Guarantor for Knowledge Preservation and Exchange
Interview with Olaf Theuerkauf, Managing Director of Congress and Culture Management GmbH
Conferences and meetings, congresses, and seminars – in short, specialized events – are an important foundation for knowledge exchange and scientific discussions. These dynamic events play a crucial role in promoting innovation, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration. With offices in Weimar and Berlin, Congress and Culture Management GmbH takes over professional congress organization from the initial idea to the evaluation of all congress areas afterwards.
From medicine to technology to economy – congresses offer a platform where experts share their expertise, present the latest developments and work together on solutions for global challenges. The Congress and Cultural Management GmbH offers the entire management of the event from the first thought to the final evaluation as a full-service partner or provides targeted support as a special package.
"We have been convincing with the high quality of our events for years and enjoy the trust of our customers," says Olaf Theuerkauf. "We are constantly dealing with new technologies and quickly adapt our services to the developments. In doing so, we are already thinking about tomorrow and take over the strategic development of the events for long-term success."
Mastering Challenges
Olaf Theuerkauf founded the company in 1993, after years as a professional musician, he made the leap into self-employment. In 1999, the Congress and Culture Management GmbH reached its first milestone when it was allowed to host its first oncological congress with 3,000 participants on the occasion of the Cultural City Year in Weimar.
"This was the entry ticket to the top class," says the managing director. "Since 2002, we have been organizing the German Cancer Congress with 10,000 participants." One of the biggest challenges in the company's history was the pandemic, which brought the entire industry to a halt in 2020. "We had to learn very quickly to move everything to the online world," explains Olaf Theuerkauf. "From this, we also learned that being physically present isn't always necessary. At the same time, the value of personal meetings increased. Depending on the need, we now offer conferences and congresses as either purely in-person models, purely online models, or hybrid models."
Sustainable Conferences
Sustainable events are becoming increasingly important in our world today, as they encompass a comprehensive view of ecological, social, and economic aspects. Depending on the event format, these sustainability principles are implemented with different measures, such as efficient waste management, sustainable travel, environmentally friendly technologies, or digital documents.
Preserving Knowledge
The company specializes, among other areas, in oncology and diagnostics; fields where knowledge exchange is particularly important. "Our clients are mostly, but not exclusively, associations or scientific societies, whose boards often change every two years," notes Olaf Theuerkauf. "By now, we are absolutely guaranteeing the preservation of knowledge for many clients. Moreover, we consistently impress with an exciting presentation."