TEDxEssen

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Céleste Spahić

  Tech Philosopher, HealthTech startup founder, speaker, and author

  Céleste Spahić is a Tech Philosopher, HealthTech startup founder, speaker, and author. She explores the intersection of humans and machines, focusing on how technology shapes mental health, self-awareness, and societal change. As founder of the award-winning startup MINDZEIT®, she combines philosophical insight with entrepreneurial innovation to create digital tools that foster emotional resilience and essential Future Skills. Named Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 and listed among Business Punk’s Top 10 Health & Science personalities, Céleste speaks at leading conferences including Bits & Pretzels, FIBO and OMR.

• Claudia Gersdorf

  Strategist, speaker and incorrigible optimist

  Claudia Gersdorf – strategist, speaker and incorrigible optimist with a rebellious streak. For over 15 years, she has been working at the intersection of communication, strategy and social change. Gersdorf has worked with companies, start-ups, international organizations and institutions that had the courage to think – and act – differently. Her passion: empowering people and organizations to find their inner attitude and express it so clearly that it has an impact. In doing so, she combines systemic thinking with human warmth – and a pinch of provocation. Today, she inspires and advises companies, educational institutions, and political actors to unlock potential through Positive Relations, mindset shift and transformative communication.

• David Matusiewicz

  Professor für Betriebswirtschaftslehre an der FOM Hochschule

  David Matusiewicz ist Professor für Medizinmanagement an der FOM Hochschule und Dekan für Gesundheit & Soziales. Matusiewicz zählt zu den bekanntesten Stimmen der Digitalen Gesundheit in Deutschland – als Keynote Speaker, Moderator, Herausgeber, Kolumnist und SPIEGEL Bestseller Autor. Er ist TEDx Speaker und LinkedIn TopVoice.

• Jochen A. Werner

  CEO of 10xD

  Prof. Dr. Jochen A. Werner is a physician, university professor, entrepreneur, and pioneer of digital and more humane medicine. He has shaped university medicine in Germany for over four decades. For more than ten years, he was chair and director of the University Clinic for Ear, Nose, and Throat Medicine in Marburg before becoming medical director of the University Hospital Giessen and Marburg GmbH and then initiating and decisively shaping the transformation to a smart, green, and human hospital as CEO of University Medicine Essen. As a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and co-founder of the management consultancy 10xD, he combines medical excellence with a spirit of innovation, digitalization, robotics, and AI. Werner has been CEO of 10xD since June 2025 and is also fully committed to his work as a keynote speaker, moderator, and catalyst—with topics that touch, challenge, and reignite the dialogue about sustainable, value-oriented medicine.

• Martin Svaneborg

  Keynote speaker and novelist

  Martin Svaneborg, keynote speaker, novelist, and specialist in stage presence, was originally trained as an actor, singer, and dancer. He made his professional stage debut at the age of 24, starring in the musical, Cabaret, before becoming a sought-after director, spanning a 25-year stage career. Martin is also a published author of both non-fiction and several novels in both English and Danish. In recent years, Martin has bridged the gap between performance and communication, and while recognised as one of the most riveting speakers out there, he captivates both commercial and corporate audiences across the world.

• Mikaela Gallon

  Multilingual speaker and leadership facilitator

  Mikaela is a multilingual speaker, leadership facilitator, and global citizen who has lived and worked across five continents. With a Master’s in Foreign Languages and an Ivy League MBA, she blends business acumen with cultural fluency. Drawing from over 15 years in Munich and past chapters in Argentina, Japan, the U.S., and beyond, her talks explore human connection across cultural, generational, and linguistic gaps. Known for her storytelling and quiet power on stage, Mikaela speaks on presence, empathy, and bridging divides with purpose. Her work inspires audiences to connect more deeply — and show up more fully — in every room.

• Monika Hein

  Speaker, voice & confidence coach

  Dr. Monika Hein is a speaker, voice & confidence coach, and author with over 20 years of experience helping leaders and professionals speak with clarity, confidence, and compassion. She has worked with executives, creatives, educators, and notaries across Europe. Monika’s work bridges vocal technique with emotional intelligence and psychological resilience, enabling people to embody their message — not just deliver it. She is also the author of four books on communication and personal growth. Her approach combines depth, warmth, and science—and is rooted in one belief: your voice is your truth in soundwaves.

• Railey Molinario

  The founder of Relationship Intelligence™

  Railey Molinario is the founder of RI (Relationship Intelligence™), a global thought leader on human connection, and an international speaker reshaping how we think about love, leadership, and culture. Abandoned at birth and raised in an environment marked by abuse and instability, Railey became fiercely independent by the age of sixteen. She had book smarts from excelling in school, and street smarts from surviving on her own, but something fundamental was missing, a third, untaught intelligence: Relationship Intelligence.

• Roger Caesar

  The founder of Caesar Empire Speaking & Coaching

  Roger Caesar is an award-winning speaker, author, Certified World Class Speaking Coach, and 2021 World Championship of Public Speaking Top Three winner. A two-time TEDx speaker and founder of Caesar Empire Speaking & Coaching, he has inspired leaders at organizations like Toyota, Dell, and TD to communicate with confidence and impact.

• Samuel Stäbler

  Assistant Professor of Marketing at Tilburg University

  Samuel Stäbler is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Tilburg University and an internationally recognized keynote speaker. He combines deep academic insights with compelling storytelling, making complex topics accessible and impactful for diverse audiences. His research focuses on communication and marketing finance and has been published in leading journals such as the Journal of Marketing and Marketing Letters. Samuel has received numerous international awards and delivers workshops on impact and presentation skills for scientists, students, and professionals. As a passionate hobby musician, Samuel’s background inspired an influential study on the success factors of street musicians and human generosity—central to his TEDx Talk. His work has gained international media attention, including features in The Times, Harvard Business Manager, as well as radio interviews and podcasts.