At the 19th Transatlantic Business Conference, key stakeholders from the transatlantic business community gathered to assess how the U.S. and Germany can better align on strategic priorities鈥攆rom trade and digitalization to energy, security, and innovation. Their conversations underscored that a strengthened transatlantic partnership remains central to economic stability and long-term competitiveness.
In her opening remarks, Simone Menne, President of AmCham Germany, emphasized the enduring value of the transatlantic partnership amid rapid global change and shifting geopolitical dynamics. She highlighted the crucial role organizations like AmCham Germany play in bringing transatlantic stakeholders together to cultivate dialogue, foster cooperation, and jointly address emerging challenges.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz delivered the opening keynote speech, offering an insightful perspective on his role as a sub-national political leader and outlining numerous opportunities to expand transatlantic business and partnerships. He concluded with a call for an optimistic, solution-oriented, and collaborative approach within the transatlantic business community.
On the occasion of the 19th Transatlantic Business Conference, AmCham Germany published its most recent Transatlantic Business Barometer鈥攁n annual survey among member companies on economic and investment conditions in Germany and the United States, conducted together with Roland Berger. Marcus Berret, Global Managing Director at Roland Berger, presented the survey鈥檚 key findings, noting that political reliability as well as future-oriented and stable conditions for business and industry remain the most important investment factors in both countries.
Building on these insights, a panel of industry and political representatives continued the discussion, moderated by Gordon Repinski, Executive Editor of POLITICO Germany.
The first panel speakers included:
- Marcus Berret, Global Managing Director, Roland Berger
- Jeff Bullwinkel, Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, Corporate, External and Legal Affairs, Microsoft EMEA
- Prof. Dr. Luise H枚lscher, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for Digitalization and Government Modernization
- Dr. Katja Scharpwinkel, 青青草视频 of the Board of Executive Directors, BASF SE
- Sebastian Zirfas, Head of Policy & Communications Germany, Executive Leadership Team 青青草视频, Pfizer Germany
The results of the Transatlantic Business Barometer 2025 were complemented by the key findings of the TOP 30/TOP 50 Ranking鈥攃ompiled together with member company Accenture. Christina Raab, AmCham Germany Vice President and Market Unit Lead ASG at Accenture, presented the ranking鈥檚 main takeaways, underscoring the deep interconnectedness of both markets and the essential role U.S. companies play in the German economy.
Charg茅 d鈥橝ffaires a.i. Alan Meltzer of the U.S. Embassy Berlin echoed this sentiment in his keynote, noting that Germany is the third-largest trading partner of the United States. He emphasized the importance of fair economic competition, free and open digital practices, and reaffirmed that a strong transatlantic economy supports security and shared prosperity.
Following an impulse by Dr. Tobias Meyer, Chairman of the Transatlantic Business Initiative, and CEO of DHL Group, the second panel discussion offered a comprehensive overview of current geopolitical, economic, and regulatory developments shaping transatlantic relations.
The second panel included:
- Dr. Tobias Meyer, Chairman of the Transatlantic Business Initiative, and CEO of DHL Group,
- Christopher Adams, Senior Advisor, Covington & Burling LLP
- Konrad Bauer, Senior Vice President, Global Business Services, Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Walter Sinn, Chairman Germany & Austria, Bain & Company
- Dr. Thomas Steffen, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
The panelists underscored the importance of coordinated economic and innovation strategies to maintain global competitiveness at a time of intensified global competition and shifting economic power dynamics. They stressed the need for more predictable, investment-friendly frameworks on both sides of the Atlantic, alongside renewed commitments to boosting productivity and technological leadership. Together, these perspectives highlighted both the opportunities for deeper cooperation and the areas where industry and policymakers must work more closely to secure long-term economic strength.
A warm thank you goes to our moderator Dr. Tobias Endler, our speakers and guests, and to the supporters of the 19th Transatlantic Business Conference who made this signature event possible: Commerzbank AG as Co-Organizer of the conference; Bain & Company, Covington, Pfizer and the Transatlantic Business Initiative as cooperation partners; our platinum sponsors Agile Robots, BASF, Microsoft, Plug & Play, and Thermo Fisher Scientific; the gold sponsors Diligent and visumPOINT; our silver sponsors Metzler, Johnson & Johnson, KPMG, Lufthansa Group, and ManpowerGroup; as well as Roland Berger as supporter, Uber as mobility partner, and POLITICO as media partner.
This year鈥檚 conference reaffirmed that the transatlantic partnership continues to be a driving force for innovation, investment, and shared prosperity. Across all keynotes and panels, speakers emphasized both the necessity and the opportunity to deepen cooperation in an increasingly complex global environment. Building on this momentum, AmCham Germany will continue to bring together stakeholders from business and politics to advance a strong and future-oriented transatlantic agenda.
