Leadership Forum 2025

Impressions

Event documents

Around 50 guests from science and practice came together for the two-day conference in early summer. At the invitation of Beiersdorf and Otto, the event took place in Hamburg. The format was deliberately aimed at the top management level and offered the opportunity to learn from each another.

Our topics on Thursday

Navigating the Media Landscape: Strategies for Communication Leaders

Today’s communication leaders face challenges in adapting to a shifting media landscape, marked by shrinking newsrooms, new platforms, and rising misinformation. Drawing on insights from an Institute for Public Relations and Peppercomm survey of 44 CCOs and media relations professionals, this presentation explored evolving strategies for media relations, including leveraging digital platforms, managing new content, and navigating AI’s emerging role.

Using Narratives and Strategic Improvisation – A New Framework for Corporate Communications

How can corporate communications support an organization’s strategic direction in times of uncertainty? The answer, in this talk, was narrative and strategic improvisation – a new way of thinking that argues that jazz music, narrative theory and improvisational theatre have more to offer the development of organizations than traditional management models.

AI Literacy of Communication Teams

AI literacy is becoming increasingly important for employees in corporate communications as their role profiles evolve with the integration of new technologies. Internal training programs focused on AI applications and tools help teams enhance their skills in digital communication. This strengthens their efficiency and creativity, enabling more targeted communication within the company.

Keynote speeches provided insights into the corporate practices regarding how AI literacy is promoted and integrated within the company.

In small groups, participants exchanged experiences on the following key questions:

• Which methods of promoting AI literacy within the company have been successful, and which have not?
• What are the current challenges in promoting AI literacy among employees?
  
  

Keynote & Discussion: Insights into the Otto Group

German session

The Otto Group, a leading retail and services company, is currently undergoing a generational change at shareholder and Executive Board level. Petra Scharner-Wolff has been the new CEO of the Otto Group since March 1, 2025. What is her strategy for the coming years? What will the family-owned company look like in the third generation? And what does she think about corporate communications in an industry that is currently undergoing major changes?

Our topics on Friday

Inclusive Futures: Winning Talent through DE&I Excellence

Explore how Beiersdorf’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is key to building a strong, future-ready workforce. It emphasizes the importance of setting clear targets to track progress and accountability. Concrete examples shown how Beiersdorf fosters an inclusive workplace where all employees can thrive, contributing to both individual and organizational success.

Making research and innovation visible: Opportunities and challenges of corporate science communication

German session

Companies not only invest in research and development, but also communicate the latest scientific findings and innovations to the public – be it via podcasts, social media such as YouTube or the website. This means that companies play an important role in science communication – but surprisingly, this has hardly been researched. The presentation sheded light on the potential and challenges that can arise when companies communicate scientific topics. On the one hand, there are opportunities to communicate topics related to science or technology to the public; on the other hand, industrial research is often confronted with reservations that economic interests influence transparency and objectivity. The question is raised as to the importance of communication on scientific topics in companies and how it can create public trust.

What makes Generation Alpha tick? Successfully addressing specific target groups

German session

The 19th Shell Youth Study 2024 shows that despite growing concerns about politics and society, young people remain pragmatic and believe in their future prospects. They see modernization processes as an opportunity and focus on independence. For corporate communication, this means that companies need to communicate in a sober and future-oriented manner by taking the generation’s differentiated life orientations, opportunities and concerns seriously.

Between expectation and responsibility: companies caught between the poles of socio-political positioning

German session

The political situation in Germany with the rise of the AfD and the consequences of the 2024 US presidential election are shaping the public debate and also influencing companies worldwide. Stakeholders increasingly expect clear positions, even on highly polarized topics. But how can companies take an authentic stance without getting caught between political fronts? Which strategies help to exploit opportunities and minimize risks? In this panel discussion, experts shared insights, discussed current challenges and showed practical approaches for credible and effective attitude communication in a polarized world.

Evening event

The evening event took place at the Otto Group at the invitation of Thomas Voigt. After a keynote speech by CEO Petra Scharner-Wolff, we enjoyed a dinner in the New Work premises on the Otto campus.