AmCham Transatlantic Partnership Award Honors Dirk Nowitzki for ...

commerce germany
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN GERMANY
December 2012 • VOL 10 • ISSUE 5
AmCham Transatlantic Partnership Award
Honors Dirk Nowitzki for Heartfelt Charity
Sixth Annual Transatlantic Business Conference: Coming Together for Free Trade
Cover Story: Manufacturing Innovation
Thuringia: Germany‘s Vibrant Center
17.70

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OUR
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amcham viewpoint
Strengthening Innovation in Germany
Fair, intense competition
provides the best
breeding ground for
creativity and new ideas
Germany is an excellent location for innovation. We spend around 170 billion – almost 3%
of our GDP – on research every year. Two-thirds of this comes from German companies, thus
enabling Germany to maintain its lead in exports of high-technology products. It is most encouraging
that the research activities are not only being carried out by domestic industry: Germany is
also becoming increasingly attractive to foreign companies, which now account for nearly 30%
of private investment in research. The US is Germany’s most important international partner in
the areas of education, science, research and technology.
For good reason, our government’s economic and technology policies prioritize the estab- Hans-Joachim Otto
Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal
lishment of conditions favorable to innovation. We firmly believe that fair, intense competition Minister of Economics and Technology
provides the best breeding ground for creativity and new ideas. Thanks to our most recent tax
reform efforts, companies in Germany enjoy more financial flexibility – and in our experience, there is a
clear correlation between financial flexibility and the development and implementation of
innovative ideas.
Nevertheless, efficient support programs are also important, especially for smaller
companies with limited budgets. To stimulate a rapid technology transfer from research to
industry, we specifically promote cooperative projects with research institutions.
Our flagship initiative, the Central Innovation Program for Small and Medium Enterprises
(or ZIM, after its German name), has already proved successful in several notable instances.
In cooperation with the University of Bonn, for example, LaVision BioTec GmbH created a new 3D microscope
for research in biology, medicine and pharmaceutical sciences. The cutting-edge technology provides
spectacular new insights into cellular functions. Furthermore, nine relatively small companies have teamed up
to create a network: They currently work with three research facilities to combine new LED lighting technology
with intelligent control functions that will reduce electricity consumption in cities.
With our new innovation concept “Making the most of technology: spurring progress, stimulating growth,
shaping the future,” we have a strategy in place that is backed up by a series of concrete measures to
promote innovation in Germany. This strategy includes supporting innovative start-ups; promoting cooperation
between business and science on regional, national and international levels; establishing innovative
public-procurement processes; and encouraging society to use new technologies.
I would be delighted if this approach could also intensify our transatlantic research and innovation activities.
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contents
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14
9
24
10
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26
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23
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27
cover stories
Light-Years Beyond Cogs in the Wheel
Sixth Annual Transatlantic Business Conference: Coming Together for Free Trade
from amcham germany members
executive member spotlight: The Earth-Bound Cloud – Innovations and Growth in Storage Technology
member insights: Buttressing Offshore Wind-Energy Production;
Rethinking Innovation in the Auto Industry
amcham germany events
special report: amcham germany transatlantic partnership award
event report
amcham germany member support
investment region: Thuringia – Germany’s Vibrant Center
policy issues: Business of Healthcare Committee Hosts Reimann
top-level meetings: AmCham Germany Members Meet with Minister President of Saarland
guest point of view: The European Sovereign-Debt Crisis
chamber news
Rice Speaks at Campus Symposium
Fourth Annual AmCham Business Day – Kickoff of 2013 Internship Program
new members
chamber calendar
December 2012 commerce germany 5

cover story
Light-Years Beyond Cogs in the Wheel
6 commerce germany December 2012
Since the time of the Industrial Revolution, innovation and
manufacturing have been symbiotic, inseparable forces:
Innovation lends to manufacturing techniques the ability to
forge ahead, while manufacturing fulfills every innovation‘s need
to be put into action. AmCham Germany member companies
explore the role of innovation in manufacturing and what it
takes to turn good ideas into material realities.

Progress in Manufacturing
Research and development (R&D) and a strong commitment to
innovation lay the foundation for progress in manufacturing.
Since its founding in 1910 as a repair shop
for electrical equipment, Hitachi has evolved
into a global corporation with almost 1,000
subsidiaries, including Hitachi Data Systems,
that produce a wide range of products. This would
have been impossible without maintaining a clear
focus on innovation, a commitment that has in turn
established progress in manufacturing as an indispensable
pillar of the company’s success.
In the first three quarters of 2012 alone, more
than 20 press releases announcing new products
or prototypes developed by the company’s R&D departments
were issued, revealing the payoff from
years of investment. Of course, significant financial
engagement is required to produce such results. Five
years ago, Hitachi was spending $2 billion on R&D activities.
And the sum of R&D expenditures just to ease
the company’s environmental burdens, to take one example,
has almost doubled since then. In all, this has
resulted in a 10% growth in patent applications from
company subsidiaries outside Japan. The R&D
investments have proved their worth.
A manufacturing innovation implemented
by the company’s elevator subsidiary
uses water-recycling equipment
that is integrated into the division’s
manufacturing processes. This exciting
method uses advanced technologies
to treat and filter chemicals. One of these technologies,
reverse osmosis membranes, inverts the
normal osmosis process in which solvent from an
area of low solute concentration moves through
a membrane to an area of high solute concentration,
all without the application of external
pressure.
After wastewater from production processes
is collected and treated, it is reused to manufacture
a range of products. The water is also used
for plumbing purposes and for watering trees
and plants on company grounds. Through these
innovative recycling technologies, Hitachi has
found a way to save around 80 cubic meters of
A Safe Entrance for the
UN Building in New York
Door-technology manufacturing company DORMA has contributed
to prestigious construction projects around the world.
From the Chinese National Museum in Beijing
and the Burberry flagship store in Chicago
to the football stadium of the San Francisco
49ers and the Frankfurt Airport, the company
has delivered a wide range of building-access solutions
and services that improve buildings. Recently,
the company developed a tailored product solution
for the United Nations building in New York.
Not surprisingly, the UN building has to
comply with some of the highest security standards
in the world. As a result, this project called for
a number of blast-resistant revolving doors, which
a US subsidiary of the German-based company
supplied. The requirements for the project stipulated
that the doors, surrounding curtain wall and
entryway all had to meet a very high blast pres-
sure rating while also embodying an
elegant design and providing a clear
view into the lobby. To meet this challenge,
the company worked closely
with the project’s architects and engineers
to develop a reinforced revolving
door that would meet these security needs while
also hiding the necessary reinforcement. The final
design sought to integrate the tailor-made revolving
door into the protective facade.
To ensure the safety of the revolving doors,
their standard functional components were
either reinforced or secured on-site to prevent
excessive deflection or movement should a blast
event occur. Custom fabrication of the wings
allowed the company to vary the design to
The R&D investments
have proved their worth
Michael Heitz
Vice President and
General Manager, Germany
Hitachi Data Systems GmbH
www.hds.com/de
water a day, which is the same amount of water
used by a Shanghai resident in 18 months.
And while the technology might save the company
money on water costs, its primary purpose
remains environmental sustainability.
It takes decisive will and concerted action to
generate innovation in the manufacturing process.
Through its many years of growth and prosperity,
the company has never strayed from its corporate
credo, established by Namihei Odaira more than
100 years ago – to contribute to society through
the development of superior, original technology
and products. This is only possible by staying on
the cutting edge of manufacturing technology. J
The UN building must comply
with the highest security
standards in the world
Mario Dreismann
Vice President of Marketing and Sales
DORMA Holding GmbH + Co. KGaA
www.dorma.com
accommodate the high-strength steel and multi-
layer laminated glass needed to meet security
standards. The company designed and built the
enclosures to completely conceal the reinforcing
steel and blast-rated glass for a seamless fit into
the curtain wall and adjacent structures.
In the end, the innovative solution met not
only the project’s demanding security requirements
but also the high standard of attractiveness
called for by such a prominent building. J
December 2012 commerce germany 7

