Dr. Karsten Wildberger

For cabinet colleague 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.