New vzbv Executive Director Ramona Pop: "Crisis management only works in tandem with strong consumers"

On 4 July 2022, Ramona Pop took over as Executive Director of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) from interim Executive Director Jutta Gurkmann. The 44-year-old Pop was previously mayor and senator for economy, energy and public enterprises in Berlin and, from 2009 to 2016, parliamentary group leader of the Green Party in the Berlin House of Representatives. Pop sees the consumer price crisis as her greatest current task. As head of vzbv, she also wants to ensure that policy-makers tackle the major challenges of the future with the interests of consumers at heart.

"We will only master the great challenges of our time - rising consumer prices, the climate crisis and digitalisation - if policy-makers strengthen consumer rights and involve consumers," says Ramona Pop.

"I am looking forward to the challenge of leading vzbv in turbulent times and giving over 80 million consumers a resounding voice. In the current price crisis, I will work to ensure that consumers do not lose out. The government must first and foremost provide relief to those who already have their backs to the wall and face rising prices in the supermarket, for their mobility and heating."

Ramona Pop continued: "The current energy price crisis shows that political decision-makers need to be constantly alert to important challenges. In order to ensure that the lives of consumers keep improving, policy-makers must immediately tackle the challenges of digitalisation, the energy transition and demographic change. vzbv will make sure that the interests of consumers are put centre stage when political decisions are taken.

Background

Ramona Pop takes over as Executive Director of vzbv from Jutta Gurkmann. Gurkmann will return to her position as head of consumer policy at vzbv after leading vzbv in an interim capacity from March to June 2022. Klaus Müller has previously led the association from 2014 to February 2022. He is President of the Federal Network Agency since March 2022.