cover story
Designing a Cylinder-Head
Gasket Solution
ElringKlinger has made it a policy to never shy away from
finding sound solutions to challenging problems.
Increasingly, automakers are building smaller,
more efficient and turbo-charged direct-
injection engines. These technologies generate
higher peak pressures and internal temperatures
than engines of the past, placing a considerably
higher demand on gasket performance. As
a result of these developments, ElringKlinger, a
development partner and series supplier for the
international automotive industry, was faced
with the challenge of having to create a new
design innovation.
Cylinder-head gaskets are key components
of automobile engines and contribute to an
engine’s efficient, reliable and economical
operation. They ensure the engine block is reliably
sealed off from the combustion gases, coolants
and motor oil produced or required by the cylinder
head. A cylinder-head gasket also acts as a
access your global network
d Why is Turkey a good location for US investors?
C Overall foreign investment topped $89 billion
over the past six years; US-Turkish trade
hit $20 billion in 2011 alone. The world’s 16 th
largest economy, Turkey was noted by the US
Department of Commerce as one of seven priority
markets worldwide. Third-country opportunities,
such as US-Turkish partnerships in energy, could
further boost these numbers. As the “Eurasian
Gateway,” Turkey is located in a growth-oriented
region stretching from Europe to the Middle East
and Central Asia.
d What does the current US-Turkey economic
partnership look like?
C Cumulative US investment in Turkey officially
totals about $6 billion to $7 billion, but with so
many US third-country investments, the actual
number is much higher. The government’s Frame-
8 commerce germany December 2012
load-transmission element
between the crankcase and
the cylinder head, exerting
considerable influence on the distribution of forces
within the overall distortion system and the
resulting elastic component deformations.
In designing a cylinder-head gasket capable
of contending with the forces exerted by today’s
cutting-edge engines, the company drew on its
engineering and production expertise and developed
a solution that employs support elements
for the gasket. This solution involves embossed
stoppers placed on the combustion chamber side
of the cylinder head as well as on the rear of the
gasket. This, along with the use of an enhanced
elastomer coating material, helps to further
boost the performance and durability of the engine’s
sealing system under extreme conditions.
Cylinder-head gaskets contribute
to an engine’s efficient, reliable
and economical operation
Dr. Stefan Wolf
CEO
ElringKlinger AG
www.elringklinger.de
The company has also been able to extend
the technology used in its design for cylinderhead
gaskets to such nonautomotive areas as
stationary engines and off-road vehicles. Initial
projects with companies like GE and Caterpillar
have been underway for a number of years now
and have met with considerable success. In other
areas, the company has developed products that
allow for more expansive engine, transmission,
exhaust-system and auxiliary aggregate designs.
Trendsetting technologies and sophisticated
product solutions are also the best way to reduce
fuel consumption and emissions, enable the use
of alternative fuels and contribute to the development
of new drive technologies. J
AmCham Germany‘s Global Network in Turkey
work for Strategic Economic and Commercial
Cooperation and the private-sector-led US-Turkish
Business Council are examples of intensified
efforts to increase bilateral trade and investment.
More than 1,000 American firms are registered in
Turkey, ranging from large multinationals to small
and medium-sized firms.
d How is Turkey faring in the global economy?
C According to the OECD, Turkey is expected
to be the fastest growing OECD member country
from 2011 through 2017, with an annual
� ABOuT AMCHAM GERMAny’S GlOBAl nETWORK
AmCham Germany offers a range of services that bridge companies
worldwide and identify opportunities in the international
market. Through its current network of 115 AmChams in 102
countries, AmCham Germany serves as your optimal contact for
solutions to your international trade and investment matters.
average growth rate of 6.7%. Turkey’s goal is to
rank among the world’s 10 largest economies by
2023 – the centennial of the republic.
d What does ABFT see as its primary objective?
C ABFT/AmCham Turkey promotes a positive
business agenda and commercial environment
while enhancing bilateral trade and relations
through advocacy, diplomacy
and networking.
ABFT currently has
76 members.
Rahşan Cebe
American Business Forum in
Turkey (AmCham Turkey)
T +90 212 24335-11 T
E info@abft.net
W www.amchamturkey.org

executive member spotlight
The Earth-Bound Cloud:
Innovations and Growth in
Storage Technology
The rapid growth in mobility and cloud-computing environments
is creating great opportunities for storage infrastructure providers.
The pronounced shift to
mobile devices and cloudbased
computing systems
represents a fundamental
change in computing architectures
and applications. For Seagate – a
world leader in hard disk drives
and storage solutions – the cloud
is a strategic imperative. This year,
sales of global cloud services will
total about $100 billion. In a few
years, this figure will rise to around
$150 billion, according to Gartner, a
technology research company.
Cloud services will enable new
applications, requiring more data –
and, in turn, more space. According
to Seagate research, 25% of storage
was handled using cloud applications – and that
figure will rise to more than 60% by 2020. This
enormous shift of application workloads from
traditional IT to the cloud is changing the market
and pushing systems integrators to adapt by
building customized, cloud-based platforms that
are both smarter and more flexible.
Strategic partnerships power
design solutions
Seagate understands these challenges and
incorporates this knowledge into the company’s
product-development process in order to produce
reliable hard drives optimized for a cloud
infrastructure. Seagate is also engaged in establishing
strategic cooperations and collaborations
Bernd Breinbauer
Sales Director
Central Europe
Seagate Technology GmbH
Messerschmittstr. 4
80992 Munich
T +49 89 1430-5000
E bernd.breinbauer@
seagate.com
W www.seagate.com/de
with key partners. The Seagate Cloud
Alliance, for example, enables the
company’s cloud-focused systembuilder
community to deepen its
ability to design and implement
solutions that accelerate private
and public cloud adoption and the
growth of businesses.
Customer-focused technologies
Seagate has a broad portfolio of
storage solutions that have already
been widely deployed by leading
cloud providers around the globe.
These include enterprise hard drives
that have been specially designed
for use in any data-center environment.
But the Seagate cloud strategy doesn’t
take an approach that just focuses on only a
few select products: Rather, first and foremost
it considers the customer and the application in
meeting a range of needs in a rapidly changing
technology landscape. J
The Seagate Enterprise Value Hard Disk Drive is
optimized for traditional data centers and emerging
cloud infrastructures.
� ABOuT THE COMPAny
Founded in 1979, Seagate is a world leader in storage solutions, providing hard
drives and products that connect people with their content. We produce everything
from consumer electronics to enterprise hard drives, PC and mobile computing
applications. Seagate products are found in homes all over the world as well as in
products of the most recognized consumer and technology brands – in PCs, Macs,
game consoles, DVRs, handheld devices, servers and data centers. Seagate employs
more than 50,000 people around the world.
December 2012 commerce germany 9

special report: amcham germany transatlantic partnership award
From the Court
to the Kids:
Honoring the
German Maverick
On Oct. 5, at a ceremony generously supported by
event partner ING-DiBa AG, AmCham Germany honored
Dirk nowitzki for the difference he makes in the lives
of children around the world.
At seven feet tall, the Dallas Mavericks
icon simply has to look down to talk to
most people. So while a more downto-earth
NBA superstar would be hard
to find, Dirk Nowitzki still seemed to tower above
guests at the beginning of the 26 th AmCham
Germany Transatlantic Partnership Award
ceremony. As he wound through the crowd,
shaking hands and posing for photos, Nowitzki
somehow managed to transcend the scene, to be
everywhere at once – perhaps because his broad
10 commerce germany December 2012
shoulders and bright smile were visible from anywhere
in the room.
Sound fundamentals
When he took the stage to receive AmCham
Germany’s prestigious award, Nowitzki conveyed
that same presence. But his size stood in
stark contrast to his self-deprecating humor, as
he joked about the early years of his US basketball
career. “I got started when I was 19,”
The basketball great delivered brief remarks after receiving the award.
The event included a surprise performance by jazz maestro Till Brönner (far left). Roland Boekhout, CEO of event partner InG-DiBa, gave the opening remarks.
he said, “and I still had two buck teeth in my
mouth.”
Nowitzki was confident in his abilities,
however, thanks to the support of encouraging
parents and a talented basketball mentor.
“Not every child has access to those kinds of
opportunities,” he told the crowd. “So it was
important to me to go beyond the court, to do
more than just dribble a ball.“
To this end, one Dirk Nowitzki Foundation
in Dallas, Texas, and one in his native Würzburg,

