Nena Brockhaus

Nena Brockhaus is a business journalist, television presenter, columnist, bestselling author and political commentator. Brockhaus is one of the ambitious media personalities of a new generation.

After studying at Maastricht University, Nena Brockhaus, born in 1992, graduated from the Georg von Holtzbrinck School of Journalism and published her first book ‘Unfollow’ at the age of 26. Brockhaus’ first book entered the top ten of the SPIEGEL bestseller list as soon as it was published. Her three subsequent books ‘Pretty Happy’, ‘Ich bin nicht grün – ein Plädoyer für Freiheit’ and ‘Alte WEISE Männer’ were also all SPIEGEL bestsellers. This makes her one of the most successful young authors in the country.

Nena Brockhaus: Business, politics and society

After positions at Handelsblatt, Wirtschaftswoche and Bunte, she hosted the political talk show ‘Viertel nach Acht’ three to five times a week for Europe’s largest media brand BILD from 2021 to summer 2023 and became known throughout Germany.

Since summer 2023, Nena Brockhaus has focussed on her entrepreneurial activities as a presenter and author. Since March 2024, she has also been writing the weekly column ‘Nena und die andere Meinung’ for Focus Online. With her column, she wants to contribute to a differentiated opinion in our society – sometimes with unpopular theses and by expanding what can be said.

Writer Michel Abdollahi describes Nena Brockhaus in his Stern podcast ‘Heute wichtig’ as ‘the counterpart to Luisa Neubauer and Sophie Passmann.’ Nena Brockhaus can regularly be seen as a political commentator on TV programmes such as ‘Stern TV’, ‘Maischberger’, ‘ZDF Mittagsmagazin’, ‘ZDF Heute – 13 Fragen’ and ‘Sat1 Frühstücksfernsehen’.

In the event sector, Nena Brockhaus is known for her rousing presentations and her competent, charming, quick-witted moderation of conferences, panel discussions, galas and congresses. Whether giving a lecture or moderating, Brockhaus is always thought-provoking.

Nena Brockhaus Lecture topics

• Old WISE MEN – what we can learn from them

While the last few years have been filled to the brim, the tools for self-responsible coping with change and crisis have been lost from view. It has been replaced by the cultivation of individual sensitivities, which, multiplied to the societal level, could ensure that Germany once again becomes the “sick man of Europe.

• Attitude of entitlement 1: The state will take care of everything
• Demanding attitude 2: Bachelor’s and master’s degrees for all!
• Demanding attitude 3: Demanding and prioritizing a life-work balance

In order to overcome the crises of our time, we urgently need a return to old values and virtues. The knowledge is there, and the transmission of values is still possible. In this exciting lecture, Nena Brockhaus takes you into the world of values of the generation of the 1940s and 1950s. What do Heiner Lauterbach, Mario Adorf, Thomas Strüngmann, Wolfgang Reitzle, Stefan Aust, Edmund Stoiber, among others, advise in order to cope with the crises of our time?

• Politics, Economy & Society: The state of the nation

Finance, Corona, Energy – these three terms are only a part of the current pairing options of the term crisis. Although the restructuring of Germany’s energy supply is one of the most complex tasks of the post-war period, the term crisis is now used in an inflationary and hasty manner. The media and experts regularly use the age of crises to define the present. In doing so, they create almost apocalyptic dead-end scenarios. The tenor: nothing will ever be as glorious and carefree as it once was. The individual is also increasingly confronted with crises. Whether marriage, midlife or job crisis, the homo sapiens of the 21st century likes to deal with himself and his microcosmic problems in detail. In the process, one can almost see a split: one part of the younger generation is struggling for social advancement, or to maintain the standard of living of their own parents. While another part of the age group strolls in academic milieus or dreams of an unconditional basic income. To put it polemically: some pay taxes, create wealth and install the photovoltaic system on the roof, while others shape the debates on Twitter.

