Structure and bodies

Together for sustainable development in Ethiopia

Menschen für Menschen is politically and denominationally neutral and economically independent. The Menschen für Menschen Foundation Germany works together with the independent subsidiaries in Austria and Belgium. The country organizations raise funds independently of one another and carry out information and public relations work in their own country. Funds from all three countries flow into the project work in Ethiopia, which is conducted under the sole auspices of the German Foundation.

The central Project Coordination Office (PCO) in Addis Ababa is responsible for the implementation and supervision of all projects in the project regions. In formal terms the Ethiopian organization is a permanent business establishment of the German Foundation.

The head office of the German Menschen für Menschen Foundation is located in Munich. Around 25 employees work here. In Ethiopia we have a workforce of around 530, all of them are Ethiopians.

Organisation chart

The Executive Board

The Executive Board conducts business, manages the Foundation’s assets and ensures that the latter’s tasks are performed as efficiently as possible. The Executive Board consists of two members, appointed by the Supervisory Board. New members are elected by the Executive Board (co-optation). Their appointment requires the consent of the Supervisory Board.

Dr Sebastian Brandis, spokesperson

Dr Sebastian Brandis has been a member of the Executive Board of the Menschen für Menschen Foundation since December 2016 and spokesperson since April 2019. Before his appointment to the Executive Board, Dr Brandis served as Managing Director of e-shelter facility services GmbH from 2010 to 2016. Prior to that, he held several management positions at the BT Group from 2001 to 2010, becoming managing director of BT Germany in 2008. Other positions included VIAG Interkom (1998 to 2001) and Booz Allen & Hamilton (1995-1998). Since 2016, he has also been active as a private investor and founder of social and cultural initiatives. As a member of the Executive Board of the Menschen für Menschen Foundation, Dr Brandis is responsible for fundraising, communication and business development, as well as educational work and project work in Ethiopia.

Benjamin Freiberg

Benjamin Freiberg has been a member of the Executive Board of the Menschen für Menschen Foundation since June 2020. Before his appointment to the board, the political scientist and economist held various positions for the foundation in Ethiopia, serving as deputy country representative and administrative director since 2014. Prior to that, from 2009 to 2012, he held a senior position at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), where he was involved in a project to develop an Ethiopian university to international standards. During his many years of work in Ethiopia, Mr Freiberg gained a deep insight into the country and its culture. As member of the Executive Board of the Menschen für Menschen Foundation, he is responsible for finance, IT, purchasing & logistics and administration.

The Supervisory Board

The Supervisory Board ensures that the foundation acts in accordance with the wishes of its founder, Karlheinz Böhm, and advises the Executive Board on all fundamental matters. It currently consists of six members, who are introduced below. The members of the Supervisory Board work serve in a honorary capacity.

Dr Ingrid Sollerer, Chairwoman

Dr Ingrid Sollerer is General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Sandoz and a member of the Executive Committee. In this role, she is responsible for the company's global legal and compliance structures and played a key role in their redesign. Since 2018, she has been a member of the Supervisory Board, contributing her legal expertise and international experience. She studied law in Innsbruck, obtained a degree in international law from the University of Seville and received her doctoral degree from the University of Innsbruck in 2001.

Dr Annette Bhagwati, Deputy Chairwoman

Dr Annette Bhagwati studied ethnology, African art and literature, and art history in Freiburg, Berlin, and London, and received her doctoral degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. She has held curatorial and academic leadership positions at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin and taught at Concordia University in Montreal. Since 2019, she has been director of the Museum Rietberg in Zurich and, as a member of the Supervisory Board of Menschen für Menschen, contributes her international expertise in art, culture and social dialogue.

Haile Gebrselassie

Haile Gebrselassie is one of the world's most successful long-distance runners and a two-time Olympic champion in the 10,000 metres. He has set a total of 27 world records, won numerous world championship titles and made his mark on international running with his victories in the Berlin and Dubai Marathons. His involvement as an ambassador for the Menschen für Menschen Foundation began during his running career, and he has visited the project areas several times over the years. Since 2023, he has also been a member of the Supervisory Board, where he is committed to education and sustainable development in Ethiopia.

Peter Schwarzenbauer

Peter Schwarzenbauer studied business administration in Munich and Harvard and held international management positions at Audi, Porsche and BMW. From 2013 to 2019, he was a member of the Executive Board of BMW AG, where he was responsible for the MINI, BMW Motorrad and Rolls-Royce brands as well as the aftersales division. In addition to his work in the automotive sector, he is involved in various initiatives promoting sustainability, innovation and corporate responsibility. He has been a member of the Supervisory Board since 2022, contributing his extensive experience in brand management, corporate strategy and transformation to the development of the foundation.

Prof Dr Matthias Siebeck

Prof Dr Matthias Siebeck is a senior researcher at the Institute for Didactics and Educational Research at LMU Hospital in Munich. Until 2021, he worked as a surgeon and senior physician in general, visceral and transplant surgery, with a research focus on inflammatory bowel disease and innovative teaching methods. In 2009, he co-founded the Centre for International Health at LMU, where he leads faculty development programmes and supports the development of new medical curricula. Since 2022, he has been contributing his many years of clinical experience and academic expertise as a member of the Supervisory Board.

Ludmilla Reina

Ludmilla Reina is an experienced manager with extensive expertise in commercial operations, corporate strategy, sales and marketing in the pharmaceutical industry. She is currently Executive Director of Business Excellence at Gilead Sciences in London. She has held senior positions in Europe, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia and the USA and has proven experience in strategic project management, business development, M&A activities and business intelligence. She has been supporting the Supervisory Board with her in-depth expertise since 2025.

The Advisory Board

The Advisory Board was set up by the Supervisory Board. It advises the Executive Board and Supervisory Board in fundamental matters concerning the purpose of the foundation. It also establishes contacts and solicits donations and bequests. The Advisory Board consists of up to fifteen members, each of them appointed by the Executive and Supervisory Board for a five year term. The members of the Advisory Board serve in an honorary capacity.

Members of the Advisory Board:
Dirk Kasten (Chairman), Gunther Beger, Ralf Bos, Dr Claas Dieter Knoop, Lothar Lambertz, Franziska Reh and Harald Spiegel (Deputy Charmain).

Compliance

Compliance management ensures that the foundation always performs its activities in accordance with law and that it adheres to high ethical standards in all areas. The foundation is advised on compliance issues by the law firms Hogan Lovells and Gibson Dunn.

In addition, the Supervisory Board has appointed lawyer Dr Nils Dreier as Compliance Officer. If you have any questions or comments on the subject of compliance, you can contact him at compliance@menschenfuermenschen.org.

Data Protection Supervisor

The data protection supervisor advises the Foundation and its full-time and voluntary employees on data protection issues. A focus is placed on the manner in which personal data is handled.

Data Protection Supervisor:
Dr Georg F. Schröder