Dr David Deißner appointed as additional managing director

31 March 2023, Munich. The importance of family businesses in Germany and the special conditions they need to be successful are now the subject of broad academic research and a great deal of attention in the media, society and politics. This is due in no small part to the Foundation for Family Businesses, which was founded 20 years ago to promote academic research, and the Foundation for Family Businesses and Politics, which joined the original foundation in 2021.

Both foundations have so far been managed by Stefan Heidbreder (55) alone and have grown continuously. The board has therefore decided to expand the management team by adding another experienced manager and political communicator. Dr David Deißner (46) will join the management of both foundations as an additional managing director on 15 May 2023.

Dr Deißner previously served as Vice President Global Public Affairs at HelloFresh SE, headquartered in Berlin. Founded in 2011 and listed on the stock exchange since 2017, the company with over 20,000 employees in 18 markets is the global market leader in recipe-based meal kits. In his role, Deißner was responsible for the Group’s international government relations and corporate communications, and dealt with regulatory issues.

Prior to that, the humanities graduate and trained journalist spent several years as the managing director of Atlantik-Brücke, a membership organisation that promotes transatlantic dialogue in the worlds of politics and business. His career before that included various positions at Vodafone and in particular at the Vodafone Foundation, the company’s European think tank with a focus on the innovative power of digital technologies.

Before training at the Axel Springer school of journalism, Deißner studied philosophy, literature and political science in Heidelberg and at the University of Oxford, where he earned his doctorate in philosophy in 2007. He grew up in Kiel and now lives in Berlin with his wife and two children.

Prof Rainer Kirchdörfer and Dr Ulrich Stoll, board members of the Foundation for Family Businesses and the Foundation for Family Businesses and Politics: “In Dr Deißner, a highly experienced and inspiring political communicator is joining our team. Together with Stefan Heidbreder, he will further increase the impact of the foundations. After all, family businesses are the most important type of business in Germany and Europe.”

Dr David Deißner: “I’m thrilled to be able to contribute my business and foundation experience, my love of science and my enthusiasm for political discourse to such outstanding institutions. Family businesses are powerful drivers of innovation and form the backbone of Germany’s economy. Standing up for their interests is a wonderful task. Above all, I’m looking forward to working with Stefan Heidbreder and the excellent teams that await me in Berlin, Brussels and Munich.”