen. After graduating, she completed two training programs at the Reportage School and the Axel Springer Academy, and also completed an internship at Rolling Stone magazine. As a freelance journalist, Ariana Zustra writes, hosts, and reviews for Musikexpress, RBB, Spiegel Online, and others, and can look back on numerous successes. Her 2019 article on “blackfishing” (the appropriation of attributes and appearance of people of color for marketing purposes) was named the best music journalism work of the year at the Reeperbahn Festival
and awarded the International Music Journalism Award. Ariana Zustra is also a musician herself and releases art pop under the name ZUSTRA. Ariana Zustra's debut novel, “Dead or Alive,” was published in 2023.

We will visit the SZ editorial office in Munich Berg am Laim and gain exclusive insight into the SZ news desk. This is where the SZ homepage is designed and the newspaper edition is coordinated. This will be followed by a discussion with several SZ journalists, who will provide authentic insights into their work and their areas of expertise. The experts will explain their
tools of the trade, philosophy, and quality criteria of the renowned Süddeutsche Zeitung. The speakers look forward to your curiosity and will be happy to answer all questions (except those about internal editorial processes and confidential sources). The Süddeutsche Zeitung is a national daily newspaper and one of Germany's leading media outlets. It is classified as left-liberal. The SZ has been providing serious reporting since 1945 and is headquartered in Munich. In Germany, it also has editorial offices in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Leipzig, and Stuttgart.

How do you communicate the work of a large research institution for application-oriented research? Monika Landgraf is responsible for corporate communications at the Fraunhofer Society and is also
the president's press spokesperson. In her presentation, she will provide insights into her work.
The Fraunhofer Society, based in Germany, is one of the leading organizations for applied research. It plays a central role in the innovation process, with a focus on research into key technologies of the future and the transfer of research results to industry in order to strengthen our economy and benefit our society. Founded in 1949, the organization currently operates 76 institutes and research facilities in Germany. Its nearly 32,000 employees, most of whom have a background in natural sciences or engineering, generate an annual financial volume of €3.4 billion. Of this, €3.0 billion is attributable to contract research.
Monika Landgraf is Director of Corporate Communications at the Fraunhofer Society. Her responsibilities include science policy, press and strategic communications, corporate media, brand communications, trade fairs and corporate events, communications management, the Fraunhofer Forum Berlin, and public outreach formats. The graduate journalist is spokesperson for Fraunhofer President Prof. Holger Hanselka and press spokesperson for the Fraunhofer Society. Prior to this, she worked at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) for 16 years, most recently as Chief Communication Officer and Head of Overall Communication, where she was responsible for KIT's internal and external communication and had been KIT's press spokesperson since 2010. Before joining KIT in 2007, she was a radio consultant at the Bavarian State Office for New Media in Munich since 1992, and before that a freelancer at Bayerischer Rundfunk. Monika Landgraf studied journalism at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich.

Are you fascinated by communications professions and would like to gain more insight into the field? Guido Weber will show you the ups and downs, opportunities, and pitfalls of a career ranging from editor at a start-up to head of corporate communications. Can one ever be fully prepared for what lies ahead? How do you communicate in a crisis? Why is internal communication significantly more difficult than external communication? And how do you support the spin-off of a company? Guido Weber is also the host of the podcast “Inside Communications.” Here, students talk to experts who are already working in the field about communication science concepts and the industry.
Inside Communications is among the top 5% of educational podcasts worldwide on Spotify.
ZF Friedrichshafen is a global technology group with nearly 170,000 employees and 162 production sites in 31 countries. In addition to the automotive sectors of passenger cars and commercial vehicles, ZF serves market segments such as construction and agricultural machinery, wind power, shipping, rail technology, and testing systems. Inside Communications is a podcast series by students for students and anyone who wants to learn more about communication. Terms from all professional fields of communication are explained, from their definition to their application in everyday communication. To this end, the students interview experts from news agencies, newspapers, radio and television stations, and industry, and talk about their experiences with host Guido Weber. Inside Communications not only offers an entertaining explanation of communication terminology, models, and theories, but also highlights the role they play in practice. At the same time, listeners gain exciting insights into the professional world of communication and the opportunities and challenges of individual job profiles and industries.
Guido Weber was press spokesman for Siemens AG during the slush fund scandal, oversaw the sale of a company with 40,000 employees as head of internal communications, prepared communications for an IPO, and established the government relations department for a US Fortune 400 company. Today, he is responsible for corporate spin-offs at ZF Friedrichshafen and hosts the communications podcast Inside Communications. Guido Weber also works as a lecturer at LMU.

