Berlin has named Jürgen Amann as its new managing director for Destination Marketing & Commercial, with the experienced tourism executive set to take up the role on 1 June 2026. He succeeds long-serving chief Burkhard Kieker, who will retire when his contract ends in summer 2026.
Amann joins Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH after nearly six years as Managing Director of KölnTourismus GmbH, a role he has held since February 2020. Holding a PhD in economic geography, he was selected from more than 100 applicants. His career has taken him from Ingolstadt and Dresden to Cologne.
Burkhard Kieker has led Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH since 2009 and is widely credited with strengthening Berlin’s international profile as a tourism and meetings destination.
Supervisory Board chairman Oliver Schumacher described Amann as “a proven tourism expert” and said that, together with co-managing director Sabine Wendt, he would help “further develop Berlin as one of the world’s leading destinations”, with priorities including “digital transformation” and “increasing the company’s own revenues”.
Amann said Berlin was “one of the most exciting destinations in the world” and noted that “new technologies and communication channels offer major opportunities” to further strengthen the city’s appeal.
Sabine Wendt highlighted the importance of close cooperation with the tourism and events industry, saying that the integration of tourism development and marketing “plays a key role” in positioning Berlin for the future.
