Prof. Bullinger studied Mechanical Engineering, gained his PhD and completed his post-doctoral qualifications at Stuttgart University. He soon assumed leading positions in applied research and teaching. He founded the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO) and was the Director of the IAO for 20 years. He was also head of the Institute for Industrial Science and Technology (IAT) at Stuttgart University. From 2002 to 2012 he was President of the Fraunhofer Society, one of the leading European organisations for technical and industrial innovations with a total of 60 different institutes. 

Prof. Bullinger led the research organisation to the point where it became a superlative example of collaboration between business and academia, for which he received several awards. He was most recently honoured with the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit by the Federal Republic of Germany. 

Today Prof. Bullinger is a member of the Fraunhofer Senate and also Chairman of the Industry-Science Research Alliance of the German government. He is spokesman for the Climate Change/Energy Promotion Group and a key driver of groundbreaking German projects which in English translate to “The CO2-neutral, energy-efficient and environmentally sound city” and “Intelligent transformation of our energy supply”. 

In his professional life, he has been focusing on the following key issues: applied research for business and society, future-proofing through innovation and developing ideas where others despair, based on his personal belief that  "There is always a way".

Mrs. Evi Carola Hoch completed a Magister Artium (Freiburg University), Polonicum (Mainz University) and an Executive Master of Business Administration in International Business (ENPC, Paris). Born in Wolfsburg, she began her career at Vitra Design Foundation in Weil am Rhein, where she curated design and architecture exhibitions in Central Europe and designed international workshops for school students. She then worked as a cultural manager for a German-Polish Cultural Festival held at Burg Reszel in Warmia/Masuria, Poland. From 1998 to 2011 she worked for one of the world’s largest audit and advisory firm in Cologne, Essen, Geneva and Dusseldorf. As an authorised officer and senior manager of that firm, she worked for over seven years in Business Development and Marketing.

In her professional career, she has been focusing on the interface between business and society. She is convinced that education, culture and sport and the values associated with them are essential for any vibrant community.