Pavel Achter New Managing Director of the Karajan Institute

After more than a decade, Dr. Matthias Röder will hand over the management of the Eliette and Herbert von Karajan Institute to Pavel Achter on August 1, 2025. With his relevant professional experience, Achter intends to continue existing activities and, together with the Karajan family, provide new impetus.

Dr. Röder has headed the institute since 2011 and has had a significant impact on it, for example through the founding and development of the Karajan Music Tech Conference, the digitization of the Karajan archive, and future-oriented collaborations in the fields of artificial intelligence, immersive media, and music therapy.

His successor, Pavel Achter, has held senior positions in the music industry, cultural consulting, and finance. At Universal Music Group, he was responsible for international strategy projects and oversaw investments in renowned music productions, catalogs, and events. As a senior consultant at the cultural consulting firm actori, he advised numerous cultural institutions on the development of sustainable strategies. In addition, he was involved in establishing social entrepreneurial initiatives in the cultural and creative sectors. Achter began his professional career at UBS in international asset management and business development.  “I am delighted to take over the management of the Karajan Institute and to work together with the family to preserve and further develop Herbert von Karajan’s musical legacy,” said Achter.

“The Karajan family would like to thank Dr. Matthias Röder for his commitment and the projects he initiated during his tenure. With the appointment of Pavel Achter as managing director, we see an opportunity to further develop the institute’s activities with a fresh perspective and to provide new impetus. We look forward to working with him and warmly welcome him,” said the supervisory board.

The Eliette and Herbert von Karajan Institute, based in Salzburg, is the successor institution to the Karajan Center in Vienna, which was founded in 1995. As a non-profit organization, it pursues the goal of preserving the artistic legacy of Herbert von Karajan, inspiring the next generation to take an interest in classical music, and actively shaping the future of music, in particular through technological innovation and new approaches.