Chairman of the Managing Board at Jenoptik and a prominent member of the German Conservative party CDU, Lothar Späth is one of the best known personalities in the world of politics and business.

Lothar Späth's political career included his role as the Deputy Party Chairman of the Christian-Democrats from 1981 to 1989 and became a member of the party's presiding committee in 1990 as well as Honorary Chairman in Baden-Württemberg.

In 1991, Lothar Späth left politics and became Chairman of Jenoptik GmbH, the former state-run East German Jenoptik-Carl Zeiss, where he has completed one of the largest business re-structuring, following the privatisation of the company in East Germany. Lothar Späth accepted the position as Chairman of the Managing Board at Jenoptik in 1996.

Lothar Späth is renowned for his visionary approaches in politics and later in industry. His remarkable and always relevant analysis with regard to economic and technical developments as well as the wide ranging implications of globalisation are highly respected in the world of business and politics. His far reaching thoughts and concepts are reflected in his numerous publications.

Dr. Späth is an Honorary Doctor at the Universities Karlsruhe and Pecs (Hungary). Since 1998 he moderates the weekly German talkshow 'Späth am Abend' ('Späth in the evening') on n-tv.

His unique combination of political and business achievements and his commitment to the New Europe make him an internationally sought after speaker. He is fluent in German, English and French.