On 27 September, I had the pleasure of co-hosting the “Day of the Rescuers” in Gelsenkirchen together with Michael Zurhausen. It was a day that highlighted just how many people and organisations play a vital role in keeping our society safe in times of crisis. Pretty much organisation that has a flashing blue light was there: the fire brigade, emergency medical services, police, THW (Federal Agency for Technical Relief), DLRG (German Life Saving Association), German Red Cross

On September 10, 2026, I had the pleasure of moderating three Pitch Battle sessions in English at Future Tech Fest in Düsseldorf, and co-hosting the Grand Final on the Main Stage alongside German TV host and presenter Amiaz Habtu. Future Tech Fest is Germany’s leading B2B startup expo and conference, bringing together around 5,000 people, including startups, investors, companies and international speakers. The event provides national and international tech startups with a pla

This July, I had the pleasure of hosting SHOWTIME, the annual summer dance showcase presented by Tanztempel at Theater Marl. With 800 people in the audience, the evening celebrated the diversity of dance, from classical ballet and modern show dance to hip-hop, freestyle, and performances by JackBACK and PerSe!, the 2024 German Show Dance Champions. I was delighted to take the audience through this inspiring programme. Dance has been a part of my life since I was 13 years old.

For 25 years, Zollverein has held UNESCO World Heritage status, and this milestone was celebrated in style on UNESCO Wold Heritage Day on June 7, with the opening of the new World Heritage Forum in Essen. For me, however, Zollverein is much more than a World Heritage Site. It has also been the setting for some of the most memorable assignments of my professional life over the past two decades. Over the years, I have had the pleasure of: • providing interpretation at the exhib

Before every event, long before the audience or participants arrive, I’m already at the venue. I need time to tune into the atmosphere, get familiar with the flow of the space: Where’s my spot on stage? Which corner might cause microphone feedback? Where’s the best lighting? I coordinate with the tech team, do a soundcheck, go over last-minute programme changes and final details with the organisers, and introduce myself to the speakers. Once the first guests start arriving, I

This year, I joined the German Speakers Association (GSA), Europe’s leading professional association for speakers and moderators. And this month, the 8th GSA Moderators’ Day took place in Berlin, an event I had been looking forward to for quite some time, as it gave me the opportunity to finally meet people whose work I had previously only come across on LinkedIn, in books or through podcasts. The event was organised as a barcamp, which immediately created a very special dyna

Last month, I had the opportunity to dive deep into the art of process facilitation during an intensive in-person workshop. The experience was both insightful and practical, focusing on hands-on methods and the invaluable exchange of ideas with fellow participants. One integral part of the workshop was a series of role-playing exercises. These weren’t just theoretical discussions, but real-world simulations where I could experiment with techniques for tactfully guiding domina

“We’re not just moderators; we’re also translators”. When I heard the opening line in episode 31 of the German podcast DIE MODERATORINNEN , I couldn’t help but smile. It resonated deeply with me, because both professions share more similarities than you might expect. As an interpreter, I translate languages. As a moderator, I translate content, moods, and intentions. In both cases, the goal isn’t just to convey what is said, but also what is meant, i.e. the nuances that lin

Writing cue cards is not that different from consecutive note-taking . They contain bullet points, symbols, and abbreviationsm which - just like a single snapshot from your camera - can trigger entire chains of memories in the brain. Like tying a knot in your handkerchief. The important thing is not to write out the entire script word for word, but to focus on the essentials — the things I really don’t want to forget. Ideally, of course, I prefer to speak freely as a moderato

When you are at an event and the entire room is singing and dancing along to ATP, you just know you‘ve come to the right place! Last weekend, I attended the 1st Moderators‘ Day in Cologne, and I was completely blown away by the high quality of skill, professionalism, creativity, and performance shown by the organisers and attendees alike. The event, initiated by Kerstin Stromberg, Head of Deutsche Moderatorenakademie , had so many fun and eye-opening experiences and activitie

Last week, I attended best of events international in Dortmund, the leading trade fair for the event industry. It was a great opportunity to get an overview of current developments, trends and key topics shaping the sector. I listened to several talks, which once again highlighted just how quickly the industry is evolving and offered valuable food for thought for my own work. The discussion with Nina Cisneros, Ronja Grebe and Annika Matthes on participation and social sustai