Transatlantic Partnership Award

Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger has been Chairman of the Munich Security Conference since 2008. He is Senior Professor for Security Policy and Diplomatic Practice at the Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, and Adjunct Professor at the University of Tuebingen.
Ischinger began his diplomatic career in 1973 in the cabinet of the UN Secretary-General. In 1975, he joined the Federal Republic of Germany’s Foreign Service. As part of his distinguished diplomatic carreer, he served as German Ambassador in Washington, DC from 2001 to 2006.
From 2008 to 2014, he was also Global Head of Government Relations of Allianz SE, Munich. Ambassador Ischinger serves on a number of corporate boards and advisory councils. He is also a member of the Trilateral Commission and the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).
Read Amb. Ischinger's full bio here.

Two speakers honored this year's awardee with laudation speeches:
General Jim Jones, U.S. Marine Corps General (ret.) and former National Security Advisor, who has extensive transatlantic experience through his positions as Commander, United States European Command (COMUSEUCOM) and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and chairman of the Atlantic Council, as well as Professor Dr. Wolfgang Reitzle, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Linde AG, who has held high-level positions in the automotive industry both in the US and Germany. Click on the following links to access General Jones’ full CV and Professor Reitzle’s full CV.

List of Awardees

The list of past laureates can be found here.

2016
Hans Van Bylen, CEO Henkel; Peter Hoecklin, President & CEO, TRUMPF Inc. North America; Dr. Franz Kleiner, Member of the Board of Management, ZF Friedrichshafen AG; Dr. Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller, President & Chairwoman of the Managing Board, TRUMPF Group; Jerry Perkins, President, Henkel North America; Wayne T. Smith, Member of the Board of Executive Directors, BASF SE; Dr. Stefan Sommer, CEO, ZF Friedrichshafen AG; Teressa Szelest-Shah, President Market & Business Development North America, BASF Corporation and Ludwig Willisch, President & CEO, BMW of North America
Laudatio: John B. Emerson, Ambassador of the United States of America to the Federal Republic of Germany
2014
Dr. Tom Enders, CEO, Airbus Group & Gregory J. Hayes, Chairman & CEO, United Technologies
Laudatio: Dr. Manfred Bischoff, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Daimler AG
2013
Die Berliner Philharmoniker & The New York Philharmonic
Laudatio: Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble, Federal Minister of Finance
2012
Dirk Nowitzki, NBA Champion 2011, Dallas Mavericks
Laudatio: Dr. Eric N. Olson, Professor and Chair Department of Molecular Biology University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
2011
William (Bill) H. Gates III, Co-Chair and Trustee Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
on behalf of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Laudatio: Sabine Christiansen, TV-Presenter on behalf of Dr. Michael Otto, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Otto Group
2010
Prof. Dr. h.c. mult. Hasso Plattner, Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates, SAP AG
Laudatio: Prof. John L. Hennessy, President of Stanford University
2009
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, 38th Governor of the State of California
Laudatio: Thomas Gottschalk, Entertainer
2008
Dr. Jürgen Weber, Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats, Deutsche Lufthansa AG
Laudatio: Robert M. Kimmitt, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, US Department of the Treasury and former US Ambassador to Germany
2007
Meg Whitman, President and Chief Executive Officer, eBay Inc.
Laudatio: Bundesjustizministerin a.D. Brigitte Zypries
2006
Professor Kurt Masur, Conductor
Laudatio: The Hon. Richard C. Holbrooke, Former Ambassador to Germany and the United Nations
2005
Jeffrey R. Immelt, Chief Executive Officer General Electric Company
Laudatio: Bundeskanzler a.D. Gerhard Schröder
2004
Otto Schily, Bundesinnenminister a.D.
Laudatio: Tom Ridge, US Secretary of Homeland Security
2003
Ambassador Robert B. Zoellick, United States Trade Representative
Laudatio: Frank Elbe, German Ambassador to Switzerland
2002
Dr. Otto Graf Lambsdorff, Bundesminister a.D. und Ehrenvorsitzender der FDP
Laudatio: Paul Volcker, Former Chairman, American Federal Reserve Board
2001
Prof. Dr. Günter Blobel, Forscher, The Rockefeller University
Laudatio: Erivan Haub, Chairman, Unternehmensgruppe Tengelmann
2000
The Hon. Richard C. Holbrooke, U.S. Botschafter bei den Vereinten Nationen
Laudatio: Thomas Middelhoff, Vorstandsvorsitzender, Bertelsmann AG
1999
Ambassador Vernon A. Walters, Ehemaliger U.S. Botschafter in Deutschland
Laudatio: Bundeskanzler a.D. Dr. Helmut Kohl
1998
Prof. Dr. Kurt Biedenkopf, Ministerpräsident des Freistaates Sachsen a.D.
Laudatio: Dr. Mark Wössner, Vorstandsvorsitzender, Bertelsmann AG
1997
Dr. Mark M. Wössner, Vorstandsvorsitzender, Bertelsmann AG
Laudatio: Dr. Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State
1996
Erivan Haub, Alleingeschäftsführender Gesellschafter der Unternehmensgruppe Tengelmann
Laudatio: Robert M. Kimmitt, former US Ambassador to Germany
1995
‘Amerika Häuser’ in Germany
Laudatio: Bundesaußenminister a.D. Hans-Dietrich Genscher
1994
Senator J. William Fulbright, Fulbright Program
Laudatio: Bundesaußenminister a.D. Hans-Dietrich Genscher
1993
Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Bundesaußenminister a.D.
Laudatio: Edzard Reuter, Vorsitzender des Vorstandes Daimler-Benz AG
1992
Edzard Reuter, Vorsitzender des Vorstandes, Daimler-Benz AG
Laudatio: Walther Leisler Kiep, former Chairman, Atlantik Brücke e.V.
1991
Senator Richard G. Lugar, United States Senator
Laudatio: Bundesaußenminister a.D. Hans-Dietrich Genscher
1990
Walther Leisler Kiep, Chairman, Atlantik Brücke e.V., Bonn
Laudatio: Senator Charles McC. Mathias, Jr., Chairman, The American Council on Germany
1989
Senator Charles McC. Mathias, Jr., Chairman, The American Council on Germany
Laudatio: Dr. Dieter Kronzucker, Leiter, Heute Journal, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen
1988
Dr. Dieter Kronzucker, Leiter, Heute Journal, ZDF Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen
Laudatio: Richard R. Burt, Former US Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany
1987
Berndt von Staden, Staatssekretär a.D.
Laudatio: Albert O.Hicks, former President of AmCham Germany

