It is the NextGen Initiative's declared goal to bring together enthusiastic young professionals who will not only enhance their own skill sets but also support the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany in becoming an attractive forum for their peers.

By offering a diverse program that ranges from seminars and conferences with high-level speakers to leadership case studies that will challenge the participants to exceed their own expectations, we seek to facilitate a group of young professionals that is in the best position possible to lead transatlantic business relations in the future. The centerpiece of the NextGen Initiative is a 5-day conference which kicks off the year the group will be spending together.

In being chosen to take part in the NextGen Initiative, young professionals are given the opportunity to contribute their personal and professional experience to a diverse peer group. Participants will engage in a series of exclusive events and will be faced with several challenges, thereby enhancing their own skill set and widening their own professional network.

After completing the program, participants of the NextGen Initiative will

• be "ambassadors" of the transatlantic partnership
• be experts on the  “ins and outs” of transatlantic business and politics
• be able to be chosen for the NextGen Steering Committee (for more details please view the section "Steering Committee")
• be able to place their company’s current key topics in this peer group and on the AmCham agenda
• have broadened their skill set
• have established a network across different sectors and within AmCham Germany’s membership
• exchange expertise and best practices among their peers

More benefits
During their NextGen year AmCham Germany Membership and participation in almost all AmCham Germany Events will be free of charge for all NextGen participants.

As an alumnus of the NextGen program, you can be invited to special events. You also benefit from special conditions regarding your membership and the participation at AmCham Germany events for 2 more years.

In nominating their employees and thereby supporting the NextGen Initiative, participating AmCham Germany member companies will not only contribute to the future of the transatlantic business community but moreover will benefit from a program that strives to challenge, support and shape tomorrow’s transatlantic business leaders.

Companies will profit from their involvement in the NextGen Initiative by strengthening their position within the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany for years to come. Their participating employees will gain new experiences, be challenged to expand their personal as well as their professional skill set and will expand their network far beyond their own business sector.

Contribution:

Participating companies are asked to:

• cover costs for each participant for accommodation and annual program (including the conference)
• release participants from work during the conference in August (5 days - 3 workdays)
• cover the travel costs to the Annual Membership Meeting in spring 2021 and the Transatlantic Business Conference in the fall 2021 and, if possible, to at least 1-2 of the Leadership Case Study Events

In return, participating companies will gain employees

• who have developed a strong network within their peer group across different sectors
• who are informed and up-to-date on transatlantic issues
• who have expanded their horizon as well as their skill set
• who will become advocates of AmCham for the next generation

All corporate members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany receive the call for nomination via e-mail every year in late fall / early winter. They are then eligible to nominate two employees (ideally of different sexes). To be chosen for the program, nominees must meet the following criteria:

• be between 32 and 41 years of age
• have at least  five years of work experience in a leadership or specialist position
• have experience and/or show interest in transatlantic relations

We are seeking team players who will contribute their expertise and communication skills to our common goal of nurturing the next generation of transatlantic decision makers.

All nominees will receive the call for application via e-mail in early winter every year. 25 to 30 of these applicants will be chosen by a selection committee to become part of the NextGen community. This process usually is finished around April every year.

The selection committee consists of four members from the current NextGen Steering Committee and four members of AmCham Germany’s Board of Directors as well as the General Manager. 

Throughout the year, participants will shape and take part in a variety of events that will establish their position within the Chamber but also foster growth and personal transformation. 
 

• Five-Day Conference in August (Saturday - Wednesday)
  Kicking off their year as a group, the NextGen will participate in a five-day conference in a major German city. The conference will include dicsussions, on-site meetings and workshops that focus on understanding transatlantic business, current affairs as well as the US-German relationship in a broader sense. 
  We will plan activities and formats that challenge the participants to work together as a group but also contribute their personal strengths. 
   
• Annual Membership Meeting (Every Spring)
  At every Annual Membership Meeting, the current NextGen group will be introduced to AmCham Germany’s members. This event also gives participants the opportunity to get to know each other as well as connect with members of the AmCham Germany family. 
   
• Leadership Case Study Events throughout the Year
  Guided by faculty from AmCham Germany Corporate Members, the NextGen will take part in several different leadership case studies focusing on the challenges in the life of a transatlantic business leader. These case studies will enhance participants’ skills and give them the opportunity to draw from their own personal and professional experiences to solve the challenges that are presented to them within each case study.
   
• Regional Chapter Event
  Together with the regional chapter committee that they are based in, the NextGen will draft, coordinate and organize one regional chapter event. The concept of this event lies entirely within the responsibilities of the NextGen and the regional chapter.
   
• Session at the Transatlantic Business Conference in the Fall
  The Transatlantic Business Conference is one of the signature events in AmCham Germany’s event calendar. E.g. in 2018, the NextGen conceptualized and organized their own breakout session at the Conference. This session is an opportunity to experiment with different formats and present them to AmCham Germany’s greater membership.
   
• Alumni Event
  Every NextGen year there will be an Alumni Event where the class of NextGens at the time gets together with our NextGen alumnis to network and exchange ideas.