Young Professionals Panel - Mind the Gap: From Mate, Coffee and Small Talk to Business Deals

Anyone doing business with Latin America knows that the road to a business deal rarely begins in a conference room. Sometimes it starts over a coffee in Bogotá, a mate in Buenos Aires, or in a spontaneous conversation after an event in Mexico City. While efficiency, planning and structure often set the pace in Germany, personal relationships and trust play a central role in many parts of Latin America. Successful business is therefore built not only on market analyses and contracts, but above all on the ability to understand cultural differences and communicate across them.

This Young Professionals panel brings the perspective of a generation to the stage that will shape German-Latin American economic relations in the decades to come. At the heart of the discussion is the question: What skills do young professionals and future leaders need to develop today in order to build successful bridges between the two continents tomorrow? What role do intercultural competence, language skills and relationship management play in a society increasingly shaped by AI and remote work? Which skills will be more important in 2040 than they are today? And how will the way we do business change as economic cooperation is increasingly shaped by sustainability, geopolitical shifts and digital technologies?

Where do Young Professionals see Latin America in 2040? Will the region primarily be a manufacturing hub, a strategic partner for critical resources, an innovation center or a key geopolitical player? Which countries will drive the region’s economic momentum? And how can Young Professionals on both sides of the Atlantic help turn the opportunities created by current trade agreements into concrete projects, investments and partnerships?

Even in 2040, successful business relationships will probably still begin with something that neither AI nor trade agreements can replace: trust.

Join us for an inspiring discussion and an engaging exchange of ideas!

Moderation: Mélissa Bigdely, Regional Manager Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, LAV-YP Coordinator

• Christian Lenz, Underwriting & Risk Analyst Emerging Markets – Latin America, Euler Hermes AG

• María Clara van Tienhoven Amil, Associate, a.hartrodt

• Alessandro Riedel, Regional Manager Latin America, Kaeser Kompressoren

• Raphael Milton DeVol, Director General, TACC e.K.