Jury of the AmCham Germany Transatlantic Partnership Award

Who is recognized?

People who have made special contributions to the transatlantic relationship in their field. The following criteria should be met:

Individual from Germany or the US, living in either the United States or Germany
Individual with notable achievements in business, politics, science, arts, or culture
Individual whose accomplishments receive wide public attention

The spectrum of award nominees includes innovative, creative, and intellectual achievements as well as “established” personalities.

The independent jury consists of seven distinguished personalities from the transatlantic business, media and political community.

Each year, a jury meeting is held.

Bernhard Mattes, President, AmCham Germany & Chairman, Ford-Werke GmbH, is acting Chairman.

Jury Members

Bernhard Mattes, President AmCham Germany & Chairman Ford-Werke GmbH
Dorothee Blessing, Investment Banker, J.P. Morgan Chase
Frank Dopheide, Founder & CEO, Deutsche Markenarbeit
Dr. Peter Frey, Editor-In-Chief, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)
Prof. Dr. Stephan Reimelt, President & CEO, GE Energy Germany
Frank Riemensperger, Executive Vice President AmCham Germany & Country Managing Director, Accenture
Gabor Steingart, Publisher, Handelsblatt GmbH

Advisory Council:
Jutta Falke-Ischinger, Senior Advisor Public Affairs, Burson-Marsteller GmbH