Since 1989, the Initiativkreis Ruhr (IR) has been bringing together companies and institutions from the Ruhr region and beyond to ensure the future viability of the region and to initiate projects in business, education and culture. On 6 March 2025, the IR invited its members to a plenary meeting at the new Materna headquarters in Dortmund.
"As a proud member of the Initiativkreis Ruhr, we are delighted that we were able to host the meeting and welcome high-ranking representatives from business, education and culture," says company founder Dr Winfried Materna, who also served as co-moderator of the Initiativkreis from 2006 to 2010. "The dialogue in this group is essential in order to jointly develop solutions for the pressing challenges facing our region."
#Helmut an de Meulen, also founder of Materna, adds: "The Ruhr region has a long tradition of change and innovation. With our new headquarters on the former Phoenix West blast furnace site, we are emphasising our belief in the future of this region and sending a clear signal for progress and digital transformation."
The office complex is emblematic of the development of the Ruhr region: once the core region of the coal and steel industry, the area has transformed itself into an innovative location for future technologies - including artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation - in recent decades. "With our location, we are committing ourselves to the city and region and sending a signal for the transformation towards a modern economy that wants to set standards in research, development and technological implementation," emphasise Materna and an de Meulen.
At the IR General Assembly, Prof Dr Andrea Römmele, Vice President of the Hertie School Berlin, highlighted current challenges and prospects for democratic culture in Germany under the title "Bundestagswahl 2025 - what can our democracy take?". Following this, the members of the Initiativkreis board reported on key developments and projects in the areas of business, education and culture.
Programme highlights were:
- Welcome by Materna SE and the board of the Initiativkreis Ruhr
- Guest lecture by Prof Dr Andrea Römmele, Hertie School Berlin
Topic: "Bundestag election 2025 - what can our democracy take?" - Reports from the Executive Board on current key topics in business, education and culture
- Exchange and discussion on the strategic direction of the IR
The plenary meeting offers an ideal platform for professional dialogue, networking and the joint creation of forward-looking projects.
About the Initiativkreis Ruhr
The Initiativkreis Ruhr was founded in 1989 and since then has brought together leading companies and institutions from the Ruhr region and beyond to work together on the positive development of the region. The common goal is to secure and strengthen the future viability of the Ruhr region. This has resulted in initiatives such as the InnovationCity Ruhr climate project, the BridgeBuilder start-up project, the TalentMetropole Ruhr educational foundation, the Ruhr Piano Festival cultural project and the Urban Future Ruhr neighbourhood project. With her.summit, the business alliance promotes dialogue between female managers in the region. The Young Initiativkreis Ruhr brings together specialists and managers under the age of 40 from the partner companies and addresses the younger generation within the economic alliance.
