- With “Scaling Intelligence” as its motto, DMEXCO 2026 will focus on leveraging AI for value creation
- Over 1,000 top international speakers will discuss the issues shaping the future of the industry on 17 stages and at 11 summits
- Larger and more diverse than ever: The World of Commerce spans the entire digital commerce value chain
Cologne, September 14, 2026 – With “Scaling Intelligence” as its motto, DMEXCO 2026 on September 23 and 24 will showcase how companies are taking artificial intelligence beyond the experimental phase and translating it into practical applications, processes, and business models. Europe’s leading digital marketing and tech event brings together decision-makers and major industry players from the worlds of AI, media, commerce, and agencies. Visitors can once again look forward to a comprehensive conference program, with more than 1,000 speakers delivering over 230 hours of content across 17 stages and in over 500 sessions.
AI in Marketing: From vision to practice
Highlights on the DMEXCO stages include keynotes from leading international AI companies and tech firms. Speakers at the Thought Leaders’ Summit on day 1 will include Dave Dugan, Head of Global 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. Dirk Freytag, President of the German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW), and renowned analysts such as Benedict Evans, Lara Sophie Bothur, and Pip Klöckner will be among the experts offering further insights.
The CMO Summit on day 2 will be opened by Verena Gründel and Věra Šídlová from Kantar. Speakers discussing how they are putting the latest AI technologies into practice in marketing will include Boris Dolkhani, CMO at Bosch, Ana von Hutten, Marketing Director EMEA at Mattel, and Claudia Willvonseder, Executive Board Member at Dr. Oetker.
From the Creativity Summit – powered by DDA – to the AdTech Summit: DMEXCO will showcase the full breadth and diversity of the marketing industry with eleven themed summits.
More top speakers of DMEXCO 2026:
- Ann-Katrin Schmitz | Founder | Baby got Business, social media expert and podcaster
- Andrea Spielmann | CMO | Lorenz Snacks
- Céline Flores Willers | Founder | The People Branding Company
- Emi Kusano | Multidisciplinary artist and AI creative pioneer from Tokyo
- Florian Haller | CEO | Serviceplan Group
- Florian Jacquier | Global Head, Digital Marketing, Data, and Technology | Nestlé
- Greg Owens | VP International | Pinterest
- Iskra Velichkova | Senior Marketing Director/Head of Brand | PayPal
- Jan Flemming | Executive Director | PENNY Marketing and REWE Group Media
- Jennifer Treiber-Ruckenbrod | Global CMO MINI | BMW Group
- Kristin Fracchia | CMO | Gamma
- Marius Keckeisen | Chief Innovation Officer and Chairman of the Board | BLACKROLL AG
- Sir Martin Sorrell | Founder and Executive Chairman | S4 Capital
- Mona Roberts | Head of Marketing Northern Europe | Primark Mode Ltd. & Co. KG
- Oliver Bierhoff | Entrepreneur | Global Sports Business
- Patrick Sostmann | General Manager | Alibaba.com Europe
- Paul Ronzheimer | Global Reporter | BILD, WELT, Politico
- Philipp Justus | VP Central Europe | Google
- Tino Krause | MD DACH | Meta
- Uli Klenke | Chief Brand Officer | Telekom
- Wolfgang Ufer | CEO | smart
All aspects of marketing, tech, and commerce represented at the expo
The extensive lineup of international partners at DMEXCO 2026 will include 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 will be supporting DMEXCO as a Platinum Sponsor.
The leading major agency networks – Pilot Group, House of Communication, Omnicom Group, Publicis Group, WPP Group, and Dentsu – will be represented both at the expo and on stage. Screenforce and its members will also be participating in DMEXCO for the third consecutive year. The nine video media sales houses in the DACH region that make up the industry initiative will be inviting attendees to the Future TV Stage and the Total TV Experience to discuss the future of total video.
DMEXCO World of Commerce: The commerce industry’s premier business platform
The World of Commerce in Hall 7 serves as the central hub for the digital retail industry. In 2026, it will cover the entire value chain for the first time – from marketplaces and shop systems to digital payment, logistics, and fulfillment. Sessions on the Commerce Stage and practical masterclasses will focus on the latest strategies and technologies for digital retail, as well as new business models such as agentic and social commerce. The Commerce Lounge offers space for networking, a podcast studio with silent audience facilities, and an additional stage featuring a two-day program for commerce experts.
Verena Gründel, Host and Brand & Communications Director at DMEXCO: “1,000 speakers, 17 stages, 11 summits, and 700 partners – those are impressive figures. But what really makes DMEXCO stand out is that every visitor can create their own itinerary from the stage program and the expo, ranging from AI strategies in marketing to real-life commerce case studies. This diversity is exactly what makes Cologne Europe’s largest marketplace for ideas in September.”
Dirk Freytag, President of the German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW e.V.) adds: “The time for experimenting with AI is over. Now, it must contribute to value creation. The interplay between technology and human judgment, creativity, and accountability will play a decisive role in this. DMEXCO is the ideal venue to explore this very issue. Here, the digital economy uses examples from real practice to demonstrate how technological opportunities can be transformed into effective processes, better results, and new business models. From the summits to the BVDW Masterclasses to our Learning Journeys, the aim isn’t simply to analyze and inform but also to enable implementation.”
Online Ad Summit 2026 will discuss the future of the digital advertising ecosystem
Organized by the German Circle of Online Marketers (OVK) in collaboration with the BVDW, the Online Ad Summit is the official DMEXCO pre-event. More than 300 decision-makers from the worlds of advertising, publishing, and adtech will gather at Cologne’s Maritim Hotel on September 22 to discuss the future of the digital advertising market, taking “AI – Loss of Control or Gold Rush?” as their theme. The event will shine a spotlight 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 & tech event. We are a community and a central gathering place for all key players in the digital economy and the spheres of marketing and innovation. We bring together industry leaders, marketing and media professionals, and tech pioneers to collectively set the digital agenda. DMEXCO offers a comprehensive ecosystem featuring presentations from internationally renowned speakers, exhibitions from top brands, and hands-on masterclasses – all centered around digital trends and future business opportunities.
Both in Cologne and online, we set the benchmark as the go-to networking and business platform for the digital economy. At DMEXCO, decision-makers gain valuable insights, draw inspiration, make contacts, and seal deals. This is where the digital business landscape of tomorrow unfolds today. This year’s event will take place in Cologne on September 23 and 24, 2026.
With DMEXCO ASIA, DMEXCO has now also established a major platform for digital transformation in the Southeast Asia-Pacific region. DMEXCO ASIA will be held in Singapore in co-location with the eCommerce Expo on April 7 and 8, 2027.
The German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW) – together with the online marketing association Online-Vermarkterkreis (OVK) – is the ideational and professional partner of DMEXCO and owner of the DMEXCO brand. DMEXCO is organized by Koelnmesse.
Image material relating to DMEXCO is available online at https://go.dmexco.com/de/press-downloads-dmexco.
Media Contact
Marvin Grollius
PR & Media Relations Manager
E-Mail: press@dmexco.com
