Mirko Minnich Appointed to Bitkom Executive Board – Beta Systems Co-CEO brings economic perspective on digital sovereignty to the board
Berlin, April 2026 – Mirko Minnich, Co-CEO of Beta Systems Software AG, has been appointed to the Executive Board of Bitkom, Germany’s leading digital association. His appointment brings a representative of the European software industry, headquartered in Berlin, into a board that plays a key role in shaping Germany’s digital policy agenda at a time when there is often still a gap between the concept of digital sovereignty and its implementation.
Minnich advocates for a perspective that views digital sovereignty not as a political guiding principle, but as an economic necessity. Beta Systems has been developing software for security-critical and highly regulated environments for decades, long before the term became a staple in political debates.
“What is now being discussed under the label of digital sovereignty has long been part of our day-to-day product reality: transparent systems, clearly defined access controls, no hidden dependencies, and technologies that do not lock customers into dead ends,” says Mirko Minnich. “What’s new is not the topic itself, but its economic relevance. Especially in regulated markets, freedom of choice is increasingly becoming a key purchasing criterion, and therefore a measurable driver of growth.”
Bitkom represents more than 2,000 companies in the digital economy and serves as a central interface between industry and policymakers. Its Executive Board defines the association’s strategic direction, ranging from cloud computing and cybersecurity to regulation and the data economy.
With Minnich’s appointment, the board gains a voice with a clear focus: digital sovereignty requires market-ready rules, not abstract debate. What matters are binding criteria for access protection, legal jurisdiction, and interoperability. European certifications can create investment certainty, provided they remain internationally compatible. Public sector clients and regulated industries now have a key role to play in consistently embedding these requirements into procurement and, as anchor customers, in helping to establish a sustainable market.
About Bitkom
Bitkom is Europe's largest digital industry association. Founded in 1999, it represents over 2,300 member companies with ties to the digital economy. Membership spans more than 1,000 SMEs, including half of the 40 DAX companies, over 500 startups, and many more global players. The association's larger goal is to cement Germany's position as a leading digital location by advancing the digitization of the German economy, society, and public administration. The group supports policies that promote data-driven business models, data protection, cybersecurity, and other disruptive technologies, while ensuring Germany remains a European and global leader in digital change.