The chairman of the board of directors of Linde AG, Dr. Wolfgang Büchele, assumed the chairmanship of the North Africa Middle East Initiative of German Business (NMI) on 1 October 2014. Before joining Linde AG in May 2014, the 55-year-old holder of a chemistry doctorate was chairman of the board of directors of Finnish chemical company Kemira. Between 2009 and 2011 Büchele was head of the board of directors of Hungarian chemical company BorsodChem. Previously, he held positions of responsibility at BASF AG for twenty years.
Together with the NMI supporting associations, Büchele wants to ensure that the economic relations between Germany and the countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are expanded.
“Given the present upheaval in North Africa and the Middle East, the constructive criticism accompanying the sociopolitical and economic processes in the region has grown more important”, said the designated NMI chairman. “Intensive trade relations and economic growth will have an impact on the young and dynamic societies of these regions.”
With nearly 400 million inhabitants, the growth markets of the MENA region offer a huge potential in the areas of trade and industry. In 2013, Germany was the largest European exporter in the MENA region at just over 40 billion Euros, followed by Italy and France. The most important export destinations for German suppliers are still the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In particular, the extensive modernisation and investment programmes in the region offer major opportunities for the German export economy.
About the NMI:
The NMI is supported by the Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie (Federation of German Industries), the Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag (German Chambers of Commerce and Industry), the Bundesverband Außenhandel, Großhandel, Dienstleistungen (Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services), the Afrika-Verein (German African Business Association) and the Bankenverband (Association of German Banks). The NMI network also includes the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad and delegation offices in the region.
The NMI is dedicated to the advancement of bilateral economic relations between Germany and the MENA region. With its broad network and country-specific expertise, the NMI is a central point of contact for the companies and the political decision-makers – based both in Germany and in the partner countries – who have questions regarding economic policy and foreign trade.