Kerstin Köhler EMBA'25

At 17, Kerstin began her professional journey as a geriatric nurse for dementia patients in Germany. Accompanying people on their final journeys shaped her clear vision of becoming an inspiring female leader and driving meaningful impact. Fundamental to this path was acquiring an excellent education. She swiftly earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and later moved to Beijing, where she obtained a Master of Law in International Relations from Tsinghua University.

After working with stakeholders across NGOs, governmental institutions, and multinational corporations, she was drawn to the fast-paced world of early-stage startups. In 2018, she joined an indoor vertical farming startup in Hamburg and successfully expanded the business into Asia. While building the company’s presence in Singapore, she led the local team through an acquisition, a NASDAQ listing, a divestiture, and a second acquisition, culminating in the completion of an 8,000m², 16m-high fully automated farm.

In January 2025, she graduated with an Executive MBA from INSEAD and was awarded the Singapore Tech Pass. She is now building KIREAP’s Southeast Asia & Pacific operations as its Regional Head.