Karlheinz Brandenburg

Karlheinz Brandenburg is renowned for co-developing the MP3, revolutionising audio technology worldwide. Chief Executive Officer at Brandenburg Labs, Karlheinz holds 27 granted patents, highlighting his authority in audio coding, wave field synthesis and psychoacoustics. The pioneering electrical engineer and mathematician has also been inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame for his ground-breaking inventions and is recognised as an international authority on electronic media technology. The driving force behind widely used digital audio technology, Karlheinz reveals the process behind his innovative ideas in his speaking presentations.

Educated at the University of Erlangen-Nurenberg, Karlheinz holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics and a PhD in Electrical Engineering. The idea for the MP3 came about during his PhD, when his supervisor, Professor Dieter Seitzer, shared his dream for a digital jukebox. Building on Dieter's research, Karlheinz's dissertation became the basis for the MP3 and ACC technologies. Following his doctorate, he completed a Postdoc at AT&T Bell Laboratories before joining Fraunhofer IIS as a Department Head, conducting world-class research on microelectronic and IT systems.

In 2000, he joined Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology as Director and became a Professor at the Technische Universitaet Ilmenau. After two decades at the leading university, Karlheinz was elevated to Senior Professor. Accumulating numerous awards and accolades for his cutting-edge work, he received the Technology Award of the Eduard Rhein Foundation, the IEEE Engineering Excellence Award and Ambassador of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation, among others. He is also a Fellow of the Audio Engineering Society.

Often referred to as the Father of the MP3 format, his contributions to the internet and audio have been felt by billions globally. In fact, Karlheinz has set the standards and benchmarks for audio systems worldwide with his pioneering inventions. One of the brightest minds of recent times, Karlheinz is highly inspirational. Now available to hire for speaking engagements, he captivates audiences with his thought leadership in digital media technology.