Partners & Managing Directors

The great challenge facing companies in these times is to keep following and communi­cating their strategy under extra­ordinary conditions.

/ Egbert DeekelingBIO Contact

/ Egbert DeekelingSenior Partner
Düsseldorf / Berlin

T  +49 211 51332-302
E  

Egbert Deekeling is a Senior Partner. The company founder supports and advises communi­cations experts, CEOs and top managers, especially during phases of comprehensive, large-scale trans­formation. He is one of the most renowned experts in this field.

Egbert graduated in sociology and later became Managing Director at ABC/EUROCOM. In 1995, he founded Deekeling & Fiebig, which later evolved to become the strategic communi­cations consultancy Deekeling Arndt Advisors in Communications. Egbert is co-author and co-publisher of a number of specialist books on the topic of change communi­cations, CEO commu­nications and commu­nications in times of digital trans­formation.

Today, even successful companies are forced to justify their right to exist. They can no longer focus exclusively on the capital markets but must operate in a wider societal context.

/ Olaf ArndtBIO Contact

/ Olaf ArndtSenior Partner
Düsseldorf

T  +49 211 51332-140
E  

Olaf Arndt is a Senior Partner and an expert in complex communi­cations at the interface between industry, government and society. Among other things, he focusses on positioning companies and executives, particularly in crisis situations and phases of strategic realignment. He supports top manage­ment in communicating success-critical topics to policy-makers, the media, opinion-makers and the capital market.

Olaf trained in journalism, after graduating in political science, sociology and history. He draws upon his many years of manage­ment and consulting experience with renowned consulting firms. He co-authored the book “CEO-Kommu­nikation. Strategien für Spitzen­manager” (CEO commu­nica­tions. strategies for top managers), with Egbert Deekeling.

Current global crises are placing greater demands on companies. Being aware of your own strengths and under­standing the needs of stake­holders translates into clear language and presentation.

/ Serkan AgciBIO Contact

/ Serkan AgciManaging Director
Berlin

T  +49 30 921012-440
E  

Serkan Agci is a Managing Director of the company and is in charge of the Public Affairs unit as head of the Berlin office. His consulting work is centred around policy and regulation as well as sus­tain­ability communi­cations. 

The political scientist became a press spokes­person for the SPD state committees for Lower Saxony/Bremen in the German Parlia­ment after periods as a freelance journalist and with public radio. Between 2013 and 2017, he was office manager for Hannelore Kraft, who was deputy head of the SPD (social democratic party) at the time, and he also worked as press spokesperson for the SPD party leadership and the then SPD chairperson, Martin Schulz. Since 2018, he has been working as a strategy consultant to companies and institutions and specialises in sus­tain­able strategy and governance.

The challenge of our times with regard to change lies in efficiency and growth programmes as well as restructuring and digital transformation taking place simultaneously.

/ Susanne ArndtBIO Contact

/ Susanne ArndtManaging Partner
Düsseldorf

T  +49 211 51332-125
E  

Susanne Arndt is a Managing Partner and an expert in trans­formation communi­cations and change management. She specialises in supporting top manage­ment and executives through profound change processes by focusing on strategic trans­formation, purpose, digital trans­formation, restructuring as well as integration processes.

After completing her degree in German, history and media studies, Susanne spent ten years working at a consulting company before joining H/Advisors Deekeling Arndt. She has extensive experience in corporate commu­nications, corporate responsibility, change, and crisis commu­nications. As a specialist in change manage­ment, she has a wealth of experience in dealing with different interests and target groups as well as in communi­cating complex business decisions in various industry contexts. She co-authored the book “Change-Kommunikation” (Change communications) with Egbert Deekeling and Dirk Barghop.

In times of global trans­formation, companies need a plausible narrative that integrates their strategic goals and makes sense of their plans for the business.

/ Dr Dirk BarghopBIO Contact

/ Dr Dirk BarghopSenior Partner
Düsseldorf

T  +49 211 51332-130
E  

Dr Dirk Barghop is a Senior Partner. He advises companies on executive and employee communi­cations during times of highly complex trans­formation and renewal processes. He specialises in developing strategic commu­nications programmes and designing executive commu­nications processes.

