DMEXCO at Koelnmesse: How AI is shaping the future of marketing, media and commerce
Now free at DMEXCO: Under the motto "Scaling Intelligence", DMEXCO 2026 will showcase On September 23rd and 24th, learn how companies are transferring artificial intelligence from the experimental phase into concrete applications, processes, and business models. Includes two free tickets from smartville digital.
by DMEXCO || September 19, 2026
Europe's leading digital marketing and tech event brings together decision-makers and industry leaders from AI, media, commerce, and agencies. This year, guests can once again expect a comprehensive program. Conference program . More than 1,000 speakers will present over 230 hours of programming across 17 stages and in over 500 sessions.
AI in Marketing: From Vision to Practice
Highlights on the DMEXCO stages include keynote speeches from leading international AI companies and tech giants. At the Thought Leaders' Summit on day one, speakers include Dave Dugan, Global Head of Ads Solutions at OpenAI; Dr. Boris Ewenstein, CEO of OTTO GmbH & Co. KGaA; Nidhi Ghai, Corporate Vice President of Ad Sales at Microsoft; and Dan Taylor, Vice President of Global Ads at Google. Further insights will be provided by BVDW President Dirk Freytag and renowned analysts such as Benedict Evans, Lara Sophie Bothur, and Pip Klöckner.
The CMO Summit (Day 2) will be opened by Verena Gründel and Vera Sidlova from Kantar. Speakers including Boris Dolkhani, CMO of Bosch, Ana von Hutten, Marketing Director EMEA of Mattel, and Claudia Willvonseder, Executive Board Member at Dr. Oetker, will discuss how they are practically implementing the latest AI technologies in marketing. From the Creativity Summit – powered by DDA – to the AdTech Summit: With eleven thematic summits DMEXCO reflects the diversity of the marketing industry in all its breadth.
Highlight speakers of DMEXCO 2026:
- Ann-Katrin Schmitz | Founder | Baby got Business, Social Media Expert
- Andrea Spielmann | CMO | Lorenz Snack-World
- Celine Flores Willers | Founder | The People Branding Company
- Emi Kusano | Multidisciplinary artist & AI creative pioneer from Tokyo
- Florian Haller | CEO | Serviceplan Group
- Florian Jacquier | Global Head, Digital Marketing, Data & Technology | Nestle
-Greg Owens | VP | International Pinterest
- Iskra Velichkova | Senior Marketing Director / Head of Brand | PayPal
- Jan Flemming | Managing Director | PENNY Marketing & REWE Group Media
- Jennifer Treiber-Ruckenbrod | Global CMO MINI | BMW Group
- Kristin Fracchia | CMO | gamma
- Marius Keckeisen | Chief Innovation Officer & Chairman of the Board | BLACKROLL AG
-Sir Martin Sorrell | Founder & Executive Chairman | S4Capital
-Mona Roberts | Head of Marketing Northern Europe | Primark Fashion Ltd. & Co. KG
- Oliver Bierhoff | Entrepreneur | Global Sports Business
- Patrick Sostmann | General Manager | Alibaba.com Europe
- Paul Ronzheimer | Global Reporter | IMAGE, WORLD, Politico
- Philipp Justus | VP Central Europe | Google
- Tino Krause | MD DACH | Meta
- Uli Klenke | Chief Brand Officer | Telecom
- Wolfgang Ufer | CEO | smart
Diversity of marketing, tech and commerce
The international partner lineup for DMEXCO 2026 also includes Adverity, Awin, Billiger.de , DAZN, Factfinder, Google, IBM iX, Idealo, IQ Digital, JTL, Media Impact, Meta, mobile.de , OpenAI, Optimizely, Pimcore, Rewe Group, RMS, Rossmann, Shopfully, Shopware, Spotify, Teads, The Nielsen Company, The Trade Desk, TikTok, United Internet Media, Vistar Media, WallDecaux and many more.
Profound supports DMEXCO as a Platinum Sponsor.
