Where the work began

I grew up asking questions — wanting to understand how people work, why they disagree, and what it actually takes for things to change. That instinct led me to study Political Science and Peace and Conflict Research at Goethe University Frankfurt. It eventually led me to Brussels, and to a career built around conversation as a tool for transformation.

In 2013, while still a student, I co-founded academic experience Worldwide — an organisation that connected refugee academics with German students in peer-to-peer learning partnerships. A Syrian physicist in an asylum centre and a physics student at university both had something to offer. We built a space where they could learn from each other.

What started as a campus initiative became a national movement. Within two years, the programme had chapters in Berlin, Munich, Heidelberg, and Cologne. We received the Frankfurt Citizens' Award, the national Prize for Democracy and Tolerance from the Federal Agency for Civic Education, and a StartSocial fellowship. The Goethe University later credited the programme as a direct influence on its own Academic Welcome Programme.

Journal Frankfurt named me one of Frankfurt's Top 30 Under 30. The work was covered in the Tagesschau, Deutschlandfunk, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

"I am passionate to ensure that existing as well as future generations all over the world have a livable planet and a fair, social global society."

I tell this story not to list awards, but because it shaped how I work. Building an organisation from nothing — navigating bureaucracy, funding constraints, coalition-building, and the daily work of actually helping people — gives you a particular relationship to complexity. You learn that patience matters more than urgency, and that the most important conversations are the ones where someone's perspective genuinely shifts.

The work today

For over a decade, I have moderated high-level events across Europe: at the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Committee of the Regions, and at major conferences on sustainability, innovation, housing policy, and democratic governance. My clients include CDP, Friends of Europe, the German Environment Agency, ASHOKA Belgium, and Messe Frankfurt, among many others.

What I do in the room

My role is not to be the most interesting person in the room. It is to make the conversation the most interesting thing in the room. That means asking the question people have been circling around for twenty minutes. Noticing when someone has something important to say and hasn't found the moment yet. Knowing when to slow down — and when the room is ready to move.

It also means refusing to moderate greenwashing, pinkwashing, or events designed to appear open while avoiding accountability. My journalistic independence is what clients hire me for. I protect it accordingly.

Merle.Community — the agency

In 2025, I founded Merle.Community to bring together a network of expert moderators, facilitators, and speakers working across sustainability, inclusion, innovation, and European governance — in multiple languages, across formats. If you are looking for the right voice for your event, the agency is the place to start.

Coaching: the Merle Academy

Alongside my moderation work, I coach and train professionals who want to communicate with more clarity and impact — whether they are preparing for a first keynote, navigating the complexity of EU stakeholder dialogues, or developing their long-term presence as a public voice.

The Merle Academy offers tailored programmes in Brussels and online, in English, German, and French. The Booster (2 × 90 minutes over two weeks) is built for a specific upcoming appearance. The Partnership (6 months, two sessions per month) is for long-term development of voice, presence, and professional visibility. Both are designed for people working in complex, high-stakes environments.

Almendra — a European podcast

Together with transformation expert Bernard Lecuivre, I host Almendra — a podcast about democracy, innovation, and what real change looks like. We speak with leaders from politics, science, culture, and civil society: not in soundbites, but in depth. Past guests include MEPs, mayors, scientists, and cultural figures shaping Europe's future.