Doreen Kirmse
Business Director
Biography
Born in 1972 in Dahme/Mark
married
Short biography
Dr. Doreen Kirmse has been the Commercial Director of the Goethe-Institut since January 2026. The jurist, who holds a doctorate in law, began her professional career as a lawyer. Since then, she has worked with internationally oriented scientific and cultural institutions. Starting in 2009, she took on leadership roles at the Max Planck Society before serving as Executive Board Member and Commercial Director of the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden from 2015 to 2020. During this time, she was also Vice President of the Leibniz Association. Her work focuses particularly on transformation processes in the context of organizational development.
Education and career:
married
Short biography
Dr. Doreen Kirmse has been the Commercial Director of the Goethe-Institut since January 2026. The jurist, who holds a doctorate in law, began her professional career as a lawyer. Since then, she has worked with internationally oriented scientific and cultural institutions. Starting in 2009, she took on leadership roles at the Max Planck Society before serving as Executive Board Member and Commercial Director of the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden from 2015 to 2020. During this time, she was also Vice President of the Leibniz Association. Her work focuses particularly on transformation processes in the context of organizational development.
- 1991–1996 Studies in Law at the University of Potsdam and Friedrich Schiller University Jena
- 1996 First State Examination in Law
- 1996–1999 Research Associate, Chair of Civil Law, Civil Procedure, Commercial, Corporate and Business Law, Friedrich Schiller University Jena
- 1999–2001 Legal Trainee (Referendar), Higher Regional Court (Kammergericht)
- 2001 Second State Examination in Law
- 2001 Doctorate in Law (Dr. iur.), Friedrich Schiller University Jena
- 2001–2002 Advisor and Lawyer, Association of German Foundations (Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen)
- 2002–2009 Lawyer, Frankfurt am Main and Munich
- 2005 Certified Specialist in Tax Law
- 2009–2015 Head of Division and Lawyer, Max Planck Society, Munich
- 2015 Malik Master of Management, St. Gallen
- 2015–2020 Executive Board Member and Commercial Director as well as In-House Counsel, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden
- 2016–2020 Vice President of the Leibniz Association
- 2020–2025 Chancellor, Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule für Technik Stuttgart)
