Heads of Research Programme, Policy Exchange, and Doctoral Programme (Re)appointed

The GIGA Executive Board has (re)appointed, commencing 1 July 2025, the Heads of the four Research Programmes as well as filled the new positions of “Head of Policy Exchange” and “Head of Doctoral Programme and Talent Management.”

The following will lead the respective Research Programmes:

Prof. Dr. Thomas Richter: Research Programme “Political Responsibility and Participation”
Dr. Christiane Fröhlich: Research Programme “Peace and Security”
Prof. Dr. Jann Lay: Research Programme “Globalisation and Development”
Prof. Dr. Miriam Prys-Hansen: Research Programme “Global Orders and Foreign Policies”

We welcome Dr. Christiane Fröhlich as a new Research Programme head, while taking this opportunity to thank as well Prof. Dr. Christian von Soest for his many years of dedicated and successful leadership.

New roles among the central staff

As part of the reform process carried out around the GIGA’s governance structure, Prof. Dr. Christian von Soest takes over the newly created position of “Head of Policy Exchange” and will thus also lead the GIGA Berlin Office going forwards. Our thanks go to Prof. Dr. Bert Hoffmann, who previously headed the Berlin Office with great commitment and success for over a decade.

As of 1 July 2025, Dr. Maren Wagner also took on her new role as “Head of Doctoral Programme and Talent Management.” In addition to her continued responsibility for the Doctoral Programme, she will also be in charge of talent management more broadly. Her added mandate spans topics such as career development and training opportunities for the entire GIGA team.

GIGA President Prof. Dr. Sabine Kurtenbach and the whole management team are looking forward to working together with the (re)appointed RP heads as well as to the lively input arising out of the newly created roles among the central staff.