About the speaker
Dr. Rainer Esser studied law in Munich, Geneva and London. He continued his studies in the United States with a Master of Law at the University of Georgia before receiving his final degree in 1986. After graduating from the German School of Journalism (Deutsche Journalistenschule) in Munich, he worked as a lawyer for various law firms. Since 1989 he also holds a PhD in International Law of the University of Regensburg. From 1989 -92 he served as Editor in Chief at Bertelsmann International in Munich and eventually joined Munich-based Spotlight Publishing House (Spotlight, écoute, ECOS and ADESSO) as Managing Director. After serving as Managing Director of Main-Post Publishing House in Würzburg in the late nineties he started his current position as CEO of DIE ZEIT in 1999. After 27 years as CEO of the ZEIT Publishing Group, Rainer Esser transitioned on February 1, 2026, to the role of Executive Advisor at Holtzbrinck and became a Member of the Supervisory Board of DIE ZEIT. In addition, he has served as Managing Director of DvH Medien GmbH since 2011 (Photo: Caren Detje).
Dr. Rainer Esser at OMR
Lara Sophie Bothur is a global tech translator and influencer, ranking among the most visible tech voices worldwide. As the leading female voice on LinkedIn in the DACH region, she reaches an international audience across business, technology, and society with nearly 400,000 followers. As Germany’s first full-time corporate influencer, she has redefined the way companies communicate technology. Since October 2025, she has been working independently, collaborating with leading technology companies such as NVIDIA, Siemens, Google, AWS, Salesforce, SAP, IBM, Meta, Workday, Schaeffler, and NEURA Robotics. Through powerful storytelling, Lara translates complex technologies like AI, robotics, and industrial innovation into accessible and relevant narratives. Her mission: to inspire people about technology and to tangibly strengthen Europe's position in the global tech race. In conversation with Rainer Esser, former CEO of DIE ZEIT, she discusses her journey to becoming one of the world's most influential tech voices, the landscape of new media, and will reveal a small secret at the end.
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