Daniela Merkenich, Partner Alpha IC GmbH, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Daniela Merkenich, Alpha IC GmbH

Daniela Merkenich Partner at Alpha IC GmbH

Oct 29 13:00 Hall 6, Board Stage Empowered Experience

Daniela Merkenich is a Partner and expert in sustainable workplaces and real estate at Alpha IC GmbH. Building on her bachelor’s degree in architecture, she completed a master’s degree in Sustainable Building.

Following a project assignment for GIZ in Ethiopia, she worked for several years as a sustainability expert for the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). Since 2016, she has been working as a sustainability consultant, first at ifes GmbH and later at Alpha IC.

Daniela Merkenich is a DGNB Senior Auditor, DGNB ESG Manager, and BREEAM AP. She understands sustainability as a holistic concept and a real added value for people and buildings.

Photo: © Daniela Merkenich, Alpha IC GmbH

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We look forward to welcoming international thought leaders and industry pioneers.

Inspiring figures with fresh perspectives on New Work, workplace culture, leadership, technology and the future of work. More coming soon!

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Ralf Schumacher

Formula One Legend, TV Expert & Multi-Entrepreneur

Ralf Schumacher, Formel-1-Legend, TV-Expert & Multi-Entrepreneur, speaker at Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Leading Minds

Ole Scheeren

Architect & Expert for Collective Living and Urban Collaboration

Ole Scheeren, architect and principal of Büro Ole Scheeren, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Felix Grünschloss

Prof Miriam Meckel

Professor of Communication Management

Prof Miriam Meckel, Professor of Communication Management at the University of St. Gallen, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Leading Minds

Carlo Ratti

Director MIT Senseable City Lab & Founder of Carlo Ratti Associati

Dr Caroline von Kretschmann

Managing Director at Europäischer Hof Heidelberg

Dr Caroline von Kretschmann, Managing Director at Europäischer Hof Heidelberg, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Leading Minds

Cornelia Poletto

Chef & Entrepreneur

Cornelia Poletto, Chef & Entrepreneur, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Melanie Dreysse

Dr Anne Latz

Physician and Entrepreneur

Dr Anne Latz, physician and entrepreneur, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Dr Anne Latz, Leading Minds

Toan Nguyen

Futurist for Culture and Innovation

Toan Nguyen, futurist for culture and innovation, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Leading Minds

Julia Hobsbawm

Founder & CEO WORKATHON

Patrik Schumacher

Principal at Zaha Hadid Architects

Patrik Schumacher, Principal at Zaha Hadid Architects, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Patrik Schumacher

Primo Orpilla

Co-Founder & Principal of Studio O+A

Dr Christian Nocke, expert in building and room acoustics, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Christian Nocke

Dr Alexandra Bernhardt

Sociologist & Board Member, German Coworking Federation (GCF)

Dr Alexandra Bernhardt , SoziSociologist & Board Member, German Coworking Federation (GCF), speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Dr Alexandra Bernhardt

Stefan Diez

Industrial Designer & Founder of DIEZ OFFICE

Stefan Diez, Industrial Designer & Founder of DIEZ OFFICE, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Matthias Ziegler

Peter Ippolito

Architect at Ippolito Fleitz Group

Peter Ippolito, architect at Ippolito Fleitz Group, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Peter Ippolito, Ippolito Fleitz Group

Dr Laura Kienbaum

Founder of loop_creating places

Dr Laura Kienbaum, Founder of loop_creating places, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Dr Laura Kienbaum

Alberto Zontone

Co-Founder & CEO of Studio Urquiola

Alberto Zontone, Co-Founder & CEO of Studio Urquiola, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Settimio Benedusi

Amelie Marie Fischer

Engaged Scholar at the Future of Work Lab at the University of Konstanz

Amelie Marie Fischer, Engaged Scholar & Consultant at the Future of Work Lab, University of Konstanz, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Amelie Marie Fischer

Giovanni Dotelli

Full Professor at Politecnico di Milano

Giovanni Dotelli, Full Professor at Politecnico di Milano, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Giovanni Dotelli

Nicola Bramkamp

Moderator & Curator, Transformation Expert

Mattijs Kaak

Founder and Director of Ditt Officemakers

Mattijs Kaak, founder and managing director of Ditt Officemakers, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Joost de Jong

Dr Peggie Rothe

Chief Insights & Research Officer at Leesman

Dr Peggie Rothe, Chief Insights & Research Officer at Leesman, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Henri Juvonen

