Defense as an Economic Factor

Capgemini is a global partner for AI-driven business and technology transformation. The company creates measurable value for its clients by shaping the future of organizations and making it a reality through the interplay of AI, technology, and people. For almost 60 years, Capgemini has stood for responsibility and diversity and employs over 420,000 people in more than 50 countries. Its end-to-end service portfolio is based on extensive industry expertise, a strong partner ecosystem, and capabilities in strategy, technology, design, engineering, and operations. The Group generated global revenues of €22.5 billion in 2025.

EY Germany (EY) is one of the largest German auditing and consulting organizations. EY is the German market leader in the tax sector. EY employs more than 11,100 people at 20 locations. Together with the approximately 393,000 employees of the international EY organization EY serves clients all over the world.

EY helps companies to grow and supports them in their digital transformation. The company advises on the acquisition and sale of companies and parts of companies as well as conducts first-class audits. EY supports entrepreneurs, companies and the public sector in dealing with their acute and urgent issues.

EY consists of four integrated business units – Audit and Assurance Services, Tax Advisory, Consulting and Strategy and Transactions. On the basis of in-depth sector expertise EY supports clients in developing new business models and assessing risks. The multidisciplinary teams also help companies to comply with regulatory standards, keep investors up to date and ensure that clients meet the needs of their stakeholders.

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud, AI and IT automation solutions and consulting services, helping customers in more than 175 countries to gain insights from their data, optimize business processes, reduce costs and gain a competitive edge in their industries.

Thousands of government agencies and companies in critical infrastructure sectors – including financial services, telecommunications and healthcare – rely on the IBM and Red Hat OpenShift hybrid cloud platform to implement their digital transformation quickly, efficiently and securely.

IBM's groundbreaking innovations in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions, and consulting empower our customers with open and flexible options. All of this is built on IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, accountability, inclusion, and service.

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National-Bank is one of the leading private and independent regional banks in Germany. Founded over 100 years ago, it is not publicly traded. Its approximately 5,300 institutional and private owners are a testament to its independence. A conservative business philosophy and sound capital structure ensure the long-term viability of its stability-oriented business policy.

A key target group of National-Bank – besides private clients and institutional investors – is medium-sized enterprises. This includes – and not just since Russia's invasion of Ukraine – those in the security and defense industry. National-Bank is committed to supporting them with comprehensive service packages as a reliable and predictable financing partner, because the realization that "without security, nothing else matters" is by no means new.

ZANATTA MEDIA GmbH is one of Germany's leading owner-managed media agencies and, according to the Financial Times, ranks among the 1000 fastest-growing companies in Europe and among the top 50 largest owner-managed agencies in Germany. We support ministries, institutions, corporations, and medium-sized businesses with effective communication and media strategies – from recruiting and employer branding to product, image, and awareness campaigns.

With ZANATTA. Defence, the group established a specialized unit for the security and defense industry in 2025. A team of communications experts and former members of the German Armed Forces with operational experience supports defense companies, dual-use providers, and market entrants with strategic positioning, creative communication solutions, and targeted media planning to achieve maximum impact with relevant target groups. Clients include companies such as Quantum Systems, Argus Interception, and international OEMs.

Roland Berger is the only leading strategy consultancy with European roots. The company combines deep industry and sector expertise with extensive experience in key management functions and transformation projects. Founded in 1967 and headquartered in Munich, Roland Berger supports companies worldwide in designing and implementing complex transformations – from strategic realignment and performance improvement to the development and application of data-driven, AI-supported solutions. Roland Berger is committed to embedding sustainability in all its projects. The company projected revenues of over one billion euros in 2025.

MHP is a management and IT consulting firm headquartered in Ludwigsburg, Germany. For over 30 years, MHP has combined deep industry understanding with technological expertise, supporting leading companies in complex strategy and IT transformations across the entire value chain. Its industry spectrum ranges from automotive and manufacturing to aerospace, defense, energy, and the public sector. MHP provides strategic and operational consulting in key future-oriented areas such as business transformation, artificial intelligence, SAP and cloud transformation, digitalization of production and supply chains, software-defined products and operations, data-driven business models, customer experience, and the development of platforms and ecosystems. The core focus is on translating technological excellence into industrial-scale solutions – quickly, confidently, and resiliently. In this way, MHP strengthens its clients' global competitiveness. Around 4,500 employees worldwide work together to achieve this goal.

Stanton Chase is a leading international executive search and leadership consulting firm with a strong focus on filling top positions in key industries. At the Handelsblatt Chemistry Conference in Berlin, Stanton Chase is positioning itself as a competent partner for the current and future challenges of the chemical industry, particularly in the areas of transformation, securing skilled talent, and sustainable corporate governance. With a global network and extensive industry expertise, Stanton Chase supports companies in identifying and recruiting leaders who sustainably drive innovation, competitiveness, and growth. Reinhard Halbgewachs, Partner and Global Sector Leader Chemicals and Plastics, plays a central role in this: With his many years of experience and in-depth understanding of the chemical industry, he provides targeted support to companies in filling demanding leadership positions and creating sustainable added value. Industry expertise meets a keen strategic understanding of complex market requirements.

