Director Conventions

Marco Oelschlegel, CMP is Director Conventions with the Berlin Convention Office of visitBerlin, the official convention bureau of the German capital city. The Berlin Convention Office supports in an impartial way all those who would like to organize meetings and events in Berlin. He has been working with visitBerlin since 2005 and has evolved its marketing activities in the UK, France and Spain as well as within the global alliance of convention bureaux BestCities. Since 2017, he has been the head of the Business Development department team which includes the coordination of all marketing activities and bid processes. At the same time, he has been contributing to the strategic development of the Berlin Convention Office as a whole. Marco Oelschlegel holds a business administration degree and is a Certified Meetings Professional (CMP). Before working with visitBerlin, he was with an international convention production company as well as with the Peruvian embassy in Berlin.

• marco.oelschlegel@visitBerlin.de
• +49 178 27 47 906

Deputy Director Conventions

Manuel Wrobel is a true expert in the world of events. With nearly 20 years in the industry, his career has taken him to leading roles at venues including the Estrel, Flughafen Tempelhof, Leipziger Messe and The Hague Convention Bureau. Today, he serves as Deputy Head of Department at the Berlin Convention Office, where he helps to shape Berlin’s strategic development as an international congress destination, combining foresight with experience. Since 2020, he has been contributing his extensive expertise to visitBerlin, with the aim of further strengthening Berlin’s position on the global MICE industry map.

• manuel.wrobel@visitBerlin.de
• +49 1577 26 47 511

Berlin Convention Office
Senior Marketing Manager Conventions

Gritt Kalkutschke-Herzberg is a seasoned Berlin expert with nearly 30 years of experience in the events industry and an in-depth understanding of the international MICE market. After training in hotel management, she gained two years of hands-on experience at Europe’s largest convention hotel, Estrel Berlin, before further honing her skills at the reception of a cruise ship. She has now been with visitBerlin for 27 years, where she serves as Senior Marketing Manager Conventions for the German and Austrian markets. In this role, she supports clients in organising events and congresses, drawing on her deep knowledge of Berlin’s MICE landscape. In her spare time, she enjoys experiencing the diversity of Berlin from the water and explores the city’s many waterways by boat.

• g.kalkutschke-herzberg@visitBerlin.de
• +49 178 27 47 912

Senior Marketing Manager Conventions

Simon Hiebenga has been a part of the Berlin Convention Office at visitBerlin for over a decade and brings first-hand insight into the world of events. With a background in hotel sales, he now looks after international markets including Eastern Europe, Italy, Switzerland and South America. Whether it’s sport, eSport or the digital economy, Simon is closely connected to the industries he serves and supports event planners with both expertise and passion. Highlights of his work include major projects such as the Special Olympics World Games 2023 and UEFA EURO 2024. His goal: to make unforgettable events in Berlin possible and to strengthen the city’s position as a leading MICE destination.

• simon.hiebenga@visitBerlin.de
• +49 178 27 47 911

Senior Marketing Manager Conventions

Kyra Reiter is the driving force behind the Sustainable Berlin initiative at the Berlin Convention Office. Since 2013, she has passionately brought together hotels, venues, agencies and caterers to make Berlin’s events sector more sustainable. With expertise and enthusiasm, she supports event organisers on their journey towards environmentally conscious formats. Her Master’s degree, completed in 2017, underlines one central theme: for Kyra, sustainability is more than just a trend – it’s a personal mission. Berlin is the stage on which she makes change happen.

• kyra.reiter@visitBerlin.de
• +49 1577 26 47 525

UK Representative
Sales & Marketing Manager Conventions UK / Hume Whitehead Ltd

Lisa Stewart represents Berlin Convention Office in the United Kingdom and brings more than 25 years of experience in the European corporate, MICE, association and leisure markets. With a strong network across the UK meetings industry, she connects international event planners with Berlin and supports the destination’s positioning in the British market. Throughout her career, Lisa has worked closely with international hotel groups and destination partners, giving her deep insight into the needs of event planners and the dynamics of destination marketing. She is well connected within key industry associations such as MPI UK&I, SITE GB, EVCOM, ABPCO and ICCA UK&I and maintains strong relationships with the UK MICE media.

