AIM President and CEO Brooke Thomson, left, moderates a panel discussion with Sonja Kreibich, German Consul General for New England; Tony O’Donnell, Vice President and Head of US Tax for Merck’s US Operations; and Lauren Gleason, Port Director at Massport.

The close economic ties between Massachusetts, Germany and the European Union (EU) will continue to flourish despite unprecedented changes to the global economy, Germany’s Consul General for New England told an AIM audience yesterday.

Dr. Sonja Kreibich said the United States and the EU represent “the largest and most significant bilateral economic relationship in the world.”

“Germany is not only the largest trading partner for Massachusetts within the EU, but it also ranks as the 5th largest trading partner for the Commonwealth worldwide, with a trade volume of $4.77 billion,” Dr. Kreibich said during a keynote address to the 2025 AIM International Business Symposium.

“This is a remarkable figure that underscores the deep and continuously growing economic ties between our two regions. In fact, trade between Massachusetts and Germany has been growing at an average rate of over 4 percent annually since 2016.”

The Symposium drew 100 people to The Track at New Balance for a discussion about the future of international trade and investment.

Dr. Kreibich, a veteran diplomat who has served at the German Permanent Mission to the UN in New York as well as the German Embassy in Bucharest, Romania, said Germany and Massachusetts share economies that rely upon productivity and innovation. She noted that Germany’s new Hightech Agenda, launched at the end of October, focuses on six key technologies of strategic importance: artificial intelligence, quantum computing, microelectronics, biotechnology, fusion and climate-neutral mobility.

“These fields are the future of our economies, and Germany is eager to expand cooperation with U.S. partners, especially in Massachusetts. It is our mission at the German Consulate General in Boston to connect the innovation ecosystems on both sides of the Atlantic.”

“To remain competitive in these critical sectors, we must invest in research, innovation, and the workforce needed to drive these advancements. The workforce of tomorrow must be skilled, adaptable, and ready to meet the demands of rapidly advancing industries.”

Dr. Kreibich noted that Germany’s dual education system has long been a cornerstone of its economic success, and its principles offer valuable lessons for regions like Massachusetts. By combining apprenticeships with classroom learning and blending hands-on experience with theoretical knowledge, it equips young people with the practical skills that businesses need.

A key executive from a German company with a significant global presence agreed that Massachusetts provides a welcoming environment to innovation-based companies.

Tony O’Donnell, Vice President and Head of US Tax for Merck’s US Operations, which include MilliporeSigma, EMD Serono and EMD Electronics, said during a panel discussion that Massachusetts “has been a great place for us to be and to grow.”

But O’Donnell, who also chairs the AIM Tax Committee, also cautioned that proposals like one before the Massachusetts Legislature that would significantly increase the tax on foreign earnings, will erode the commonwealth’s competitive appeal to global companies.

“We have to go to management to compete for resources and persuade them that this is best place to do business. Tax is part of that picture,” he said in response to a question from AIM President and CEO Brooke Thomson.

Lauren Gleason, Port Director at Massport, said the Port of Boston has expanded its connections with foreign ports from 7 to 40 in recent years and has also diversified its traffic since the COVID pandemic.

“We’re here to connect new England businesses to the world, every day,” said Gleason, who co-chairs the AIM International Business Council.