About us
Exclusive insights, unique learnings, engaging atmosphere
Cyber security is a key topic of our time. The Cyber Security Conference 2024 brings together entrepreneurs and corporate leaders with outstanding experts from economy, politics, science and public sector. In an intensive exchange on diverse aspects of cyber security expanded by current influences from AI and quantum computing, we discuss concrete approaches and create a vision for a secure, free, digital world.
Another Extremely Successful Event!
Together with entrepreneurs, business leaders and prominent experts from the fields of cyber security, economics, science and politics, we were once again successful in shedding light on the topic of cyber security at the second Cyber Security Conference. Numerous exciting talks and discussions saw current developments outlined and solutions for a free digital world developed.
- Scientists gave talks on the possibilities and dangers of artificial intelligence and quantum computing and the impact on the economy.
- Business leaders subjected cyber security to a reality check and discussed the threat level in the age of digital transformation.
- Decision-makers from the political sphere emphasized the importance of digitalization in Germany and its consequences for the security of the country.
- Security experts demonstrated defense strategies against cyberattacks and gave helpful tips on how to act in the event of a crisis.
- Dr. Wladimir Klitschko, an internationally known voice from Kyiv, gave shocking firsthand insights into the ongoing war in Ukraine and described technological warfare in everyday life.
The experimenta in Heilbronn, Germany’s largest Science Center, has also proven itself as a venue. The ambience was one of a kind: The agenda was complemented by powerful visuals on the huge dome screen and state-of-the-art technology. Innovative exhibits and an unprecedented stage production on the topic of cyber security rounded off the program.
With all of this, we are striving to raise awareness. The topic of cyber security is a key issue of our time. The threat is not going anywhere. But there are effective countermeasures. We bring them to light. Our focus is on people: To keep our digital world secure, we need to take a holistic approach – from technical infrastructure to the human psyche.
Highlights #CSC24
The conference in numbers
Your host
With 575,000 employees in 32 different countries, the Schwarz Group is among the top retail groups in the world. Based in Neckarsulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, the pillars in food retailing are Lidl and Kaufland. Furthermore the Schwarz Produktion is active in food production and PreZero in the area of environmental services. This makes the Schwarz Group one of only a few retail groups to cover the entire value cycle, from production and retail to disposal and recycling.
Schwarz Digits as IT and digital division offers compelling products and services, which comply with Germany’s strict data protection standards. With the Cyber Security Conference, we, the companies of Schwarz Group, are therefore creating a platform for knowledge transfer. In this way, we are making our digital society more secure.
Why is cyber security so important?
- Over 200 billion euros damage per year to the German economy due to hacker attacks and cybercrime
- Companies have 11,000 security vulnerabilities on average, a cyber attack occurs every 39 seconds in the world
- 10 trillion US dollars in predicted global damage by 2027
- 72 percent of the total damage to the German economy last year was caused by cyber attacks
- 52 percent of German companies feel threatened by cyber attacks
Our experts of the CSC24
Dr. Volker Wissing
Dr. Volker Wissing was born in 1970 in Landau in the Palatinate. He is married and has a daughter. The lawyer, who comes from a wine-growing family, served as a minister in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and as secretary general to the FDP national party. He holds the office of German Federal Minister for Digital and Transport since December 2021.
Dr. Volker Wissing
Federal Minister for Digital and Transport
Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport
Wolfgang Schmidt
Wolfgang Schmidt is Head of the Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks. He also holds the post of Commissioner for the Federal Intelligence Services.
Prior to his appointment in December 2021, he served as State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Finance. Previously, he served as State Secretary and Plenipotentiary of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg to the Federation, the European Union and for foreign affairs.
Wolfgang Schmidt is a lawyer by training, having studied in Hamburg and Bilbao, Spain.
Wolfgang Schmidt
Head of the Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks
Federal Chancellery
Claudia Plattner
Year of birth: 1973
Birthplace: Mainz
University education:
Diploma mathematician (TU Darmstadt)
Master’s Degree in Applied Mathematics (Tulane University USA)
Professional career (compact):
20 years of professional experience in various IT functions in companies and institutions
Previous professional posts:
- CIO of DB Systel GmbH
- Director-General for Information Systems at the European Central Bank (ECB)
Claudia Plattner
President
German Federal Office for Information Security
Gerd Chrzanowski
For more than 20 years, Gerd Chrzanowski has held various positions of responsibility in companies of Schwarz Group, which consists of the discount grocery store Lidl, the retail company Kaufland, several production companies, and the waste and recycling service provider PreZero. Until he assumed the role of General Partner in December 2021, he was Chief Executive Officer of Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG.
