Strategic
Communications

Dirk T. Schmitt is advising companies on their communication strategy as well as on crises and mergers & acquisitions (M&A). Dirk has advised on more than 60 domestic and international transactions and was most recently chief representative of a Dax 30 company. As managing director of an international strategic communications consultancy, Dirk advised large corporations on communication in politics and media, as well as with investors and other stakeholders. Dirk studied political science in Mannheim and Munich, and later business administration at the University of St.Gallen (HSG) and Toronto. He has received numerous awards, including the “Press Office of the Year” accolade from the Federal Association of German Press Officers, and has held honorary positions in associations, foundations and academic societies.

Dr. Alexander Falkenberg has conducted private equity, M&A and financing transactions with a volume of more than USD 30 billion. Alexander was Chief Investment Officer at a private equity firm with a portfolio value of more than USD 3 billion. Previously, he worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse First Boston. Alexander holds a PhD from the University of St.Gallen (HSG), an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and a ‘Diplom-Kaufmann’ (German business administration degree) from the European Business School, Oestrich-Winkel.

Philipp T. Meyer has more than 15 years of experience in marketing and communications. Before founding Rosenberg Strategic Communications, Philipp spent eight years building one of the first and most successful branding studios in the publishing and media industry with ‘F.A.Z. Manufaktur’ at Germany’s ‘Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung’ newspaper. He has developed over 90 concepts in communication for renowned clients such as BlackRock, UBS, HSBC, Sanofi, LANXESS, UNO and the German state of Saxony. Before that, Philipp worked in brand management for an internationally operating consumer goods company in Switzerland, among other activities. At Rosenberg Strategic Communications, he is responsible for strategic marketing communications consulting, advising companies on their positioning in special situations. Philipp studied business administration with a focus on marketing at the universities of Münster, the University of St.Gallen (HSG) and in the USA.

As head of communications in the aviation industry and as press spokesperson for an industrial holding company in the Dax, he advised executive and supervisory boards on complex communications issues: from media relations and crises to change and executive communications, and public affairs. In these roles, as well as an economist and speechwriter for an international strategy consultancy, his journalistic background was of great benefit to him. Thomas spent more than twelve years as a political and business editor at the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and the Handelsblatt publishing group (Wirtschaftswoche).

Dr Jörg Meier is an expert in digital strategies and advises companies on all facets of content-driven business models. With more than 30 projects under his belt to date, he has analysed and improved digital content processes, significantly increased the reach of his clients and facilitated the working methods of editorial teams, PR and marketing departments and marketing units. Before starting his own business, Jörg set up and/or restructured digital departments at well-known publishing houses: at Germany’s DFV media group as project manager in numerous digital projects, as head of online marketing at the ‘Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung’ newspaper and at the S. Fischer publishing group as publishing director. In addition to corporate groups, he continues to work for media companies of all sizes and specialisations. Jörg studied bibliography, art history and literary studies in Mainz and gained an avocational doctorate in bibliography.

Tony Brechbühl works internationally as a leadership trainer and advises companies on change processes with regard to the further development of leaders, employees and teams to trigger and anchor positive behavioural changes. Tony has worked for an international company with management positions over many years in the USA, the United Arab Emirates, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. He studied business administration at the University of St.Gallen (HSG) and spent a semester at Tulsa University in the USA as part of an exchange programme. He holds various honorary positions in associations and academic societies.

Caroline Biallas specialises in internal and external communication for companies operating on an international level, writes journalistic-style articles and carries out interviews of all kinds. Among other activities, she develops media and PR strategies, acts as a press spokesperson, creates image texts for annual reports, is responsible for social media channels and designs company in-house newsletters. Before Caroline started her own business, she worked for several years in the editorial departments of the German financial publications ‘Handelsblatt’ and ‘WirtschaftsWoche’; she was responsible for the daily content on the ‘Handelsblatt Live App’, worked at the Business & Markets newsdesk and managed the online presence of ‘WirtschaftsWoche’. Caroline's entry into journalism came after a two-year traineeship at the ‘Schaumburger Zeitung’ newspaper. She then studied at the renowned Institute for Journalism at the TU Dortmund University and Political Science at the Ruhr University Bochum.

Matthias Dezes has more than 25 years of experience in corporate communications. A trained business journalist, he advises on the strategic positioning of both individuals and companies as well as helping clients deal with crises, issues and off-market transactions. In some client engagements he acts as an external press officer. Before starting his own business, he was a spokesperson for the internationally active Citibank as well as in two international business law firms and has advised clients from the finance, mobility and energy sectors in an international strategic communications consultant capacity. Matthias studied political science, American studies and constitutional law in Bonn and Seattle. He was a lecturer in public relations at a renowned private university for many years and is the German state of Hesse’s Regional Director of the German Public Relations Association (Deutsche Public Relations Gesellschaft [DPRG]).

Alexandra Bohn develops new media products for publishers such as Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Condé Nast. She works for leading German publishers Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Zeitverlag, Süddeutsche Zeitung Verlag, Axel Springer and Burda as a writer, editor and managing editor for print and digital formats. Alexandra advises companies on sustainability trends and ESG strategies and moderates conferences with different stakeholders. She has a network of active contacts in the media industry, fashion industry and creative scene in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and internationally that has grown over more than 15 years. She shares her expertise as a speaker, trainer and lecturer and is involved in association work on a voluntary basis. Alexandra studied Visual Communication in Potsdam and holds a Master of Public Policy from the Humboldt-Viadrina School of Governance in Berlin, with Prof. Dr. Peter Eigen, founder of Transparency International, as her mentor.