The annual German American Business Outlook (GABO), carried out by the German American Chambers of Commerce, surveys German subsidiaries in the United States on their business prospects for the coming year. GABO captures the current economic climate, challenges, and opportunities that German companies in the U.S. are facing. Join us in Washington, DC on February 13th for an exclusive presentation of the German American Business Outlook results!

Discover key insights into the economic landscape and business trends between Germany and the United States. Gain valuable perspectives from industry leaders shaping transatlantic business relations.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to stay ahead in the dynamic world of German-American business. Engage in thought-provoking discussions, network with influential professionals, and explore new possibilities for collaboration.

Topics will touch on #ESG, #InflationReductionAct, #energy, #workforce, #manufacturing, and more!

Agenda

10:00am: Check-In

10:15am: Presentation of GABO 2024 results

• Christoph Schemionek, President & CEO, Delegation of German Industry & Commerce in Washington, DC

10:35am: Panel Discussion

• Melanie Vogelbach, Managing Director International Economic Policy, German Chamber of Commerce, Berlin
• Christopher-Leonard Prinz, Marketing & Delegation Manager, Deutsche Bahn E.C.O. North America
• David Faliskie, CEO, EIT/ ZOLLNER
• Moderator: Jay Morgan, Senior Policy Manager, Representative of German Industry & Trade

11:10am: Q&A

11:25am: The Benefits of FDI on the local level

• Dale Medearis, Senior Regional Planner, Northern Virginia Regional Commission
• Jill Kaneff, Senior Regional Demographer, Northern Virginia Regional Commission

11:40am: Closing remarks

11:45am – 1pm: Light lunch and networking

About the Speakers:

Christoph Schemionek is the President and CEO of the German Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Washington, DC, and President of the Representative of German Industry and Trade (RGIT). He previously was the Senior Director for Regional Economic Policy at RGIT, where he was responsible for RGIT’s “German Business in the USA” project, which visualizes the economic contribution of German-owned affiliates in the United States. As RGIT’s World Bank Liaison, he also supported German companies to successfully navigate the World Bank’s procurement process. Christoph holds a Ph.D. in Geography and teaches as an Adjunct Professor at George Washington University in Washington, DC.

Christopher-Leonard Prinz is the Marketing & Delegation Manager at DB E.C.O. North America. In that capacity, he manages the company’s marketing department, including internal and external communication; organizes customized delegation trips for US and Canadian decision-makers to Germany; and oversees events for customers and staff. Christopher also supports business development initiatives through tailored programming and stays up to date on emerging issues in the field. He has extensive experience in transportation, transatlantic relations, and knowledge exchange. He holds a BA and MA in International Relations from the HULT International Business School and received a Master of Law and Business from Bucerius Law School and WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management.

Dale Medearis has worked as a senior regional planner for the NVRC since 2007. He currently helps co-lead the NVRC’s regional climate mitigation, climate resiliency and international programs. Prior to working for NVRC, Medearis spent approximately 20 years at the Office of International Affairs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in Washington DC, and helped manage the Agency’s programs for urban sustainability, Eastern and Western Europe, the OECD, and Middle East.  Medearis has a Ph.D. in Environmental Design and Planning from Virginia Tech University, an M.S. in Cartographic and Geographic Science from George Mason University, an M.G.A. in Government from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Redlands.

Jay Morgan is the Senior Policy Manager for Digital and Technology at the Representative of German Industry (RGIT), the liaison office of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) and the Federation of German Industries (BDI) in Washington, DC. Prior to RGIT, he worked on the operations team at Politico and was a fellow in the German Bundestag through the International Parliamentary Scholarship. Jay holds an MA in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BA in International Studies from American University.

Jill Kaneff is the Senior Regional Demographer/GIS Analyst at NVRC where she manages the organization’s demographics, data, and GIS programs. Her demographics career has included 19 years in government in the Northern Virginia region and additional years in the private sector.   She joined Northern Virginia Regional Commission in 2019.  Jill has applied her demographic and GIS expertise extensively to the realm of government service planning, urban planning, economic development, and resiliency planning.   Jill holds a  Bachelor of Science in Geography from James Madison University, and a Master of Science in Geography from the University of South Carolina.

Melanie Vogelbach is the Managing Director of International Economic Policy at the Association of German Chambers of Industry & Commerce (DIHK) since June of 2019. She has been with the DIHK since 2015, holding positions as Press Secretary of the Federal Young Entrepreneurs Assocation from 2014-2015 and then Managing Director from 2015-2019. Before joining the DIHK, Melanie worked as a consultant with Alon Ben-Mair Institute in New York from 2010-2011 and then as a Director with the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Berlin from 2012-2014. She holds a B.A. in International Relations at Technical University Dresden and a M.Sc. in Global Affairs at New York University where she studied as a Fulbright scholar.