Audi Foundation and UNIDO
Progress through technology & Progress through innovation
Speakers
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Gunther BegerManaging Director Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic TransformationGunther Beger
Counsellor
Managing Director Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)As Managing Director, Mr. Beger is heading the Directorate for SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation, which is responsible for the development of innovative UNIDO services in the areas of agro-industry and agribusiness, sustainability standards and fair production, and climate-relevant or climate-improving technologies. The Directorate is also in charge of developing innovative technical cooperation concepts, identifying new sources and means of finance and entering into new partnerships with a broad range of relevant stakeholders. Before assuming his position as Managing Director in October 2022, he also provided his expertise as Special Advisor for Agribusiness at UNIDO. Prior to working for UNIDO, Mr. Beger served as Executive Director for Germany at the World Bank Group as well as in several leadership positions in the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany from 2013-2021, as Director-General for Global Health, Private Sector, Trade and Rural Development and as Head of Political Staff. From 2006 – 2013, Mr. Beger worked in numerous leading functions at the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection of Germany, such as Head of Division for International Projects, Twinning; and Head of Division for Promotion of Foreign Trade and Investment. Earlier in his career, he served as Head of Division for Agriculture at the German Embassy in Moscow, Russia (1995-2000). In the years 1991 to 1995, he worked at the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry as Advisor for International Cooperation and Trade. Gunther Beger holds a Master`s degree in Agricultural Economics.
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Rüediger RecknagelHead of Environmental Protection for the Audi Group and Managing Director of the Audi Environmental Foundation GmbHRüediger Recknagel
Counsellor
Head of Environmental Protection for the Audi Group and Managing Director of the Audi Environmental Foundation GmbH
AudiAfter successfully completing his doctorate and researching environmentally friendly processes in the field of heterogeneous catalysis at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Ruediger Recknagel began his professional career at AUDI AG in Ingolstadt in 1994. There he headed departments in various business units for more than 20 years. He was responsible for corrosion protection in Technical Development, for quality analysis and for the paint shop at the Ingolstadt plant. Since 2016, Ruediger Recknagel has been Head of Environmental Protection for all Audi Group plants. His main tasks include ensuring compliance such as the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and the EU Taxonomy, as well as ESG ratings with regard to environmental protection at the Audi sites. In addition, he is responsible for Audi's Mission:Zero environmental programme, which bundles measures for all Audi plants worldwide that go beyond the legal requirements, including CO2 neutrality. At the same time, Ruediger Recknagel has been Managing Director of the Audi Environmental Foundation GmbH, founded in 2009 as a non-profit foundation of AUDI AG, since 2016. The foundation's focus is to promote technical innovations for the environment. In addition, the Audi Environmental Foundation wants to sensitize and motivate people to make their own contribution to environmental protection.