Pilot Group, House of Communication, Omnicom Group, Publicis Group, WPP Group, and Dentsu, the most important of the major agency networks, are represented both at the expo and on the stages. The industry initiative Screenforce is also present at DMEXCO for the third consecutive year and, together with its nine DACH sales partners, invites attendees to discuss the future of Total Video on the Future TV Stage and at the "Total TV Experience."
DMEXCO World of Commerce: The central business platform for the commerce industry
World of Commerce in Hall 7 is the central meeting point for the digital commerce industry and, for the first time, showcases the entire value chain – from marketplaces and shop systems to digital payment, logistics, and fulfillment. The Commerce Stage and practical masterclasses will cover current strategies and technologies for digital commerce, as well as new business models such as agentic commerce and social commerce. The Commerce Lounge offers networking opportunities, a podcast studio with a silent audience, and another stage with two days of programming for commerce experts.
Verena Gründel (pictured left), host and Director of Brand & Communications at DMEXCO: “1,000 speakers, 17 stages, eleven summits, and 700 partners – these are impressive figures. But what’s crucial is something else: Every visitor will find their own program on the stages and in the expo, from AI strategy in marketing to concrete commerce cases. It is precisely this diversity that makes Cologne the largest marketplace of ideas in Europe in September.”
Dirk Freytag, President of the German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW) eV, adds:
"The AI experimentation phase is over. Now AI must be integrated into value creation. Crucial to this is the interplay between technology and human judgment, creativity, and a sense of responsibility. DMEXCO is precisely the central venue for this: Here, the digital economy showcases concrete case studies demonstrating how technological opportunities translate into effective processes, improved results, and new business models. From the summits and BVDW masterclasses to our learning journeys, it's not just about classification, but about implementation."
The Online Ad Summit 2026 discusses the future of the digital advertising ecosystem.
At the Online Ad Summit, the official pre-event of DMEXCO, organized by the OVK within the BVDW, more than 300 decision-makers from the advertising, publishing, and ad tech industries will discuss the future of the digital advertising market on September 22nd at the Maritim Hotel Cologne under the motto "AI – Loss of Control or Gold Rush?" The focus will be on the impact of artificial intelligence on business models, marketing, and value creation, as well as new approaches to advertising effectiveness, data strategies, and the open web.
About DMEXCO
DMEXCO is Europe's leading digital marketing and tech event. We see ourselves as a community and the central meeting point for all key decision-makers in the digital economy, marketing, and innovation. We bring together industry leaders, marketing and media professionals, and technology and innovation drivers to jointly define the digital agenda. DMEXCO offers a complete ecosystem of presentations from international speakers, exhibitions from top brands, and practical masterclasses – all focused on digital trends and future business potential.
In Cologne and online, we set the benchmark as the networking and business platform for the digital economy. Decision-makers expand their knowledge and find inspiration, make connections, and close deals. DMEXCO is the place where the digital business of tomorrow can be experienced today. This year, the event will take place on September 23 and 24, 2026, in Cologne.
With DMEXCO ASIA, DMEXCO has now established a central platform for digitalization in the Southeast Asia-Pacific region. DMEXCO ASIA will take place in Singapore on April 7th and 8th, 2027, in conjunction with the eCommerce Expo.
The German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW) is – with the special involvement of the Online Marketing Circle (OVK) – the conceptual and technical sponsor of DMEXCO and owner of the brand. Koelnmesse is the organizer of DMEXCO.
TAKE OUT: DMEXCO Marketing Reality Check
Technological changes are driving marketing investments: The first-ever "DMEXCO Marketing Reality Check" study reveals that, despite subdued economic expectations, the marketing budgets of German companies are largely expected to remain stable or increase next year. At the same time, the survey highlights a tension between technological developments and investment plans on the corporate side and consumer acceptance of certain applications. In the "DMEXCO Marketing Reality Check 2026," 39 percent of the marketing decision-makers surveyed indicated that they plan to maintain the same budgets for the next twelve months. 29 percent anticipate budget increases, and 26 percent expect budget decreases.
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