BACK TO OVERVIEW

World Doctor’s Orchestra

/

Share:

in /by

Members and friends of the German Australian Business Council gathered at the Konzerthaus am Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin on 25 April 2015 to listen to the World Doctor’s Orchestra. After an introduction by the Australian Ambassador, H.E. David Ritchie AO, music by Wagner, Dvorák and Schumann was interpreted by the orchestra in a technically brilliant and emotionally moving way. Berliner Philharmoniker’s Ludwig Quandt received an enthusiastic applause for his appearance as did the orchestra and its conductor Stefan Willich. After the concert members and friends were invited to a reception to network in the beautiful Ludwig-van-Beethoven-Hall of the Konzerthaus.

 We wish to gratefully acknowledge that this event was made possible by our corporate member Sonic Healthcare Germany.

 1436 1549

Photos ©Frau Nina Altmann

BACK TO OVERVIEW

German Australian Business Council AGM

/

Share:

in /by

The Annual General Meeting of the German Australian Business Council e.V. was held at the offices of King & Wood Mallesons on Monday 13th April. The mild weather allowed us to start the evening with light refreshments on the balcony with views over the Alte Oper and An der Welle.

The Chair of the Board, Sabine Pittrof gave an overview of 2014 and an outlook of what is to come in 2015. The presentation focused on the rebranding from Australian Business in Europe (Germany) to the German Australian Business Council, the changes in the office administrators and events. Sabine thanked Susanne Schnack for her contribution to setting up the office and wished her well in her new employment. Eleanor Stephen is currently holding the seat in the office. Sabine also provided an overview of the global organisation and upcoming events for the combined “ABIE’s”.

Eberhard Goihl, Treasurer of the German Australian Business Council, outlined the current financial status and highlighted some of the challenges we have been facing with invoicing, event payments and the data base. There has been improvement over the past twelve months due to the work of the office administrator. Eberhard also thanked Werner Waldner for his time in checking the books and approving the work completed over the past 12 months.

Discussion did take place regarding invoicing and payment methods, the ongoing ties between the parent group Australian Business in Europe and the German Australian Business Council, Event funding and payments and the use of social media to grow and promote the organisation.

The evening concluded with networking over drinks and refreshments.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to King & Wood Mallesons for providing an excellent venue for the event and their warm and generous welcome and hospitality.

 

 

 

 

 

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Bavaria Australia Day 30 January 2015

/

Share:

in /by

Whether they are impressed by the state’s strength in R&D or its high-tech locations, Bavaria offers lots of benefits for innovative Australian companies and useful support as they expand internationally.
The OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2013 ranks Australia among the world’s leading countries when it comes to innovation. It provides an innovative environment for innovative companies thanks to strong protection of intellectual property, a high-quality IT infrastructure, a high level of R&D investment and generous R&D funding. Despite this, the domestic market is relatively small, so interested companies have to expand in order to remain successful. This is where Bavaria comes in – as a compatible location for Australia’s strengths.

The first step in this direction came in the form of a festive evening– with a relaxed atmosphere and wonderful food – held on 30th January in cooperation with the German Australian Business Council (GABC) to celebrate Australia Day. It was an opportunity to make useful contacts in the existing community and allow the participants to network with one another.

In future, Invest in Bavaria will be working with the GABC even more intensively in order to guarantee the greatest possible benefits for both sides, to support the existing Australian community and to expand it by attracting more new companies to the state.

Invest in Bavaria is looking forward to the cooperation between Australia and Bavaria and would like to thank all participants for coming to its first Australia-focused event in such great numbers.

Susanne Schierok – Invest in Bavaria

BACK TO OVERVIEW

German Australian Business Council Re-launch and Australia Day Dinner

/

Share:

in /by

Adina Apartment Hotel Frankfurt Neue Oper

The weather may not have been a reflection of that experienced by the First Fleet landing in Australia on 26th January 1788 but the weather failed to dampen the enthusiasm of those attending the German Australian Business Council Re-launch and Australia Day event in Frankfurt 227 years later.
As the guests arrived at the Adina Apartment Hotel Frankfurt Neue Oper, the German Australian Business Council Board Members and Daniel Goihl from Zeitgeister Design & Kreativagentur had their fingers crossed as we prepared to launch the new German Australian Business Council website in front of a number of our Members, Friends and distinguished guests. Sabine Pittrof, Chair of the Board welcomed the guests and then handed over to our Guest Speaker for the evening, Greg Ellis, CEO of Scout 24. Greg has been involved in internet development and marketing since its beginnings back in the 1990’s. Greg commended the German Australian Business Council for creating a more user friendly and interactive website. Greg then “pushed the button” and the countdown to the new website began. At first we all held our breath; then exhaled and finally applauded as the website “went live” and we were taken through a tour to experience the new look and reinvigorated outlook of the German Australian Business Council.
The guests then moved to the Restaurant to continue networking and enjoy a buffet dinner reflecting an Australian influence. Unfortunately Mr David Ritche AO, the Australian Ambassador who was scheduled to speak at the dinner was unable to attend, but he did forward a message which Sabine Pittrof read when making her speech at the dinner.
It was great to see so many new members and some first time attendees at the event and we hope to see you in the near future at our upcoming events.

