Change of Leadership in the Board of Trustees: Alexander Birken Hands Over Chairmanship to Silke Grimm

Silke Grimm, Regional HR Director at Allianz Trade in the DACH region and Member of the Board at Euler Hermes Aktiengesellschaft, is the new Chair of the HSBA Board of Trustees. She succeeds Alexander Birken, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Otto Group, who is joining the university's Supervisory Board. Both are alumni of HSBA's predecessor institution.

Silke Grimm was unanimously elected as the new Chair of the HSBA Board of Trustees with effect from 1 December 2022. The Board of Trustees is the most important advisory body of the university and consists of high-ranking business representatives who are committed to HSBA and advise it. Silke Grimm has been a member of the board since 2018 as a representative of one of HSBA's largest partner companies.  

"I am very much looking forward to the new challenge and the opportunity to be even more active in the strategic development of the university as chair of the HSBA Board of Trustees," explains Silke Grimm. "Sincere thanks go to my predecessor Alexander Birken for his great commitment and the excellent work he did during his term of office."   

Alexander Birken took office in October 2018 after the Foundation for the Promotion of HSBA took over the shareholder role from the Chamber of Commerce. He has now been appointed to the Board of Governors, the university's supervisory board, while remaining a voting member of the Board of Trustees. "As an alumnus and representative of one of HSBA's partner companies, it has been a great pleasure to represent HSBA as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. I would like to thank all members for the extremely good cooperation and for their trust. Special thanks also go, of course, to Silke Grimm for her willingness to take on the office. I am convinced that she will fill it with a great deal of commitment and high professional competence."   

HSBA Vice President Prof. Dr. Alkis Otto thanked Alexander Birken and Silke Grimm on behalf of the entire university management. "We warmly congratulate Silke Grimm on her new position as Chair of our Board of Trustees and at the same time thank Alexander Birken for the trustful cooperation and his extraordinary commitment as Chair of the Board. We are also very pleased about his appointment to our Board of Governors. In his new position, he will continue to play a decisive role in the further development of the university. We wish them both every success in their new positions."  

Alexander Birken, Silke Grimm
Photo Alexander Birken: © Charlotte Schreiber Fotografie, Photo Silke Grimm: © Allianz Trade

About Alexander Birken:  

Alexander Birken has been Chairman of the Executive Board of the Otto Group since 2017. Previously, as Group Executive Board member, he was responsible for the strategic development of various companies such as OTTO, the Baur Group, the Schwab Group, the Witt Group and the Otto Group Russia. Alexander Birken studied business administration at the Hamburg Business Academy and was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of HSBA from 2018 to 2022.  

  

About Silke Grimm : 

Silke Grimm has been Regional HR Director at Allianz Trade in the DACH region since 2022 and is also a board member of Euler Hermes Aktiengesellschaft. She began her career with studies at HSBA's predecessor institution, the Hamburg Business Academy. In 2001 she took over as Head of Controlling and became Chief Risk Officer in 2006. In 2011, she became a member of the Board of Management and Chief Financial and Administration Officer (CFAO) of Euler Hermes Kreditversicherungs-AG. She has been a member of HSBA's Board of Trustees since 2018 and took over its leadership in 2022. 

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