nowitzki took time to interact with members of the BasKIDball mentoring program present at the ceremony.
Members of the German women‘s wheelchair basketball Paralympic team were also present.
Germany, reach out to underprivileged children,
providing mentorship, academic support and
athletic supplies. Nowitzki’s German foundation
funds similar projects in Africa as well. “It’s very,
very important to me to help kids,” he said. “It’s
my heart’s desire.”
An ambassador for Germany
“Dirk [Nowitzki] obviously has an amazing
biological heart, but he has an even greater
metaphorical heart,” observed Nowitzki’s
laudator, Dr. Eric Olson, Chairman of the Department
of Molecular Biology at the University of
Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
The renowned expert on the biology of the
human heart offered a glowing assessment of
the good work achieved by the Mavericks player
and his charity. “It is through his metaphorical
heart that Nowitzki has inspired us with his
achievements on and off the basketball court,”
he said.
Pictured here are (from left): AmCham Germany General
Manager Dierk Müller, Maria Klinkenbergh and nowitzki.
“Dirk has an amazing
biological heart, but he has an
even greater metaphorical heart.”
Dr. Eric Olson
Acclaimed heart expert Dr. Eric Olson delivered nowitzki‘s laudation. Pictured here are (from left): Fred B. Irwin, AmCham Germany President; nowitzki;
Olson; and Boekhout. lufthansa provided additional support for the ceremony.
Nowitzki himself remains in awe of the
trajectory he has followed in his career since
first moving to Dallas. “I never dreamed that I
would stand here 14 or 15 years later and receive
such an award, that I would be an ambassador
for Germany in America,” he stated. And when
musing on whether he would continue his
charitable activities after he has left the NBA,
Nowitzki didn’t hesitate. “Definitely. It’s still a lot
of fun.” J
December 2012 commerce germany 11

investment region
Hundreds of years ago, eminent names like Luther, Goethe and Schiller put Thuringia on the intellectual map.
Today, the Free State’s true trademark is its topflight business environment. Dr. Arnulf Wulff, Senior Vice President
at LEG Thüringen, and Stefan Hertwig, AmCham Germany Thuringia Regional Committee Chair, discuss the
combination of learning and action that makes Thuringia an economic engine in central Europe.
d In which industries is Thuringia particularly
strong and how can investors tap into the
region’s infrastructure?
C Wulff: Thuringia is home to a wide range of
industries, including automotive, the life sciences
and mechanical engineering. Jena has been one
of the world’s top locations for the optics and
photonics industry since the days of famed scientists
Ernst Abbe and Carl Zeiss. Companies
and R&D institutions both take advantage of the
close collaboration between science and industry.
C Hertwig: Newly established companies
receive support from renowned service providers
that manage integrated supply chains as
well as from various operators of logistics and
sorting centers. Thuringia has recently seen big
investments made by companies like DB
Schenker, Zalando, redcoon and KNV Logistics.
d What makes Thuringia an attractive business
location?
C Hertwig: Thuringia’s central location within
Germany and the EU is a big draw for investors.
Most major German cities can be reached by train
within four hours. And in the near future, highspeed
trains will cut the commute from Erfurt to
Berlin and Munich to around two hours. The state
offers a high quality of life and lots of cultural attractions
for both younger and older professionals.
12 commerce germany December 2012
Thuringia: Germany’s
Vibrant Center
C Wulff: The US is by far the largest foreign
investor in Thuringia. More than 70 investment
projects in the manufacturing sector alone have
created about 10,000 jobs in our state. There are
many good reasons why these companies selected
Thuringia – from the highly qualified, flexible
workforce to developed industrial areas. Generous
investment-support programs also play a key
role. And, last but not least, we at LEG Thüringen
provide a full-service package for investors.
d What do Thuringia’s growing industries mean
for investors?
C Wulff: Thuringia has a clear road map for the
state’s economic development, one that focuses
on consolidating strengths, ensuring sustainability,
fostering investments and providing for
innovation. The goal is to turn Thuringia into one
of Germany’s green-tech centers, one that produces
efficient automotive engines, batteries and
lighting technologies. Information and communications
technology, the life sciences, high-tech
services and, of course, green technologies play a
major role in achieving this ambitious objective.
C Hertwig: With regard to growth and job
creation, Thuringia is the most successful of the
eastern German states. Investors can tap a dense
network of business partners across all sectors
and industries as well as excellent research
institutions.
d What exciting up-and-coming economic sectors
are there in Thuringia that investors might
not yet associate with the region?
C Hertwig: Media companies – especially those
focusing on children’s programs – are clustered
around KIKA, the children’s channel from ARD
and ZDF. This brings with it an interesting mix
of media production, IT, sound engineering and
service companies with strong interconnections.
d How does the AmCham Germany network in
Thuringia assist companies to take full advantage
of the region?
C Hertwig: Business After Hours events held
at our members’ locations, as well as events
addressing current transatlantic topics, provide
useful networking opportunities. This helps new
members integrate quickly and gain access to a
well-established network of businesspeople.
C Wulff: LEG Thüringen became a member of
AmCham Germany for the excellent business
network it provides both within Thuringia and
across all of Germany. This helps us join the
global business community and benefit from new
business contacts.
� For more information on doing
business in Thuringia, please visit
www.amcham.de

www.invest-in-thuringia.de
That’s
Thuringia.
One of Thuringia‘s many outstanding companies: Jenoptik – quality leader in high
performance diode lasers and world-wide leading manufacturer of precision optics.
In Thuringia, all your investment requirements can be met. For further information
please see www.invest-in-thuringia.de

special feature
The Transatlantic Marketplace:
Challenges and Opportunities Beyond 2012
Sixth Annual Transatlantic Business Conference
Strategic inspiration and impulses for the economic and political partnership
Coming Together for Free Trade
14 commerce germany December 2012
TRAnSATlAnTIC
Business Conference
Frankfurt/M, Nov. 14-15. While welcoming guests at the evening reception of the Sixth Annual Transatlantic
Business Conference, Michael Reuther, Member of the Board of Managing Directors at Commerzbank AG, called
attention to the deeper meaning of the election that had just unfolded on the Atlantic’s far shore. High atop
his company’s iconic skyscraper, Reuther told the packed room that “the pillars of today’s transatlantic partnership
remain the basic principles of democracy, hard work and freedom.”
Though not uniquely Western virtues,
democracy and transparency, as practiced
in the US and Europe, do distinguish
these regions from other parts of the
world, particularly vis-à-vis one of their greatest
challenges: China. “The US election has
reminded us of how important free elections
are,” Reuther said, “because on the other side
of the world, there is an unclear path of decisionmaking
and succession.”
Strengthening transatlantic bonds is therefore
all the more important, which is why
Philip D. Murphy,
uS Ambassador to
Germany
AmCham Germany President Fred B. Irwin used
the conference to spark a “get out the vote”
effort on a topic of immense importance to the
EU-US business community. “Now is the time for
the Obama administration to accept the recommendation
of the EU to set up a transatlantic
partnership agreement,” he said at the start of
the next day’s proceedings. “I encourage every
American in the room to talk to multiple members of
Congress. This is important.”
As a whole, the conference was an ideal platform
for open dialogue – like a good political
Jürgen Fitschen,
Co-Chairman of the
Management Board of
Deutsche Bank AG
Hans-Joachim Otto,
Parliamentary State Secretary,
Federal Ministry of Economics
and Technology
strategy session – to help realize the goal of a
transatlantic free trade agreement.
uS election dominates discussion
The seemingly banal procedures of electoral
democracy take on whole new meanings in the
US, especially for business leaders, as participants
on the opening evening panel pointed out.
Der Tagesspiegel US correspondent Dr. Christoph
von Marschall discussed the aggressive nature
of President Obama’s reelection campaign as