Investigative journalism repeatedly rocks societies and sometimes even the entire world with scandals. But how does the work behind such revelations function? How are informants handled, and what does a typical workday in this field look like? Maria Christoph is an award-winning investigative journalist at paper trail GmbH and will provide insights into her work.
Paper Trail Media brings together some of the best investigative journalists in Europe. This award-winning team is dedicated to international investigative journalism in print, online, podcast, and video formats. The reporters have collaborated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), the Forbidden Stories Network, the Signals Network, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), The Examination, and the Anti-Corruption Data Collective. Their groundbreaking revelations repeatedly spark debate, prompt investigations, and lead to changes in legislation. In Germany, paper trail media is the exclusive partner of Der Spiegel magazine and the public broadcaster ZDF. In addition, paper trail media works with the Austrian newspaper Der Standard and the Swiss Tamedia Group.
Maria Christoph studied communication science with a minor in psychology at LMU and spent a semester abroad in Singapore. She completed her master's degree in journalism at LMU and the German School of Journalism. During her studies, she completed various internships and working student positions in the field of communication: she worked as an editorial intern at Spiegel Online, VICE MEDIA, BR, and Deutsche Welle, and freelanced as an editor for online content at Kontextlab. After graduating, she worked freelance for Spiegel, ZEIT, VICE MEDIA, and BR. She mainly reports on migration, poverty, and working conditions. She also worked as a freelance podcaster at Ikonemedia. Since 2022, she has been an investigative reporter at paper trail media GmbH. For her research on abuse of power in Michelin-starred restaurants, she and her colleague Nora Voit received the Helmut Schmidt Prize and were nominated for the Theodor Wolff Prize. In 2020, she and her colleagues received the Reporter Prize for the podcast “Affäre Deutschland – die schwarzen Konten der CDU” (Affair Germany – the CDU's black accounts). The Otto Brenner Foundation awarded her radio documentary “Der erste Tag der AfD” (The first day of the AfD) the Newcomer Prize in 2020.

Making a difference through communication? That's Nicolas Grünbeck's everyday life: he works as a fundraiser and public relations officer for the non-profit organization HORIZONT e.V., which provides homeless mothers and their children with a safe new home and comprehensive support. He explains exactly what needs to be considered in this type of communication at Kobe.
HORIZONT e.V. is a non-profit association that supports homeless children and mothers as well as socially disadvantaged families in Munich. Founded by Jutta Speidel in 1997, the association operates two HORIZONT houses: a sheltered facility for homeless women and children, and an open house with socio-cultural offerings for children, young people, and adults, consisting of a daycare center, cultural stage, educational area, workshops, and interactive garden. There are over 10,000 homeless people in Munich – as of November 2022, this includes over 3,000 children, and the numbers are rising every year. In its two houses, HORIZONT e.V. can provide a safe home for around 270 people.
Nicolas Grünbeck studierte an der LMU Kommunikationswissenschaft im Bachelor und im Master. Schon während seines Studiums arbeitete er als Werkstudent bei HORIZONT e.V. in den Bereichen Fundraising, Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, Marketing und Event. Seit seinem Abschluss im Oktober 2023 ist er als Junior Fundraiser bei HORIZONT e.V. tätig. Neben dem Fundraising ist er in der Öffentlichkeitsarbeit für den gemeinnützigen Verein tätig. Als Student sammelte Nicolas Grünbeck vor seiner Zeit bei HORIZONT Erfahrung durch Praktika und Werkstudententätigkeiten in der Unternehmenskommunikation und im Marketing. Parallel zu seinem Masterstudium hat er zudem zwei Jahre lang als Redakteur beim Studierenden-Radiosender M94.5 mitgearbeitet.

