Rogall New Chairman of Association of German Foundations

Dr. Joachim Rogall, President and CEO of the Robert Bosch Stiftung, is the new head of the Association of German Foundations. He was elected Chairman by the association’s members at this year’s Foundation Day in Nuremberg. “I am well acquainted with the association and its members, thanks to the many years of work I have already done for the association, most recently as its Deputy Chairman. It is a well-structured and highly efficient organization,” Dr. Rogall commented on his appointment. In his new role as Chairman, he will prioritize the reform of foundation legislation and positioning the association as an effective advocacy group in working closely with representatives of politics and society. “The current challenges for German foundations, mostly the effects of digitalization and globalization, are considerable. We must work together more efficiently, both nationally and internationally, and discuss our experiences. Another key issue in regard to lower returns on investment, which generally constitute the primary source of income of most foundations, is how to create greater impact through smarter investing. And we will have to recruit the next generation of benefactors, such as startup entrepreneurs,” said Dr. Rogall. He pointed out that public expectations of foundations’ transparency and professionalism would grow along with the tasks.  

At the Association of German Foundations, Dr. Rogall succeeds Dr. Michael Göring, CEO of the ZEIT-Stiftung in Hamburg. His new deputy is Daniela Kobelt Neuhaus from the Karl Kübel Stiftung in Bensheim.

Prof. Dr. Joachim Rogall has been with the Robert Bosch Stiftung for 22 years. He was appointed Executive Director of the Foundation in 2013 and President and CEO in 2017. He studied Eastern European History, Slavic Philology, and German Language and Literature at the universities of Mainz/Germany, Posen/Poland, and Heidelberg/Germany. He graduated with a PhD in 1988 and received his postdoctoral lecturing qualification from Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz in 2000.

The Association of German Foundations represents the interests of foundations in Germany. With over 4,300 members, it is the oldest and largest association of its kind in Europe. 8,400 foundations are associated members via foundation administration platforms. The association’s members account for three quarters of German foundation assets.