Born in Oldenburg in 1961, mechanical engineer Holger Hanselka has headed the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) since 2013. Previously, he was head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF in Darmstadt and a member of the Executive Board of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft from 2006 to 2012. Hildegard Müller, Chairwoman of the Senate of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, said: "Holger Hanselka is the right person in the right position at the right time for Fraunhofer. His high scientific reputation, his profound knowledge of national and international scientific organizations, his many years of experience in the transformation and further development of scientific institutions as well as in the management of institutions distinguish him." Commenting on the previous incumbent, she said: "As Fraunhofer President, Reimund Neugebauer has shaped Germany as a high-tech location for more than a decade and developed the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft into the world's leading institution for application-oriented research with over 30,000 employees today." New fields of research such as energy technologies, quantum technologies, artificial intelligence and smart farming were established and expanded. Since Neugebauer took office, the total budget of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has risen from 1.9 billion euros to around 3 billion euros, and the number of institutes has grown from 64 to the current 76.

Hanselka himself said: "The office of Fraunhofer President is one of the most exciting and at the same time most challenging in German science. Together with the 30,000 employees, I will do my best to expand the leading position that Fraunhofer holds among the world's leading research institutions and to strengthen Fraunhofer's profile." In an initial statement, he named the further internationalization of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the development of a modern mission statement as key tasks at the beginning of his term of office: "We are living in a time of massive global changes and challenges. Research must also become more needs-oriented and global. This requires innovation, creativity and cosmopolitanism on the outside and sound knowledge, modern corporate governance structures, new forms of cooperation and a powerful, shared mission statement characterized by trust on the inside," explained Hanselka.

Talks are currently underway between all parties involved with the aim of Hanselka taking office as soon as possible. Until then, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft will be managed on an interim basis by Dr. Sandra Krey, Director of Finance and Controlling.