“Debt drives the bus.”
Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger,
Senior Editor for Foreign Affairs,
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
J
“If we think big and broad
about the opportunities that
come from strengthening the
role of trade between us, we
can accomplish a lot together.”
Laura Lane,
President of Global Public Affairs, UPS
J
“Only a strong and united
Europe can be a good trade
partner for the uS.”
Michael Reuther,
Member of the Board of Managing Directors,
Commerzbank AG
J
“I have a hunch that we will
indeed see some poetry in
government.”
Philip D. Murphy,
US Ambassador to Germany, remarking on
President Obama’s second term
J
“We’re very good in Europe
about setting a goal. What
we’re not as good at is the
implementation of it.”
Hendrik Bourgeois,
Chairman of AmCham EU
J
“Even a G3 [of the uS, the Eu
and China], if we want to call it
that, is not the answer.”
Jürgen Fitschen,
Co-Chairman of the Management Board,
Deutsche Bank AG
J
“The whole [energy market] is
turning upside down with new
pricing models.”
Dr. Roland Busch,
Member of the Managing Board
and CEO of the Infrastructure & Cities
Sector, Siemens AG
J
an example. “The Democrats had the better ground
game – how to get the vote out,” he said of the president’s
ability to triumph despite unfavorable economic
conditions, a challenge familiar to European business
leaders seeking solutions to the ongoing eurozone
crisis. And while domestic political disputes in the US
might distract from trade negotiations with the EU, the
general consensus was that a concerted lobbying effort
would not fall on deaf ears, a point punctuated by Laura
Lane, President of Global Public Affairs for UPS. “We’ve
already figured out how to forge great transatlantic
business partnerships,” she said. “We now need to
translate that into the rules of the game.”
The next day’s fruitful series of panel discussions,
workshops and networking opportunities opened
with a display of German-American amity. Philip D.
Murphy, US Ambassador to Germany, noted that the
US was adapting successful German educational
ideas, particularly for vocational training, to help
strengthen its workforce and boost its economy. To
improve the prospects of an EU-US trade agreement,
Murphy suggested that Europeans might want to
adopt an American mentality of their own. Speaking
about irrational European fears of genetically modified
foods, he cautioned that “a treaty that does not
address agricultural interests would not be approved
by the US Senate.” On his heels came Hans-Joachim
Otto, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal
Ministry of Economics and Technology, who assured
the audience of the overwhelming importance of the
transatlantic relationship. “The EU and the US are the
most important trade partners for each other,” he said,
even asserting the economic relationship as the most
important in the world.
A value add for the Eu
In the day’s first panel, the question of securing a
free trade agreement took on a whole new dimension:
economic pressures from outside the EU and US. Many
conference participants had already expressed concern
about the lack of attention US leaders paid to Europe
after the 2008 elections, noting the sharpened focus
on the Asia-Pacific region. As James H. Quigley, former
Senior Partner at Deloitte LLP and currently US Co-Chair
of the TransAtlantic Business Dialogue (TABD) – which,
along with the Federation of German Industries (BDI),
cooperated closely with conference organizers AmCham
Germany and the F.A.Z.-Institut – humorously observed,
“Perhaps if 90% of Germans were not supportive
of Obama in his reelection bid, he might come more
often.” The panel featured some sunny observations as
well, with Hendrik Bourgeois, Chairman of AmCham EU,
pointing out the advantages of Ireland’s imminent takeover
of the rotating EU presidency, including the ability
of the Irish to bring trade negotiations with the US to
the fore. For his part, Martin H. Richenhagen, Chairman,
President and CEO of AGCO Corporation, described the
increasing attractiveness of the US for manufacturers:
“The biggest advantage of the US as an investment
location is currently the attractive price of energy,” he
said. Still, when asked if they expected to see an EU-US
free trade agreement in a year’s time, no one on the
panel was able to respond with a confident yes.
Participants of the opening evening‘s panel set the stage for further discussion of Eu-uS cooperation.
“With this approach, our
employees become more
innovative and creative, and
they make us more competitive.”
Hubert Yoshida,
Vice President and Chief Technology Officer,
Hitachi Data Systems, speaking
Guests had the chance to network during the evening reception. Michael Reuther of Commerzbank AG welcomes guests.
of the “bring-your-own-mobile-device”
workplace philosophy For full coverage of the event, please visit www.transatlantic-marketplace.com
December 2012 commerce germany 15

special feature
ORGAnIzERS
In COOPERATIOn WITH
CO-ORGAnIzERS
PARTnERS
SuPPORTERS
MEDIA PARTnERS
16 commerce germany December 2012
A later panel tackled the crucial issue of the digital
revolution’s effects on transatlantic business. Reinhard
Clemens, Member of the Management Board of Deutsche
Telekom AG and CEO of T-Systems, set the tone by
remarking that, while there hasn’t been a major compromise
of data security on the scale that some experts
warn of, the health of any modern trade relationship still
depends upon keeping online transactions secure. This security
comes at a price, however, noted Hinrich Voelcker,
Global Head of IT Security for Deutsche Bank AG: Security
measures “cost money in every part of the world for every
individual company,” he said. Dr. Thomas Hesse, Member
of the Executive Board and President of Corporate Development
and New Business, Bertelsmann AG, looked to
innovative approaches in the US, particularly the integration
of the Internet in corporate boardrooms, as a way
forward. “The European digital environment is far behind
what’s going on in the US,” he lamented.
“Ours is the task …”
The final panel took a turn for the urban, with a slate
of experts looking at the rise of megacities and the need
for new infrastructure as growth catalysts. Barb Samardzich,
Vice President of Product Development at Ford of
Europe, noted that the auto industry is rapidly developing
due to forces beyond its control, such as climate change
and gridlock. “Infrastructure that enables us to have a
sustainable business has got to be included,” she said.
According to Dr. Roland Busch, Member of the Manag-
ing Board and CEO of the Infrastructure & Cities Sector
at Siemens AG, urbanization is a megatrend. “That’s
something we cannot and should not stop, because it
fires the growth of economies,” he said. Following the
panel, Prof. Hans-Peter Keitel, President of BDI, began a
thoughtful keynote address by setting the record straight
on US debt. The much-feared “fiscal cliff,” unlike the eurozone’s
challenges, was not a crisis, he said. Thanks in
part to a natural gas boom and the resulting prospect of
energy independence, the US has “a significantly better
chance of reducing its sovereign debt, thereby resetting
relations with China.” And while nobody wants to give
up on Europe, Keitel struck a sober tone on ongoing
efforts to ensure Greece’s political stability and its place
in the EU. “We all know it’s not about money,” he said.
As the day drew to a close, Jürgen Fitschen took the
stage to provide the conference’s final speech. The Co-
Chairman of the Management Board of Deutsche Bank
AG continued in the spirit of open dialogue, shaping his
brief, extemporized remarks to allow for an accessible
interchange of ideas. Europeans, he reminded the audience,
were still trying to figure out what exactly they
had undertaken with the creation of the EU. “Ours is the
enormous task of understanding what it is that we’re
doing in Europe,” he said. “And our friends in America
have to tell us how they want to deal with these
problems.” That his European and American audience
had spent the day doing precisely that – among much
else – simply reflected on the conference’s considerable
contribution to the ongoing transatlantic discussion. J
Fred B. Irwin Hendrik Bourgeois James H. Quigley Martin H. Richenhagen
Reinhard Clemens Hubert yoshida Hinrich Voelcker Dr. Thomas Hesse
Dr. Roland Busch Barb Samardzich Dr. Frank Stieler Prof. Hans-Peter Keitel

Dr. Ruprecht Brandis Sabrina Soussan
Dr. Andrea Fluthwedel Jürgen lehnus Peter J. Wirnsperger
Dr. Friederike Gräfin von Brühl Dr. Mark young
Finding the Thread Again
Workshop sessions picked up where the panels left off on taxes, cybersecurity and other topics.
Recent macroeconomic and political
developments lent an air of immediacy to
two workshops on financial issues. One,
hosted by Commerzbank AG, focused on
the shifting landscape of European capital debt
markets. As Reinhard Haas, Head of Loan Capital
Markets Europe at Commerzbank, noted, changing
regulations are transforming the use of bank
loans, making them less attractive as a long-term
funding source. These European developments
made for an interesting comparison with the
outlook on US corporate and effective tax rates,
especially given President Obama’s reelection.
“With a 35% tax rate, the US has the highest tax
burden” compared with European countries, said
Dr. Stefan Brunsbach, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers
AG, during a tax workshop hosted
by his company.
Attendees also returned to the topic of
cybersecurity for a pair of workshops. The everincreasing
sophistication of hackers was featured
in a session hosted by K&L Gates. “The
law is far behind the hackers, and the tools we
are working with are not ideal,” pointed out Dr.
Friederike Gräfin von Brühl, an associate at the
law firm. At a later cybersecurity workshop, Peter
J. Wirnsperger, Partner at Deloitte, noted that
large companies are relatively protected from cyberthreats,
and that the Mittelstand is left most
vulnerable.
Ethics and fairy tales
Workshop participants also had the opportunity
to engage in thought experiments worthy of
a college philosophy seminar. At a session hosted
by the Dräger Foundation, participants heard an
ethical dilemma cleverly disguised as a Märchen.
They then took part in a discussion on which
characters shared the moral blame, the findings
of which were connected to the problem of corruption
in international business dealings.
The ethics of growth management was the
focal point of another workshop hosted by the
Verantwortungs Zukunft initiative, which gave
various business and political leaders the oppor-
Participants of the Mayer Brown workshop on fines, unbundling and claims
Speakers at the Commerzbank workshop on European debt
tunity to lay out their visions for responsible business
dealings. Dr. Ioannis Hatzopoulos, Scientific
& Sustainability Communications Manager for
Procter & Gamble, for instance, stressed the importance
of improving the quality of life for future
generations in his definition of responsibility.
The DIN German Institute for Standardization
and Mayer Brown rounded things out with disparate
topics that both harkened back to larger
problems of uniformity in EU and US standards
and legislation. The DIN workshop tackled sustainability
standardization for municipal development
in Germany, with panelists cautioning
of the need for a resident-centric approach to
new rules: “Citizens aren’t sitting in the Bundes-
tag – they are living in their communities,” as
Karl-Ludwig Böttcher, Director of the Association
of Towns and Municipalities in Brandenburg, put
it. At the Mayer Brown workshop, participants
noted the need for streamlined policies regarding
antitrust cases in the EU, but expressed ambivalence
about whether they should more resemble
US or German practices. J
December 2012 commerce germany 17

