Katja Hermes is the Director of Music Cities at Sound Diplomacy. She founded the Sound Diplomacy Berlin office in October 2013. In this role Katja has consulted several cities on their Music City strategy, gave lectures about Music Cities at events over the world and initiated the Music Cities Network together with the Hamburg Music Business Association (IHM). She worked on the development of several funding projects for German institutions and has consulted with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, GIZ, Adam Mickiewicz Institute Poland, Nordic Embassies Berlin and many other institutions. Katja has been working in the music business for more than 12 years. She has worked in various fields in the industry including at Mutek Festival, Ableton and Initiative Musik, the German funding organisation, where she was responsible for the export projects. Katja holds a diploma in Geography and Economy, with a focus on urban planning and creative industries.