Our People
Faculty & Academic Team
Experienced academics, researchers and practitioners from across Europe, committed to rigorous, personalised graduate education.
Dean
Dean & Member of the Academic Board
Prof. Dr. Peter Linnert
Professor of Business Management and Marketing
Peter Linnert studied business administration at the University of Hamburg and received his doctorate in economics (Dr. rer. pol.) in 1964. His academic career includes senior professorships at the Technical University of Merseburg, where he was Director of Business Management, and later at the Technical University of Vilnius as a full professor. He was also vice-rector at a European university and headed the Sales Manager Academy in Vienna for many years. His academic work is characterised by a systematic approach in the areas of marketing policy, strategic business management and management theory. He is the author of several fundamental German-language reference works, including the multi-volume Management Encyclopaedia, the Marketing and Sales Manager's Handbook, and comprehensive studies on total quality management and strategic business management. He has received several national awards for his scientific contributions, including the Austrian Cross of Merit for Science and Art, First Class.
Academic Board
Academic Board
Prof. Dr. Ludovit Hajduk
Professor of Systematic Philosophy and Education Management
Ludovit Hajduk completed his doctoral thesis in systematic philosophy and pursued an academic career that includes a habilitation and professorships in media and education sciences. He has held senior positions in higher education, including Vice-Rector of Pan-European University in Bratislava and Director of the National Institute of Education in Slovakia. His research combines philosophy, ethics and educational management with institutional quality assurance and governance in higher education systems. He has been a visiting professor in several European countries and in China.
Academic Board
Prof. Dr. Torsten Harms
Professor of Empirical Research and Artificial Intelligence
Torsten Harms specialises in empirical research methodology, quantitative modelling and applications of artificial intelligence in finance and management. He has held academic and research positions in Europe, Canada, Malaysia and Kuwait. He currently heads a Steinbeis Research Centre for Finance and Insurance, focusing on the integration of advanced analytics into strategic decision-making frameworks. His work is characterised by methodological rigour, technological innovation and AI-based modelling.
Academic Board
Prof. Dr. Karsten Junge
Professor of Supply Chain Management
Karsten Junge is a professor and department head at DHBW Karlsruhe, specialising in supply chain management and international value creation systems. His academic work focuses on logistics strategies, global supply chains and the integration of partnerships between science and industry. He maintains extensive cooperation networks with international companies and universities, strengthening the interface between applied research and organisational practice.
Academic Board
Prof. Dr. Jaroslav Světlík
Professor of Marketing and Communication
Jaroslav Světlík completed his doctoral and postdoctoral studies in marketing and communication management and was appointed professor by the President of the Slovak Republic in 2013. He is the author of numerous monographs, textbooks and peer-reviewed articles, and is considered one of the most cited marketing scholars in his region. His research focuses on institutional marketing systems, cross-border economic structures and European integration processes.
Faculty
Martin Bruneder, MBA
Project & Operations Management
Martin Bruneder has over 25 years of international experience in project and portfolio management at major banks, insurance companies and consulting firms. He has held senior positions at Raiffeisen, Santander, the Austrian National Bank and international consulting firms. As founder of his own consulting firm in Vienna, he advises organisations on programme architecture, strategic implementation and institutional project management.
Dr. Andreas Gibus
Management and Business Administration
Andreas Gibus has extensive management experience as a managing director and board member in industrial and construction companies. He has served as CEO of several Austrian corporate groups, dealing with strategic restructuring, corporate governance reforms and international market development. His academic work focuses on strategic corporate management, governance frameworks, organisational restructuring and sustainable corporate development.
Dr. Salvatore Giacomuzzi
Psychology and Security Studies
Salvatore Giacomuzzi completed an interdisciplinary doctoral thesis in experimental and medical physics and psychology, and subsequently obtained a postdoctoral qualification in psychology. He is the founder of the International Security Competence Centre in Vienna. His research combines psychological analysis, security governance and risk assessment within transnational frameworks.
Dr. Gabriele Hausmann
Human Resources and Organisational Management
Gabriele Hausmann studied law and communication sciences. Her professional career includes management positions in the insurance sector with responsibility for HR development and institutional restructuring. From 1997 to 2009, she managed a psychosocial counselling and therapy centre. Her academic focus is on human resource management, conflict resolution, mediation and structural organisational redesign.
Thomas Hillebrand, MBA
Business Development and Strategy
Thomas Hillebrand specialises in strategic market expansion and international growth models. His professional experience includes leadership positions in SaaS, cloud technologies, telecommunications and energy markets. He was responsible for strategic sales architectures, cross-border customer development and institutional scaling strategies in a highly competitive international environment.
Dr. Wolfram Irsa
Operations and Supply Chain Management
Wolfram Irsa earned his doctorate and developed his professional career in the automotive, chemical and semiconductor industries. His areas of expertise include operations management, quality systems and supply chain optimisation. His academic work focuses on efficiency models, digital process integration and strategic supply chain management.