policy issues
Business of
Healthcare Committee
Hosts Reimann
Berlin, Oct. 19. In continuation of its Business
of Healthcare Breakfast series, members of the
Business of Healthcare Committee met with
Dr. Carola Reimann, MdB (SPD) and chair-
person of the German Parliament’s Committee
on Health. Titled “Patient Care of the Future,” the
discussion focused on the topics of integrated
care, prevention and the future development of
the health insurance market, among other topics.
Pictured here is Reimann (left) with Matthias
Borst, Business of Healthcare Committee Chair.
top-level meetings
AmCham Germany Members Meet with Minister President of Saarland
Berlin, Sept. 21. AmCham Germany members
met Saarland’s Minister President Annegret
Kramp-Karrenbauer to discuss US investors’
perspectives on Germany as well as policy issues
of interest to companies in the region. The discussion
covered a wide range of topics, including
current healthcare policies in Germany, the Ger-
18 commerce germany December 2012
Henseler-unger at TIM Committee Fall Meeting
Düsseldort, Sept. 20. At its Fall Meeting, the
Telecommunications, Internet andMedia (TIM)
Committee heard a keynote speech from
Dr. Iris Henseler-unger, Vice President of
the German Federal Network Agency. Her
well-received remarks were followed by a lively
discussion on the pace of digitalization in
Germany,the number of jobs created by Internetbased
industries and the expansion of high-speed
TIM Committee Breakfast on Social Media
Berlin, Sept. 27. At this Telecommunications,
Internet and Media (TIM) Committee breakfast
meeting committee members discussed the topic
“social media between the poles of data protection
and media literacy” with Richard Allan,
man transition toward renewable energy sources
and the potential for reducing bureaucracy in the
public sector as well as issues concerning Saarland
as an investment location. Pictured here are
(from left): Anett Sachtleben, Günter Fortmann,
Dr. Serkan Tavasli, Rolf Maihöfer,
Kees Veraart, Stefan Kinner, Dr. Elisabeth
Internet. Pictured here are (from left): Reinhard
Kowalewsky, the event’s moderator; Dr. Gunnar
Bender; Matthi Bolte, Member of the State
Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia (Alliance
‘90/The Greens); Henseler-Unger; Thomas
Jarzombek, MdB (CDU) and member of the
German Parliament’s subcommittee on new media;
and Mike Cosse, TIM Committee Co-Chair.
Facebook’s Director of Policy for Europe, Middle
East and Africa; Jutta Croll, Managing Director,
Stiftung Digitale Chancen; and Thomas Jarzombek,
MdB (CDU) and member of the German
Parliament’s subcommittee on new media.
Hauschild, Peter Albiez, Fred B. Irwin,
Dr. Wolfgang Dierker, Henry Bren d’Amour,
Kramp-Karrenbauer, Dr. Clemens Doepgen,
Carsten Kestermann, ursula Menhart,
Dr. Ruprecht Brandis, Benjamin Brake,
Steffen Wurm and Dr. Marcus Ostermann.

Sustainability
Committee Breakfast
Series Continues
Berlin, Oct. 18. The Sustainability Committee
continued its Breakfast Series on energy and
environmental policies, meeting with Marieluise
Dött, MdB (CDU) and environmentalpolicy
spokesperson for her party. In the meeting,
committee members explored recent developments
in the field, including issues such as the
EU Emissions Trading System and the Renewable
Energy Sources Act (EEG) levy. Pictured here are
(from left): Dr. Ingrid Herzog, Sustainability
Committee Chair; Dött; and Dr. Wolfgang
Dierker, Sustainability Committee Co-Chair.
Federal Minister Ramsauer Receives Business leaders
Berlin, Oct. 30. AmCham Germany members
were received by Dr. Peter Ramsauer,
Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban
Development, as well as senior ministry staff for
a discussion of current economic developments
in the ministry’s sectors of expertise. The meeting
covered topics such as fuel prices and market
transparency, the future of e-mobility in Germany
and developments in international air-transportation
policies as well as freight-transport and
logistical issues. Pictured here are (from left, first
row): Anett Sachtleben, Fred B. Irwin, Ramsauer,
Markus Wermers, David Knower and
Frank Sportolari. Second row: Georg Knoth,
Michael Clausecker and Otmar Debald.
Third row: Ralf Brinkmann, Rolf Maihöfer,
Michael Schmidt, Dirk Höke and Volker
Sach. Fourth row: Hans-Christian Maaß and
Dr. Marcus Ostermann.
Government Relations Committee Meets
with State Secretary Herkes
Berlin, Oct. 19. The Government Relations Committee
met with Anne Ruth Herkes, State
Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economics
and Technology. After short introductions from
Herkes and Hans-Peter Teufers, Government
Relations Committee Chair, the group discussed
Bundesbank Executive Visits Financial
Services Committee
Frankfurt/M, Oct. 24. The Financial Services
Committee met with Prof. Andreas Dombret,
Member of the Executive Board of the Deutsche
Bundesbank. After a speech from Dombret on
the causes of and potential solutions for the
European sovereign-debt crisis, committee members
participated in a wide-ranging discussion on
German monetary policy. Pictured here are (from
left): Stefan Fröhlich, Deloitte & Touche GmbH;
a broad array of topics ranging from the chances
for an EU-US free-trade agreement to energy
policy and current issues facing the healthcare
and telecommunications industries in Germany.
Pictured here are the meeting’s participants.
Dombret; and Rolf D. Maihöfer, Financial
Services Committee Co-Chair.
December 2012 commerce germany 19

event report
EuROPE AT THE CROSSROADS
Berlin, Sept. 12. The EU’s common currency and
financial sector both stand at a crucial crossroads
according to participants at this Patron & Executive
Member Roundtable. As pointed out by Andreas
Schmitz, Chairman of the Management Board
at HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt AG and the event’s
THE WORlD In 2025
Düsseldorf, Sept. 20. In his keynote speech at this
AmCham Germany Board of Directors meeting,
Martin Walker, Senior Director of the Global
Business Policy Council of A.T. Kearney GmbH,
discussed the various global challenges that will
confront the business community through 2025.
After walking his audience through a theoretical
future landscape of natural-resource shortages
and an ascendant China, Walker elucidated a
response – one that relies on global networking
and private-sector investments. Pictured here
are (from left): Uwe Kleinert, Coca-Cola GmbH;
uS PRESIDEnTIAl POlITICS In HAnnOVER
Hannover, Sept. 26. Six weeks before Americans
reelected Barack Obama president over challenger
Mitt Romney, attendees at this election event
heard an expert analysis of the campaign from
Philip D. Murphy, US Ambassador to Germany.
Murphy’s exciting presentation was followed by
20 commerce germany December 2012
headline speaker, the path the financial sector follows
through the crisis will shape the European
economy for years to come. Pictured here are (from
left): Dr. Rüdiger von Hülst, from event partner
K&L Gates LLP; Schmitz; and Rügen Leicht, member
of the AmCham Germany Board of Directors.
Robert Haller, Mars GmbH; Walker; Loïc Moutault,
Mars GmbH; and Frank Riemensperger,
AmCham Germany Executive Vice President.
a Q&A session, where the ambassador fielded
questions about the tightly fought race. Pictured
here are (from left): Inmi K. Patterson, US Consul
General; Murphy; Edelgard Bulmahn, MdB;
Dr. Hannes Rehm, IHK Hannover; and Fred B.
Irwin, AmCham Germany President.
SuSTAInABlE CHEMICAl COMPAny
Frankfurt/M, Sept. 13. As Chairman of the Board
of the world-renowned chemical company BASF
SE, Dr. Kurt Bock had a wide range of insights
to share about the business of sustainability at
this AmCham Luncheon. By outlining his company’s
multifarious strategies for running an
environmentally friendly and socially responsible
global corporation, Bock showed his audience
how sustainability and profitability can be
successfully wed. Pictured here are (from left):
Dr. Mark C. Hilgard, Rhein-Main Regional Committee
Chair; Bock; and Fred B. Irwin, AmCham
Germany President.
SOCCER AS A PROFITABlE BuSInESS
Stuttgart, Sept. 25. Soccer is known the world
over as “the beautiful game,” and as Gerd E.
Mäuser, President of first-division Bundesliga
soccer club VfB Stuttgart 1893 e.V., reminded
the dozens of attendees at this Business Luncheon,
it can be a very profitable enterprise as
well, one that makes for sound investments. Pictured
here are (from left): Prof. Gerhard Wegen,
Baden-Württemberg Regional Committee Chair;
Mäuser; Michael Marbler, Ernst & Young GmbH;
and Klaus Tornow, AmCham Germany Baden-
Württemberg Representative.

