Christian Lindner is one of the most prominent advocates of free-market policies, strong capital markets, private provision with shares and stability-orientated public finances. He was the first to promote the opportunities of the digital transformation and advocate a new start-up culture. As a politician, he acted like an entrepreneur who takes risks. At the end of his career, he renounced the highest offices of state in favour of his convictions.

As German Federal Minister of Finance (2021-2024), he initiated the consolidation of the federal budget after the coronavirus pandemic, strengthened Germany as a financial centre and devised an economic turnaround. In the European Union, Lindner played a key role in shaping the current fiscal rules and the roadmap to the Capital Markets Union.

As Chairman of the G7 Finance Ministers in 2022, Christian Lindner played a key role in shaping the crisis response following the Russian attack on Ukraine.

Christian Lindner was a member of parliament for almost 25 years and party chairman of the German FDP for eleven years. He was the architect of his party’s comeback and can look back on a decade of successful elections. During this time, he gained extensive experience in leading and changing organisations and communication. Today he reports on the “do’s and don’ts”.

Christian Lindner studied political science and constitutional law in Bonn, worked as an entrepreneur before entering politics and is a major in the reserves. He is married and lives in Berlin.

Speaker Portrait