At the econsense general meeting on June 12, 2026, in Berlin, two positions on the Executive Board were filled. Representatives of the Member Companies elected Daniel Sonneburg, Chief Sustainability Officer of Deutsche Börse Group, and Dr. Nicole Ziegler, who serves as Head of Sustainability at Zeiss AG. On behalf of the Executive Board, Chairman Daniel Schmid welcomed the two new members and expressed his delight at the prospect of future collaboration.
Daniel Sonneburg and Dr. Nicole Ziegler succeed Katharina Tillmanns-Pelzer (Sartorius) and Melanie Kubin-Hardewig (Deutsche Telekom), who stepped down from the Executive Board early at their own request. At the general meeting, Daniel Schmid bid farewell to the two, thanking them warmly for the trusting collaboration and their valuable contributions.
Statements from the new Executive Board members
Sustainability is a driver of corporate value, especially in an era of intensifying global competition. econsense stands for practical dialogue at the highest level—the kind we urgently need to reposition Germany and Europe as business hubs. As a member of the Executive Board, I look forward to actively promoting this exchange, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the trust placed in me.
Sustainable transformation offers economic opportunities that econsense highlights through well-researched updates, strategic foresight, and an open, trusting dialogue. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to help further develop this strong network as a member of the Executive Board. Thank you very much for your trust.
The Current econsense Executive Board
The elected econsense Executive Board consists of ten members and includes:
Daniel Schmid – Chairman of the econsense Board
Tanja Gönner (BDI e.V.)
Marie-Luise Kühn von Burgsdorff (Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA)
Thorsten Pinkepank (BASF SE)
Dr. Lothar Rieth (EnBW AG)
Daniel Sonnenburg (Deutsche Börse Group)
Charlotte Stange (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
Dr. Nadine Sterley (GEA Group AG)
Markus Strangmüller (Siemens AG)
Dr. Nicole Ziegler (ZEISS)
Dr. Thomas Koenen and Katarin Wagner, as the Managing Directors of econsense, are permanent members of the Executive Board.