• lisa@humewhitehead.co.uk
• +44 7769 805862

Senior Marketing Manager Conventions

• alexander.serbe@visitBerlin.de
• +49 1573 26 47 504

Senior Marketing Manager Conventions

• katja.sukale@visitBerlin.de
• +49 178 27 47 908

Project Manager Products/Services & Legacy

Since June 2024, Natalie Ullrich has been enriching the Berlin Convention Office as Project Manager for Products, Services and Legacy. With over a decade of experience in the MICE industry, she brings a wealth of expertise in event planning. Her work centres on sustainable formats and the long-term value that events can generate. Collaborating closely with organisers, she develops concepts that make a lasting impact – well beyond the event itself. Prior to this, she played a key role in organising one of the world’s largest inclusive sporting events – a project that has profoundly shaped her perspective.

• natalie.ullrich@visitBerlin.de
• +49 176 12 64 75 38

Senior Marketing Manager Conventions

For over a decade, Aline Thalmann has been a driving force behind Berlin’s congress strategy in the fields of medicine, health and life sciences. As Senior Marketing Manager at the Berlin Convention Office of visitBerlin, she brings together people and expertise – from international medical associations and event agencies to research-driven companies. With extensive experience in hospitality, destination marketing and business development – both in Germany and abroad – she has a deep understanding of the industry’s needs. Since 2012, she has played an active role in shaping Berlin’s position as a leading congress destination. She supports bids for specialist congresses, builds strong networks, and ensures that Berlin is recognised worldwide as an attractive location for medical and scientific events.

• aline.thalmann@visitBerlin.de
• +49 178 27 47 907

Strategic Communications Manager

Miranda Meier has been shaping communication in the event and congress sector with clarity and passion for more than 25 years. As Head of Strategic Communication at the Berlin Convention Office of visitBerlin, she gives the German capital a distinctive voice and profile at international events. Previously, she served for many years as press spokesperson for Estrel Berlin and the Dussmann Group. With a background in PR, marketing and digital communication, she develops well-considered concepts for Berlin as a congress destination. Since 2024, she has been driving the communication strategy for Berlin as a leading event destination with both experience and heartfelt dedication.

• miranda.meier@visitBerlin.de
• +49 157 32647484

Online Marketing Manager

Malai Brüser brings a wealth of experience in communication and marketing. Following her studies in journalism, her career first led her into the world of five-star hospitality, where she deepened her passion for language, storytelling and destinations as an online marketing manager. While she remained in the tourism sector, she shifted her focus – and now applies her expertise within the events industry. Since 2024, Malai Brüser has also been the dedicated contact at visitBerlin for the Berlin Convention Finder, helping to boost Berlin’s visibility and reach as an international congress and meeting destination.

• malai.brueser@visitBerlin.de
• +49 1578 77 74 360

Project Manager Conventions & Assistance to the Division Management

Stefanie Meier is an experienced project manager in Berlin’s MICE industry and tourism sector. After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration – Tourism, Hospitality & Catering at DHBW Lörrach, she swapped small-town life for the big city and soon discovered her passion for Berlin’s vibrant diversity. Since June 2022, she has been working as Project Manager Conventions and Assistant to the Head of Department at the Berlin Convention Office of visitBerlin, where she oversees a wide range of responsibilities. These include administrative duties, organizing industry events such as the Berlin Tourism & MICE Summit, coordinating the production of key studies and statistics such as the Veranstaltungs- & Kongressstatistik Berlin, co-organizing the Berlin Freedom Week initiative, and many other projects.

• stefanie.meier@visitBerlin.de
• +49 176 19 50 60 51

Project Manager Conventions

Susanne Opgenhoff has been with visitBerlin since 2000. For the first eleven years, she was responsible for organizing presentation trips for Managing Director Hanns Peter Nerger and, after his retirement, for Burkhard Kieker as his successor, as well as supporting the secretariat. In 2011, she moved to the visitBerlin Berlin Convention Office and, as a certified business economist for event managers, has since been responsible for budget management and back office operations.

• susanne.opgenhoff@visitBerlin.de
• +49 176 19 50 60 53

Key Account Manager MICE

• melanie.schael@visitberlin.de
• +49 176 19 50 60 55

Project Manager Sustainable Berlin

• leonie.umbach@visitBerlin.de
• +49 176 19 50 60 50