Manfred Pohl
Encyclopedia
Professor Manfred Pohl is a German business historian. He is the author of over thirty corporate history books, as well as numerous articles and chapters. He has also published a number of poems and short stories. Manfred Pohl is an honorary professor at the Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany.
in the Saarland
region of Germany. After completing an apprenticeship at the Saarland Credit Bank, he studied German, History, Philosophy and Economics. In 1972 he was awarded a doctorate for his thesis on the history of banking in the Saarland
.
Between 1972 and 2001, Manfred Pohl led the Historical Institute of Deutsche Bank
. From 1981 he lectured at the Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany, leading courses on Corporate History and Corporate Culture. In 1992 he was awarded an honorary professorship by the university's School of Finance.
In addition to his academic position and his work at Deutsche Bank, Manfred Pohl has founded numerous nonprofit organizations including The European Association for Banking and Financial History
, founded in 1990, the Institute for Corporate Culture Affairs
, founded in 2001 and the Frankfurter Zukunftsrat, founded in 2008.
In 1998 he founded Europoint, which supported the introduction of the Euro
currency in the twelve EU countries that originally adopted the currency in 1999/2001. Activities of note included the "Euro-World" project, a competition where over 1000 children suffering from cancer painted designs for the forthcoming Euro coins. Fourteen winning designs were purchased by the European Central Bank
, of which two remain on display at the Bank, with the other twelve being donated back to the hospitals of the children who created the designs. Europoint also commissioned the illuminated Euro sign that stands outside the European Central Bank
in Frankfurt. After Europoint was dissolved in 2002, ownership of the sign was transferred to the then newly formed Frankfurter Kultur Komitee.
Manfred Pohl has written numerous histories of German companies and business ventures, among them Deutsche Bank
, Hochtief
and the Baghdad Railway
. He has also authored and edited works on economic and social themes, especially related to corporate social responsibility
and business history
(see publications list below).
2011 - German Federal Order of Merit, First Class (Bundesverdienstkreuz, 1. Klasse)
Biography
Manfred Pohl was born on 26 May 1944 in the town of Bliesransbach, near SaarbrückenSaarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
in the Saarland
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
region of Germany. After completing an apprenticeship at the Saarland Credit Bank, he studied German, History, Philosophy and Economics. In 1972 he was awarded a doctorate for his thesis on the history of banking in the Saarland
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
.
Between 1972 and 2001, Manfred Pohl led the Historical Institute of Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank AG is a global financial service company with its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. It employs more than 100,000 people in over 70 countries, and has a large presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the emerging markets...
. From 1981 he lectured at the Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany, leading courses on Corporate History and Corporate Culture. In 1992 he was awarded an honorary professorship by the university's School of Finance.
In addition to his academic position and his work at Deutsche Bank, Manfred Pohl has founded numerous nonprofit organizations including The European Association for Banking and Financial History
The European Association for Banking and Financial History
The European Association for Banking History e.V. was founded in 1990 in Frankfurt, Germany by Professor Manfred Pohl, as a forum for research into the history of banking, insurance and finance...
, founded in 1990, the Institute for Corporate Culture Affairs
Institute for Corporate Culture Affairs
The Institute for Corporate Culture Affairs , is a not-for-profit institute based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, that assists companies in mainstreaming their corporate social responsibility activities...
, founded in 2001 and the Frankfurter Zukunftsrat, founded in 2008.
In 1998 he founded Europoint, which supported the introduction of the Euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
currency in the twelve EU countries that originally adopted the currency in 1999/2001. Activities of note included the "Euro-World" project, a competition where over 1000 children suffering from cancer painted designs for the forthcoming Euro coins. Fourteen winning designs were purchased by the European Central Bank
European Central Bank
The European Central Bank is the institution of the European Union that administers the monetary policy of the 17 EU Eurozone member states. It is thus one of the world's most important central banks. The bank was established by the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1998, and is headquartered in Frankfurt,...
, of which two remain on display at the Bank, with the other twelve being donated back to the hospitals of the children who created the designs. Europoint also commissioned the illuminated Euro sign that stands outside the European Central Bank
European Central Bank
The European Central Bank is the institution of the European Union that administers the monetary policy of the 17 EU Eurozone member states. It is thus one of the world's most important central banks. The bank was established by the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1998, and is headquartered in Frankfurt,...
in Frankfurt. After Europoint was dissolved in 2002, ownership of the sign was transferred to the then newly formed Frankfurter Kultur Komitee.
Manfred Pohl has written numerous histories of German companies and business ventures, among them Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank AG is a global financial service company with its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. It employs more than 100,000 people in over 70 countries, and has a large presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the emerging markets...
, Hochtief
Hochtief
Hochtief Aktiengesellschaft is Germany's largest construction company. It is based in Essen but operates globally, ranking as the top general builder in the United States through its Turner Corporation subsidiary, and in Australia through the Leighton Group. In 2010 it employed more than 70,000...
and the Baghdad Railway
Baghdad Railway
The Baghdad Railway , was built from 1903 to 1940 to connect Berlin with the Ottoman Empire city of Baghdad with a line through modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Iraq....
. He has also authored and edited works on economic and social themes, especially related to corporate social responsibility
Corporate social responsibility
Corporate social responsibility is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model...
and business history
Business history
Business history is the branch of economic history that deals with the history of business organizations, methods, government regulation, labor relations, and impact on society. It also includes biographies of individual companies and entrepreneurs....
(see publications list below).
Awards
2001 - European Culture Prize2011 - German Federal Order of Merit, First Class (Bundesverdienstkreuz, 1. Klasse)
Publications and Edited Works in English
- Responsible Business: How to Manage a CSR Strategy Successfully, Ed. with Nick Tolhurst, Wiley, Chichester 2010
- The A to Z of Corporate Social Responsibility,Ed. with W. Visser, D. Matten and Nick Tolhurst, Wiley, Chichester 2007
- The ICCA Handbook on Corporate Social Responsibility, with Nick Tolhurst, Wiley, Chichester 2006
- Merger of Equals, Munich 2004
Selected Publications and Edited Works in German
- Das Ende des Weißen Mannes [The End of the White Man], Berlin/Bonn 2007
- Sicherheit auf Schiene und Straße. Die Geschichte der Knorr-Bremse AG, [Safety on Rail and Road: The History of the Knorr Brake Company], München 2005
- Requiem auf eine Währung. Die Mark 1873-2001, [Requiem to a Currency: The German Mark 1873-2001], Ed. with Carl-Ludwig Holtfrerich & Harold James, München 2002
- Die Geschichte der Südzucker AG (1926–2001) [The History of the Südzucker Company], München 2001
- Hochtief und seine Geschichte [Hochtief and its History], With Birgit Siekmann, München 2000
- Von Stambul nach Bagdad - die Geschichte einer berühmten Eisenbahn [From 'stambul to Baghdad - The History of a Famous Railway Line], München 1999
- Die Deutsche Bank in London (1873 bis 1998), München 1998