THE WAy OuT OF THE CRISIS
Düsseldorf, Sept. 27. How can Germany protect
its strong economic position while helping to
pull its neighbors out of the economic mire? This
was the question addressed by former Federal
Minister Wolfgang Clement at a Patron Member
Roundtable. Clement’s nuanced appraisal of
Germany’s current situation was thought-
provoking and spurred plenty of discussion among
attendees. Pictured here is Clement (left) with
Dr. Alexander Schröder-Frerkes, North Rhine-
Westphalia Regional Committee Chair.
THE FuTuRE OF GERMAny’S DIGITAl lAnDSCAPE
Berlin, Oct. 17. This AmCham Germany Policy
Forum looked at how Germany’s digital infrastructure
will change over the next five years. Forum
participants tackled tough questions about
how infrastructure competition in Germany is
developing and how the regulatory environment
can be improved. Pictured here are (from left):
WEIMER TAlKS BAnKInG
Munich, Oct. 10. Bankers might not be the
subject of many Hollywood blockbusters, but the
idea that they have a boring profession is a myth
that needs to be exploded, at least according to
Dr. Theodor Weimer, Speaker of the Management
Board of HypoVereinsbank. At this AmCham
Forum, Weimer touted the propensity of bankers
to steer a nation’s political discourse. Pictured
here are (from left): Andreas Würtenberger,
Bavaria Regional Committee Co-Chair; Weimer;
and Dr. Albrecht Schmidt, HypoVereinsbank.
Mike Fries, Liberty Global; Frank Riemensperger,
AmCham Germany Executive Vice President;
Prof. Christian Schwarz-Schilling, former Federal
Minister for Postal Services and Telecommunications;
Dr. Roman Friedrich, Booz & Company;
and Thomas Tschentscher, Freshfields Bruckhaus
Deringer LLP.
SPOTlIGHT On InDuSTRy
Düsseldorf, Oct. 31. Günter Gressler, Chairman
of the Board of Directors of 3M Deutschland,
discussed his company’s stunning coups in product
and service innovation at this well-attended
Business Luncheon. Pictured here is Werner
L. Kanthak, AmCham Germany North Rhine-
Westphalia Representative (left) with Gressler.
ElECTIOn TAlK On SWInG STATES
Berlin, Oct. 17. While earning his doctorate at
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
Prof. William Chandler learned firsthand the
intricacies of party division in a “swing state,”
a state that does not reliably vote Democrat or
Republican in any given presidential election.
Chandler, who now teaches political science
at the University of California, San Diego, gave
attendees at this AmCham Election Talk a
rundown on these all-important swing states
and outlined presidential candidates’ campaign
strategies in places like North Carolina and
Ohio. Pictured here are (from left): Dr. Stephanie
Hundertmark, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
LLP; Chandler; and Carl Graf von Hohenthal,
Berlin-Brandenburg Regional Committee Chair.
VISA WORKSHOP OPEnS DOORS
Nuremberg, Oct. 24. Participants at this visa
workshop learned the key points of securing approval
for various forms of visas as well as for
making successful inroads into new countries.
The speakers, all of whom work for the US Consulate
General or for business organizations
active on both sides of the Atlantic, spent significant
time providing visa advice for German
companies setting up shop in the US. Pictured
here are (from left): William E. Moeller, US Consul
General; Markus Lötzsch, IHK Nürnberg; and
Martin Thiermann, Northern Bavaria Regional
Committee Chair.
December 2012 commerce germany 21

chamber news
Rice Speaks at Campus Symposium
The annual business conference Campus Symposium
has taken place at the Business and Information
Technology School (BiTS) in Iserlohn since
2005. This year’s symposium featured former Secretary
of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice and former
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, along
Dr. Henning C. Schneider (pictured here) has
joined the Northern Germany Regional Committee
as Co-Chair. Schneider is a partner in the Hamburg
office and Chair of the German Corporate Department
of Latham & Watkins LLP. His practice focuses
on advising corporations, banks, private-equity
firms and public organizations on German and
cross-border M&As as well as on restructurings
amcham germany in the press
22 commerce germany December 2012
with other high-ranking speakers who reported
on this year’s topic of communication. Pictured
here are (from left): Olmert; Prof. Thorsten Bagschik,
CEO, BiTS; Werner Kanthak, AmCham Germany
North-Rhine Westphalia Representative;
Rice; and Stephen A. Hubler, US Consul General.
Regional Committee Adds Co-Chair
and privatizations in
various industry sectors.
Schneider studied
in Hamburg and
Singapore and has
worked as an attorney
in Hamburg, Brussels
and NewYork.
network agency calls
for innovation
[...] The vice president of the Federal
Network Agency, Iris Henseler-Unger,
believes Germany still lags behind the
US and many Asian countries in developing
new Internet and telecommunications
products. But she also sees
great opportunities for German business
in the intelligent integration of
state-of-the-art telephone and Internet
networks into the energy, healthcare
and automotive industries. She
made these remarks at a panel discussion
on the prospects of German tele-
communications and IT companies
organized by AmCham Germany. […]
(Translated from the original German article in the
Rheinische Post on Sept. 22, 2012)
Transatlantic challenges
before the elections
[...] The first priority has to be reestablishing
trust in the political process
and the economy and getting the
markets back on track. The climate
must be positive again. […] Closer
economic integration between Europe
and the US and a common transatlantic
market without trade barriers
We mourn the loss of
our longtime members
Marianne Robenhagen
and
Douglas E. Toll.
They are in our thoughts.
American Chamber of Commerce
in Germany
New Senior
Adviser to EU
Markus G. Russ (pictured here) was recently
appointed AmCham Germany’s Senior Adviser
to the EU, making him the Chamber’s contact in
Brussels. Russ is currently Delegate of the Management
Board of
Concilius AG as well
as CEO of and Partner
at Concilius Europe.
With 12 years of experience
in Brussels,
he is a well-known
expert in EU policy.
would noticeably improve the competitiveness
of the transatlantic economic
region. This is especially important in
light of growth in other markets.
(Translated from the original German article
written by AmCham Germany President Fred B.
Irwin and appearing in the Frankfurter Allgemeine
Zeitung on Oct. 5, 2012)
Banking supervision in the Eu
must apply to everyone
[...] Martin Blessing, Chairman of the
Commerzbank Board of Managing
Directors, is more optimistic than he
was six months ago and believes that
the debt crisis can be resolved. “I’m

Fourth Annual AmCham Business Day
The event offered ample opportunities for wide-ranging discussions and gainful networking as well as a chance to meet internship program participants.
Kickoff of 2013 US-German Internship Program
Will the eurozone look the same five
years from now? How will the dollar
fare in the current crisis? These
were just two of many questions
up for discussion at the Fourth Annual AmCham
Business Day, which took place in Atlanta,
Georgia, on Oct. 30. In keeping with its tradition,
the event was not a place for definitive answers,
but rather a forum for discussion and debate.
The event also served as the kickoff for
next year’s US-German Internship Program. In
2013, a new group of students from renowned
universities in the southeastern US will have
the opportunity to learn about German business
culture and improve their German language
skills in a cross-cultural environment.
Several interns from 2012 spoke at the event
about their life-changing experiences from the
previous summer.
more confident we are on the right
track,” the top banker said to a group
of AmCham Germany members in
Dresden. […] “If the euro collapses,
the other 26 EU member states would
blame Germany. We cannot allow this
to happen.”
(Translated from the original German article in
the Sächsische Zeitung on Oct. 30, 2012)
Obama victory fails to thrill
European business
[...] “The business community was
clearly in favor of Romney, that’s no
secret,” said Fred B. Irwin, AmCham
Germany President. “The business
community felt that the Obama administration
ignored them.”
(Source: The New York Times on Nov. 7, 2012)
Obama should speak with
Merkel in Berlin
[...] Irwin: “My hopes are twofold:
One, that the President will travel to
Berlin and speak with the Chancellor
and two, that the EU and US will come
to a free-trade agreement.”
(Translated from the original German article in
the Nordwest Zeitung on Nov. 8, 2012)
For more information on hosting an intern
or supporting the program financially,
please contact:
Katrin Utzinger
T +49 69 929104-50
E kutzinger@amcham.de
Janine Horlacher
T +49 69 929105-52
E jhorlacher@amcham.de
Kathleen Darmstadt
T +1 404 8855221
E kathleen.darmstadt@bridgehouselaw.us
W www.amchaminternship.org
W www.amcham.de/services/
internship-program.html
AmCham Germany and BDI see
potential on trade barriers
[...} In particular, the Federation of
German Industries (BDI) and AmCham
Germany advocate “a comprehensive
transatlantic trade and economic
agreement.” […] “Dismantling current
trade barriers would significantly
improve the competitiveness of the
US and Europe and lead to additional
growth of around 1.5%,” said Fred B.
Irwin, AmCham Germany President.
(Translated from the original German article in the
Handelsblatt on Nov. 8, 2012)
Speakers at this year’s event included:
• Henryk M. Broder
Author and journalist
• Dr. Werner Hoyer
President of the European Investment Bank
• Heinrich-Peter Rothmann
BridgehouseLaw Berlin
• Dr. Christoph Rückel
BridgehouseLaw Atlanta, AmCham
Germany Southeast US Senior Adviser
• Christoph Sander
German Consul General to the US (Atlanta)
• Martina Stegmeier
President and CEO of GACC South, Atlanta
• Dr. Cedric Szuman
Executive VP and Director of Programming
for World Affairs Council of Atlanta
Transatlantic agreement impeded
by agricultural policy
[…] The US and Europe could establish
standards and rules worldwide
and, through the power of their
combined market power, act as an
opposing force against the trends in
Asia and emerging markets. There are
said to be shared interests particularly
when it comes to the industry, as companies
on both continents are equally
affected by unfair trade practices.
(Translated from the original German article in the
Börsen-Zeitung on Nov. 16, 2012)
December 2012 commerce germany 23

