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HAMBURG, GERMANY // Dörte studied Visual Communications and started her career as an Art Director before switching to Copywriting.

After working in several agencies, she joined Jung von Matt, becoming a Creative Director after only three years.

In 2000, she founded her own company MARIA.

Dörte returned 2002 to Jung von Matt to set the agency JvM/Spree in Berlin with two partners, becoming a shareholder. After that, she launched the first international branch, JvM/9 and several other companies (JvM/Pulse, JvM/Fleet, JvM/Elbe, JvM/SAGA and JvM Hamburg). She has worked for all big clients including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Sixt, Zalando, Netto, Edeka, BVG, OTTO, Douglas, WWF, Beiersdorf, DocMorris, and many more.

With over 700 awards, including several Grand Prixs, Dörte is one of the most awarded German creatives, first female President of Germany’s Art Directors Club and an Advisory Board Member of the D&AD and New York Festival.

She was awarded Germany’s Agency Head of the Year 2018, served 2019 besides other juries as Chairwoman and Jury President of the ADC*E Festival.

Dörte is extremely passionate about her work. She loves to travel and to meet people, more than that, though, her husband Tobias Ahrens, their son Bela, and Tyson - the family dog.