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Christmas Drinks in Berlin

/

Share:

in /by

Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin

The German Australian Business Council invites you to join us for Christmas Drinks in Berlin on Monday, 15 December 2014 from 6:30 pm and we hope that you can join us for Glühwein and dinner at the Christmas Market “Weihnachtszauber Gendarmenmarkt”. Please contact Susanne Schnack at office@abie-germany.de for more details or RSVPs.

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Christmas Networking Event Frankfurt

/

Share:

in /by

Restaurant Alma, Frankfurt

This year’s Christmas Networking took place at the cosy Alma`s Restaurant in Frankfurt. Around 30 members and friends of the German Australian Business Council e.V came together to enjoy the yummie Portuguese three course dinner. Sabine Pittrof, chair of our association, gave a brief review of the year 2014 and an outlook for 2015. Fellow Board Member David Campbell, Consul-General in Frankfurt and Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner, Western Europe for Austrade, gave an overview of Australia’s business targets for the next years, focusing in particular on free trade agreements. All participants enjoyed the networking event and it lasted till late evening until the restaurant had to close to not upset the neighbours.

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Melbourne Cup event in Frankfurt

/

Share:

in /by

Adina Apartment Hotel, Frankfurt Neue Oper

The 2014 Frankfurt Melbourne Cup Event was a night of fun and lively competition. The highlight being Protectionist, a German born and bred horse winning the 2014 Emirates Melbourne Cup. We could not have asked for a better Australia – German link for the focus of the evening.

The German Australian Business Council was fortunate to be able to partner with the Adina Apartment Hotel Frankfurt and Tourism Victoria to make this a truly memorable event. While the highlight was the Melbourne Cup race and sweep and the Business Card draw, the Antique Horse Racing machine, with inspired race calling by Dirk Löb from the Adina Apartment Hotels, was the true focus of the evening for many of the guests. We were also entertained by a fashion parade highlighting a young Frankfurt fashion designer, an exhibition by Glow Shoes and tastings of some top Australian wines courtesy of German Australian Business Council Members Karin & Olaf Czirr from the Australien Wine Store and Bob Gogan from Gogan Wine Imports. This was a particularly popular networking point throughout the evening.

Special congratulations got to Sabine Höfferling from PPI Aktiengesellschaft, the winner of the business card draw; a trip for two to the 2015 Melbourne Cup Carnival including return airfares with Emirates, four nights accommodation at an Adina property in Melbourne and Members passes to Derby Day and Melbourne Cup Day courtesy of the Victoria Racing Club.

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Fourth Australian German Science Circle

/

Share:

in /by

Australian Embassy, Berlin

The fourth Australia-German Science Circle was held on a pleasant September evening in the meeting room at the Australian Embassy in Berlin. Attended by ABIE Board Members, Elisabeth Opie, Class de Boer and Rob Harrison, the event focussed on science collaboration around the world. Professor Debbie Terry, Senior Vice-Chancellor of the University of Queensland focussed on how important collaboration has become in the scientific world. Australia and Germany are leaders, with many of their researchers being on papers with non-local co-authors.  Growing tripartite arrangements involving Asian-based scientists were also discussed.

Professor Terry did not really dive into the commercialisation aspects of science, except to mention one interesting statistic: in Germany, the ratio of academic researchers to technologists and scientists working in industry is 2:4; in Australia the ratio is 5:2 – almost a complete reversal. This shows the potential for increase in Australian industry science-based structure while achieving high return on investment, and indeed is being encouraged by the Australian government. There is clearly a long way to go, and targeted international teaming up of scientists would certainly help meet the challenges ahead for mutual benefit – scientifically and commercially.

The evening finished off with the usual round of drinks in the Atrium.

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Presentation and lab tour by our corporate member Sonic Healthcare

/

Share:

in /by

Sonic Healthcare, Berlin

On 21 October 2014, members and friends of the German Australian Business Council joined for a most fascinating evening at the premises of Sonic Healthcare in Berlin. They were welcomed by Sonic Healthcare Germany’s CEO Evangelos Kotsopoulos; Mr. Kotsopoulos delivered a presentation highlighting the state-of-the-art technology used by Sonic Healthcare in Germany. Participants learned about Sonic Healthcare’s steady growth in the past, making it the number one medical diagnostics company and the largest Australian investment in Germany. German-Australian Business Council’s patron, the Australian Ambassador to Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, H.E. Mr David Ritchie AO, greeted participants and highlighted the importance of mutual investments between Germany and Australia in his speech. In a tour through Sonic Healthcare’s recently built Berlin central laboratory, participants were fascinated by the complex interaction between information technology and medical diagnostics providing reliable, fast and most advanced medical services to doctors and patients alike. The event continued with a reception giving participants another great opportunity to network.

On details about the evening, please contact GABC board member Claas de Boer ( claas.deboer@abie-germany.de).

BACK TO OVERVIEW

ABIE Germany Oktoberfest

/

Share:

in /by

Bräurosl tent, Munich

On 22 September 2014, the 4th ABIE Oktoberfest Event took place, proudly sponsored by our corporate members mic AG and Telstra Global. The ABIE Germany Patron and Australian Ambassador to Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, H.E: Mr David Ritchie AO, joined the event for the first time. Together with 20 ABIE Germany members and guests he followed interesting presentations by our sponsors concerning their special businesses.

Invigorated by a Bavarian ‘Brotzeit’ everybody enjoyed the unique atmosphere at the Bräurosl tent until late at night.

mic AG and Telstra have already confirmed their willingness to sponsor the 2015 ABIE Germany Oktoberfest Event again.

oktoberfest_talking_1