Setting the Course for the Future: Wolfgang Heenes is the New CEO of hessian.AI
Darmstadt, 25.09.2024. The Hessian Center for Artificial Intelligence welcomes Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Heenes as its new CEO. With his extensive experience in both academia and politics, Dr. Heenes will bring new momentum to the strategic development of hessian.AI as an AI center with international impact. Additionally, the leadership team will be further strengthened by Simon Schampijer as Head of the AI Innovation Lab and Carlina Bennison as Co-Lead of AI Startup Rising.
Since August 2024, Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Heenes has been the new CEO of the Hessian Center for Artificial Intelligence. Heenes brings extensive experience from academia and administration, including his long-standing role as Managing Director of the Department of Computer Science at the Technical University of Darmstadt and as a policy advisor for administrative digitalization at the Hessian Ministry for Digital Strategy and Innovation.
The new CEO is looking forward to contributing his technical expertise and networks to further developing hessian.AI as a leading center for Artificial Intelligence:
“Artificial intelligence is not only a technological revolution but also a decisive driver for the competitiveness and innovative strength of Hesse and all of Germany. With hessian.AI, we have the unique opportunity to combine top-level AI research, access to powerful AI computing infrastructure, and the fostering of innovative talents from the region. Moreover, through the EU project EDITH (Hessen), hessian.AI supports small and medium-sized enterprises as well as public institutions in Hessen on their path toward digital transformation. This combination positions us excellently to play an important role both nationally and internationally in the development and application of AI technologies.
I am incredibly excited to actively shape the future of AI together with the directors, Prof. Dr. Mira Mezini and Prof. Dr. Kristian Kersting, as well as the dedicated team at the headquarters.“
The AI Innovation Lab at hessian.AI has also gained a new leader in Simon Schampijer. Schampijer, who previously worked as Engineering Manager at Hack Computer and Director of Apps at Endless, is now positioned at the interface between research and application. He will leverage cutting-edge technologies like the Occiglot model and the HPC supercomputer FortyTwo to support businesses, public institutions, and startups in developing AI solutions.
In the AI Startup Rising project, hessian.AI’s funding program for AI startups, Carlina Bennison assumes co-leadership alongside Tobias Kehl. Bennison brings extensive experience as a Startup Consultant and Program Manager at the incubator StartUpSecure and her role as Startup Manager at the TU Darmstadt. In her new role, she will focus on supporting the team and the strategic development of the startup programs.
With these highly qualified new additions, the Hessian Center for Artificial Intelligence is excellently positioned to continue serving as an innovation engine in the field of Artificial Intelligence in Hesse and beyond.