Dirk holds a Ph.D. in historical anthropology and produced a thesis exploring communi­cations among the elite rulers in ancient Rome. Before embarking on his consulting career, he worked in research and teaching at third-level. Dirk is co-publisher of the books “Kommuni­kation im Corporate Change. Maß­stäbe für eine neue Management praxis” (Communications in times of corporate change. Standards for new management practice), “Kommuni­kation in der digitalen Trans­formation” (Communications in times of digital transformation), and he co-authored the book “Change-Kommunikation” (Change communications) with Egbert Deekeling and Susanne Arndt.

Companies are in a constant process of trans­formation. In order to place the message in context as well as get people on board, commu­ni­cations must be both strategic and authentic.

/ Julika BenzBIO Contact

/ Julika BenzManaging Director
Düsseldorf

T  +49 211 51332-129
E  

Julika Benz is a managing director at our company. She consults companies on complex change processes as well as in strategy develop­ment and communi­cations. Her main focus is on the inter­faces between strategy, HR and communi­cations.

Julika studied business administration and has many years of experience in designing strategy and communi­cations processes in corporate environ­ments. Before moving to H/Advisors Deekeling Arndt, she worked for ten years at the world's largest logistics company.

In times of fundamental change, it is key to develop visions that map out the way forward and show employees and other target groups how they can be part of the future.

/ Michael FuchsBIO Contact

/ Michael FuchsManaging Partner
Düsseldorf

T  +49 211 51332-123
E  

Michael Fuchs is a Managing Partner. He is in charge of the Design Studio and an expert in trans­formation, change communications and corporate branding. He supports companies through change and re­alignment processes. He focuses in this regard on developing visions that are the central point of orientation in times of change. Michael also works with his clients to develop story­lines, corporate values and brand content that serve to raise the profile of companies with their target groups. He supports and guides the imple­mentation of this content in terms of good design and language.

Michael worked as an editor for the Rheinische Post news­paper and was Editor-in-Chief of Metropolis Magazine. He studied media, politics and social sciences at the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf, where he also worked for many years as a guest lecturer.

International transactions require internationally based support – H/Advisors offers tailored solutions.

/ Volker HeckBIO Contact

/ Volker HeckSenior Partner
Düsseldorf / Frankfurt a. M.

T  +49 211 51332-160 +49 69 97098-550
E  

Volker Heck is a Senior Partner and the head of our Frankfurt office. His main focus is on capital market commu­nica­tions for non-financial companies and institutions, managing regulatory and political topics and positioning of top management during phases of strategic realignment.

After graduating with a degree in economics, Volker spent more than 20 years working for energy companies and has broad-based experience of national and inter­national lobbying. He focuses on the area of energy and the environment, having held various senior positions at the RWE energy group for many years.

The corona­virus crisis led to disruptive trans­formation in internal communi­cations. Communi­cations have become more approach­able, more virtual and more pragmatic – that is here to stay.

/ Jeanette MeierBIO Contact

/ Jeanette MeierManaging Director
Düsseldorf

T  +49 211 51332-139
E  

Jeanette Meier is a manging director at our company. For nine years now, she has been advising companies on complex change and trans­formation processes. The main focus of her work is on developing and imple­menting corporate visions and values as well as designing manage­ment communi­cations and measures to mobilise and involve employees.

Jeanette holds an M.Sc. in Communications Studies from the University of Twente, where she majored in Marketing Communication and Consumer Behaviour. Before becoming a consultant she worked in marketing and market research.

Sustainable action is essential to long-term success. Companies need to take the long view if they want to fulfil the growing expectations of their key stake­holders.

/ Cathrin SengpiehlBIO Contact

/ Cathrin SengpiehlManaging Director
Düsseldorf

T  +49 211 51332-165
E  

Cathrin Sengpiehl is a managing director at our company. In her consulting work she focusses on developing communi­cations and sustain­ability strategies as well as agenda-setting to position companies in the socio-political arena.

Cathrin studied history and applied cultural studies at KIT in Karlsruhe and completed a degree in cultural and media studies at HfMT Hamburg. Before joining H/Advisors Deekeling Arndt, she spent six years working as a press spokes­person with a private foundation, and seven years before that at other communications consulting companies. She has experience in strategic media work, stake­holder dialogue, study projects, editorial work as well as sustain­ability communications.