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Christmas Networking Event, Munich, December 2023

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On 17 December, the German Australian Business Council hosted a small informal business networking get-together at the Wirtshaus Zum Straubinger. In freezing temperatures we celebrated the festive season over mulled wine and with Eisstockschießen. It was great to have an exclusive group of members and friends in attendance. Despite the low temperature, spirits were certainly high – the Glühwein may have helped! We would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas.

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IBCM / GABC Meeting, Munich, November 2023

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IBCM/GABC event 29 November 2023 Guest Speaker Rainer Karcher, Global Head of Sustainability at Allianz Technology

Together with members of the IBCM-affiliated clubs and organised by the American German Business Club Munich, Rainer Karcher led an enlivened, highly informative, and thought-provoking discussion. He addressed:  “Sustainable IT – Addressing the Impact the Exponential Rise of Digitization is Having on our Planet,” outlining how sustainability is embedded not only in company IT services and products but also in so many facets of our daily business and personal lives.   In his words, Rainer was the mosquito in the room that hit us all and left us thinking about what we need to do for sustainability in our daily lives. For those of you who were able to join us, thanks for attending and making this such a memorable meeting.

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Vulcan Energy Resources LEOP Opening, Landau, November 2023

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The German Australian Business Council congratulates our new corporate member Vulcan Energy Resources on the opening of their Zero Carbon Lithium Optimisation Plant in Landau. The official opening on 23 November had representation from key Australian shareholders, strategic investors from the German automotive industry and more broadly Europe, German and European politicians, analysts, and local to international media.

The start of operations at this plant signifies the beginning of the world’s first production of net zero carbon lithium chemicals, and the first lithium produced in Europe with a fully locally sourced value chain – a fantatstic example of German-Australian business relations!

We certainly wish Vulcan great success with the plant.

ZERO CARBON LITHIUM™ Optimisation Plant opening – VULCAN ENERGY RESOURCES (v-er.eu)

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Breakfast Briefing with the Australian Embassy, Frankfurt, November 2023

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On 24th November Kate Luxford, Chargé d’Affaire a.I. of the Australian Embassy, held a breakfast briefing in Frankfurt with 17 members and friends of the German Australian Business Council. Kate gave an brief update of the events and relevant issues since the departure of Ambassador Philip Green in July.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Resources Madeline King have visited Germany and held talks with their counterparts. Australia is still open to concluding a Free Trade Agreement with the EU in the future, finding a solution to the open issue of agricultural market access. Germany has generally been supportive of free trade, for which Australia is grateful.

Critical mineral and hydrogen remain important topics in trade. Prior to the breakfast briefing, Kate had attended the opening of Vulcan Energy’s Lithium Extraction and Optimisation Plant in Landau.

The briefing concluded with rounds of discussion and networking.

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New Zealand Ambassador’s Reception, Munich, November 2023

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The German Australian Business Council and AHK New Zealand welcomed H.E. Craig Hawke, New Zealand Ambassador to Germany, on 8 November 2023 at the Adina Apartment Hotel Munich.


H.E. Craig Hawke addressed “optimism” as a key stone of NZ’s way of life and touched on a number of topics including NZ’s diversified culture and attractiveness to students. He discussed the genuine partnership between Germany and NZ to be flourishing, partly due to the repatriations of Mauri historical remains from Germany which has been welcomed and much appreciated by NZ’s society. H.E. Hawke spoke of a key objective between both countries as having contemporary political relations, for example, science co-operations in the fields of hydrogen and space, collaborations between German and NZ universities and partnerships between the agriculture ministries. Germany is considered one of the most important trading partners for NZ and is proud that the Free Trade Agreement between NZ and the EU is the greenest FTA.

Monique Surges, CEO at AHK New Zealand and Supervisory Board of BayWa AG, thanked the Business Council for the event: Getting New Zealanders together. She spoke of BayWa being a great example of acquiring a NZ based company that successfully provided global market expansion. 

We were fortunate to have Clemens Baumgärtner, City of Munich join the evening and have Education NZ alumni attend.

Special thanks to our sponsor BayWa Global Produce and appreciate our supporters the City of Munich (Referat für Arbeit und Wirtschaft der Landeshauptsatdt München), AHK NZ and the NZ Embassy. Without this support, such successful events are not possible.

We also thank our New Zealand friends attending our first NZ led event and look forward to having more.

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Down Under Berlin Film Festival, Berlin, October 2023

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Down Under Berlin Film Festival celebrated its 11th edition in October at the iconic Moviemento Kino in Berlin. The festival program comprised of various feature films, shorts films and documentaries from Australia and New Zealand and was supported by the embassies of Australia and New Zealand. Tourism Australia was on board as the festival’s major sponsor for the second time, and silver sponsors included Sonic Healthcare and Education New Zealand. Down Under Berlin has been a supporter of Australian businesses both locally and at home and is open for new sponsorships and partnerships in various capacities. 

