High Finance. Mannheim. Germany
Mannheim, Germany. A city of 300,000 souls a one hour drive south of the European Centre of finance, Frankfurt. Well known for a cult Rock band from the 1990s called “Die Söhne Mannheims” (the sons of Mannheim). A city I have not visited so far, from its atmosphere and architecture totally uninspiring. But then there was this one event. Follow me on my personal tour through my professional world.
Fonds professionell Online is an Austrian based media group that hosts the largest annual Congress for professional money managers in the German speaking world in Mannheim.
In the huge congress center there were more than 200 exhibitors including the biggests global names in the money management industry. I reckon there were way more than 2,000 participants (professional visitors only).
Over the two day event there were 220 presentations and speeches by high calibre experts on all aspects of today’s finance. The opening keynote was held by former EU president Jean-Claude Juncker.
The Gala Dinner in the grand hall was accompanied by show acts such as a well known German comedian.
Later in the evening the Urban Club Band rocked the auditorium until way after midnight.
Selfie with Frank Thelen, a German star investor, mainly in tech (start-up) companies. He is also a well known German TV reality show celebrity for “Die Höhle der Löwen“, the German version of the American “Shark Tank“.
The most original giveaway. This German Fund Manager asked me if I wanted to get a free One Dollar bill. I said yes. Then he handed me his marketing sheet in which the banknote was laminated into. And said: “Well, then You have to cut it out yourself”.