Programme AHK World Conference 2025

Festive Evening in the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK)

Welcome
Peter Adrian, President, DIHK

Ceremonial address
Prof. Marcel Fratzscher, Ph.D., President, German Institute for Economic Research, DIW Berlin

Presentation of the DIHK German Schools Abroad Competition Award  

• Dr. Helena Melnikov, Chief Executive Officer, DIHK
• Prof. Ludwig Georg Braun,  DIHK Honorary President, patron and jury member of the DIHK German Schools Abroad Competition Award
   

The stage programme will end at around 8:30 p.m. 

Welcome and Opening

• Peter Adrian, President, DIHK
• Jörg Buck, AHK-World Speaker

Keynote
Dr. Thomas Enders, President of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), Member of the Supervisory Board of Linde plc, GE Aerospace and Helsing

Impulse lecture
Prof. Veronika Grimm, Professor at the Technical University of Nuremberg, Head of the Energy Systems and Market Design Lab, and member of the German Council of Economic Experts

Coffee break

Around the world in 80 minutes

Eight pitches from the AHK-Network

• Sven Thorsten Potthoff, Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in the USA - San Francisco
• Yvonne Denz, Managing Director, AHK Canada
• Hanno Erwes, Managing Director, AHK Brazil – Rio de Janeiro
• Marcus Schürmann, Managing Director, AHK Japan
• Simone Pohl, Managing Director, AHK Southern Africa
• Katharina Felgenhauer, Managing Director, AHK Morocco
• Jörg Buck, Managing Director, AHK Italy
• Reiner Perau, Managing Director, AHK Ukraine 

Moderation: 

Dr. Volker Treier, Chief Executive of Foreign Trade and Member of the Executive Board, DIHK

Melanie Vogelbach, Managing Director of International Economic Policy, DIHK

Lunch break

Panel discussion: 
The Global Economy in Volatile Times – Shaping Germany´s Future Success Model
 

Panel discussion and participation: 
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Hanselka, President and Chair of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Panel discussion

• Peter van Binsbergen, President AHK Southern Africa, Managing Director BMW South Africa
• Heike Bergmann, Senior Vice President Sales Africa, Voith Hydro
• Matthias Rüth, Managing Director, Tradium GmbH 
• Dr. Jaane Seehusen, Head of Supplychain Management, Carl Zeiss Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology

Moderation: 
Dr. Nicole Renvert, Managing Director International Economic Relations, DIHK

Coffee break

Panel discussion: Rethinking supply chains: how can resilience and interests be combined?

Impulse and Panel participation
Barbara Gessler, Head of the Representation of the EU Commission in Germany

Panel Discussion

• Kirsten Schoder-Steinmüller, Managing Partner, Schoder GmbH and Vice President DIHK
• Rasmus Woermann, Managing Director, C. Woermann GmbH & Co KG and Deputy Chairman of the Sub-Saharan Africa Initiative of German Business (SAFRI) 
• Dr. Gaby Bornheim, President, Association of German Shipowners 

Moderation:
Dr. Melanie Müller, Deputy Head of Research Group Africa and Middle East, SWP 

Speech by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche

Welcome and Introduction by Dr. Helena Melnikov, Chief Executive Officer, DIHK

Wrap-up and closing  

Dr. Volker Treier, Chief Executive of Foreign Trade and Member of the Executive Board, DIHK

Closing evening at the "Palais Populaire"

Unter den Linden 5, 10117 Berlin

10 minutes walk from the DIHK

Opening of the AHK Board Members' Day

Kirsten Schoder-Steinmüller, Managing Partner, Schoder GmbH and Vice President DIHK

Panel discussion on the future of German foreign trade

Impulse
Dr. Stefan Mair, Director, SWP

Panel discussion: 

• Dr. Helena Melnikov, Chief Executive Officer, DIHK
• Stefan Rouenhoff, Member of the Bundestag 
• Sibylle Thierer, Chairperson of the Supervisory Board Häfele SE & Co KG, German Vice President Eurochambres

Moderation: 
Dr. Volker Treier, Chief Executive of Foreign Trade, Member of the Executive Board, DIHK

Coffee break

AHK Board Members worldwide: From the everyday life of the AHKs 

Exchange with the AHK Board Members

Moderation:

• Benjamin Leipold, Managing Director German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK), DIHK
• Rima Trach, DIHK  

Networking lunch at ‘Moon Exquisite’

Spreeufer 2, 10178 Berlin

5 minutes walk from DIHK