Claudia von Schuttenbach New Managing Director of ZEW Mannheim
PersonnelManaging Director Thomas Kohl Retires
After many successful years of service at ZEW, the longstanding managing director, Thomas Kohl, will be leaving the research institute at the end of the month to retire. He will be handing over the reins to Claudia von Schuttenbach, effective 1 March. Kohl has devoted over 32 years to various roles at ZEW, serving as the managing director since 2004 and co-leading the institute with Professor Achim Wambach since 2016.
Dr. Hans J. Reiter, chairman of the Supervisory Board, commented, “With the departure of Thomas Kohl, an era comes to an end. Under his leadership, ZEW has achieved significant financial stability while successfully initiating and implementing numerous innovative research projects. The latest excellent evaluation results for ZEW are a testament to the outstanding work done here, to which Thomas Kohl has consistently made a substantial contribution over his more than 30 years at ZEW.” Regarding the new managing director, he added, “I am delighted that we have successfully recruited Claudia von Schuttenbach to join ZEW. With her operational leadership experience, she possesses all the qualities required to further develop ZEW within the dynamic research and business environment of Germany and Europe. She is the ideal choice to meet the challenges of the coming years.”
Thomas Kohl said: “Over the decades, ZEW has produced a large number of excellent researchers, who are highly recognised in the field of economic policy advice and who have benefited from the best research conditions. I am confident that ZEW Mannheim will continue to be a success story in the future!”
In 2023, ZEW received top marks from the Leibniz Association in terms of the quality of its research, policy advice, and transfer activities. The Senate of the Leibniz Association attested to ZEW’s “outstanding performance”.
Claudia von Schuttenbach
Managing Director“I am taking over an institute that is already in good shape. I look forward to further developing ZEW nationally and internationally with our partners and outstanding staff.”
ZEW President Professor Achim Wambach said: “Thomas Kohl deserves great thanks for his exceptional contributions to the benefit of ZEW. As an employee from the early days, he has played a crucial role in shaping ZEW over the more than 30 years into what it is today. With Claudia von Schuttenbach, we have found an excellent successor with substantial experience in academic management. I am very much looking forward to our collaboration.”
The official handover ceremony will take place today, Friday, 23 February 2024, during a ceremony at ZEW attended by around 300 invited guests from the fields of science, business, and politics.
About Claudia von Schuttenbach
Claudia von Schuttenbach comes to ZEW from Hochschule Mannheim – University of Applied Sciences, where she served as chancellor since 2017. Working alongside the collegiate rectorate under the leadership of the rector, she oversaw the university and supervised over 380 employees. Her main areas of focus included finance, personnel, legal affairs, and construction. She collaborated closely with various academic institutions and authorities and actively participated in statewide working groups addressing leadership topics, bureaucracy reduction, and digitalisation of administration. Ms. von Schuttenbach was the founding chancellor of a widely recognised university-wide internal audit initiative aimed at making compliance requirements viable within the organisation. She holds a degree in English with an economic qualification from the University of Mannheim and the University of Lodz, and she completed postgraduate studies in public administration at the German University of Administrative Sciences in Speyer. From 2005 to 2011, she worked at the University of Mannheim’s Business School. In 2011, Claudia von Schuttenbach transitioned to the role of head of student affairs and university marketing at Hochschule Worms – University of Applied Sciences, where she served as deputy chancellor from 2014 to 2017.
About Thomas Kohl
Thomas Kohl has been working at ZEW since 1992 and has been its managing director since 2004. He is actively involved in various national and international working groups, advisory boards, and committees. He serves as a guest professor at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing, and the Shandong University of Finance and Economics (SDUFE) in Jinan. Additionally, he is a member of the board of trustees for the Hector Stiftung and various appointment and selection committees, including for the “Future World of Work” research award from Volksbank Kurpfalz Sitftung and ZEW. Thomas Kohl is also active in several committees within the Leibniz Association, such as the Programme Advisory Board for the Leibniz Leadership Academy, the Spokespersons’ Council, and the Administrative Committee. He co-initiated and is one of the four founding directors of the Leibniz ScienceCampi “Mannheim Centre for Competition and Innovation” and “MannheimTaxation”.
Thomas Kohl has worked with all the scientific directors at ZEW: from 1991 to 1997 with Professor Heinz König, from 1997 to 2013 with Professor Wolfgang Franz, from 2013 to 2016 with Professor Clemens Fuest, and since 2016 with Professor Achim Wambach.
