The official launch of the German-Maltese Business Council was held recently with a seminar and a “Flavours of Germany” networking exhibition and reception.
We shall provide information on the German market- Karl Aquilina
Chairman Karl Aquilina explained that the mission of the newly established Council was to promote, facilitate and enhance business exchanges between Malta and Germany by being the focal point for businesses, organisations and other stakeholders on German-Maltese business.
“To achieve this, we have been building a resource of contacts and know-how within the Malta Chamber and its vast network of local and international contacts. We shall strive to provide focused information about the German market and business opportunities in Germany,” Mr Aquilina said.
“Germany is an economic superpower and a very large country. We intend to break it down to a manageable size for the local business community. From early 2012, we shall start holding specific seminars about Germany’s main economic regions,” he said, adding that an event related to the financial sector was also in the pipeline.
A presentation was also given on strengthening relations between Malta and Germany by Playmobil CEO Helga Ellul, who shared her firsthand experiences. She remarked that German investment played an important part in the evolution of the manufacturing industry in Malta.
“German companies have contributed to positive work experiences, good salaries, training and career progression for many Maltese people. However, the world out there is very competitive. We must continue to earn our success and we must continue to improve our competitiveness,” she said.
The seminar was also addressed by Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, German Ambassador Hubert Ziegler, Malta Chamber President Tancred Tabone and Richard Vogel, CEO of TUI Cruises who gave the keynote speech.
Mr Vogel said Malta was a popular destination for German cruise guests who enjoyed a wide range of cultural events and the fact that Malta can be reached quickly and reliably by air from Germany. In fact, Germans made up the third largest group of visitors, after Britons and Italians.
“TUI Cruises was the first cruise line to appoint Valletta as base port for a cruise summer season, with 27 passenger exchanges during the season. In total about 53,050 people had the chance to discover Malta,” he said.
The launch event was supported by Lufthansa, BMW Group Malta, Simonds Farsons Cisk plc, Prominent Fluid Controls Ltd., Salvo Grima Ltd., Playmobil, Orange Cruises, Mifsud Brothers and the German Tourism Authority.