Vice-Chancellor, Digital Minister and Female Food Entrepreneurs at OMR26

Less than 100 days to go until OMR Festival 2026! What does that mean for you? Over the coming weeks, we’ll be rolling out more and more announcements regarding speakers, exhibitors, Masterclasses, Guided Tours, Side Events, and more. It’s the perfect time to start thinking about your absolute must-sees so you don't miss a thing.

How about quarterback legend and entrepreneur Tom Brady alongside tech and AI visionary Meredith Whittaker? Or maybe the combination of Whoop founder Will Ahmed, Commerzbank CEO Bettina Orlopp, and marketing professor (and OMR regular) Scott Galloway is more your speed? If that still doesn’t do it for you, then surely the "Fast & Curious" hosts Lea-Sophie Cramer and Verena Pausder, Deutsche Bank CEO Christian Sewing, and Whatnot founder Grant LaFontaine will!

The Festival Pass is currently available at the Save-Bird price in the OMR26 ticket shop. So, if you want to guarantee your spot at OMR Festival 2026 while saving some money—act fast and grab yours now before the next price tier kicks in!

By now, Lars Klingbeil has become a political regular at the OMR Festival—and with every visit, he has successfully climbed the next rung of the career ladder. In 2018, as SPD General Secretary, he joined us for a drink at the bar on the Conference Stage; in 2022, he spoke on the Red Stage as Party Chairman; and in 2026, he will complete the trifecta as Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance. On the second day of the festival, Lars Klingbeil will be a guest on the Conference Stage.

He arrives during turbulent times: U.S. President Donald Trump continues to shake the transatlantic relationship with constant new shifts in policy, and Europe is struggling to define its future role in the world between the power blocs of the USA and China—all while the digital revolution surges forward through breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence. Germany must find answers to defend its global position, and the political landscape will have to actively shape this transformation. On May 6, we will discuss the current state of Germany and the role we will play in the world of tomorrow with Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil.

A look at the raw numbers alone is enough to grasp the scale of Saliha Özcan’s success. On her YouTube channel, "Sallys Welt," her 2,400+ videos have amassed nearly 827 million views, with 2.19 million subscribers on that platform alone. This is topped off by an enormous reach across Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. The digital impact she has built since uploading her very first baking videos in 2012 has undoubtedly made her one of the most influential voices in the world of food, baking, and home lifestyle.

However, Sally Özcan’s success has long since moved beyond the digital realm. She publishes cookbooks—several of which have become Spiegel bestsellers—vends her own line of kitchen products, works as a voice actress, and appears in hit TV formats. In 2025, she embarked on her first-ever solo tour across Germany, and in 2026, she will open her own café at Europa-Park. Saliha Özcan manages this entire brand ecosystem from "Sallycon Valley," the name she gave her company headquarters in Waghäusel, Baden-Württemberg. At the OMR Festival on May 5 and 6 in Hamburg, she will share insights into her journey and how her commitment to total authenticity has allowed her to build such an incredibly loyal community.

For Karsten Wildberger, the Hamburg Messe is already familiar territory. In 2024, as the then-CEO of Ceconomy (MediaMarktSaturn, now majority-owned by JD.com), he took to the Blue Stage to discuss the future of electronics retail, the impact of technology on people's lives—and how air fryers became one of the omnichannel player’s top sellers.

His appointment as Digital Minister—or more accurately, the Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and State Modernization—was one of the major surprises during the announcement of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s cabinet. Wildberger is not only the first Digital Minister in the history of the Federal Republic but also the person tasked with designing and building an entirely new ministry from the ground up amidst rapid technological change—all while simultaneously spearheading the modernization of the state. Karsten Wildberger will take the OMR stage on May 5 to reveal the current state of government digital competence and how he plans to make Germany future-ready.

Originally, Caroline Nichols and her husband Tim planned to call the porridge brand they founded in 2016 "Modkorn." However, moving away from that rather clunky portmanteau (meant to be "modern grain") in favor of 3Bears was a true stroke of luck, as the founder shared on the OMR Podcast in 2025. Not only does the name avoid sounding like "homicide division" (Mordkommission) or "musty" (modrig) in German, but thanks to the British fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears, it also works perfectly on an international scale.

The name certainly resonated with English Bayern Munich star Harry Kane, arguably one of the best strikers in the world right now. He took an immediate liking to the brand—and the business model built around wholesome breakfast products—investing in the startup in 2024. In 2025, his teammate Serge Gnabry and several business angels followed his lead. With the fresh capital, the next step is to accelerate their European expansion, with a particular focus on Belgium and the Netherlands. At the OMR Festival on May 5 and 6, 2026, Caroline Nichols will reveal exactly which channels and strategies she and her team are banking on.