Robert Habeck is among the most influential intellectual voices of our time.

As a doctor of philosophy and writer, he combines analytical depth with a rare ability to make complex interrelationships comprehensible.

After his time as Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, he is now conducting research at the Danish Institute for International Studies in Copenhagen and will move to the University of California, Berkeley in 2026.

This outsider perspective makes him one of our most exciting guests: Habeck doesn't speak as a player in the current political arena, but as someone who is contemplating the big questions of transformation, trust, and social cohesion.

With the distance one needs to be truly honest.

The MACHN26 addresses a question that occupies businesses, leaders, and founders daily: How can a desire for change be fostered – and how can people be brought along on that journey?

Amidst global crises, economic uncertainty and societal tensions, there are no easy answers. A conversation on the importance of the big vision, the art of storytelling and the difficult process of togetherness in society.

Especially for a medium-sized economy, for teams embarking on new ventures, for regions like East Germany, where transformation is not just experienced but actively shaped.