Former German Vice-Chancellor and Economics Minister, Robert Habeck, will join Urban Partners as a senior advisor starting in August to help steer research and focus on city development and expanding affordable housing.

Jens Stender, Co-Chief of Urban Partners, underscores the crucial public-private collaboration and Habeck’s expertise at the crossroads of sustainability, affordability, and private industry.

Habeck emphasizes the broader social, ecological, and economic benefits of improving housing, public spaces, and infrastructure, aligning with Urban Partners’ sustainable, inclusive urban development philosophy.

Habeck stepped down from the Bundestag on the eve of September 1, 2025, and German rules require an 18-month disclosure period after leaving office for potential conflicts of interest in new roles.

The announcement and coverage reference Habeck's changes via social media and SPIEGEL, with no changes to his wider political commitments.

Urban Partners notes Habeck will adapt Nordic market models to German conditions, as reflected in the company’s release.

The move follows Habeck’s tenure as Vice-Chancellor and Economics Minister from December 2021 to May 2025 and his post-political teaching roles in the USA and Israel; Urban Partners lauds his expertise and track record.

Habeck retired from active politics after the 2025 Bundestag election, having led the Greens since 2018 and served as Vice-Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Beyond advisory duties, Habeck will continue as a geopolitical analyst and will become a Professor of Practice at Copenhagen Business School, focusing on geopolitics, security, and economics within a research cluster.

Habeck aims to replicate Nordic pension-fund-style investment into German public infrastructure and city development to finance climate-friendly, affordable housing.

Urban Partners, a Copenhagen-based firm managing over 25 billion euros, expanding its German footprint with offices in Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin, alongside recent investments in logistics real estate and multifamily housing.

Urban Partners highlights its focus on cities and urban spaces, with ongoing investments in logistics real estate and multifamily rental housing in major German cities.