WHU Researcher Appointed to Expert Committee for the German Government

There’s a new expert voice advising the federal government of Germany: Effective immediately, Professor Nadine Kammerlander, Chair of Family Business at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, is a member of the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (EFI). “I have spent years specializing in family businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises, a segment of the economy that is of enormous importance to Germany,” said Professor Kammerlander after the Federal Cabinet approved her appointment at its meeting on September 2, 2026. “It’s also where one can best see what a company needs to stay innovative, to change, and, at the same time, to think long term. I would like to bring this perspective to the work the EFI does.”

Since 2008, the EFI has served as an independent science-focused advisory council to the German government, working closely with the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The panel of experts analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the systems Germany has in place to promote research and innovation, evaluates recent developments and current challenges, and gives policymakers concrete suggestions. The EFI’s analyses and recommendations act as the scientific foundation for the government’s policies concerning innovation and research. The committee’s yearly assessment sheds light on how Germany can strengthen its ability to innovate and remain technologically competitive. Experts normally serve on the EFI for a term of four years.

“I’m excited to have been appointed. This represents an incredible opportunity—to publish research results, but also to bring them to the venue where there is a focus on the conditions for research and innovation in Germany,” continued Professor Kammerlander, who, alongside Professor Oliver Falck, Director of the ifo Center for the Economics of Innovation and Digital Transformation, has been selected to serve for the first time.

Further information about the EFI can be found here.