What does her office look like? It’s impossible to answer that question, because Maria Kofidou doesn’t have one. “Each and every one of us clears their desk every day and moves to a different room,” she explains. What was initially met with scepticism is now part of a management culture based on flexibility, trust and responsibility. Maria Kofidou likes to break new ground, viewing change as an opportunity and combining modern leadership with an entrepreneurial vision for the future of Düsseldorf Congress.

A massive concrete structure that was once a shelter and is now a venue for art, discourse and social interaction: here at the Bilker Bunker, is where VIVID editor Rainer Kunst meets Düsseldorf’s mayor, Clara Gerlach. They discuss the power of culture, political learning processes, conflicts over land use in a growing city, and how to encourage people to participate in climate action.

From the northern Ruhr region via the United States, to Aachen, Lisbon, Helsinki and Berlin, and back to the Rhineland: Stefanie Lütteke has lived in many different places, including while studying architecture and construction and property management. This has given her a unique perspective on urban spaces. Since 2008, she has been applying her expertise at the international consultancy firm Drees & Sommer in Düsseldorf as well. She is currently a partner responsible for the NRW region.