CONCILIUS has a strong understanding of the mechanics of politics at all levels, far beyond what can be learned from the media. On the basis of our precise knowledge of political processes, down to the depth of decision-making in our federal system, we develop individual strategies in close coordination with our clients. We provide well-founded and goal-oriented advice. From political analysis to operational implementation, we give companies a comprehensive portfolio of contact management, information and communication tools.
CONCILIUS was founded in 2003 and has been owner-operated ever since. The focus of our work is on Germany and the institutions of the European Union. With offices in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart, we meet the challenges of the federal political system wherever they occur. Our office in Brussels services clients on a European level.
Our approx. 30 consultants, analysts and policy strategists have many years of project experience. With comprehensive political, economic and scientific expertise, we work for clients from almost all industries.
Furthermore, we integrate our senior advisers into our political solution strategies, whenever necessary. A pool of around 50 former high-ranking decision-makers from the legislative, executive and diplomatic areas provides our clients with access to specialized expertise and premium networks.
Who is behind CONCILIUS?
Roberto Fleissner has more than twenty years of experience in representing the political interests of companies. His work focuses on regulatory processes and the business-to-public sector. Before co-founding CONCILIUS in 2003, he was a policy consultant at the CSU headquarters and worked for several years in a medium-sized consulting company. As a member of the CSU, he was politically engaged for a long time at both local and state level. Roberto Fleissner studied political science in Munich.
Peter Bechstein has been working for CONCILIUS since 2006 and as a partner since 2011. He has extensive and long-standing expertise in regulatory issues, in particular with manufacturing companies. In addition, he advises clients from various sectors on the development of their public affairs strategies and crisis communication. Peter Bechstein spent several years in industry as head of human resources, legal affairs and corporate policy. He is a member of the CDU and has held various posts at district, county and state level. Peter Bechstein studied law and business administration in Tübingen and Freiburg im Breisgau.
Michael Donnermeyer is a member of the Executive Board and has been responsible primarily for climate and energy policy at CONCILIUS' Berlin office since 2015. In politics, he gained a wide range of experience across the entire spectrum of political communication. Respectively in leading positions, he was responsible for communications in the election campaigns of Gerhard Schröder (1998), Klaus Wowereit (2001) and Peer Steinbrück (2013). He headed the SPD press office, headed press and public relations at the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, and served for six years as government spokesman for the Berlin state government for the governing mayor Klaus Wowereit. In 2008 he transitioned to the corporate world and has hence been intensively involved in climate and energy policy.
Guntram Dopfer initially joined CONCILIUS in 2005 as coordinator of the Executive Board, and has been a member of the Executive Board since 2009. In addition to his role as Key Account Manager, he is responsible for finance, human resources and infrastructure on the Executive Board. His most important professional stations were the activity as managing director for the JU (youth organization of the CSU) of Bavaria and communication adviser in the CSU party central office, as well as afterwards the establishment of a consulting firm, with which he engaged from 2001 to 2005 in numerous political election campaigns and marketing strategies. As a long-standing member of the JU and the CSU, Guntram Dopfer held various honorary posts, including the deputy state chair of the Junge Union Bayern for many years.
Since 2009 Rachel Gorfinkel works for CONCILIUS in different positions. Currently she is acting as Key Account Manager with responsibility for Project Management and Campaigning in diverse political fields, such as healthcare, agriculture and industrial policies. She is an expert in planning and implementing targeted communication strategies and has a vast network to relevant policy makers and stakeholders.
Rachel Gorfinkel is a longstanding member of the Social Democratic Party. She has already worked in Munich, Berlin and Brussels and therefore has profound knowledge about political decision-making processes on regional, federal and EU level.
She holds a master’s degree in Political Science from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich and graduated as communication manager at the German Press Academy in Berlin (Deutsche Presseakadmie – depak). Rachel Gorfinkel is currently on parental leave. Her colleagues from the subject area will substitute for her until her return.
Catharina Neumeyer has been working for CONCILIUS at the Berlin office since August 2020. From January 2022, in her position as Key Account Manager, she is responsible for the area of security and defense with a focus on budgetary and procurement law. Previously, Neumeyer worked as an International Consultant for the largest political youth organisation in Europe and as a policy advisor in the Berlin office of a member of the German Bundestag. She has a broad network of decision makers at EU, federal and state level. Neumeyer graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Geography and a Master's degree in European Public Management.
Sara-Rose Röthel joined CONCILIUS in 2006 and has been a member of the Executive Board since 2017. As a key account manager, her particular focus is on advising and supporting companies that either want to implement an innovative business model or want to enter the German market from scratch. This applies in particular to clients in the field of transport and mobility, including some of the most well-known, most disruptive companies. Among other things, she is an honorary member of the board of the Bundesverband Deutsche Startup e.V. (German Startup Association). Sara-Rose Röthel holds a degree in political science from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich.
Markus Russ has been a member of the Management Board of CONCILIUS AG since 2009 and a partner and CEO at CONCILIUS Europe srl since 2012. Until 2009, Markus Russ was Head of the Brussels Liaison Office of Hanns-Seidel-Foundation. Since 2007 he has been involved as EU representative of Times-Media GmbH and since 2012 he is also Senior Advisor of AmCham Germany. After his training as an officer of the German Federal Armed Forces, Markus Russ studied political and social sciences at the University of the German Federal Armed Forces in Munich and later "Management Consultant" at the AKW Wirtschaftsakademie in Bad Harzburg. In the course of his professional career with the Bundeswehr, he was, among other things, youth and press officer of the military district commandos and head of the Nuremberg office.
What values does CONCILIUS represent?
The representation of interests towards politics and administration is an integral part of democratic processes. In the exercise of their profession, the employees of CONCILIUS AG respect and promote the principles of national legislation and international law, in particular the principles of freedom of expression, the right to information, the independence of the media and the protection of personal rights.
Integrity, compliance with the democratic rules of the game, respect for the basic democratic order and the separation of powers, as well as the independence of the judiciary are the prerequisites for any serious government relations work.
Our employees guarantee compliance with the following principles in particular:
CONCILIUS is a member of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Politikberatung e.V. (de'ge'pol), the association of political consultants in Germany. In this context, every CONCILIUS employee has personally committed himself or herself to follow the de'ge'pol code of conduct. The complete document can be found here:
We see it as our responsibility towards our clients to ensure the quality of our services as well as the professional competence of our employees - and to continuously develop it further.
We attach particular importance to the:
The complete catalogue of criteria for the quality control of de'ge'pol can be found here:
100
Years of lobbying
experience in the management team
Expert teams for
15
Industrial sectors
2000
Completed
Projects
