Latin America Committee of German Business

Setting the pace in economic cooperation with Latin America

Vision and Goals of the LADW
LADW Öl Raffinerie
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The LADW is committed to the consistent expansion of economic cooperation between Germany and Latin America. It provides tangible impetus towards economic cooperation with Latin American countries, and at the same time calls for and promotes political support for bilateral cooperation.

In addition, the LADW initiates and supports measures to strengthen the competitiveness and security of investment of German value-creation chains in Latin American countries and those of Latin American companies in Europe.

LADW as mediator between politics and economy

Strategy
Setting of impulses
The economic policy interests of German companies vis-à vis-Latin America are bundled at the LADW and addressed at the highest level.

We selectively and pragmatically work on topics significant to German business and industry and, with exclusive events, continuously advance projects for cooperation with Latin America. LADW members contribute their vision, expertise and energy towards the LADW’s successful endeavours.

Taken together, our member companies generate a turnover equivalent to forty percent of Germany’s gross domestic product.

Representation of interests
Since 2015, the LADW has been continuously representing the interests of German business vis-à-vis its partners from politics and the economy in Germany and Latin America.

The business-driven body is hosted by the Federation of German Industries (BDI). As the umbrella organization of German industry and industry-related services, the BDI speaks for more than 100,000 enterprises with around 8 million employees.

Together with leading business associations in Germany, the LADW is a sponsor of the Latin America Initiative of German Business (LAI).

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Read more about the LADW members

How are we organised?

Our Structure

Committee members sit on the boards of leading German companies and represent a balance of sectoral interests. Its members include DAX companies as well as medium-sized ones, and these are supported by an office at the BDI in Berlin.

So the LADW remains agile and is able to keep up with the latest developments in cooperation and move efficiently in the very dynamic economic-policy environment.

LADW Structure
© LADW

The LADW Chairman
Gunnar_Kilian_Member_Group_Board_of_Management_Volkswagen_AG

© Volkswagen AG

Gunnar Kilian

Member of the Group Board of Management Volkswagen AG

Gunnar Kilian is a Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG with functional responsibility for ‘Human Resources’ since April 2018 and for the ‘Truck & Bus’ division since July 2020. Born in 1975, the manager began his career at the Volkswagen Group in 2000. From 2003, Kilian ran the office of a member of the German Bundestag and returned to Volkswagen AG in 2006 as press spokesperson for the Group Works Council. He worked in the Salzburg office of the Chairman of the Volkswagen AG Supervisory Board from 2012 before returning to Wolfsburg in 2013 to take up the post of Secretary-General and General Manager of the Group Works Council.

The German Economy is Counting on Latin America

© iStock | erlucho

What we do

Approaches
Perception and solutions
Perception and solutions

The LADW formulates the Latin American concerns of German companies and has them tabled on the agenda.

Themes are substantiated by relevance and demand in working groups; positions are developed and approaches to solutions addressed with appropriate communication measures.

By such means the LADW has an opinion-forming effect and conveys differentiated perspectives and visions for ongoing development of bilateral cooperation.

Mobilisation of economic interests
Mobilisation of economic interests

The LADW promotes the interests of the German economy with high-calibre activities and events, cultivates ongoing exchange with political and economic stakeholders in Germany and Latin America, and initiates and shapes bilateral cooperation-approaches and think-tank processes.

The LADW provides economic policymakers with information on Latin America and provides them with tangible advice and support.

Participation in decisive issues
Participation in decisive issues

The LADW unceasingly supports and contributes to the success of important events of Latin American relevance, such as official visits and the trips of German delegations.

Every year, the LADW makes a major contribution to the German-Brazilian Economic Meeting organised by the BDI and CNI.

For example, LADW Chairman Gunnar Kilian is Co-Chairman on the German business side of the German-Brazilian Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation, which meets in the context of the Economic Meeting.

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Stay in touch with LADW developments

Talk to us

Your contact
LADW managing director Rafael Haddad

© Christian Kruppa

RAFAEL HADDAD

Managing Director

Born in Brazil, Mr Haddad studied law and has been active for bilateral cooperation between Latin America and Germany since 2000. He was, for instance, responsible for external trade activities among other things in the German-Brazilian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, São Paulo.

From 2006 onwards, he established and managed the representative office for the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad in Mercosur as well as governmental offices and institutions for the region in Frankfurt am Main. In 2010 he came to Berlin as Managing Director of the yet-unfounded BDI Brazil Board. He has been Managing Director of the LADW since 2015.

READ MORE ABOUT OUR MEMBERS