In a world increasingly marked by uncertainty, tensions, and competing objectives, one thing is clear: the future cannot be planned. It can only be shaped – through the conscious integration of contradictions into a larger, dynamic, and complex whole. This is where transformative power lies. The future unfolds where opposites are no longer seen as contradictions but are allowed to touch – or even embrace.

Have you ever heard of the linear future fallacy? Our brain loves to extrapolate the future directly from the past. It’s convenient – and surprisingly, it has worked time and again. But is it good? That’s the question, because truly creative, innovative, “out-of-the-box” thinking rarely emerges from it.
In our complex, disruptive VUCA world (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity), linear thinking is no longer enough. The straight-line megatrends that once explained change are too limited – in fact, they no longer exist.

Since the 2000s, the three dimensions of sustainability—ecology, social, and economy—have been in focus. However, the ecological perspective has dominated so far. The EU Action Plan on Financing Sustainable Growth reflects this by prioritizing climate goals. However, the social implications of climate change are becoming increasingly evident, and the social dimension, which places people and society at the heart of sustainability, needs to gain awareness.

"The Moment of Truth" – European Forum Alpbach: 79 Years After Its Founding, Peacekeeping Remains the Central Theme!

Bringing together participants from around the globe in the breathtaking Tyrolean Alps, the Forum offered its usual diverse array of topics. But in 2024, it also included spaces for reflection, moments of silence, and peace circles, fostering deep connections and an atmosphere of trust.

At the invitation of the MEGA Bildungsstiftung, a non-profit organization founded by the B&C Private Foundation and the Berndorf Private Foundation, I have the honor to participate in the Forum Alpbach. The goal of the foundation is to promote equal opportunities in education and to strengthen economic competence through life skills. I am excited about the experiences and insights that await me in the picturesque Alpbach Valley.

Sustainable Finance - Shaping the Future

Under the motto "Shaping the Future", our 2nd Sustainable Finance Conference took place once again together with the CFA Society Austria at the PwC headquarters in Vienna's DC Tower. ESG experts from various sectors discussed approaches, perspectives and ideas in the field of sustainability high above the rooftops of Vienna. We would like to thank the great speakers, partners and participants who joined us in making this event a success!

The "imh Sustainable Finance Conference" was recently held in Vienna, and I was the technical chair. The topics covered ranged from politics - the Ministry of Climate Action, Environment, Energy and the Environment Agency Austria - to presentations by the Financial Market Authority, the Austrian Control Bank and the Austrian Development Bank, and culminated with the Austrian Ministry of Finance reporting on green innovations in public finance.