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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Christoph Igel has been appointed Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE effective August 15, 2026. Igel will jointly lead the institute with Peter Martini, Executive Director of Fraunhofer FKIE. This shared leadership structure will strengthen Fraunhofer FKIE’s position as one of the largest defense technology research institutes within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.
Fraunhofer FKIE focuses its research on helping the armed forces and civilian security agencies advance technologically. Working closely with its partners, the institute develops technologies and processes that strengthen a whole-of-government approach to defense and security. Christoph Igel will be opening up new avenues for research, technology transfer and innovation at Fraunhofer FKIE through initiatives such as the Innovation in Integrated Security and Sustainability (I2SN) research network in Saxony, his contributions to Germany’s High-Tech Agenda in the strategic research field of security and defense and his networking activities spanning research, industry, defense and security. In this way, he is making an important contribution to forging closer links between research and real-world application, ensuring that research findings can be put to immediate use by the armed forces, emergency services, industry and society.
“Security cannot be taken for granted. It is essential to freedom, economic strength and social cohesion. In an increasingly complex global environment, we need research excellence and technological innovation to safeguard our ability to respond effectively to future challenges and strengthen the protection of the government, industry and society. Fraunhofer FKIE is a leader in this effort, combining outstanding research with a strong commitment to turning results into practice and developing effective solutions to the security policy challenges of our time,” explains Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. “With his proven expertise in information technology and cybersecurity, Igel will help drive advances in future technologies critical to security and further boost our collaboration with partners in the Bundeswehr, research, government and industry.”
“I am deeply grateful to the executive board of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft for the trust it has placed in me by appointing me to the position of institute director of Fraunhofer FKIE, and I very much look forward to this exciting role. With commitment and energy, I intend to build on the progress made in recent years and continue the growth trajectory of this important defense and security institute within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Working alongside my colleague Martini, I will also help position Fraunhofer FKIE for the future at the intersection of the Bundeswehr, research and industry,” said Igel upon being appointed.
Few people embody Fraunhofer FKIE’s guiding principle of collaborative research and innovation as clearly as Igel does through his work. “Igel builds vital bridges between research and practical application,” said Martini, the institute’s director. “What we share is a deep understanding of the Bundeswehr’s specific needs and the capabilities it requires. With his outstanding background in research and the military, Igel will greatly enrich Fraunhofer FKIE’s leadership.”
Christoph Igel´s career
Christoph Igel, 57, is a behavioral scientist and computer scientist. He began working for Fraunhofer in 2022 as Head of Technology Management at Fraunhofer FKIE. Beginning in 2024, as Deputy Institute Director, he oversaw planning for the new institute site in eastern and central Germany and led the integration of the Fraunhofer Institute for Technological Trend Analysis INT into Fraunhofer FKIE. During the same period, he served as Executive Director of Fraunhofer INT.
Before joining Fraunhofer, Igel was the founding CEO and Director of Research at the Federal Agency for Innovation in Cybersecurity (Cyberagentur), a federally owned in-house organization overseen by the Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg) and the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI).
About Fraunhofer FKIE
Fraunhofer FKIE develops technologies and methods for its partners in the Bundeswehr, civilian security agencies and industry, thereby helping to strengthen a whole-of-government approach to defense and security. Its work spans all operational domains: land, air, sea, space and cyberspace.
Working closely with strategic partners, the institute focuses on the entire data and information processing pipeline—from capturing data with sensors and transmitting it securely via appropriate protocols to processing it for specific applications using algorithms and AI and presenting it in an integrated operational picture to support decision-making.
This work is supported by three further research priorities that are essential to making the processing pipeline operational: 1. protecting hardware from ionizing or electromagnetic radiation, 2. defending against cyberattacks and 3. addressing the human factor, which is central to the development of effective and efficient human-machine systems.
The portfolio is rounded out by scientifically grounded technology foresight, analysis and assessment covering the full spectrum of technological developments relevant to defense and security.
With eleven departments that bring together diverse, complementary areas of expertise, and with locations in Wachtberg, Bonn, Euskirchen, Aachen, Leipzig and Mittweida, the institute has broad technical expertise and can deliver system-level solutions for whole-of-government defense and security.
New leadership duo for security and defense research: Christoph Igel joins Fraunhofer FKIE’s institu ...
Source: Daniel Hammelstein
Copyright: Fraunhofer FKIE/Daniel Hammelstein
Christoph Igel Joins Fraunhofer FKIE’s Institute Management
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New leadership duo for security and defense research: Christoph Igel joins Fraunhofer FKIE’s institu ...
Source: Daniel Hammelstein
Copyright: Fraunhofer FKIE/Daniel Hammelstein
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