Germany is establishing a new advisory council dedicated to overseeing and accelerating the deployment of funds from its multi-billion euro infrastructure special asset Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil announced the formation of the “Investment and Innovation Council” (IBB), tasked with evaluating the flow of capital and proposing strategies to optimize investment outcomes
Klingbeil emphasized the unprecedented level of investment being directed towards strengthening Germany’s future competitiveness, but also acknowledged the complexities inherent in effective implementation “The funds are now available, but implementation is not automatic” he stated
The council will comprise experts from both the business and scientific communities and will deliver bi-annual reports containing assessments of investment progress, identified obstacles and proposals for growth-enhancing initiatives
Harald Christ, a prominent entrepreneur, will chair the IBB Members include Ann-Kristin Achleitner, a professor at the Technical University of Munich and board member for several companies; Sabine Bendiek, former board member at software giant SAP; Roman Zitzelsberger, a trade union representative and former supervisory board member at Daimler; and Peter Kurz, the former Lord Mayor of Mannheim Minister Klingbeil’s economic advisor, economist Jens Südekum, will also participate
Christ expressed optimism about the council’s potential, stating that the investments will address critical infrastructure deficits and drive forward Germany’s economic development, something businesses and citizens have anticipated for a long time