People in the Foundation

Prof. Dr. Lutz H. Gade has held the chair of inorganic chemistry at the University of Heidelberg since 2003. After earning his doctorate at the University of Cambridge, he completed his habilitation in 1996 at the University of Würzburg and two years later accepted a professorship at the Université Louis-Pasteur in Strasbourg. In Heidelberg he has acted inter alia as Dean of combined Faculties of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and was Chairman of the collaborative research center (SFB 623) on molecular catalysis. Prof. Gade is currently the chairman of the collaborative research center (SFB 1249) on N-heteropolycycles as functional materials, which he initiated. His work has gained him manifold recognition both nationally and internationally. He is a member of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences and Literature in Mainz.

Jörg Klein studied chemistry and biology and received his doctorate from the University of Bonn in 1994. After scientific activity in the USA and the Netherlands, he worked from 1997 as a consultant and later as Deputy Managing Director of the former Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Scientific Association in Bonn. He has been Managing Director of the Daimler and Benz Foundation since 1999. He was a member of the Advisory Board of the Association of German Foundations and for many years was head of the “Science and Research” working group.

Olaf Schick is a member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG with responsibility for the Integrity, Governance & Sustainability division. Before joining Mercedes-Benz, from May 2023 to September 2025 he was a member of the Executive Board of Continental AG, where he was responsible for the functions Finance and Controlling, and Integrity and Law. He had previously held various international positions in the Finance and Legal department of the Mercedes-Benz Group.

Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel teaches and researches at the FHNW in Switzerland. He specializes in information ethics, robot ethics, and machine ethics. He investigates robots and AI systems from these perspectives. His books “Pflegeroboter” (2018), “Handbuch Maschinenethik” (2019), “Maschinenliebe” (2020), and “Soziale Roboter” (2021) are standard works.

Michael Brecht is Chairman of the General Works Council of Daimler Truck and Chairman of the Works Council of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Gaggenau. After training as an automotive mechanic, he completed a part-time Master of Management degree at the Malik Management Center in St. Gallen in 2011. In 1985, he was elected Chairman of the General Youth and Trainee Representation. He has been a member of the Works Council in Gaggenau since 1990 and was appointed its Chairman in 1998. Brecht is Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Daimler Truck and a member of the IG Metall Advisory Board.

Jürgen Hartwig has been a member of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck Holding AG since December 2021 and is responsible for Human Resources. He has also been Labor Director of Daimler Truck Holding AG since June 2022 and a member of the Board of Management and Labor Director of Daimler Truck AG since 2019.

Ten years at Deutsche Telekom Research Center, 1991 NTT Optoelectronic Laboratories Japan, since 1999 Professor of Electrical Engineering and Head of the Institute for Nanostructure Technology and Analytics, University of Kassel, co-founder of Nanoscale Glasstec GmbH with MEMS Smart Glass, European Grand Prix for Innovation Awards 2006, EU Business Plan Seal of Excellence 2020.

Ergun Lümali is Chairman of the General Works Council of Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Chairman of the Works Council of Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen Plant. After training as a construction mechanic, he became an expert in remuneration and benefits policy. Ergun Lümali has been a member of the Sindelfingen Works Council since 1994 and a member of the IG Metall Executive Board since 2010. In March 2014, he was elected Chairman of the Works Council at the Sindelfingen location and in April 2014, he was elected Deputy Chairman of the General Works Council of Daimler AG.

Prof. Dr. Ralf Poscher has been Director of the Department of Public Law at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law in Freiburg since 2019. His research focuses on constitutional and administrative law, particularly in relation to security law and legal theory.

Prof. Dr. Tereza Tykvová holds the Chair of Private Markets and Alternative Investments at the University of St. Gallen and is a member of the Swiss Finance Institute. Her research, focusing on private equity, contributes to a better understanding of the value effects that arise through these transactions. She is the Academic Director of the Ph.D. program in Finance at the University of St. Gallen and holds advisory positions on several boards. Tykvová is also Director of the Swiss Institute of Banking and Finance at the University of St. Gallen.

Eckart von Klaeden was a member of the German Bundestag from 1994 to 2013. As of 2004, he was a member of the Federal Executive Committee of the CDU and from 2009 Minister of State to the Federal Chancellor. In 2013, he moved to Daimler AG – now Mercedes-Benz Group AG – where he has since been Head of External Affairs. In this position, he is responsible for the external relations and political dialog of Mercedes-Benz Group AG worldwide.