I am approaching the world with openness and curiosity; I am drawn to other countries and cultures. Germany often feels too narrow for me, too limited by its own structures.
The French language has always attracted me. I am inspired by the openness of the French people, their deep appreciation of culture, their rebellious spirit, and their warm sense of humour. Living and studying in France broadened my perspective and taught me to see the world with more nuance and openness.
I remain deeply grateful for the privilege of completing my doctoral studies at the Sorbonne in Paris.
When I first entered the Cour d’Honneur on Rue de la Sorbonne, I immediately felt the presence of history. The statues of Victor Hugo and Louis Pasteur seemed to watch over the courtyard, and the atmosphere moved me deeply. For a moment I felt as if Marie Curie herself were passing by, a fleeting impression that captured the spirit of this remarkable place.
The Sorbonne breathes history. In the Galerie des Lettres et des Sciences, in the Amphithéâtre Richelieu, and in the Grand Amphithéâtre, one can almost hear the echo of generations who have studied and taught there.
This sense of history also lives on in the northeast, in the White Nights of St. Petersburg, the Winter Palace and the Catherine Palace in Pushkin, where the recreated Amber Room shines once again. And in Königsberg, the city of Immanuel Kant.
There remains a quiet call to Sapere aude, dare to think; for me, Königsberg is more than an idea. It is my mother’s birthplace and, through my father’s West Prussian roots, part of my own heritage.
China has been one of the most formative experiences of my career. During the country’s economic opening, Shanghai was a place of creativity and transformation, full of energy and new possibilities. It remains the center of innovation that continues to inspire new ideas and global collaboration, and it has shaped my view of the world in profound ways.
I hold a Doctorate in Economics from Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3 with a dissertation on
“The EU and China: Competing Geopolitical Visions of a Globalized World.”
Today, I am a Managing Editor of PwC’s China Compass, shaping strategic insights at the intersection of geopolitics, business, and cross-cultural understanding.
In addition, I give lectures on geopolitics, international relations, and the dynamics of the multipolar world at Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris) and TU Bergakademie Freiberg (Germany).
My professional background includes setting-up representation office in Shanghai, senior executive roles in global logistics and supply chain management with Panalpina China Ltd. and Rohde & Liesenfeld in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
As an author and contributor published by RIAC, Modern Diplomacy, World Scientific, and Éditions L’Harmattan (Paris), I combine geopolitical insights with hands-on global experience in Europe and in China.