German-Asian Business Circle
The German-Asian Business Circle e. V. (abbreviated DAW , English German-Asian Business Circle) is an association based in Frankfurt am Main to promote economic relations between the countries of Asia and Germany . With around 1900 companies, diplomats and institutions, it is one of the most important German-Asian business initiatives and once a year organizes the largest Asian New Year's reception in Germany.
activities
The DAW advises its 900 members free of charge, mainly medium-sized companies that want to gain a foothold in the Asian market. In order to build a bridge for them to the local economic area and to provide concrete assistance in establishing and expanding business relationships, the association has a network of more than 2000 cooperation partners, including companies and institutions as well as embassies , consulates general and chambers of foreign trade in the countries of Asia. The companies are made up of 70 percent German and 30 percent Asian companies of all sizes and industries.
With programs such as “Diplomacy meets Business” and the “Executive Circle”, the association also promotes relationships between German companies and diplomats based in Germany and brings them together with top executives in German business. He also organizes environmental conferences, seminars, national days, thematic events, for example on product piracy or the airline industry, and business trips to Asia. The most important event is the annual New Year's reception, at which around 45 companies and institutions present themselves to guests at information stands. Top-class personalities such as the Secretary General of the ASEAN states, Surin Pitsuwan, his predecessor Rodolfo C. Severino, Australia's Prime Minister John Howard, the former President of the European Central Bank, Jean-Claude Trichet, Hesse's then Prime Minister Roland Koch and Thuringia's then Prime Minister Dieter Althaus were there already welcomed as guests of honor. The Prime Minister of Vietnam, Nguyen Tan Dung, was also a guest of the DAW in Frankfurt. An economic summit was held for him in 2008.
The Union
history
The DAW began its work in 1995 with the organization of a New Year's reception with 80 guests. The idea was to bring representatives of German companies and Asian companies and institutions to one table in Frankfurt. In the meantime, the DAW welcomes around 1000 guests to this annual network event on the exhibition grounds, making it the largest Asian New Year reception in Germany. The association also rose from the organizer of the annual industry meeting point to an institution for the German-Asian network recognized throughout Europe. The first DAW delegation traveled to Asia as early as 1998; in 2001 the association organized a Germany-wide conference for the Malaysian Ministry of Economics, others followed.
The founder
The Honorary Consul General of Nepal , Bodo Krüger , who is responsible for Hesse and Thuringia , founded the association in September 1995. Through his work as an advisor to the economic department and the mayor of the city of Frankfurt as well as for 14 years for the city's economic development department, he has already brought a wide range of experiences to the table with the Asian partners of Frankfurt. In 1994 he went into self-employment and founded the company "Krueger Asia Affairs", which specifically looks after German companies that are looking for the way to Asia and, on the other hand, helps Asian companies to establish themselves in Germany. To this day he is President of the DAW and a member of various boards of trustees. As a partner of GIZ, he is committed to the formation of project groups with German companies to implement environmental projects in Nepal and other Asian countries. He also gives lectures on various Asian topics.
organization
The association is managed by an eight-member board, the president is Bodo Krüger. Topics such as “tourism”, “environment” or “education” are discussed in various committees and projects are initiated. Since 2006, the association has been supported by an advisory board consisting of experts on the subject of Asia such as the political scientist Eberhard Sandschneider, the head of the German Society for Foreign Policy in Berlin, or the founder of the first Sino-German automobile factory in Shanghai Volkswagen , Martin Posth .
Representative offices in Germany
In addition to the federal office of the association in Frankfurt, there has been a representative for Central Germany in Erfurt since 2008 and an office for Berlin and Brandenburg in the capital since 2010, followed by two more in Bad Neuenahr (for Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland) and Munich (for Bavaria) .
Representations abroad
The association maintains representative offices in ten Asian countries, including Japan , India , the People's Republic of China , Thailand , the Philippines and Vietnam . These are mostly German entrepreneurs who have been active in these countries for years, or employees of the local chambers of foreign trade and other institutions.
On November 15, 2011 the association opened a branch in Krakow, Poland. Another office in Slovakia is to follow. A European umbrella organization in Brussels is also being planned.