An exchange at eye level
On May 7, 2025, leading decision-makers from industry, SMEs, and the defense sector will gather in Düsseldorf for the Handelsblatt Defense Circle Community Roundtable, co-hosted by ZANATTA. Defence and Handelsblatt. The focus will be on one of the most strategically significant questions for companies in Germany: How can entry into the defense sector succeed – and how can it be structured sustainably?
High-profile speakers
We have secured the following participants for a well-founded, practical exchange:
- Pelin Afat – Member of the Management Board, IABG
- Dr. Hans Christian Atzpodien – Chief Executive Officer, German Strategy and Defence Industry Association (BDSV)
- Markus Fasse – Chief Correspondent Companies & Markets, Handelsblatt
- Marcus Gerlach – Chief Purchasing Officer, Rheinmetall AG
- Marcus Zanatta – CEO & Founder, ZANATTA. Defence
Key topics
The defense market is unlike any other. Long procurement cycles, complex certification requirements, and security-related regulations present companies with challenges that require strategic foresight and careful preparation. During the roundtable, we will examine, among other things:
- Regulatory, technical, and security-related requirements for market access
- Necessary investments in production, certification, personnel, and partnerships
- Scalable and sustainable capacity building
- The role of cooperation along the value chain
- Strategic positioning in a market with long procurement cycles
Enormous potential – with clear rules of the game
We are convinced: The defense sector is becoming a strategic field of the future for many companies. The barriers to entry are real – but for those who understand and specifically address them, long-term opportunities open up. This is exactly why the right dialogue is needed: open, well-founded, and at eye level.
We look forward to an open, well-founded exchange in Düsseldorf.