Nonprofit HRNS Enters New Era as Longtime Director Michael Opitz Steps Down

Karen Hadem and Michael Opitz. Press photo.

Hamburg, Germany-based nonprofit Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) has named Karen Hadem as a managing director alongside Jens Sorgenfrei, as longtime managing director Michael Opitz steps down after more than two decades leading the organization.

The foundation said the transition is part of a long-term succession plan. Sorgenfrei, who has served on the HRNS management team for years, will continue in a leadership role, while Hadem joins with experience in international development cooperation and global philanthropy.

Opitz was an instrumental figure in the formation of the organization, even before its formal establishment in 2005, HRNS said in an announcement of the change. 

“It has been a great privilege to build Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung together with a visionary founder, an exceptional team, and strong partners around the world,” Opitz said. “It has always been a collective achievement — driven by the commitment of our staff, our local partners and the active support of the board of trustees.”

Hadem and Jens Sorgenfrei. Press photo.

HRNS founder Michael R. Neumann — who chairs the foundation’s board and is part of the family behind Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG), one of the world’s largest green coffee traders — credited Opitz with building the organization and playing a “decisive role in shaping its programs.”

HRNS is one of the coffee industry’s most visible nonprofits working with smallholder coffee farming families, farmer organizations and private-sector partners. The foundation also works closely with International Coffee Partners, a pre-competitive group of family-owned European coffee companies, and helps lead the farmer-focused Coffee&Climate initiative.

The foundation said it has an endowment of approximately €150 million. 

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