The History of the NZGBA
The New Zealand German Business Association Inc was founded in 1983 and has since provided a wide range of services for members and non-members alike, particularly for small and medium-sized companies.
The NZGBA team guided by CEO Monique Surges is small, but very efficient. All staff members are bilingual. The office is located in the heart of the CBD in Auckland.
Currently the NZGBA has some 200 member companies, of which most are located in New Zealand. About half of these are New Zealand companies with business links to Germany and the remainders are largely German subsidiaries.
Some highlights of the last 25 years:
| 1980 | Opening of German Trade Office in September – 78 foundation
members (German Delegate – Mr Rudi
Rindermann sent out by German Chambers of Commerce and Industry) |
| 1983 | Set up of NZGBA due to the market demand (August) A trade mission from Baden-Baden visits the NZGBA Visit of Dr. Albert Probst, Ministry of Scientific and Technological Research |
| 1984 | Visit of Dr Abel, State Secretary, Ministry of Economics |
| 1985 | Luncheon with Dr Hans
Steger, German Ambassador in New Zealand and a number of other pacific
islands. |
| 1986 | First Catalogue Show – 120 participating German companies 2 visitors from German Bundestag |
| 1987 | Visit of German Minister of Economics, Mr Martin Bangemann Host to Ted Farnon, New Zealand Ambassador to Germany |
| 1989 | Visit of Peter Stihl,
President of the Chamber of Commerce in Germany Visit of Dr Reinger, Vice-President of the Bundestag |
| 1990 | German Pavillion at EMEX and
Agricultural Fieldays |
| 1992 | Visit of Mrs Burre, Ministry
of Economics |
| 1993 | Visit of Richard von Weizsäcker, President of the Federal Republic of Germany Visit of Dr Klaus Kinkel, German Foreign Minister |
| 1994 | Federal Ministry of Economics and the German Chamber of
Industry and Commerce confirm status as official representative
of the NZGBA. Hans-Peter Stihl, President of the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce, re-visits the NZGBA. |
| 1995 | Coordination of programme
for a delegation from the Select Committee for Finance for the German
Bundestag NZGBA exhibits at Hanover Fair promoting trade with New Zealand |
| 1996 | Hans-Peter Stihl, President
of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, visits again Visit of the German-Oceanic Parliamentary Group NZGBA Trade Representatives attend DIHT World Conference in Bonn |
| 1997 | Visit of German Chancellor Helmut Kohl Visit of Dr Günther Rexroth, Federal Minister for the Economy |
| 1998 | Visit of Dr Schomerus,
Federal Ministry of Economics |
| 2001 | Visit of German President Johannes Rau |
| 2002 | NZGBA Trade Representative attends DIHT World Conference |
| 2003 | 20th Anniversary with guest speakers Helen Clarke, Prime
Minister, Ambassador Riedler, Prof. Dr.
Eckhard Rohkamm, Chairman of the German-Asia Pacific Business
Association (OAV) |
| 2009 | 25th Annual General Meeting – Mr Erich Bachmann re-elected as President |