Kolumne member insights
Buttressing Offshore Wind-Energy Production
Wind power, both on- and
offshore, plays a central
role in the German
government’s efforts to
implement the Energiewende (shift
toward sustainable energy). Offshore
power plants in the North Sea and Baltic
Sea may benefit
from substantially
increased feed-in
tariffs, and large
It’s a classic
catch-22
utilities as well as financial investors
are already engaged in various offshore
projects.
The development of power plants off
the German coast, however, has recently
lost momentum. Offshore projects
are facing technical difficulties, complex
permit requirements and environmental
risks. Delays in connecting plants to the
grid may lead to significant losses for
operators. The risk of delay has there-
Having undergone tremendous
upheaval in recent years, and
now feeling the burden of the
European recession, automakers
and suppliers are looking to innovation-based
strategies to turn the tide
for their industry. In the process, many
are finding that innovation does not
require completely new products. The
same products offered in a new market
can often have the desired impact with
much lower investment.
One result of recent volatility in
the US market has been the uptick in
small-car sales, which have increased
more than 20% in the past five years.
Historically, US car companies have
courted the small-car market by shrinking
larger-vehicle platforms, leading to
suboptimal vehicles, decreased profits
and oftentimes increasingly complex
24 commerce germany December 2012
fore scared many potential investors
away from new projects.
It’s a classic catch-22: Transmission
grid operators are only willing to build
expensive offshore transmission lines if
construction of the plant is guaranteed
and the grid connection will be used. At
the same time, investors are only willing
to invest in an offshore plant when they
are certain that grid connection will be
available upon completion.
The federal government has
attempted to solve this problem by proposing
a new bill pro-
viding for an offshore
grid development plan
that sets out parameters
and a timeline for the
construction of required
offshore transmission lines. Transmission
grid operators must jointly prepare
and submit the plan annually to the
Wind power plays
a central role in the
Energiewende
Rethinking Innovation in the Auto Industry
manufacturing processes. The current
recession-driven focus on improved fuel
economy and less-expensive vehicles
has once again forced automakers to
reevaluate their offerings. US buyers,
however, are interested in keeping the
options and refinement of larger vehicles
in smaller packages.
To address this market demand,
automakers have increasingly elected
to import European- and
Asian-designed vehicles
to the US in configurations
nearly identical to those
sold in their home countries.
These vehicles typically
have turbocharged
engines for improved acceleration and
fuel economy along with upgraded
interiors that offer a more luxurious
feel. Not everything is the same, how-
US buyers want the
refinement of larger
vehicles in smaller
packages
German Federal Network Agency for
approval. According to the bill, transmission
grid operators would be bound
by the timelines established in the plan
and would be liable to offshore plant
operators for delays in grid connection.
However, the liability of grid operators
would be capped, and damages could
be passed on to their customers to a
certain extent.
The bill has drawn criticism: Some
argue that it would lead to even higher
electricity costs for consumers. There
seems to be overall
agreement on at least
one point, however: The
government must make
major efforts to achieve
its goal of building offshore
power plants with a total capacity
of 25 gigawatts by 2030. J
ever: While Europeans favor diesels, for
example, US buyers have yet to embrace
the technology in significant numbers.
Automakers know how important it
is to understand the needs of customers
navigating myriad options available
in a particular market. They have
found this to be the key to selling existing
products in new locations without
increasing manufacturing complexity.
Struggling automakers
– as well as companies
across the manufacturing
spectrum – may
therefore find that the
next innovation already
exists in their portfolios.
Building a product with international
appeal is difficult. The challenge – and
the opportunity – is to optimize globally
but differentiate locally. J
Dr. Christian Horn, ll.M.
Counsel
K&L Gates LLP
Markgrafenstr. 42
10117 Berlin
T +49 30 220 029-228
E christian.horn@klgates.com
W www.klgates.com
Riddish Dubal
Managing Director
Private Equity Services
Alvarez & Marsal
Deutschland GmbH
Bürkleinstr. 10
80538 Munich
T +49 089 71040-600
E info@alvarezandmarsal.de
W www.alvarezandmarsal.de

new members
SEPTEMBER TO nOVEMBER 2012
uPGRADED EXECuTIVE
MEMBER
EquityGate Advisors GmbH
Michael Fabich, Managing Partner
Wiesbaden
EXECuTIVE MEMBERS
American Express Services
Europe limited
Thomas E. Nau, Country Manager
Germany & Austria
Vorsitzender der Geschäftsleitung
Frankfurt/M
Arrow Central Europe GmbH
Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Robert Schickhoff
Vice President Finance Central &
Southern Europe
Dreieich
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
zusammenarbeit (GIz) GmbH
Tanja Gönner, Sprecherin des Vorstands
Eschborn
EATOn Industries GmbH
Richard M. Boulter, Managing Director
Bonn
Huawei Technologies
Deutschland GmbH
Olaf Reus
Member of the Management Board
Director, Public Affairs & Communications
Berlin
CORPORATE MEMBERS
adyton uG
Dipl.-Ing. Joachim Fischer, CEO
Berg
AngloInFO Berlin
Stephanie L. Mattes, Managing Director
Berlin
Benkert + Partner
Manfred Benkert, Jr., Partner
Frankfurt/M
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Deutschland
Dr. Andrea Berg, Development Director
Ludwigshafen
Company Solution uSA Inc.
Dr. Michael Rau, CEO
Wilmington, DE, US
DIS Interim Management GmbH
Mine Sirin, Regional Manager
Stuttgart
Dr. leupold
Dr. Andreas Leupold, Rechtsanwalt
Munich
Gates and Company
David Gates, President
Wilmington, DE, US
HauckSchuchardt
Hans-Christian Hauck
Partner, Rechtsanwalt
Frankfurt/M
Henley Business School GmbH
Lic.Oec. Hsg. Felix Müller, Director
Frankfurt/M
IMS, llC
Dr. Berthold P. Erdel, President
Pittstown, NJ, USA
Innside by Melia Hotel Düsseldorf
Thomas Krause, General Manager
Düsseldorf
Konrad Hornschuch AG
Dr. Hans-Hinrich Kruse, COO
Weißbach
PM Group Polska Sp. z o.o.
Joanna Bensz
Business Development Director, CEE
Board Member
Breslau, Poland
protected-networks.com
GmbH / 8MAn
Stephan Brack, CIO
Berlin
radprax Vorsorgeinstitut GmbH
Betriebsw. Birgit Bertermann, CEO
Düsseldorf
What brought Arrow Central Europe GmbH, a global supplier of products, services and solutions for
industrial and commercial users of electronic components, to AmCham Germany?
In June, I had the pleasure of participating in a very interesting and insightful roundtable discussion about the
economic situation in Germany and the US. The discussion itself as well as the inspiring exchange with other participants
demonstrated that it was a valuable event and made it an easy decision to become a member of AmCham Germany.
Robert Schickhoff, Managing Director of Arrow Central Europe GmbH
Raytheon International, Inc.
James E. Monroe, Vice President
Bonn
SnP Schneider-neureither &
Partner AG
Dr. Andreas Schneider-Neureither, CEO
Heidelberg
State of Indiana, Berlin Office
Jan C. Wiedemann, CEO
Berlin
vitaliberty GmbH
Dipl.-Ing. Harald Holzer, CEO
Mannheim
DElEGATED MEMBERS
AC Tischendorf Rechtsanwälte
Dr. Jan-Mathias Kuhr
Accenture
Axel Schmidt
AGCO Corporation
Dipl.-Ing. Peter-Josef Paffen
Vice President & Managing Director
Fendt EAME
American Express Services
Europe limited
Heike Baur-Wagner
Anton Lill
Carola Paschola
Sonja Scott
Bryan Cave llP
Dr. Tobias Fenck
Coca-Cola GmbH
Patrick Kammerer
GIz
Victoria Diekkamp
Siegfried Karwatzki
Dr. Gudrun Kochendörfer-Lucius
Arno Tomowski
DIS Interim Management GmbH
Kathrin Meyer
DuPont de nemours
(Deutschland) GmbH
Dr. Matthias Heinzel
EATOn Industries GmbH
Cécile Dutheil-Taimanglo
Christof Spiegel
EquityGate Advisors GmbH
Uwe Kröger
Robert Rügemer
Ervin Schellenberg
Jan Verweyen
Gilead Sciences GmbH
Johannes Kandlbinder
Dr. Andreas von Poblotzki
HOCHTIEF Aktiengesellschaft
Christian Büscher
Johnson Controls GmbH
Automotive Experience
Johann-Friedrich Dempwolff
Kaye Scholer llP
Dr. Annette Bödeker
Dr. Martin Weger
liberty Global B.V.
Simone Reisewitz
Roland Berger Strategy
Consultants GmbH
Klaus Fuest
Sky Deutschland AG
Lutz Reulecke
InDIVIDuAl MEMBERS
Dipl.-Kfm. Marc P. Battenstein
Constantin Beck
John Bulled
Sarah Chase
Moritz Freiherr von Crailsheim
Miro Georgiev
Dr. Stefan Groß
Christoph Kremer
Bernhard Naulin
Andreas Segal
Jeffrey Thompson
HOnORARy MEMBER
Dirk Nowitzki
December 2012 commerce germany 25

