she.innovates Düsseldorf 2025: Innovation menschlich gedacht

On 30 October 2025, Page Executive Germany once again co hosted she.innovates together with sheconomy. The event brought together an exceptional panel of leaders from business, academia, and industry to explore a topic that shaped the entire evening: social innovation and the central role of people in driving meaningful change.

The message was clear and echoed throughout the night: “Mensch und Innovation gehören zusammen.” Technology matters; but it cannot replace community, connection, or human exchange. Repeatedly, the panel returned to a shared motto: Back to the roots.

A warm welcome from Page Executive

Caroline Gellrich‑van Brakel, Senior Partner & Head of Page Executive Germany & Austria, opened the evening by highlighting the importance of diversity and shared values in innovation. “We should not only look at artificial intelligence,” she noted. “For me, Organic Intelligence is just as essential.”

Hermann Sporrer, Co‑Founder and Managing Director of sheconomy, reinforced this spirit of collaboration: “We want to make women in innovation visible; and for that, we need partners who think alike. That’s why our cooperation with Page Executive is so valuable.”

Perspectives from the panel: Social innovation at the forefront

The panel featured inspiring voices who each brought a unique lens to the question of how innovation can – and must – be shaped by people:

• Caroline Gager‑Palfy, Founder of Orbyz and Managing Partner at Loud 4 Planet Development GmbH
• Nicole Bal, Head of Marketing & Communications at Luisa Cerano
• Prof. Dr. Martina Huemann, WU Executive Academy, Project Management Group
• Saskia Drumm, Team Lead Quality & Efficiency Maintenance, Deutsche Bahn InfraGO

Moderated by Lara Gonschorowski, Editor‑in‑Chief at sheconomy, the discussion explored how social innovation is gaining momentum and why Europe must trust more in its own potential.

Key themes from the evening

• Social innovation as a driver of real change The panel agreed: innovation is not only economic; it is social. It requires courage, collaboration, and a return to human centred thinking.
• Technology as an enabler; not a replacement Across industries, the speakers highlighted that while AI and digital tools can accelerate progress, they cannot replicate human judgment, creativity, or emotional intelligence.
• Innovation grounded in values.  Whether in fashion, infrastructure, or academia, the message was consistent: innovation needs attitude. It needs purpose. It needs people who are willing to question, rethink, and co create.

At Page Executive, we believe that innovation thrives when diverse voices are empowered and when technology and humanity move forward together. she.innovates Düsseldorf 2025 was a powerful reminder that the future of innovation is, above all, menschlich gedacht.

What is sheconomy?

sheconomy is a future focused initiative dedicated to accelerating women’s economic equality and transforming their financial power into measurable, collective impact. According to their platform, sheconomy is built around a bold idea: What if women had achieved full economic equality 100 years ago? Their research shows that when women hold equal influence in business, investment, and leadership, economies grow faster, innovation accelerates, and societies become more resilient.