On Monday, September 12, 2022, members of AmCham Germany’s Regional Chapter Bavaria gathered in the Amerikahaus München for our Chapter Chair Handover Event. This marked the first in-person get-together in Munich, since the start of the pandemic. We officially welcomed our two new Chapter Chairs, Claudia Donzelmann (Global Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs, Allianz) and Prof. Dr. Kai C. Andrejewski (CFO, SIXT), who took over from long-standing Chapter Chair, Christian von Sydow. AmCham Germany’s president Simone Menne thanked Mr. von Sydow for his outstanding achievements and contributions for the organization for more than 16 years, in which he has shown an exceptional commitment to advancing the transatlantic partnership and the interests of our organization.
After initial remarks from our Chapter Chairs, members of AmCham Germany had the chance to engage with Dr. Benedikt Franke, Vice-Chairman and CEO of the Munich Security Conference and Simone Menne in a panel discussion, which was moderated by Claudia Donzelmann and Kai Andrejewski. Together, they discussed new geopolitical realities and their impacts on transatlantic relations in general and in Bavaria, in particular. Dr. Franke made clear, that transatlantic cooperation is necessary, now more than ever, to overcome joint challenges in the wake of rising authoritarian threats. Simone Menne stressed, that the window of opportunity for collaboration in the coming months will be critical and essential, especially given the geopolitical implications and challenges that we are currently facing, such as high inflation and the stability of the energy supply. Now, more than ever, politicians and transatlantic business are called upon to show exemplary leadership, act quickly and responsible.
After the panel discussion, all members had the chance to continue discussions while enjoying food and drinks at an evening reception. We would like to thank everyone involved for making this event a great farewell for Christian von Sydow and a great kick-off for our new Chapter Chairs, Claudia Donzelmann and Kai Andrejewski.
