Speakers
Xavier Ros (he/him)
Xavier Ros was born in Barcelona in 1971 and studied mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Barcelona. In 1994, He began his professional career in production logistics at Audi in Ingolstadt. Three years later, the Spanish native took on project management responsibilities for the Audi A8 series. Xavier Ros has been Labor Director and Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Human Resources since May 20, 2022
sophie koch (she/her)
Sophie Koch, born in Vogtland in 1993, has been a member of the Saxon state parliament for the SPD since 2024. Since May 2025, she has been the Federal Government Commissioner for Queer Issues and is committed to promoting the rights of queer people, especially in rural areas. Previously, she was education officer at Queer Network Saxony and is deputy state chair of the SPD Saxony.
Prof. Dr. Daniela Voigt (she/her)
Prof. Dr. Daniela Voigt is a SPIEGEL bestselling author and expert on toxic dynamics in organizations. She teaches social work, advises companies on diversity, leadership, and cultural change, and is well known from TV, podcasts, and specialist media. Her focus: how toxic corporate cultures prevent diversity—and what we can do about it.
Prof. Dr. Jan Schürmann-Vengels (he/him)
Studied psychology and clinical psychology in Bochum. Licensed as a psychological psychotherapist in 2020. Doctorate (Dr. phil.) on the topic of diagnostics of strengths and resource activation in 2022. Since 2023, holder of a professorship at the University of Witten/Herdecke. Head of a large-scale study on the mental health of LGBTQ+ individuals in German-speaking countries (Queer Mental Health). Lead author of numerous articles in international journals.
Priv-Doz. Dr. Luis Escobar (he/him)
Luis Escobar is an expert in mental health and health education with many years of experience at the intersection of science, practice, and industry. His professional career has taken him to Audi AG, SEAT S.A., the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Mainz University Medical Center, and Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe e.V., among others. With passion and interdisciplinary expertise, he builds bridges between evidence-based research and practical implementation – always with the goal of promoting sustainable health and anchoring mental strength in organizations.
Sabina Ahmed (she/her)
Sabina Ahmed is an inclusion consultant, speaker, and trainer.
She combines personal experience with professional expertise and supports companies in breaking down barriers and actively shaping inclusion—through practical workshops, HR consulting, and accessible event planning. Her goal: diversity that works—for a future that includes everyone.
linda kurz (she/her)
Linda Kurz has been responsible for marketing in Germany since January 2022. She began her career at Audi in 2011 in product marketing and worked her way up to her current position via the high-performance subsidiary Audi Sport. Among other things, she was responsible for the launch of the Audi e-tron GT.
ERGs @ audi
Representatives of queer@audi, dads@audi and women@audi
simon bauer (he/him)
Simon Bauer is responsible for Pfizer Germany’s pharmacy business as Commercial Strategy Lead Pharmacies. Previously, he worked at Pfizer and in consulting firms at the interface between politics and business. Simon has been actively involved in the Pfizer DE&I team since his time as a working student. He is currently co-lead of the global Pfizer LGBTIQ+ network OPEN in Germany. He studied sociology in Munich, Berlin, and Bergen, Norway, and is also a trained industrial clerk.
sonja Schwerdtner (she/her)
Sonja Schwerdtner is co-chair of dbPride Germany, Deutsche Bank’s LGBTIQ+ employee resource group, where she plays a leading role in fostering inclusion and driving cultural change across the organisation. She leads a team within Business Line Compliance that advises Deutsche Bank’s Fixed Income and Currencies division. Sonja began her career with a banking apprenticeship and went on to study Business Administration in Mannheim, later specialising in Risk Management and Compliance. Her work combines deep technical expertise with a strong commitment to inclusive leadership and organisational integrity.
Christopher Mohr (he/Him)
Christopher Mohr is co-chair of dbPride Germany, Deutsche Bank’s LGBTIQ+ employee resource group, where he actively drives initiatives that promote visibility and inclusion across the organisation. He also serves as Business Manager at Deutsche Bank’s Berlin Technology Centre, where he has been leading strategic initiatives and operational projects since joining the firm three years ago. Prior to relocating to Berlin, he spent 13 years in London working for various financial institutions. He holds a Master’s degree from the University of St. Gallen and brings a broad international perspective to his work in organisational development and cultural transformation.
Moderation
Kira alin (she/her)
Kira Alin, born in Emmerich am Rhein in 1981, studied cultural studies and then completed an internship at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG. She now works at ProSieben, where she presents “Newstime.” She is the first transgender news presenter on German television. In addition to her journalistic work, she is committed to visibility and equal opportunities, speaks publicly about acceptance and diversity, and advocates for greater representation of marginalized perspectives in the media.
Jens schönleber (he/him)
Jens Schönleber has been working at Audi AG since 2016 in the Brand Experience team, focusing on sponsorships and collaborations as well as test drive campaigns. Since 2022, he has been a member of the core team of the queer&friends@audi network.
Learn more about this year’s program.