Dr. Michael Merz is Managing Director of Ponton Consulting. He studied computer science and business science and received his PhD in 1996 from University of Hamburg. Michael Merz is architect of software products like the EPC Messenger (an ebXML-based Message Service used under the papiNet project by the European paper industry) and the Contract Editor (an XML-based e-Contracting application based on the XML Signature standard).Michael Merz is also author of 4 books on e-Business and has conducted over 40 full-day seminars on topic like XML and electronic commerce.In 1998, Michael Merz organised TREC'98 - an international conference on "Trends in Electronic Commerce" in Hamburg with 278 participants.