The secretary-general of the Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen (Association of German Foundations) talks to Andrew Milner about the need to give its extensive and very diverse membership the bread-and-butter-services they want while at the same time showcasing examples of innovation.

Kirsten Hommelhoff. Photo: David Ausserhofer.

Andrew Milner: You were previously at the Mercator Foundation. Why did you choose to move from a foundation to an infrastructure body?

Kirsten Hommelhoff: First of all, I was very attracted to it by the variety, by the diversity of foundations. Here, you have some 4,500 members who are very different in terms of themes, of legal status, so this is what fascinated me mainly, but also you get a broader perspective on the sector.