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In QS Magazine, the “Say Ja to Germany” initiative, launched by Mannheim Business School, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management and ESMT Berlin, is highlighted. initiative The article presents Germany as an attractive destination for international students, emphasizing academic freedom, stability, and strong career opportunities.

For Bild, Lars-Hendrik Röller, professor of economic at ESMT, is calling for Germany to reconsider nuclear energy, arguing that new technologies such as nuclear fusion and small modular reactors make it worthwhile to keep the option open even after the country’s nuclear phaseout. In the interview, he also reflected on policy mistakes during the Merkel era, particularly in energy, climate, and defense policy, while emphasizing that Germany should stay flexible about future energy strategies.

For this weeks CEO Pick, Joanna Radeke, Director of the ESMT Institute for Sustainable Transformation, argues that while AI improves efficiency and productivity, it also dramatically increases electricity and water consumption through growing data-center demand, making sustainability a core business and leadership issue. She says companies must move beyond measuring speed and cost savings and instead ask whether their AI solves real sustainability problems, what environmental or social risks it creates, and how those risks can be mitigated early.

For Poets & Quants, Julia Langdon, assistant professor of organizational behavior and Volkswagen Group Junior Chair for Ethics and Diversity in Organizations at ESMT Berlin, has been selected as one of Poets&Quants Best 40-Under-40 Graduate Business Professors 2026. The annual recognition highlights outstanding young faculty members teaching in graduate business programs around the world.

For Financial Times, Beth Sibly, who leads ESMT’s “Geopolitics for Business” executive programme, says geopolitics has shifted from a niche specialty to a core leadership concern, with executives seeking guidance on supply chains, strategy, compliance, and risk management amid global instability. ESMT Berlin as a business school responding directly to rising corporate demand for geopolitical expertise.

In the Financial Times 2026 Executive Education Rankings, ESMT Berlin was recognized among the top 5 in the world for customized programs and among the top 10 in the world for open enrollment programs. Ranked #5 globally for customized executive education and #9 for open programs, ESMT also remains the undisputed #1 provider in Germany, reinforcing its position as a global leader in executive education and lifelong learning.

For rbb, professor of finance Michael Weber discusses his goals for the prestigious Humboldt Professorship at ESMT Berlin. He aims to strengthen internationally competitive economic research in Germany and focus on issues such as inflation, financial decision-making, and the connection between academic research and public policy.

For Forbes, Christoph Burger wrote an article that argues that teams often judge decisions by outcomes instead of by the quality of the decision-making process, even though good decisions can still lead to bad results because of uncertainty and luck. It recommends evaluating decisions based on the information available at the time, the assumptions made, and whether teams created a disciplined process for learning and adaptation rather than relying on hindsight bias.

For Handelsblatt, Jörg Rocholl, president of ESMT wrote a guest commentary that argues that Germany’s ability to attract and retain private investment has become a key test of its competitiveness as a business location, especially amid international competition and economic uncertainty. It says that investment incentives alone are not enough unless they are paired with reliable policy, faster approvals, modern infrastructure, and long-term planning certainty for companies.

For zdf heute, Jörg Rocholl, president of ESMT, is cited as advocating for a growth-oriented economic policy, emphasizing that reforms and targeted investments are essential for Germany’s long-term competitiveness. He warns that structural issues such as weak growth and high burdens can only be addressed through a consistent focus on boosting productivity and efficiency.

Poets&Quants’ profiles the “100 Best & Brightest MBAs” Class of 2026, highlighting top graduating MBA students worldwide who stand out for leadership, innovation, and impact beyond academics. Punit Thakkar, an ESMT Berlin MBA student, who previously held leadership roles in real estate and proptech in India and is featured for his professional achievements before and during the MBA.

In this week's CEO Pick, Jan Hagen, professor of Management Practice, writes about how psychological safety cannot be mandated directly. It emerges from consistent leadership behavior that encourages openness, admits uncertainty, and treats mistakes as learning opportunities. Leaders build it by shaping interactions and norms so that people feel safe to speak up, challenge ideas, and contribute without fear of negative consequences.

For Merkur, Jörg Rocholl, president of ESMT, together with Verena Pausder and Gerhard Cromme, wrote an article which argues that Germany’s strict dismissal protection rules make layoffs very costly and slow, which discourages investment and growth, especially for startups and high-growth companies. It proposes loosening these rules, particularly for high earners and introducing clearer, faster severance processes, inspired by more flexible systems in countries like Denmark that combine easier hiring and firing with strong social security.

For Forbes, Bianca Schmitz, lecturer at ESMT, wrote an article arguing that success depends less on the idea of selling solutions and more on aligning capabilities, incentives, and execution early, otherwise strategies collapse before reaching the customer. Companies often shift to “solutions” strategies expecting growth, but many fail before signing a single contract because they promise outcomes they can’t deliver, avoid real innovation risks, and struggle with internal coordination

For Tagesspiegel Background, Joachim Wuermeling, leading ESMT's Digital Euro Hub, wrote an article about how digital currencies, especially the Euro, are gaining importance.