Dr Guzmán de Yarza Blache

Global Design Strategy Lead at JLL

Dr Guzmán de Yarza Blache, Global Design Strategy Lead at JLL, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Dr Guzmán de Yarza Blache

Katharina Wolff

Founder & Publisher of STRIVE Magazine

Katharina Wolff, Founder & Publisher of STRIVE Magazine, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Katharina Wolff

Sónia Cunha

Interior Architect at Ditt Officemakers

Sónia Cunha, Interior Architect at Ditt Officemakers, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Sónia Cunha

Dr Ann Sophie Lauterbach

Researcher at Dresden University of Technology

Steve Kooy

Director of Health and Sustainability at BIFMA

Steve Kooy, Director of Health and Sustainability bei BIFMA, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Steve Kooy

Eve Wilkinson-Bell

Workplace Project Manager at JetBrains

Eve Wilkinson-Bell, Workplace Project Manager at JetBrains, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Eve Wilkinson-Bell

Philip Tidd

Principal and Regional Client Relationships Leader at Gensler

Manuela Lieber

Founder of Mindful Workspaces

Alina Rehorst

Global Head of Workplace at Siemens Healthineers

Alina Rehorst, Global Head of Workplace at Siemens Healthineers, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Alina Rehorst

Álvaro López Arroyo

Product Technical Director at Grupo Forma 5

Álvaro López Arroyo, Product Technical Director bei Grupo Forma 5, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Álvaro López Arroyo

Birgit Gebhardt

Trend expert and futurologist

Birgit Gebhardt, trend expert and future researcher, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Hannes Jung

Johannes Füß

Senior Vice President at EGYM Wellpass

Johannes Füß, Senior Vice President at EGYM Wellpass, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Johannes Füß

Daniela Merkenich

Partner at Alpha IC GmbH

Daniela Merkenich, Partner Alpha IC GmbH, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Daniela Merkenich, Alpha IC GmbH

Heiner Hans

Lighting expert and former Head of the TRILUX Academy

WW - Work Culture Festival: Heiner Hans, Credit: TRILUX

Eva von Traitteur

Senior Specialist Industrial Design at the BASF Creation Center

Eva von Traitteur, Senior Specialist Industrial Design at the BASF Creation Center, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Eva von Traitteur

Semih Aridogan

Partner Strive Studio

Semih Aridogan, Partner Strive Studio, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Semih Aridogan

Wiebke Speckels

Strategic Marketing and Sustainability Manager at BASF

Wiebke Speckels, Strategic Marketing and Sustainability Manager bei BASF, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Wiebke Speckels

Andrea Schmidt

Partner at Alpha IC GmbH

Andrea Schmidt, Partner Alpha IC GmbH, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Andrea Schmidt, Alpha IC GmbH

Dr Christian Nocke

Room Acoustics Expert and owner of Akustikbüro Oldenburg

Wherever Whenever - Work Culture Festival: Dr Christian Nocke

Shahin Farahzadi

Architect & Chief Strategy Officer one.vision

Shahin Farahzadi, architect & CSO one.vision, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Shahin Farahzadi

Gerda Karal

Interior Architect bdia, Managing Partner LEPEL & LEPEL

Gerda Karal, Interior Architect bdia, Managing Partner LEPEL & LEPEL, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Nadine Schwickart

Kai-Uwe Schlegel

Global Head of Technical Expertise in Furniture at TÜV Rheinland

Kai-Uwe Schlegel, Möbelexperte bei TÜV Rheinland, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Kai-Uwe Schlegel

Alina Selbach

Head of Furniture Business at TÜV Rheinland

Alina Selbach, Head of Furniture Business at TÜV Rheinland, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Alina Selbach

Dr. Martin Führ

Environmental Law Specialist

Dr Martin Führ, Environmental Law Specialist, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Hochschule Darmstadt/Christian Heyse

Bernd Fels

Pioneering Thinker and Co-founder of if5 and if5design

Dr Katharina Radermacher

HR Researcher

Dr Katharina Radermacher, HR Researcher, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Universität Paderborn, Angela Lang

Robert Thiemann

EVP Content Strategy at Material Bank

Tracey Ingram

Moderator and Expert in spatial design & products

Wolfram Sauer

Co-Founder of Leading Minds & New Work Pioneer

Volker Weßels

Sustainability Expert & Head of European Level

Wherever Whenever - Work Culture Festival: Volker Weßels, Credit: Carsten Lerp

Updates to follow...

The line-up is continuously being expanded and updated.

Save the date WW – Work Culture Festival 2026