ULA General Assembly Highlights Future Vision for German Management
The United Leaders Association (ULA), member organisation of CEC European Managers, convened its General Assembly in Berlin on June 12, 2024, marking a significant moment for German managerial leadership. Roland Angst, the incumbent President, was unanimously reelected, signaling continuity and a renewed commitment to addressing contemporary challenges facing leaders in the German context.
Managers are and will be key actors in reactivating the country’s economy, which is currently enduring the slowest growth in the European Union. The ULA General Assembly also elected a new board with Dr. Christoph Gürtler and Dr. Benjamin Koch elected as Vice-Presidents and Markus Ebel-Waldmann reaffirmed as Treasurer. President Angst thanked outgoing Vice Presidents Susanne Schebel and Dr. Birgit Schwab for their contributions over the past three years.
Embracing Growth and Transformation
In his reelection speech, Angst looked back at his first term in office: The most important milestones include strengthening the ULA’s political work and network, structural renewal of the workforce, and a new system of contributions. Highlighting the recent influx of young talent, Angst stressed that growth and transformation are critical for both German managerial staff and the nation’s economic health.
“Being a manager is like engaging a group of people you care about on a trip. Managers and leaders plan the stops to arrive at a desired destination,” Angst remarked, emphasizing the importance of strategic leadership.
ULA President Roland Angst during his opening speech
Digitalisation and Gender Equality
Despite progress in digitalisation, Angst acknowledged that substantial work remains. Among the proposals to advance in this field, there is the idea of implementing telematic voting for future General Assemblies as a step toward modernisation. Addressing gender equality is another of the big priorities Angst highlighted. Women hold only 30% of leadership positions in Germany, despite significant advancements over the past decade.
Being a manager is like engaging a group of people you care about on a trip. Managers and leaders plan the stops to arrive at a desired destination.
Rolland Angst
President of the United Leaders Association
Celebrating German Leaders
Post-elections, participants enjoyed a dinner at the German Parliament, the Bundestag, a good occasion to engage with the institution. The next day, the German Managers Day was celebrated. A specific conference was organised by ULA featuring directors and leaders from Germany’s largest corporations (the so-called DAX 40), including Allianz, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Telekom, Mercedes-Benz, and Siemens. The event facilitated direct engagement between executives, policymakers, stakeholders, university professors, and political relations experts.
Federal Minister of Finance Christian Lindner and Secretary General of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) Carsten Linnemann were prominent speakers.
CEC European Managers’ Secretary General Torkild Justesen at ULA
Torkild Justesen, Secretary General of CEC European Managers, represented our confederation and introduced the Sustainable Leadership platform, highlighting initiatives by ULA’s Danish counterpart, Lederne.
Ludger Ramme, past president of CEC European Managers and a very engaged team member of ULA, underscored the importance of sustainable leadership in a conversation with CEC’s communications. “The seed for a sustainable approach to leadership was planted in Germany, and other countries in Europe have copied this model and enriched it with their own management styles,” Ramme stated, advocating for a circular economy model that balances environmental protection with social responsibility and competitiveness.
In that regard, German leaders and managers often share that bureaucracy and legal hurdles impede the sustainability initiatives promoted by the EU Green Deal. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) particularly struggle with these challenges, lacking the resources to navigate complex regulatory landscapes.
Finally, on his concluding remarks, Angst called for intelligent leadership amid challenging times, emphasizing the need for decisive action in politics and business. “Germany currently has the slowest economy of the European Union in terms of growth, and the trust in the decision-making ability of politicians has diminished substantially. It is time to make a decisive change – in all areas of life, at work, and in politics,” he urged.
Angst reiterated the pressing need for Germany to address its location and leadership challenges.
Germany currently has the slowest economy of the European Union in terms of growth
He called for a comprehensive update to government policies in response to the ongoing crises, stressing the role of ULA as a driver of positive change and a voice for performance and responsibility.
Christian Lindner MdB, Federal Minister of Finance, and Roland Angst, ULA President
CEC European Managers welcomes this new term and encourages the German colleagues of ULA to continue navigating the complexities of modern leadership by reinforcing its commitment to fostering sustainable, innovative, and inclusive managerial practices and remaining at the forefront of its mission.
