We represent the Initiative 701 e.V.
The founding members in 2005 included the initiator of the idea, Jürgen Büssow, then District President, the late Lord Mayor of Düsseldorf Joachim Erwin, the artists Jung Me Chai and Günther Uecker, the then Director of the Kunsthalle Dr. Ulrike Groos, the management consultant Axel Haubrok and the art consultant Helge Achenbach. Gerit Christiani, then Head of the Department of Culture, Düsseldorf District Government, and the artists Gotthard Graubner, Jörg Immendorff, Andreas Gursky and Tamara K.E. played a decisive role in drawing up the concept and preparing the foundation of the association.
In the first 10 years, Werner Wimmer, former Spokesman of the Board of Deutsche Apotheker- und Ärztebank, as Chairman of the Board 701 e.V. and Wolfgang Westphälinger, at that time partner at Ernst& Young, as Managing Director 701 gGmbH led the association’s fortunes.
Members of the Board of Directors are currently (as of January 2022):
Dr Michael Leistikow (Chairman) former Partner Hogan Lovells International LLP
Detmar Westhoff (Deputy Chairman) – Westhoff Fine Arts
Marcel Abel – Managing Director Jones Lang LaSalle SE
Alexandra Iwan – Owner of the PR and press agency textschwester
Dr. Astrid Legge – Curator of the art collection Provinzial Rheinland Versicherung
Dr. iur. Axel Zitzmann
Jürgen Büssow (Honorary Chairman) – former District President Düsseldorf