TEDxRheinMain – x = independently organized TED event

Ossi Urchs

Ossi Urchs will be your host.

Daniel Kraft
»The evolution of work«

Daniel Kraft is an optimist with a passion for all things new. He says:"It took me some time to realize that, so I went on a journey: Originally growing up in a village I started working in Frankfurt, London, Singapore, Prague, Toronto, New York and some stops in between. I worked at a factory, the farmers market, was tiling floors, outsourced an Asian warehouse operations, reengineered business processes, took companies public and took them back private, was a banker, an investment banker, an investor, a CFO, mister mom, a CEO and now being back to the basics: optimistic about all things new."

Peter Campbell
»Organisations look for results, but need to look elsewhere«

A few years after qualifying as a British family doctor, Peter moved to the former Soviet Union to work for 12 years on health development projects. He returned in 2008 to study for a Master's degree in International Health at Heidelberg University and has since then been working as a Public Health consultant in places such as Malawi, Egypt, Ethiopia as well as the Central Asian "..stans". From his experience, Peter will focus on the big picture of large organisations, and their efforts to achieve results.

Andrew Bredenkamp
»When words fail us«

Andrew Bredenkamp is president and founder of Acrolinx. Andrew has over 20 years of experience in multilingual information development. Before starting Acrolinx, Andrew was Head of the Technology Transfer Centre at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) Language Technology Lab. Andrew holds degrees in technical translation and linguistics and a Ph.D. in Computational Linguistics. He is on the advisory board of a number of organizations, including Translators without Borders and The Centre for Next Generation Localisation (CNGL).

Matthias Adler
»Microfinance - how the economy serves peoples’ needs, not the other way round«

Matthias Adler holds a master's degree in economics (University of Tübingen). After working with the German Foreign Ministry in various embassies in developing countries for six years, he works at KfW Entwicklungsbank as principal financial sector economist and microfinance specialist. Since 2007, he has been working particularlx on the cross-cutting issue of "responsible finance". M. Adler is involved in global microfinance investment funds. Since August 2009, he has served as a member of the Executive Committee of CGAP a worldwide microfinance platform. Most recently, he has been actively involved in designing new financial instruments such as education finance.

Jeff Chapin

Jeff Chapin uses design as a means to address longstanding social and environmental issues that exist in developing countries and in his homeland of the United States. He strongly believes in a user-led approach to design, engaging local communities in the research, ideation and testing that leads to new products and services. He currently leads an array of projects at IDEO and frequently collaborates with iDE (International Development Enterprises). Jeff strongly believes in the market as a means to address social issues and applies the lens of design across all aspects of supply and demand.

Sven Giegold

Sven Giegold is a Member of the European Parliament and one of the founding members of Attac Germany. Sven has dedicated much of his career towards green industry issues, speaking out on issues of globalization, ecology, and tax policy. He devoted over 15 years to voluntary work in the youth environmental movement, and today is a representative of Friends of the Earth Germany. He holds a University degree in Adults Education, Policy and Economics in Lüneburg, Bremen and Birmingham and a Master’s degree in Economic Policy and Economic Development at the University of Birmingham (UK).

Theo Sowa

Theo Sowa is an independent advisor and consultant, specialising in international social development with a particular emphasis on children’s rights and protection issues, especially in conflict situations. She is currently the Interim CEO of the African Women’s Development Fund, a pan African women’s grant making organisation. Born in Ghana, she has lived and worked in many countries in Africa, as well as the UK, Europe, and the USA. Her work includes advisory roles to African and other international women and children’s rights activists and leaders, plus policy development and advocacy with a variety of international agencies and organisations.

Baaba Maal

Baaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. Baaba sings primarily in Pulaar and is the foremost promoter of the traditions of the Pulaar-speaking peoples. He has released several albums. In July 2003, Baaba was made a UNDP Youth Emissary. In March 2012 he visited Mauritania with Oxfam to call attention to the humanitarian need resulting from the food crisis in the Sahel. Also an Ambassador for Nelson Mandela’s 46664 campaign, he has become an increasingly vocal champion for the rights of women and girls.

Melinda Gates

Melinda Gates serves as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She helps shape and approve foundation strategies, review results, advocate for foundation issues, and set the overall direction of the organization. She received a bachelor’s degree from Duke University in 1986 and a master’s degree in business administration from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business in 1987. Since retiring from Microsoft in 1996, she has dedicated her energy toward the nonprofit world.