Contact for personal meetings in Berlin: Reinhard Halbgewachs, Partner, Stanton Chase Frankfurt, r.halbgewachs@stantonchase.com

ARX Robotics, a German venture capital backed dual use start-up, develops autonomous, modular, and cost-effective robotic solutions for military and civilian applications. Through innovative platforms, ARX is setting new standards in European robotics, particularly in the areas of productivity, efficiency, and security. The product range includes four standardized models with scalable hardware components and software architectures. ARX systems are already in use by NATO forces and are currently being qualified and tested by six European nations for various tasks such as reconnaissance, surveillance, transportation, and training.

Baker McKenzie advises clients on how to successfully navigate the challenges of globalization. We solve complex legal problems across national borders and legal systems. Our unique culture – developed over more than 70 years – enables our 13,000 employees to understand local markets while operating internationally. We leverage the trusting and collaborative relationships within our international network for the benefit of our clients.

In Germany, approximately 200 lawyers with proven expertise and international experience represent the interests of their clients at the Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, and Munich offices. As one of Germany's leading law firms, Baker McKenzie advises national and international companies and institutions in all areas of commercial law.

• Banking & Finance
• Capital Markets Law
• Compliance & Investigations
• Dispute resolution
• healthcare
• IP
• IT & Communication
• Patent law
• Private Equity
• property
• Steer
• Trade & Economy

All terms are intended to refer to all genders.

GDELS: European provider of military mobility solutions

General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) is part of the General Dynamics Corporation and has operations in seven European countries: Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Romania, and the Czech Republic. GDELS develops, manufactures, and maintains protected wheeled and tracked vehicles and mobile bridging systems. GDELS' European sites are integral to their respective national defense industries and possess decades, and in some cases centuries, of experience. Today, the company employs 3,000 highly skilled and motivated people. More than fifty countries worldwide, including 20 NATO member states, rely on GDELS mobility solutions for their police and armed forces. In Germany, the company is represented by GDELS – Germany, headquartered in Berlin, as well as by GDELS – Bridge Systems in Kaiserslautern and the maintenance and repair specialist GDELS – FWW in Neubrandenburg. Two additional production facilities are currently under construction in southern Germany.

KLIEMT.Arbeitsrecht is one of Germany's leading and largest law firms specializing in employment law, with offices in Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, and Cologne. With approximately 95 lawyers specializing in employment law, KLIEMT.Arbeitsrecht offers national and international companies comprehensive, top-tier legal advice on all aspects of employment law – reliable, creative, practical, and tailored to the specific needs of each company. KLIEMT.Arbeitsrecht guarantees the continuous availability of first-class employment law specialists and ongoing personal support for its clients.

KLIEMT.Labor Law
Partnership of lawyers mbB
Speditionstrasse 21, 40221 Düsseldorf

Salzgitter AG is one of Germany's leading steel and technology groups. As a pioneer in the circular economy, we focus on the sustainable innovation and transformation of our products and processes in the business areas of steel production, steel processing, trading, and technology.

With our "Salzgitter AG 2030" strategy and the principle of "Pioneering for Circular Solutions," we are setting new standards in the industry. Our ambitions are realized through strong initiatives and programs such as SALCOS® – Salzgitter Low CO2 Steelmaking. Through partnerships and networks, we are actively driving the development towards a circular economy.

With approximately 25,000 employees worldwide in 150 national and international subsidiaries and affiliated companies, we live up to our global ambitions for growth, profitability, and our pioneering position. In fiscal year 2021, we generated external sales of around €10 billion with a crude steel capacity of 7 million tons.

How well prepared is your company for disruptive changes?
Without a doubt, even those who stumble can rise to success again. Even better, however, is prevention and avoiding a crisis altogether. At Kearney, we have assembled a team of restructuring and transformation experts and are available to support you in crisis situations, including through our dedicated Restructuring GmbH. We develop sustainable concepts for you in the shortest possible time and implement them together – all from a single source, whatever it takes to make your company successful. Our "One Team" approach gives you a decisive advantage in all phases of restructuring and transformation. A network of experienced Chief Restructuring Officers (CROs), Chief Transformation Officers (CTOs), interim managers, and seasoned legal professionals supports us in this endeavor. Together, we assemble a team tailored to your specific needs, which we then coordinate for you.
With this holistic approach, we complement Kearney's consulting services. Kearney is a globally partnered management consulting firm. Our people make us who we are. Our clients include many Fortune 500 and DAX companies, as well as globally operating mid-sized businesses. As individuals, we bring diverse passions and strengths from various industries. What unites us at Kearney is that we all share the same enthusiasm for our work and the people we work with. Together with them, we turn big ideas into reality and support them in embarking on a new chapter.
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Linklaters is a leading business law firm with 30 offices in 20 countries. In Germany, around 300 lawyers advise banks, corporations, and private capital clients on complex transactions, projects, and legal proceedings. With innovative, tailored, and AI-powered solutions, we support clients in successfully implementing their strategies.