The native Offenburger was largely responsible for establishing the waste and recycling business unit and for accelerating the digitalization process within the companies of Schwarz Group.
Chrzanowski has a degree in business administration and a bachelor of arts in business management from Manchester Metropolitan University. Before his studies, he completed an apprenticeship as a car salesman.
Gerd Chrzanowski
General Partner
Schwarz Group
Dr. Wladimir Klitschko
Dr. Wladimir Klitschko
Company Founder, former Boxing World Champion
Arye Sharuz Shalicar
Arye Sharuz Shalicar
Writer and former Spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces
Major General Jürgen Setzer
Major General Jürgen Setzer entered the military in 1980 and graduated in computer science from Bundeswehr University Munich in 1984. He attended the General Staff Officer Course at Bundeswehr Command and Staff College in Hamburg and took part in the United States Army Command and General Staff Officers’ Course at Fort Leavenworth. He has held leadership and staff positions at almost all levels. His tours of duty cover the Balkans and Afghanistan.
Since April 2018 he serves as Vice Chief of the Cyber and Information Domain Service and Bundeswehr Chief Information Security Officer (CISOBw). He is in charge of space related aspects for the Cyber and Information Domain Service Headquarters.
Major General Jürgen Setzer
Vice Chief CID Service & CISO
Bundeswehr / Cyber and Information Domain Service
Jonas Andrulis
Jonas Andrulis is an AI researcher, engineer and serial entrepreneur. After studying industrial engineering at KIT in Karlsruhe, he worked as an AI expert in consulting and banking. He founded two AI software companies in logistics and computer vision. After three years in AI research at Apple in Cupertino, he founded his third AI start-up, Aleph Alpha, in Heidelberg in 2019.
Jonas Andrulis
CEO & Founder
Aleph Alpha
Prof. Dr. Achim Kempf
Achim Kempf studied physics at the University of Heidelberg and completed his doctorate at the University of Munich (LMU). Following five years of research at the University of Cambridge and three years at the University of Florida, he is currently Professor of Applied Mathematics and Physics at the University of Waterloo. He is a member of the Institute for Quantum Computing and of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, located in Waterloo near Toronto, Canada. In 2004, he was awarded the Canada Research Chair for the Physics of Information.
Prof. Dr. Achim Kempf
Professor
University of Waterloo
Dr. Rainer Dulger
Rainer Dulger was elected as Confederation of German Employers Associations President in November 2020 and in this role represents the role, representing the interests of more than 1 million companies with around 30 million employees. Previously he was President of Gesamtmetall from 2012 to 2020. Together with his brother, Rainer Dulger runs ProMinent GmbH, which manufactures and sells metering pumps worldwide. He studied mechanical engineering in Kaiserslautern mechanical engineering in Kaiserslautern and was subsequently awarded a Dr.-Ing.
Dr. Rainer Dulger
President of Confederation of German Employers Associations
Confederation of German Employers Associations
Dr. Theodor Weimer
Theodor Weimer has been CEO of Deutsche Börse AG since January 2018. In addition, since mid-2020, he has been a Member of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Bank AG and Knorr-Bremse AG.
After his studies of economics and business administration in Tübingen and a stay at the University of St. Gallen he worked as an assistant lecturer at Bonn University. After his PhD, Mr Weimer became a management consultant at McKinsey & Company in 1988. In 1995, he joined Bain & Company where he was a Senior Partner and Member of the Global Management Committee. In 2001, he started at Goldman Sachs, where he became Partner in 2004. In mid-2007, Theodor joined UniCredit Group as Co-Head of Investment Banking. From the beginning of 2009 until the end of 2017, he was Spokesman of the Management Board of HypoVereinsbank. In addition, he was a Member of the Global Executive Committee of UniCredit Group since 2013.
Dr. Theodor Weimer
CEO
Deutsche Börse AG
Mathias Döpfner
Mathias Döpfner is a German journalist, book author, and the chairman and CEO of Axel Springer (BILD, WELT, POLITICO, INSIDER). He joined the company in 1998 as editor-in-chief of the German daily Welt and became CEO in 2002. Ever since, he has pushed the digital transformation of the company. Today, over 85 percent of the group’s revenues and 95 percent of profits come from its digital business. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Netflix and Warner Music Group.
