Born in Ravensburg in Upper Swabia, Kai Diekmann grew up in Bielefeld in beautiful Lower Saxony. He discovered his enthusiasm for journalism at an early age. At his school, the Catholic Marienschule der Ursulinen, he was editor of the conservative school newspaper "Passepartout". After graduating from high school, he did his basic military service and then decided to study history, German language and literature, and politics at the Westphalian Wilhelms University in Münster.

At the age of 21, he was offered the opportunity to join the Axel Springer publishing house as a trainee. He left his studies for the Axel Springer School of Journalism in Hamburg, with stations in Bonn and New York - the starting signal for his career as one of Germany's most powerful journalists. First parliamentary correspondent for the "Bild" and "Bild am Sonntag" in Bonn, then chief reporter the "Bunte". In 1992, after a brief stint as editor-in-chief at "B.Z.," he moved to "Bild" in Hamburg as head of politics.

Kai Diekmann Lecture Topics

- 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall
- Digitization - opportunities, risks, possibilities and limits
- Social media as an opportunity? How Europe's biggest daily newspaper is responding to media change
- The success of the "Bild" brand

After a brief sabbatical, Kai Diekmann resumed his professional activities under Claus Larass as editor-in-chief of "Welt am Sonntag," only to be offered the position of editor-in-chief of "Bild" two years later. He later became editor of "Bild" and "Bild am Sonntag." In order to revolutionize the German media landscape, Diekmann moved to Silicon Valley from 2012 to 2013. According to his own statement, California gave him a wealth of ideas and a new spirit, which he wants to implement when he returns to Germany as editor-in-chief.

He uses his drive as a boost. He sees the opportunity and uses his enthusiasm to transform a company from print to a digital medium. Away from business shirts, tailored suits and ties to hoodies, chinos, canvas shoes and beard growth. Kai Diekmann has slipped perfectly into a role of someone living in the Valley, which, even back in Germany, he embodies with passion and makes real.

If you ask Kai Diekmann whether his interest in events lies in frontal lectures or interviews, his answer is clear. The participants should receive the greatest possible added value from the event and take it with them. For him, this clearly lies in the interview format. Open to spontaneous questions from the audience, criticism, exchange and discussion, Kai Diekmann is one of those speakers who opens eyes and approaches talks fearlessly.

Kai Diekmann - The Storymachine

In the same year, Kai Diekmann founds the media agency "Storymachine" based in Berlin with German entrepreneur Michael Mronz and former editor-in-chief of stern.de Philipp Jessen.

The office exudes incredible charm, inviting people to work and be open with each other. We have already visited him and met him there - he has put his experience from Silicon Valley to best use in collaboration with his wife, Bild columnist Katja Kessler. As he revealed and as we could see she has created a masterful interior design for "Storymachine". Together with Leonhard Fischer, a former investment banker and childhood friend of Diekmann, he founded the digital asset management company called "Zukunftsfonds" in 2018.

After 30 years of affiliation with Springer-Verlag, Kai Diekmann left the company at his own request in January 2017 - he is taking on new challenges and tasks. In 2017, he became an advisor to the U.S. service company UBER, which he primarily advises on political issues.

You want an honest and open exchange at your event? You want to awaken, motivate, digitize and amaze? Book Kai Diekmann as a speaker at your event at MyKeynoteSpeaker.