Dr. Tilman Altenburg
Tilman Altenburg, born in 1959, is co-director of the research program "Transformation of Economic and Social Systems," which has approximately 35 research associates at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), one of the world's leading research institutes and think tanks for global development and international cooperation.
Tilman Altenburg received his doctorate in economic geography from the University of Hamburg in 1991. Before joining IDOS (then: German Development Institute) in 1995, he was a research associate at the Free University of Berlin and the Philipps University of Marburg. He has been head of department since 2000.
He has conducted empirical research on economic development in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. His academic interests lie in how developing and emerging economies can shape economic policies that improve their position in the global economy in a socially inclusive and ecologically sustainable way. He is currently researching ecological structural policies, the industrial development potential of green hydrogen, and sustainability innovations in the retail sector. He is one of the coordinators of the global research network "Sustainable Global Supply Chains."
Tilman Altenburg has led numerous research and consulting projects, mostly international, and has published over one hundred scientific articles. He regularly advises German ministries and international organizations such as the World Bank, UNDP, UNCTAD, and UNIDO. Tilman Altenburg has participated as a guest in the meetings of the National Hydrogen Council since 2023.