guest point of view imprint
The European
Sovereign-Debt Crisis
A Trade-Off between Sound Incentives and Burden Sharing
Hopes were high that the euro would set into motion a process
of lasting convergence among EU member states. The crisis has
put an end to that hope – at least for the time being.
Given the exceptional scale and scope of
the sovereign-debt crisis and the high
degree of uncertainty we are currently
experiencing, it is hardly surprising that
views have diverged on how to overcome it. But
when one examines the various arguments more
closely, a pattern does start to
emerge. It seems the differences
of opinion are largely motivated
by a constant tug-of-war
between two competing objectives:
on the one side efficiency,
in particular efficiency achieved
through proper incentives, and,
on the other side, issues of
distribution.
The trade-off between effi-
ciency and equity informs the
debate at the national level. For
instance, labor-market reforms
in peripheral countries would lower barriers to
entry and hence promote employment, but incumbent
employees take issue with such reforms
because they fear a downward pressure on wages
or a greater individual risk of losing their jobs.
And the trade-off informs the debate at
the European level as well. On one hand, a
desire exists to strengthen incentives and con-
INDEX OF COMPANIES ADVERTISER’S INDEX
Alvarez & Marsal Deutschland GmbH
DORMA Holding GmbH + Co. KGaA
ElringKlinger AG
Hitachi Data Systems GmbH
K&L Gates LLP
Seagate Technology GmbH
26 commerce germany December 2012
Dr. Andreas Dombret
Member of the Executive Board
Deutsche Bundesbank
24
7
8
7
24
9
trols in order to contain risks. But there is also
the desire to share the economic, social and
political burdens by mutualizing risks. Such a
tug-of-war between sound incentives and greater
burden-sharing unfolded during the debate
on constructing the euro rescue mechanisms,
on establishing a true fiscal union
as a qualification for introducing
Eurobonds and, now, on creating a
banking union.
In a nutshell: One line of argument
concerns how the European
Monetary Union’s growth engine
can be repaired and made to run
more reliably. The other concerns
who will foot the bill – for past and
future burdens alike.
The Bundesbank position in
these debates has been clear and
consistent. Sound incentives are
indispensable for countering the biases inherent
in the architecture of the European Monetary
Union. Some burden sharing is necessary, and it
is implemented through the rescue mechanisms
that grant financial assistance. But if burdens are
shared in a manner that distorts incentives even
further, no lasting resolution of the crisis will be
possible. J
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG
HOCHTIEF AG
LEG Thüringen
Xerox GmbH
United Airlines, Inc. (insert for partial distribution)
28
2
13
4
commerce germany
J ACC Verlag & Services GmbH
Dr. Dierk Müller, General Manager
Börsenplatz 7-11, 60313 Frankfurt/M
J Editorial and business offices
Patricia Limburg, Ginger Kern
T +49 69 929104-40, +49 69 929104-53
E plimburg@amcham.de, gkern@amcham.de
W www.amcham.de
J Editor
Heidi Roecks
J Editorial team
Jonathan Pattishall, Gregory Smith (intern)
J Graphics/layout
Giulia Schneck
All representing F.A.Z.-Institut für Management-,
Markt- und Medieninformationen GmbH, Frankfurt/M
J Advertising administration
Sabine Karbowy
Hauptstr. 15, 65795 Hattersheim/M
T +49 6190 889640, F +49 6190 889641
E skarbowy@acc-verlag.de
J Communications Committee
Carl Graf von Hohenthal, Chair
Brunswick Group GmbH
J Photo credits
Fotolia: pp. 6-8
Thinkstock: pp. 12, 26, 27
commerce germany is the official periodical of the
American Chamber of Commerce in Germany e.V.
It is published for the Chamber by ACC Verlag &
Services GmbH. Opinions expressed in articles are
not necessarily those of the Chamber or of ACC Verlag
& Services GmbH or of F.A.Z.-Institut für Management-,
Markt- und Medieninformationen GmbH. Contributor
opinions are not necessarily shared by the editor.
All members of the American Chamber of Commerce
in Germany e.V. receive one free copy of the publication.
Copyright by American Chamber of Commerce in
Germany e.V. All rights reserved. The contents of this
publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part
without the consent of the copyright owner.
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nur mit ausdrücklicher Genehmigung des Verlags.
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ISSN 0010-2857
The next issue of commerce germany
will be published on Feb. 28, 2013.
Our topics will include:
J Compliance: Toeing the Line
J Special report: Thanksgiving 2012 and
New Year’s receptions 2013
Advertising closing date:
Jan. 31, 2012

chamber calendar
AmCham Germany 2013
event highlights
Please see
www.amcham.de
for the latest updates
Light blue = events wholly or
partially in English
Jan. 15
New Year’s Reception
William E. Moeller
US Consul General
nuremberg
Jan. 25
New Year’s Reception
Dresden
May 27
Memorial Day
Federal holiday in the US
Jan. 18
New Year’s Reception
Düsseldorf
Feb. 4
New Year’s Reception
Christine Lieberknecht
Ministerpräsidentin
des Freistaates Thüringen
Erfurt
Jan. 1
New Year’s Day
Federal holiday in the US
Jan. 25
New Year’s Reception
Staatsminister Jörg-Uwe Hahn
Stellvertretender Ministerpräsident
Hessen
Hessischer Minister für Justiz,
für Integration und Europa
Frankfurt/M
June 7
Board of Directors Meeting
(Board and Executive
Members only)
Munich
Jan. 15
New Year’s Reception
Jörg Bode
Niedersächsischer Minister
für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und
Verkehr
Hannover
Jan. 21
Birthday of
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Federal holiday in the US
Jan. 31
New Year’s Reception
Matthias Müller
Vorstandsvorsitzender
Porsche AG und Vorstand
Porsche Automobil Holding SE
Stuttgart
Feb. 18
Washington’s Birthday
(Presidents Day)
Federal holiday in the US
Jan. 22
New Year’s Reception
Munich
March 20
First day of spring
Jan. 15
New Year’s Reception
Hamburg
Feb. 4
Business Luncheon
Dr. Peter Ammon
Deutscher Botschafter
in Washington, DC
Topic: Herausforderungen für
die transatlantische
Wirtschaftspartnerschaft
Stuttgart
June 7-8
110 th Annual Membership
Meeting
All members
invited to attend
Munich
December 2012 commerce germany 27

Glued to pavement.
Cemented in principles.
The new 911 Carrera 4 models.
Please visit www.porsche.com for further information.
Fuel consumption (in l/100 km) urban 14.4–11.7 · extra urban 7.6–6.8 · combined 10.0–8.6; CO 2 emissions 236–203 g/km