Mathias Döpfner
CEO
Axel Springer SE
Christian Müller
Christian Müller is Co-CEO of Schwarz Digits and responsible for the IT and digital division of the Schwarz Group. He is also responsible for Schwarz IT KG since January 1, 2018 - first as a divisional board member, then as a board member and since July 1, 2021 as CEO. As a service provider, it manages the entire digital infrastructure and software solutions of the Schwarz Group companies and provides support for their IT projects. He began his career at Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG in the IT department on January 1, 2004. Since then, Christian Müller has held various positions of responsibility in companies of the Schwarz Group.
Christian Müller
Co-CEO
Schwarz Digits
Rolf Schumann
Rolf Schumann is the co-CEO of Schwarz Digits, the IT and digital division of Schwarz Group. Schwarz Digits offers digital products and services for cybersecurity, the cloud and artificial intelligence to provide the highest possible digital sovereignty, all meeting the high German data privacy standards. Rolf Schumann is also responsible for the digital activities of the companies of Schwarz Group, focusing on e-commerce, loyalty, retail media and digital innovations. With over 30 years of experience in the strategic planning of IT projects and digital transformation, he constantly promotes technology and innovation-related topics across all industries. Before joining Schwarz Group, Rolf Schumann was General Manager at SAP, and was globally responsible for the “Platform and Innovation” business unit. From 2008 - 2012, Rolf Schumann dedicated himself to the topic of cleantech and founded the “Better Place” start-up company, focusing on e-mobility. Prior to that, he had already distinguished himself at SAP as CTO for Europe. Having previously worked at Siemens before his appointment at SAP in 2000, Mr. Schumann was in charge of the operation of the data processing center in Europe and for the planning of the internet architecture for nine years.
Rolf Schumann
Co-CEO
Schwarz Digits
Dieter Lange
Dieter Lange studied business administration and psychology and spent many years on the ethnical study of various cultures. He has extensive experience in business as a product manager, as well as marketing manager and constantly combines western knowledge with eastern wisdom.
He is among those rare top management trainers who provide change in companies. Dieter Lange stimulates in particular through his positive and optimistic style – but he does not walk away from the issue of change processes.
His brilliant rhetoric, moving linguistic images and metaphors turn his presentations into unique adventures in free speech. He is usually the highlight of every congress!
Dieter Lange
Managing Director & Trainer
dieter lange, coaching training consulting GmbH
Wiebke Thelo
Wiebke Thelo is Head of SAP Quality, Security & Production. In this role, she is responsible for the global quality management of software development on behalf of the SAP Executive Board. The focus of her portfolio includes cyber and product security for SAP's application portfolio, customer implementation and validation services as well as ensuring a high standard of SAP's quality management system. Since joining SAP SE in 2004, Wiebke Thelo has held various leadership positions, including Chief Operating Officer for SAP Application Development, Head of Internal Operations for SAP Analytics Applications, Chief Operating Officer for Engineering Cross Functions and the management of business controlling for SAP Technology Development. Wiebke Thelo studied economics at the University of Hohenheim and holds an Executive MBA from Mannheim Business School & ESSEC.
Wiebke Thelo
Senior Vice President, Head of SAP Quality, Security & Production
SAP SE
Paul Kaffsack
Paul Kaffsack is co-founder of Myra Security. The Security-as-a-Service company's mission is: "We protect what matters - in the digital world". Myra protects business critical infrastructure against Internet-based attacks in real time - including for the German federal government, banks and corporations.
Since 1999, Paul has been a digital entrepreneur and he has worked in IT Security for over ten years. As mentor and speaker, he shares his experience on topics such as strategy, prevention and leadership.
Paul Kaffsack
Co-Founder & COO
Myra Security GmbH
Dr. Nadine Sengül-Stritzelberger
Nadine Sengül-Stritzelberger, a Ph.D. physicist specialized in quantum information, is a Managing Consultant at UBS within a team focusing on Next-Generation Technologies. Her responsibilities include identifying and mitigating cybersecurity risks that could arise in the future from large-scale quantum computers, as well as exploring potential future applications of quantum technologies in the financial sector.
Dr. Nadine Sengül-Stritzelberger
Managing Consultant
UBS Switzerland
Dr. Ulrike Franke
Dr. Ulrike Franke is a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), based in Paris. Her areas of research include German and European security and defence, the future of warfare, and the impact of new technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence on geopolitics and warfare. Ulrike has published widely on these and other topics and regularly appears in the media. She co-hosts Sicherheitshalber, a German-language podcast on security and defence. She also teaches at Sciences Po Paris.