• Work-life balance: The life lie of our time

While four-day weeks and work-life balance are debated, Nena Brockhaus is certain: work-life balance is the life lie of our time. People cannot demand that society take responsibility for their own lives from birth to death. Once upon a time, the focus was on social advancement. The exceptional banker Alfred Herrhausen, got the advice from his father: “As I assess you, you are at least of average intelligence, and if you work one hour more every day than the others, then it should work out.” Nowadays, on the other hand, it’s too often true that those who work are often the ones who lose out. Trying hard is reactionary. The extra meter, the overtime or working on Sundays and holidays are too often considered as hardly reasonable hardship. A society geared to redistribution by the state reacts with indignation, incomprehension and scolding toward those who demand more work and increased performance.

• Generation Y and Generation Z: a life for the limelight

A young woman paints her fingernails. The color: deep red. Then she puts the dishwasher away. So far, so unspectacular. But the girl, let’s call her Sarah, documents all this with her camera. She wants to be observed by strangers. Sounds strange, but it’s true. At least on Instagram. Here, the banalities of everyday life become the stage for the satisfaction of one’s own craving for recognition. Never before has it been so easy to stage oneself. 71 percent of Instagram users worldwide are younger than 35. Their usage behavior on Instagram reveals what makes Generation Y and Generation Z tick.

Here is an excerpt of her moderations and expertise:

• Kita Aktionstag 2024, Moderation, Düsseldorf
• CAPInside Firmentagung 2024, Keynote „Die Werte der alten weisen Männer“, Düsseldorf
• Moderation of Salon M 2024, Wie kann Kommunikation nach innen und außen die Sichtbarkeit von Unternehmen verbessern?, Munich
• Volksbank 2024 New Year’s reception, keynote speech “Alte WEISE Männer”, Geldern
• Moderation of the Young Entrepreneurs’ Summit 2023, Berlin
• Live discussion with Philipp Amthor and Kevin Kühnert, Berlin
• Laudatory speech for Sarna Röser, Innovator of the Year Award 2023, Berlin
• Business talk The Pioneer, Berlin
• Tyrolean Economic Forum 2023, Keynote speech „Politik & Gesellschaft am Scheideweg: Kommt uns die Mitte abhanden?”, Innsbruck
• Future Day 2023, Munich
• Muswiesen Summit 2023, Keynote “Alte WEISE Männer”, Rot am See
• New Work Xing, 2023, Hamburg
• Keynote “Alte WEISE Männer 2023”, Havanna Lounge, Bremen
• Podiumsdiskussion mit NRW Innenminister Herbert Reul 2023, Mayersche Buchhandlung, Düsseldorf 
• Wolfsgipfel 2023, Berlin
• Podiumsdiskussion zur Energiekrise 2023, Villa Lessing, Saarbrücken 
• Jubiläumsfeier RUHR REAL Gewerbeimmobilien 2023, Essen 
• Keynote “Die Lage der Nation” 2022, Havanna Lounge, Bremen
• Podiumsdiskussion Freiheit & Eigenverantwortung 2022 Villa Lessing, Saarbrücken
• Stern Diskuthek Körber Stiftung 2022, Hamburg
• Startup Teens Award 2021, Axel Springer SE, Berlin
• Gipfel der jungen Unternehmer 2021, Berlin
• Kongress für wehrhafte Demokratie 2021, Berlin
• Fit Tech Summit 2019, Hubert Burda Media, Munich
• Pioneer of Lifestyle Event 2019, Frankfurt
• Assistentinnenkongress, Handelsblatt Media Group, 2019
• Podiumsdiskussion „A cashless society?” for Think Young 2019, Brussels
• Building my tomorrow Wirtschaftsfestival, Handelsblatt Media Group 2018, Cologne
• Ada Love Lace Festival, Wirtschaftswoche 2018, Berlin
• C-Level Suite, Handelsblatt 2018, Berlin

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