Dr. Johann Sebastian Kann
Financial Management and Corporate Governance
Johann Sebastian Kann holds a doctorate in social and economic sciences. As managing partner of several investment and real estate development companies, he has overseen national and international projects in capital structuring, corporate governance and long-term asset strategy. His academic teaching focuses on financial management systems, governance models, capital allocation and strategic investment analysis.
Dr. Elmar Kickinger
Marketing and Communication Strategy
Elmar Kickinger studied communication sciences and business administration. His professional career includes management positions in trade and industry with responsibility for brand positioning and market development. He later specialised in sponsorship, product placement and demographic market analysis. His academic interests include strategic communication, generation-related market structures and applied marketing theory.
PhD & DBA Programme Director
Dr. Michael Linnert
Research Methodology
Michael Linnert studied political science and philosophy at the University of Vienna and economic and social history at the University of Innsbruck. He holds a doctorate in media and communication sciences. As programme director, he coordinates international academic collaboration and supervises master's and doctoral students from application to final submission. His teaching emphasises epistemological clarity, methodological precision and structured research architecture.
Roland Pfaffeneder, MSc MBA
Management and Business Practice
Roland Pfaffeneder's professional background includes leadership roles in corporate training, organisational development and strategic consulting. He has worked with companies from various industries, supporting them in the development of management personnel and performance management structures. His teaching combines business consulting with structured management methods.
Pamela Priess, PhD MSc
Management and International Business
Pamela Priess holds a PhD in Economics and International Business Management from Pan-European University. Her professional background includes management positions in companies where she acquired expertise in organisational coordination, strategic decision-making and management practice. Her academic interests focus on international corporate structures, corporate governance and strategic management systems.
Walter J. Rath, MBA
Marketing and Sales Strategy
Walter J. Rath has more than two decades of professional experience in Austria and Switzerland in management positions in industry and the service sector. His areas of expertise include strategic sales architecture, online marketing frameworks and organisational restructuring in highly competitive market environments. His teaching focuses on structured sales management, customer lifecycle systems and marketing performance indicators.
Reinhilde Reinthaler, MSc
Psychology and Psychodrama
Reinhilde Reinthaler studied education and philosophy and completed vocational training in psychotherapy, specialising in psychodrama. Her professional career includes work in healthcare, nursing education and an independent psychotherapy practice. She is the author of specialist publications and contributes to academic discourse in applied psychology and leadership development.
Josef Resch, MBA
Management and Organisational Practice
Josef Resch completed postgraduate studies in business administration and gained extensive practical experience in organisational consulting and management consulting. His career includes strategic consulting assignments and institutional advisory roles. His areas of expertise are operational management systems, structural optimisation and organisational leadership models.
Stefan Rotheneder, MBA
Industrial Management and Business Psychology
Stefan Rotheneder completed a degree in engineering and economics with a focus on industrial systems and business psychology. His professional career includes senior management positions in international industrial companies, including transformation programmes and cross-border joint venture projects in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Richard Salomon, PhD
Strategic Management and IT Management
Richard Salomon holds a PhD in Economics and International Business Management and has additional postgraduate qualifications including an LL.M. in Banking and Capital Markets Law and an MBA in Entrepreneurship. He has more than three decades of professional experience in IT, telecommunications, banking, insurance, media and industry.
Sabine Viktoria Schneider, DrPH
Psychoanalysis and Public Health
Sabine Viktoria Schneider has completed a doctoral thesis in public health and specialises in psychoanalysis and psychosomatics. Her academic focus is on the interface between psychological processes and somatic health conditions. She combines clinical practice with scientific analysis of psychodynamic theory and public health systems.
Dr. Sabine Spenger
Human Resources and Organisational Development
Sabine Spenger holds a doctorate in law and organisation and has spent her professional career in international corporate environments. Her expertise covers the entire employee lifecycle, leadership development and organisational transformation systems. Her academic focus is on institutional HR strategy, organisational design and leadership systems.
Gerhard Steinberger, MSc
Finance and Taxation
Gerhard Steinberger studied business administration, specialising in taxation and financial governance. He worked for many years in the Austrian tax administration before founding his own consulting practice. His expertise includes financial compliance systems, tax strategy, auditing and corporate management.
Dr. Ursula Vavrik
Sustainable Development and European Governance
Ursula Vavrik studied economics and social sciences and received her doctorate with honours. Her professional career includes positions in the Austrian federal government, the European Commission, the United Nations and the OECD. She has been a visiting professor at several international universities in Europe and Latin America.
Prof. Kilian Walter Mehl
Psychosomatic Medicine and Holistic Health
Kilian Walter Mehl completed his medical studies and developed a scientific focus on psychosomatics and integrative health models. Since 1993, he has headed a specialised psychosomatic clinic. His academic work focuses on psychosomatic regulatory systems, stress-related disorders, preventive health strategies and models for health management in companies.