Dr. Ulrike Franke
Senior Policy Fellow
European Council on Foreign Relations
Niklas Finken
Niklas Finken started his career at Aleph Alpha with an internship in 2021, after studying Economics and Business Economics, followed by a Master’s in Business Information Management. Initially part of the customer team, he worked on developing language model solutions, including RAG-based systems. Niklas Finken then transitioned to an AI Engineer role in the product team, focusing on tool development for LLM applications and data curation for fine-tuning.
Niklas Finken
AI Engineer
Aleph Alpha
Location
experimenta
Germany's largest science center represents the joy of experimentation, knowledge and innovation in a special way.
Experience creates knowledge - that is experimenta's philosophy. The answers to the great challenges of our time, such as digitalisation, mobility, climate change, energy transition or health, determine the long-term viability of the country. Education and science are crucial to finding solutions and shaping our future.
Cyber Security Report 2024
Strengthening defenses - closing vulnerabilities: Fields of action for more cyber security
The threat of cybercrime is growing at an alarming rate worldwide. In 2023, cyber criminals already caused an estimated 206 billion euros in total damage. The average company has more than 15.000 vulnerabilities - a dramatic increase of 40% vs 2022. The forecasts show that "sitting out" will not work: By 2025, the total cumulative damage in this area is estimated to reach 10 trillion euros. These figures confirm this: Cybercrime has long been a global business. The digital world is facing unprecedented challenges. From extortionist attacks and espionage to sabotage, identity theft and fraud - the dangers are diverse and serious. This is where the second Cyber Security Report comes in. It focuses on five aspects:
- The current cyber security situation: one in ten companies worldwide is affected by ransomware. Attackers encrypt sensitive data and extort ransom money. The financial losses and reputational damage for companies are considerable. The report shows who is often behind these attacks and provides specific recommendations for action.
- Prevention: Investing in prevention is becoming increasingly important as a key component of the security strategy. However, managing cyber risks is not a one-off or annual project. The report makes it clear that cyber security is a dynamic process that needs to be continuously reviewed and adapted.
- Cybersecurity in the age of artificial intelligence and quantum computing: large language models are the knowledge repositories of the future and are significantly changing the way we create value. However, they can also be used for various forms of attack and can themselves become the target of attacks. The report realistically assesses the opportunities and risks based on current research and practical applications.
- Mental effects of cyberattacks on IT security experts: The constant battle against attackers and the responsibility for the security of sensitive data lead to stress and burnout. The report describes the mental state of those responsible before, during and after a cyberattack and shows what measures can be taken to prevent psychological damage.
- Training and skills shortage: there is a shortage of 400,000 cyber security specialists in Europe alone. And the threat situation is constantly worsening. The report provides suggestions on how to attract specialists and arouse interest.
The security of our digital world requires a holistic approach - from the technical infrastructure to the human psyche. Want to find out more? Download the Cyber Security Report and get a head start on security. In the report, you will find all the data bundled and summarized in an easy-to-understand way, illustrated with the help of graphics and well-prepared information packages. SEE more!
History
A highly successful event!
Together with entrepreneurs and corporate leaders and outstanding experts from the cyber security industry, intelligence services, economy, science and politics, we explored the topic of cyber security from perspectives that have never been seen before:
- Intelligence and law enforcement agencies provided exclusive insights into international investigation and prosecution of cybercriminals
- Concerned corporate leaders authentically demonstrated how attackers broke down their walls and the consequences that still affect them today
- Scientific experts shared alarming insights on future challenges of cyber security
- Decision-makers from the political arena gave impressive presentations on the tools that policymakers are using to act
- Dr. Vladimir Klitschko, as an internationally known voice from Kyiv, reported on the current war situation and contrasted the impact of virtual attacks on a state from cyberspace and Ukraine's fight against the Russian aggressor
The venue was Germany's largest science center, experimenta in Heilbronn. Powerful program points on the huge dome screen, accompanied by modern 3D sound, justify the uniqueness of the atmosphere. An exhibition with innovative exhibits and an unprecedented stage production on the topic of cyber security rounded off the program.
With all this we want to achieve one thing: Cyber security concerns all of us and must be made the top priority in order to advance the security of our society. Because we don't wait, we act.
Outlook CSC25
It is not over.
The transformation is in full swing. New technologies have changed our world and will continue to do so. The question is not whether these new technologies will come, but how we will use them. The topics of cyber security, data privacy and digital sovereignty will become even more relevant. The future is full of opportunities and challenges. We will actively shape it and promote positive development. We will continue the exchange in 2025.
More information coming soon.
Contact
Do you have a question? Send us a request via the contact form.