has held a leading position with VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH since 1999. He has been involved in issues of business policy for many years. In addition to technical and scientific activities, issues of cluster policy and development have constituted an important part of his work. Since 2007 he has been Director of the Competence Networks Germany agency as appointed by the Federal Ministry of Economics BMWi, where the initiation of transnational collaborative projects between companies plays a major role.