Our pensions practice advises employers on all aspects of occupational pension schemes – particularly at the intersection of tax, insolvency, and corporate law, while also considering business management aspects. We also support pension providers and companies in identifying and minimizing pension-related risks and in designing and adapting efficient pension systems. Our consulting services include, in particular, M&A transactions, de-risking strategies, compliance, and the structured development of modern and sustainable pension solutions.

Nikon SLM Solutions AG is a global provider of integrated solutions for metal-based additive manufacturing. Since its founding, the company has set industry standards and continuously shaped the future of metal 3D printing across all major industries. The success of its customers and users is paramount. Nikon SLM Solutions boasts the world's most productive machines for the additive manufacturing of metal materials, featuring up to 12 lasers and build rates of up to 1000 cm³/h. With a state-of-the-art portfolio and a closely collaborating team of experts, Nikon SLM Solutions meets a wide range of customer requirements with maximum efficiency, productivity, and profitability. Nikon SLM Solutions is convinced that additive manufacturing is the production technology of the future. One of the company's goals is therefore to support its customers on this journey – starting today.

Nikon SLM Solutions AG is headquartered in Germany and has branches in France, India, Italy, Canada, Singapore, South Korea and the USA.

Rolls-Royce is a world-leading manufacturer of propulsion and energy systems and is represented in Germany by its three business divisions: Civil Aerospace, Defence, and Power Systems, employing approximately 11,000 people at twelve locations. The proven mtu propulsion systems of the Rolls-Royce Power Systems division, headquartered in Friedrichshafen, for heavy land and naval vehicles have enjoyed the trust of the German armed forces, NATO members, and allied nations for decades. The aerospace subsidiary Rolls-Royce Deutschland, located near Berlin, is the only aircraft engine manufacturer in Germany certified for the development, production, and maintenance of modern civil and military turbine engines.

SThree is the global STEM workforce consultancy

As a strategic partner, we advise companies, assemble expert teams, and develop project solutions that create real added value. We always go one step further, combining ambition, expertise, and technology, thus living our motto:

Outpace tomorrow, together.

Our global team combines local knowledge with in-depth industry experience in life sciences, technology, engineering, energy, financial services, and digital and creative sectors.

The German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) represents the interests of an industry that, through international technological leadership and global success, has become a key driver of growth for the German economy. The German aerospace industry encompasses virtually all strategic key technologies.

The primary tasks of the BDLI include communication with political institutions, authorities, associations, and foreign representatives in Germany, as well as providing services to members both domestically and internationally. The association is the responsible organizer of the International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) in Berlin.

The BDLI is officially accredited by the German Bundestag and fulfills a number of legally enshrined tasks there.

As an employers' and business association, the Stahl Verband Saar eV is committed to representing the interests of its member companies and actively supports them on their path to a climate-neutral transformation.

Women in International Security Germany (WIIS.de) is the German section of Women in International Security and thus part of a global network of women in foreign and international security policy. WIIS.de was founded in Berlin in 2003. Since then, WIIS.de has operated nationwide as a non-partisan, non-profit organization. WIIS.de advocates for increased visibility of women in foreign, security, and defense policy and now connects and supports over 800 members. For its members, the organization serves as an information platform, a forum for exchange and networking, and is particularly distinguished by the diverse professional backgrounds and areas of expertise of its members. Due to the valuable professional expertise of its members, the targeted development of future female leaders is also a key priority for WIIS.de.

The German Steel Federation (Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl) is the voice of the steel industry in Germany, which has set itself the goal of achieving climate-neutral production by 2045 – thereby saving one-third of total industrial greenhouse gas emissions. The association, headquartered in Berlin, advocates for a political framework that enables a climate-neutral and future-proof steel industry. With 37.2 million tons in 2024, Germany has the largest steel production in Europe.

The WSM represents the economic policy interests of the industry and is one of the largest business associations in Germany. WSM is a member of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and ORGALIME, the European association for metal processing and mechanical engineering.

We also provide our members and affiliated companies with expert support from our specialist departments, covering everything from A (for foreign trade) to Z (for supplier issues). Tasks are divided such that product-related problems are solved by the relevant trade association, while overarching concerns (of several trade associations) are addressed and implemented by WSM.