The German Australian Business Council was a proud partner of the event, organising a raffle of free tickets to its members.

Check out the some highlights below:

Video highlights are here (credit: NOFOMO.TV):

NZ Opening Night

YouTube: https://youtu.be/_bw5XUpR6UA

AU Closing Night

YouTube: https://youtu.be/YWtN6AlvagE

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Oktoberfest, Munich, September 2023

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On the 24th of September 2023, more than 250 participants from the Munich International Business Groups attended the Oktoberfest Business Networking Event – which included the German Australian Business Council (GABC), American-German Business Club (AGBC), Swiss Australian Chamber of Commerce and the Irish Business Network (IBN). Business Council Members and guests enjoyed a traditional Oktoberfest menu at the Schottenhamel tent, raising glasses and singing along with the Bavarian folk music being performed on the central orchestra stage. There was also an opportunity for networking and discussion in person. Everybody enjoyed the special and joyful atmosphere.

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Trade and Investment Queensland Networking and Office Opening Events, Munich & Frankfurt, September 2023

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On 20 September Trade and Investment Queensland, in partnership with the German Australian Business Council, held the second of two Networking receptions in Germany to promote joint business and investment opportunities between Germany and Australia’s sunshine state. The first event, held on the previous day in Munich in partnership with IHK Munich and Oberbayern, was also attended by a number of GABC members.

In Frankfurt the dynamic Australian team, headed by the Hon. Cameron Dick MP, Queensland Government Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment, and Mr David Stewart, the Queensland Trade and Investment Commissioner, Europe, were welcomed by Dr Sabine Pittrof, Chair of GABC, in the JW Marriott Hotel.

Dr Pittrof was followed on to the podium by Dr Mandy Pastohr, Hessen’s Minister for Industry, Energy, Transport and Housing, who underlined the particular location and infrastructure advantages offered by the Bundesland.

Mr David Stewart and the Hon. Cameron Dick MP, both gave lively and dynamic speeches which reflected Queensland’s stated determination “to become a showpiece for the world” as evidenced by its success in securing the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. They noted that Queensland is currently the major centre for immigration within Australia. Existing joint research and commercial ventures between German and Queensland institutions and universities were highlighted with emphasis being placed on as yet untapped opportunities.

Dr Rainer Waldschmidt, CEO Hessen Trade and Invest rounded off the welcome congratulating the State of Queensland on opening an Office in Frankfurt.

The evening was then given over to networking to allow the fifty participants to tap the opportunities offered at this event.

Dr Sabine Pittrof concluded the evening by reflecting on the success of the event and offered a final vote of thanks to the participants, organisers and guests.

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Business Networking & Australian Wine Tasting Evening, Berlin, September 2023

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On the 6th of September 2023, the German Australian Business Council in collaboration with Club Vivanova hosted a Business Networking and Australian Wine Tasting Evening at the SANA Hotel Berlin.

The 40 participants were graced by speeches from H.E Christopher Chung (Deputy Head of Mission) who discussed the importance of the Australian wine industry, the newly updated AUS/EU wine agreement and the potential of Australian wine in Germany. Followed by Sabine Pittrof (Chairman, German Australian Business Council) who spoke on the Business Council’s mission and Bradley Mitton (Founder of Club Vivanova, and Australian Wine Importer) who introduced the Australian wines to be tasted.

The evening was characterised by strong engagement and business networking from all participants of both the German Australian Business Council and Club Vivanova Berlin based members.

The wine tasting served for the evening included:

Jansz Premium Cuvée – Tasmania
Woodlands 2021 Chardonnay – South East Australia
Blind Corner Biodynamic 2021 Orange – Margaret River
Blind Corner Biodynamic 2021 Rouge – Margaret River

GABC would like to sincerely thank Bradley Mitton of Club Vivanova and all participants for a fantastic evening.

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Ambassador’s Dinner, Frankfurt, June 2023

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The German Australian Business Council’s annual Ambassador’s Dinner took place on 15th June 2023 at the Museum für Kommunikation in Frankfurt – an apt for an event dedicated to building relationships!

At this dinner we thanked Ambassador H.E. Philip Green for his hard work on the continually stronger and deeper German-Australian relationship and wish him well in his next post India. We are glad that he felt enriched by his time here. He will be greatly missed!

The Agent Generals of NSW Stephen Cartwright OAM and of Western Australia John Langoulant AO were present, along with the representatives of Investment NSW Paul Webster and Russell Canning and Global Victoria Thorsten Terweiden.

We thank our gold sponsors Investment NSW and Sonic Health and bronze sponsors Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), Frankfurt RheinMain and Commonwealth Bank Australia, for your generous support, Tom Austin from Michael Reid Gallery for being such an eloquent and charming MC, and Starward Whiskey for showcasing it’s portfolio of Melbourne whiskies!

Last but not least we thank all our members and friends for making it such a delightful evening!