Detlef Schwarte, a sociology graduate, is co-founder of the Reeperbahn Festival, Europe's largest club festival and one of the world's most important conferences for the music industry. As festival director, Schwarte is responsible for the strategic development of the Reeperbahn Festival and the content of the programme, which includes more than 500 concerts, more than 300 sessions, networking events, showcases and award shows and welcomes 45,000 visitors from more than 40 countries. Schwarte is the initiator of the Federation of Music Conferences and Managing Director of Häkken, a 200-seat music club in Hamburg. He also designs and realises corporate and public events as a partner and managing director of Inferno Events, a Hamburg event agency.