--- title: "Details" url: "https://www.meetfrankfurt.de/en/convention-bureau/press-releases/details/frankfurt-am-main-ernennt-vier-neue-kongress-botschafter" description: "Mayor Dr Nils Kößler pays tribute to the volunteers’ engagement for the congress destination of Frankfurt." language: "en" type: "NewsArticle" image: "https://www.meetfrankfurt.de/fileadmin/Mediendatenbank/www.meetfrankfurt.de/Frankfurter_Kongress-Botschafter/20261021-ernennung-frankfurter-kongress-botschafter--ihk-frankfurt-am-main-stefan-krutsch-photographie.jpg" breadcrumb: "Root > Home > Convention Bureau > Press Releases > Details" --- Press Releases ============== Frankfurt Convention Bureau Frankfurt appoints four new Congress Ambassadors ================================================ Created by on22.10.2026 Mayor Dr Nils Kößler pays tribute to the volunteers’ engagement for the congress destination of Frankfurt. On Wednesday evening, Frankfurt Mayor and Head of the Municipal Department of Economic Affairs, Dr. Nils Kößler, officially appointed four new Frankfurt Congress Ambassadors. The announcements were made amidst the stylish backdrop of the recently opened ATLANTIC Hotel Frankfurt. The four appointments are Sandra Ciesek, Otto Fricke, Christoph Hirche, and Arash Momeni. In their new roles, they will be representing Frankfurt in their respective fields of expertise, Their primary aim, as with all other congress ambassadors, will be to bring national and international congresses and conference to Frankfurt while at the same time promoting the congress destination within their professional networks. “As our world becomes ever more digital, personal encounters become more and more important. Congresses live from this direct and immediate personal interchange, one for which Frankfurt, the metropolis in the heart of Europe, offers ideal preconditions. Our congress ambassadors are kindly regarded in specialist circles stretching far beyond the city’s boundaries; they work tirelessly – and voluntarily – in promoting the congress and conference destination of Frankfurt. For this, they deserve our warm and heartfelt thanks, time and time again,” states Mayor Kößler. “Each congress that they bring to Frankfurt adds value for the local hotel, restaurant and retail trade, while at the same time bolstering our destination for the long term.” Professor Sandra Ciesek is Director of the Institute of Medical Virology at the Frankfurt University Hospital and President of the Society for Virology. In 2024, she was co-president of the 26th Annual Conference of the European Society for Clinical Virology, an event that attracted more than 1,000 participants from all across Europe to the Westend Campus of Goethe University Frankfurt. In 2027, Professor Ciesek will chair the 36th Annual Meeting of the Society for Virology, which she has already secured for Frankfurt. Some 1,000 attendees are expected from across Germany and beyond. Otto Fricke has been the chairman of the German Olympic Federation (DOSB) since September 2025. The Federation’s annual general meeting has already been held at the Kap Europa Congress Centre three times, namely in 2019, 2023 and 2025. Their next AGM, scheduled for December 2026, will also be held in Frankfurt. Some 400 delegates are expected to attend. Professor Christoph Hirche is Director of the Clinic of Plastic Surgery, Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery, part of the Frankfurt Accident and Emergency Clinic. He is also President of the European Federation of Societies for Microsurgery, and Secretary General of the German-Language Work Group for Microsurgery (DAM). In this capacity, he served as (co-)organiser of the Work Group’s AGMs in 2013 and 2022. Professor Arash Momeni is Second Vice-President of the aforementioned Work Group. Together with Professor Hirche, he was instrumental in bringing to Frankfurt the 18th Congress of the European Federation of Societies for Microsurgery, which will be taking place in September 2028 alongside the 49th Annual Conference of the German-Language Work Group for Microsurgery. Approximately 700 international participants are expected to attend. This European Congress was last held in Germany in 1996. Thomas Feda, Managing Director of the Frankfurt Tourist+Congress Board, adds: “Frankfurt convinces as a congress destination thanks to its easy international accessibility, its economic and scientific competence, and its highly diversified range of event opportunities. Our congress ambassadors promote these locational advantages within their respective specialist fields and professional networks, thereby increasing Frankfurt’s value, visibility, and renown. In doing so, they ensure that the business destination of Frankfurt profits long-term from the many congresses and conferences they bring to the city.” The City of Frankfurt has been recognising individuals from the fields of business and science for their voluntary efforts in bringing congresses and conference to Frankfurt since 2011. With these four new appointments, some 31 Frankfurt Congress Ambassadors now represent Frankfurt on the international congress and conference market. The people in the photograph are, from left to right: Eva Klinger (Messe Frankfurt Venue GmbH), Prof. Dr. med. Arash Momeni, Prof. Dr. med. Sandra Ciesek, Mayor Dr. Nils Kößler, Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Hirche, Otto Fricke, Jutta Heinrich (Frankfurt Convention Bureau), Romina Gowin-Becker (Messe Frankfurt Venue GmbH). Further information: **About the Frankfurt Congress Ambassadors** The “Frankfurt Congress Ambassador” initiative is co-organised and co-funded by the Frankfurt Tourist+Congress Board with its in-house conventions department (Frankfurt Convention Bureau), the Frankfurt Fair & Exhibition Centre (Messe Frankfurt), and the Frankfurt Chamber of Trade and Commerce (IHK Frankfurt). Its objective is to continue to strengthen Frankfurt’s position as an international destination for scientific congresses. To achieve this goal leaders from the fields of business and science are recruited to serve as voluntary advocates of the destination of Frankfurt. > Your contact for enquiries Sarah Himmelreich, Frankfurt Convention Bureau, Tel: +49 (0) 69/24 74 55 - 508 -