Meet Jörg Rocholl, President of ESMT Berlin and Member of the Virchow Foundation for Global Health Council
Jörg Rocholl holds a PhD in finance and economics and a MPhil from the Columbia Business School in New York as well as a degree in economics (with honours) from the Witten/Herdecke University. His research interests include corporate finance, corporate governance, financial intermediation, central banks and financial regulation. Professor Rocholl joined the ESMT in 2007 and was appointed president in 2011. Jörg Rocholl is chair of the advisory board to the German Federal Ministry of Finance and holds the Deutsche Bank professorship in Sustainable Finance as of at ESMT as of September 2022.
Professor Rocholl has demonstrated his commitment to keeping global health on the agenda by joining the Virchow Foundation for Global Health Council.
From your perspective, why is engagement and awareness raising for global health important?
Health is not only a requirement for a fulfilled life for individuals but also builds an important basis for economic development and stability. In an interconnected global world, the impact of health is amplified even further, something we all experienced directly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Around the world, we are still feeling its economic and social consequences underscoring how essential it is to foster health on the global agenda.
How are you committed to engaging in global health topics within your current professional role and activities?
In the summer of 2022, we founded DEEP – Institute for Deep Tech Innovation at ESMT Berlin. The institute focuses on promoting innovation and startups founded on cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), new materials, and biotechnology. DEEP is also home to the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) Berlin, an internationally recognised accelerator for science and technology-based early-stage startups. The first stream at CDL Berlin is health. The goal is to foster applied, scientific, and technological innovations that improve human health and well-being. This includes digital health, medical devices, diagnostics, bioinformatics, genomics, and biotechnologies such as therapeutics and synthetic biology.
How do you hope to achieve greater awareness and engagement for global health in your new role at the Virchow Foundation for Global Health? How can the Virchow Prize for Global Health help to increase awareness?
As a Member of the Virchow Foundation for Global Health Board Council, I am deeply committed to helping ensure that health stays on the agenda and is closely aligned with the United Nations Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Virchow Prize for Global Health honours and recognises those who work so tirelessly to promote, challenge, and advance global health through significant innovation. This generous Prize can help inspiring others to contribute to constantly improving global health.
Meet the Members of the Virchow Foundation for Global Health Council: www.virchowprize.org/council/
