The 122nd Annual Membership Meeting and Business Conference in Stuttgart marked an important moment for AmCham Germany, combining leadership transitions within the Chamber with in-depth discussions on the future of transatlantic cooperation.
At the Annual Membership Meeting, Christopher Porter (Managing Director and Country Manager for Germany, Switzerland, CEE and Israel, Bank of New York) was elected as the new President of AmCham Germany, succeeding Simone Menne, whose presidency came to an end after five years of dedicated leadership and commitment to strengthening transatlantic business relations. Members also re-elected Andreas Schwaiger (Managing Director Germany, Texas Instruments) as Executive Vice President of the Chamber. In addition, the following individuals were newly elected to the Board of Directors: Rocco Bräuniger (Amazon EU SARL), Wolfgang Dierker (SAP SE), Lauren Kjeldsen (Evonik Industries AG), Simone Menne (Henkel AG & Co. KGaA), Justin Rose (Deere & Company), and Stefanie Siebels (Solventum Germany GmbH).
Following the Annual Membership Meeting, members and guests gathered for a Business Conference hosted at our member company MAHLE, which featured high-level political and business perspectives from both sides of the Atlantic.
We were honored to welcome keynote speakers who provided political and business perspectives from both sides of the Atlantic. Chargé d’Affaires Alan Meltzer from the U.S. Embassy Berlin reflected on the importance of close transatlantic cooperation in times of geopolitical and economic uncertainty, while Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economic Affairs, Skilled Crafts and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg, highlighted the state’s strong ties with U.S. businesses and the importance of innovation-driven partnerships.
We were also pleased to welcome Paul Ryan (Vice Chairman of Teneo and former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives) who highlighted the enduring strength and value of the transatlantic partnership. Michael Traub (CEO, STIHL AG) complemented these perspectives in his keynote with insights into the realities of international manufacturing, competitiveness and long-term investment as well as the legacy behind STIHL as a transatlantic brand in its 100th years of existence.
As a foundation for the ensuing panel discussion, Marcus Berret (Global Managing Director, Roland Berger) presented the key takeaways of this year’s Transatlantic Business Barometer survey, outlining current business sentiment and investment priorities among companies operating across the Atlantic. Building on these findings, the afternoon panel discussion focused on the current state and future of Germany and the U.S. as business and investment locations. Together with Marcus Berret, panelists included Beátrice Bracklo(Managing Director, Amazon Deutschland Services GmbH & Director Public Policy DACH, Amazon Deutschland), Johannes Jung (Head of Department Strategy, Economic Law, Foreign Trade and European Affairs, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Skilled Crafts and Tourism Baden-Württemberg), Dr. Markus Lohrey (Vice President Corporate Purchasing & Logistics, MAHLE), and moderator Rixa Fürsen (Head of Podcast, POLITICO Germany). The discussion explored competitiveness, investment conditions, supply chains and the broader geopolitical environment shaping transatlantic business decisions.
During a deep dive session hosted by the event’s platinum sponsor KPMG and moderated by Tiffany Valeriano (Senior Manager, International Business, KMPG), our members and guests also had the opportunity to explore the topic: “The Future of Customs – How Wars and Geopolitical Tensions are Impacting Customs and Operations.” The session provided practical perspectives on how companies are adapting their operations and compliance strategies amid increasing global uncertainty.
As part of the day’s program, AmCham Germany also hosted a networking lunch of its Female Leaders Platform in cooperation with AlixPartners, focusing on the topic “From Global Players to Hidden Champions: Success Factors for Transatlantic Business.” We were delighted to welcome Evelyne De Leersnyder (Vice President and General Manager, Coca-Cola Germany) who emphasized how a global brand with a strong local footprint successfully navigates complex market dynamics. Kathrin Apel (Director Corporate Sustainability & Occupational Health, Safety & Environment, MAHLE), shared practical success factors for transatlantic collaboration, emphasizing the importance of trust, local presence and long-term partnership building. Marie Döscher (AlixPartners) moderated the discussion. A special thank you goes to all participants who attended the luncheon — including our newly elected President Christopher Porter and outgoing President Simone Menne — as well as to all speakers for sharing their valuable insights and experiences.
We warmly thank all speakers, members and guests for a successful day of engaging discussions, valuable exchanges and transatlantic perspectives. In particular, we would like to thank our generous host MAHLE; platinum sponsors Amazon and KPMG; gold sponsors Pfizer and Texas Instruments; silver sponsors Coca-Cola Germany, Johnson & Johnson, Kärcher, LAPP, Lilly, and Metzler; content partner Roland Berger; mobility partner Uber; and media partner POLITICO.