What do you need to bear in mind when you are responsible for marketing other companies? Marion Koch is co-founder of ITLOGWARE, a company that specializes in IT equipment and marketing. Marion Koch reveals to Kobe what you need to bear in mind when starting a business and what makes her job so special.
ITLOGWARE has two main areas of focus: IT consulting and marketing. The goal is to help small and medium-sized businesses digitize their business processes more efficiently by advising them and their employees, supporting them during implementation, and subsequently maintaining their IT infrastructure and/or website. In the IT area, the client company is supported in the planning, procurement, and implementation of the appropriate IT. The marketing division is on hand for strategic planning, goal-oriented content creation, and the direct implementation of marketing measures.
Marion Koch studied Applied Foreign Languages for Business and Business Administration at the Université d'Angers in France and spent a semester abroad at Ulster University in Northern Ireland. She completed a master's degree in German-French Management at Mainz University of Applied Sciences and the Université de Lorraine. During her studies, she worked as a student trainee at JAKO-O. She also completed an internship at JAKO-O and at HQ Patronen GmbH in the marketing department. After graduating, she completed a marketing traineeship at the food service company Bonduelle Deutschland GmbH. She worked as an online marketing manager at Allgemeine Warenvertriebs-GmbH (AWG). She also worked as a junior e-commerce manager at iFixit. Marion Koch founded ITLOGWARE at the end of 2019 together with her wife and is responsible for marketing management.

What is everyday life like in a communications agency? How does the changing media usage behavior of all target groups affect an agency, customer requirements, and employees? Are there still any “traditional” communication campaigns? How important is social media as a communication tool? How do companies deal with negative effects on their own platforms—keyword: hate speech? Hate speech and incitement, often with inhuman or racist content, are widespread on social networks and forums. This is where the communications agency ZAMCOM, which specializes in social media communication and community management, among other things, can help. Martina Zamorano is the managing director of the communications agency ZAMCOM GmbH and will provide insights into her work at Kobe.
Founded in 2004, the communications agency ZAMCOM continues to focus on holistic communication. What began as a traditional PR and advertising agency has developed into a cross-media manufacturer for tailor-made communication concepts. Its core competencies lie in the area of social media marketing – whether creative content creation for social media presences or comprehensive round-the-clock community management. The company also specializes in dealing with hate speech and hate comments. Martina Zamorano has been managing director of ZAMCOM GmbH since 2013. In her role, she is responsible for the overall management and strategic development and direction of the communications agency. She is also unit manager of the communications agency Purple Lemon Tree. Her main responsibilities include the operational implementation of all customer campaigns, creative leadership for new campaigns, and key account management. Martina Zamorano began her career while still a student at the University of Mannheim, working as an editor for city and regional magazines before taking over as editor-in-chief of the Rhine-Neckar magazine Pavillon. After graduating with a degree in business administration, Romance languages, and media studies, she gained valuable professional experience at a marketing and strategy consultancy specializing in automotive and industry in Mainz before finally joining ZAMCOM in 2006 as commercial director. At the strategic level, she has been continuously developing the company as sole managing director since 2013.

How do you become a press spokesperson for a global corporation? What does your day-to-day work involve? Moritz Schmerbeck is a press spokesperson for the BMW Group and will be giving KoBe an insight into his exciting everyday life.
With its BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad brands, the BMW Group is one of the world's leading premium manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network with representatives in over 140 countries.
Moritz Schmerbeck studied communication science at LMU with a minor in law and subsequently completed a master's degree in international public relations. During his studies, he gained valuable practical experience in the communications departments of various international organizations (including Knorr-Bremse AG, BMW Group, and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft). After completing his studies in Munich, Moritz began his professional career as a press spokesman for the German Association of the Automotive Industry in Berlin. Since the end of 2024, he has been a press spokesman for the BMW Group, where he is responsible for topics related to production.

How can communication work be linked to important issues such as climate change? Renate Bleich is the managing director of the Munich Re Foundation, which is particularly committed to protecting people from climate change in the Global South. She also organizes dialogue events on climate issues and supports climate education projects. She talks to Kobe about what her work actually involves.
The Munich Re Foundation is based in Munich and is active worldwide, especially in emerging and developing countries. Its goal is to tackle pressing global challenges and develop solutions for people in risky situations. The foundation sees its central task as helping vulnerable communities become aware of their risks and empowering people through targeted risk management. It is not only about reducing threats, but also about using Munich Re's wealth of knowledge for the benefit of society. The three focus areas of “climate risk and adaptation,” “climate protection,” and “inclusive insurance” complement Munich Re's sustainability agenda.
Renate Bleich studied economic geography at LMU and spent a semester abroad at the London School of Economics and Political Science. After graduating, she worked as a senior consultant at Consulting Partner Management. She then joined Munich Re, where she was a senior project manager for strategy. She became head of sustainability at Munich Re. Today, she is the managing director of the Munich Re Foundation.