Since 2023, Manuela Koneczny has been the managing director of the Chamber of Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria. For the future viability of a non-profit organization like the Chamber of Crafts , she believes that digitization plays a central role. Digitizing processes and utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) are essential for making the diverse tasks of a service provider more efficient. For Manuela Koneczny, it is just as much a heartfelt concern that women leverage this process for themselves and their potential, as it is to promote female talent in the crafts sector and its organizations.

Starting her career as a public relations officer in 2006 at the Chamber of Crafts , she initially focused on both internal and external communication. She took on the project leadership for corporate design and coordinated the introduction of these design guidelines for 40 Chamber of Crafts throughout Germany.

One of her “passion projects” was the youth campaign “Macher gesucht” (Seeking Makers), which she initiated in 2008, at a time when the shortage of skilled workers was not yet firmly established in the public consciousness. Engaging with young people on their level, in an entertaining and predominantly online manner, required a lot of courage and perseverance at the beginning. This campaign played a significant pioneering role with its innovative concept for the nationwide campaign “Das Handwerk. Die Wirtschaftsmacht von nebenan.” (The Craft. The Economic Power Next Door), initiated in 2010.

In 2018, as head of the Personnel and Organization department, new tasks and challenges awaited her at the Chamber of Crafts. With courage, new ideas, and the perseverance to implement them long-term, she introduced a new employer branding strategy for the organization. The aim was to build a strong and attractive employer brand and, above all, to strengthen the bond between employees and their employer. This project was a step towards a modern, employee-oriented corporate culture.

Before joining the Chamber of Crafts in Munich, Manuela Koneczny, a graduate geographer, worked as a personal assistant at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Oldenburg in the far north. She led internal communication to success with her bold and innovative style, for example.