Berlin, June 25, 2021 – The members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany (AmCham Germany) gathered today for the 117th Membership Meeting in order to elect new officers to their governing bodies and to discuss the topic of "Revitalizing Transatlantic Cooperation" at a Business Conference. Around 250 guests, members and representatives from politics, society and the media took part.
For the last three years, Frank Sportolari led AmCham Germany as President. The former head of UPS Germany looks back on a successful term in office that was marked by many changes in the transatlantic relationship. As a staunch transatlanticist, Frank Sportolari advocated on behalf of the members of AmCham Germany and represented their diverse interests at multiple political, economic and social levels.
Frank Sportolari's valuable work will be continued with immediate effect by the former Executive Vice President and newly elected President of AmCham Germany, Simone Menne, who is, among other things, a non-executive board member of Deutsche Post DHL Group AG and an experienced business expert. As former CFO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Simone Menne looks back on an impressive career in globally oriented companies deeply rooted in transatlantic relations.
"I am very much looking forward to my new responsibility and thank the members of AmCham Germany for their trust," says Simone Menne. "Especially now, in these special times, it is more important than ever to give new energy to the transatlantic relationship, to strengthen it and to utilize the potential of our common business market. This is what I will work for together with our members."
Gordon Riske was elected as the new Executive Vice President of AmCham Germany at the Membership Meeting. The CEO of KION Group AG has served on the Board of Directors of AmCham Germany since 2011. Also newly elected to the Executive Committee of AmCham Germany as Vice President was Annette Green, Vice President DACH at SAS Institute. New members of the Board of Directors are Jackie Hunt, Member of the Management Board for Asset Management and US Life Insurance at Allianz SE, Dr. Marianne Janik, Chairwoman of the Management Board of Microsoft Germany, Eckart von Klaeden, Vice President, Head of External Affairs, Daimler AG, and Ulrike Wieduwilt, Managing Director, Russell Reynolds Associates.
The Membership Meeting is accompanied by a Business Conference opened at noon today by Armin Laschet, Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, Head of Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and CDU/CSU Candidate for Chancellor of Germany. “The European Union and the US are facing major joint challenges. Especially during this phase of transatlantic revitalization, both sides should work together closely and trustfully. AmCham Germany is a central and highly regarded facilitator for transatlantic business dialogue and cooperation between Germany and the US,” says Armin Laschet.
The closing statement will be held by Annalena Baerbock, Chairwoman of BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN and Candidate for Chancellor of Germany.
The panel discussions focus on the following topics:
Panel Discussion 1:
"Strengthening Transatlantic Economic Relations in 2021 and Beyond: Perspectives from the Political and Business Community"
Speakers:
Reinhard Bütikofer, Member of the European Parliament, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, and Member of the Delegation for Relations with the United States
Gabriele Hässig, Managing Director, Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH & Co. Operations oHG
Dirk Lange, Managing Director Central European Region, 3M Deutschland GmbH
Dr. Nils Schmid, Member of the German Bundestag and Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs for the SPD Parliamentary Group
Panel Discussion 2:
"Germany as a Location for the Transatlantic Business Community: Discussing the State of Competitiveness Ahead of the German Bundestag Elections"
Speakers:
Thomas Erndl, Member of the German Parliament, CDU/CSU
Annette Green, Vice President DACH, SAS Institute GmbH
Gordon Riske, CEO, KION Group AG
Michael Theurer, Member of the German Parliament, Vice-Chair of the FDP Group
Moderator:
Andreas Cichowicz, Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), Editor-in-Chief
You can follow the event on social media via the hashtag #AMM2021.
To read the press release in German, click here.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
For information about the newly elected President of AmCham Germany, Simone Menne, please click here.
Press Contact:
AmCham Germany
Katharina-Luise Kittler
Head of Communications and Government Relations
T +49 30 2130056-34
M: +49 151 14657921
E kkittler@amcham.de
