Armin Luft, founder and CEO of Laser 2000 GmbH (Wessling, Germany), has been appointed by the German Senate of Economy to represent the photonics industry as a senator.
The Senate of Economy is an association of leading figures in business, science, media, and culture as well as representatives from the fields of politics and diplomacy. This coalition acts as an independent political and economic advisory body that helps to implement the aims of the German Senate.
Photonics has become an interdisciplinary field; keeping up with the latest advances will enable Germany to remain competitive in the international market. Forecasts indicate that photonics will significantly influence the technological and economic landscape of this century, similarly to the way that electronics shaped the last century.
Cofounder of Laser World of Photonics
Luft is a well-known business personality and a pioneer in the field of photonics; he studied electrical engineering and co-initiated the Laser World of Photonics trade fair. Laser World of Photonics is now the largest event for the photonics industry worldwide and is also held in China and India, thanks to the support of Messe München.
As a member of the Senate, Armin Luft says he would like to become involved in the conceptual work behind the ongoing development in the field of photonics. Over the past few years, photonics has advanced from a niche technological field to one of Germany's most important leading-edge industries.
The Senate needs to maintain a continuous dialog, based on mutual trust, with political decision makers from various parliaments and governments. The Senate is not in the business of seeking publicity; instead, its main focus lies on supporting politics by providing incentives and practical suggestions. Key issues identified by the Senate include sustainable economic development, global social equality, and climate justice.
Source: http://www.laser2000.de//News/Armin-Luft-Senator-der-Wirtschaft-Deutschland.html
Also see: http://www.senat-deutschland.de/english/