Photo: Manuela Zingl © Jana Legler
Berlin, May 4, 2026
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin is restructuring its corporate communications. Against the backdrop of ever-increasing challenges in the healthcare sector, changing societal communication structures, and a dynamically evolving media landscape, the existing Corporate Communications division was transformed into two new, complementary, and closely interconnected divisions on May 1, 2026: Brand & Corporate Identity and Media & Politics. This strengthens Charité’s brand while simultaneously responding to the constantly changing demands of internal and external communication.
Digitalization and social media have fundamentally changed the requirements for organizations. Today, the media, the public, and other stakeholders expect rapid, direct, and dialogue-oriented communication. At the same time, transparency and credibility are gaining in importance and playing an increasingly vital role in the competition for patients, medical and scientific professionals, funding, and public and private support. “We therefore examined this topic intensively and jointly decided that it is time to lead the strong Charité brand into the future and further develop its public image,” explains CEO Prof. Heyo K. Kroemer, outlining the background to the realignment.
Photo: Markus Heggen © Charité | Maria Streltsova
Brand & Corporate Identity Division
“There is probably no other brand in the German hospital sector with such a long tradition and such high visibility,” emphasizes Manuela Zingl, highlighting the importance of the new Brand & Corporate Identity division. At the same time, she adds, it is extremely challenging for an organization with more than 100 clinics and institutes and over 25,000 employees to communicate the core brand values and their associated content consistently and coherently, both internally and externally. “My goal is to shape a brand that not only shows who we are, but also what we want to stand for in the future – innovation, digitalization, and a changing medical landscape.”
To achieve this goal, the Brand & Corporate Identity division brings together various key competencies under one roof. The Corporate Brand, Internal Communications, Online, Event Management, and Alumni Relations teams each contribute with clearly defined areas of focus to consistently shape and bring the brand to life. While Brand Management sets the strategic framework, Internal Communications and digital channels provide orientation and visibility, events offer engaging encounters, and the Alumni Relations division fosters lasting connections and exchange beyond the organization. “Together, we create an integrated interplay across all touchpoints that strengthens our identity and supports our development as an innovative and networked institution,” explains Manuela Zingl, who has been with Charité since December 2008 and knows the institution intimately.
In recent years, Manuela Zingl has held key positions in various leadership roles. Since 2012, she has served as Charité’s spokesperson, most recently as its corporate spokesperson. She initially headed the Corporate Communications division on an interim basis from June 2018, and officially from March 2019.
Media & Politics Division
The new Media & Politics division will strategically consolidate press and media relations, social media, political communication, and science communication. This will create an integrated unit for research, teaching, and patient care at Charité, more closely linking topic development, public positioning, and political communication. In the future, relevant topics will be identified early, clearly communicated, and addressed across multiple channels.
The goal is to systematically make Charité’s expertise accessible to both patients and professionals in medicine and science. Charité will also increase its visibility and further intensify its engagement with political decision-makers at the state and federal levels.
Markus Heggen, who also serves as the company’s spokesperson, will head the Media & Politics division. “University medicine exists at the intersection of cutting-edge research, patient care, and healthcare policy frameworks. Our task is to communicate these connections in a journalistically relevant and understandable way – while simultaneously highlighting the structural prerequisites for innovation and excellent patient care. We aim to deliver content across platforms and tailored to specific target groups. And we want to actively participate in socio-political debates and further strengthen the influence of university medicine on decision-making processes,” emphasizes Markus Heggen.
Markus Heggen has 15 years of experience in television journalism. He has been working at Charité since November 2020, where he has focused on strategic communication. Initially, he served as press spokesperson, and from June 2023, he headed the newsroom. Since January 2025, he has been acting as interim head of corporate communications, covering for Manuela Zingl during her parental leave.
Leave a Reply