Handelskammer Talks - Podcast by the German-Danish Chamber of Commerce

On 22 September at 8.30, Allard Pheifer, Group Lead Sustainability, CHG-Meridian, will join Andreas Wenzel for a coffee and share his insights.  

As digitalisation and AI continue to accelerate, companies are under growing pressure to invest in new technologies while reducing their environmental impact and using resources more efficiently. Rapid innovation cycles are challenging traditional approaches to technology ownership, investment and replacement. At the same time, circular technology management and new usage models offer opportunities to extend the life of technology, preserve its economic value and combine sustainability with greater flexibility and commercial value.

CHG-MERIDIAN is a global technology company that develops, finances, and manages customized technology usage models for the IT, industrial, and healthcare sectors. For decades, the company has financed and managed technology throughout its lifecycle – from deployment and use to refurbishment and second life. Active in more than 30 countries, CHG-MERIDIAN has been combining technology management with the principles of the circular economy for more than 45 years, helping organizations use technology more flexibly and efficiently.

 The topics covered during the 30-minute talk included: 

• AI and the new technology investment cycle
• From ownership to circularity – changing the economics of technology
• AI and data – making circularity smarter and commercially relevant
• Scaling the model – circularity as a European competitive advantage

On 11 August at 8.30, Mikkel Hemmingsen, CEO of Sund & Bælt, will join Andreas Wenzel for a coffee and share his insights. 

Large-scale infrastructure projects play an increasingly important role in strengthening connectivity, competitiveness and economic growth across Europe. At 18 kilometers, the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel will be the world’s longest immersed tunnel – a combined tunnel for road and rail. One of Northern Europe’s most significant infrastructure projects is under construction and the first tunnel elements have just been immersed. When completed, it will contribute to linking Germany and Denmark more closely while supporting mobility, trade and regional integration in Northern Europe. At the same time, projects of this scale illustrate how modern infrastructure can serve as a strategic driver of long-term cooperation and development across borders.

Sund & Bælt is a state-owned Danish infrastructure company responsible for the development, operation and maintenance of some of Denmark’s most significant transport links, including the Storebælt connection, the Danish part of the Øresund link and the ongoing development of the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel. Established in 1991, the company plays a central role in strengthening mobility, connectivity and infrastructure integration between Denmark and the rest of Europe.
 

The topics for the 30-minute talk will be:

• Vision and Impact: How the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel Connects Europe
• Status of the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel Project Following the Immersion of the First Tunnel Element
• Experience from Øresund and Storebælt: How Infrastructure Shapes Mobility and Regional Integration
• Infrastructure as a Strategic Driver of German–Danish Collaboration

On 8 May, Christian Keldsen, CEO of Greenland Business Association, joined Andreas Wenzel for a coffee and shared his insights. 

The conversation focused on Greenland’s growing strategic importance in a shifting European business landscape. Renewed EU engagement and increasing international interest underlined Greenland’s role in future value chains. While the country had historically relied on a narrow economic base, it was increasingly focusing on opportunities across tourism, critical minerals, energy and water. A key challenge discussed was how to translate this potential into sustainable value creation and long-term economic diversification. 

Greenland Business Association (GBA) had represented the interests of the Greenlandic business community since 1966 and, at the time of the talk, brought together around 320 companies across all sectors, employing approximately 8,400 people. As the country’s largest business organisation, GBA represented a significant share of overall economic activity and held a central position in dialogue with political institutions and public authorities. The organisation worked to improve framework conditions for businesses across Greenland, while also serving as a knowledge hub by providing advisory services and facilitating networking, advocacy and business development initiatives. 

The topics of the 30-minute talk were: 

• Why Greenland mattered at that moment 
• From strong foundations to a broader business base 
• Tourism – from visibility to value creation 
• Critical minerals and mining – Greenland in future value chains 
• Energy and water – enabling the next generation of industry

On 28 April, Signe Kongebro, Global Director for Future Cities at Rambøll, joined Andreas Wenzel for a coffee and shared her insights. 

Cities are increasingly at the center of economic, environmental, and societal transformation. As pressures on competitiveness, climate adaptation, and resilience intensify, urban areas play a decisive role in shaping sustainable growth and innovation. They concentrate talent, infrastructure, and investment, while also serving as key connectors between regions and industries. As a result, cities are not only impacted by global challenges but are becoming critical drivers of Europe’s long-term resilience and competitiveness. 

“The Copenhagen Way” is a joint initiative developed by Rambøll, Urban Partners and BLOXHUB with a broad network of Danish and European stakeholders. The project documents Copenhagen’s transformation from a city in decline in the early 1990s to one of the world’s most liveable and competitive urban economies today. It highlights how long-term vision, institutional innovation, and cross-sector collaboration have enabled this development. Rather than presenting a blueprint, Copenhagen serves as a proof of concept, illustrating how cities can strengthen resilience and competitiveness in a rapidly changing European context. 

The topics for the 30-minute talk were: 

• Why cities matter – and why now 
• The Copenhagen Way – an operating model for urban transformation 
• From livability to investment – creating value in cities 
• Scaling the model – from Copenhagen to a European perspective

On 3 March, Ali E. Cevik, Founder and CEO of HR-ON, joined Andreas Wenzel for a coffee and share his insights. 

Employee well-being is increasingly recognised as a driver of performance and engagement. Strategic onboarding accelerates execution and value creation by enabling new talent to contribute effectively from the outset. At the same time, the responsible use of AI in recruitment allows organisations to scale quality and efficiency without losing control. In times of transformation, strong HR leadership is essential to align with people, technology and strategy. 

HR-ON is a Danish HR technology scale-up headquartered in Odense, founded in 2012 to modernise how organisations attract, onboard and develop talent through human-centred SaaS solutions. The company has grown into an internationally recognised HR-Tech player, known for value-based self-management, strong employee autonomy and award-winning growth. In a time of skills shortages and rapid transformation, HR-ON helps organisations strengthen employee well-being, optimise onboarding and integrate AI responsibly into recruitment – positioning HR as a strategic driver of performance and resilience. 

The topics for our 30-minute talk were: 

• Employee well-being as a performance lever 
• Onboarding as an execution and value-creation accelerator 
• AI in recruitment – scaling quality without losing control 
• HR leadership in times of transformation

How are the export opportunities of Danish companies developing on the German market? In this webinar, we present the Exportbarometer 2025 of the German-Danish Chamber of Commerce and provide a concise overview of current trends, expectations and challenges facing Danish export companies.

Despite ongoing economic uncertainties, the survey results show that many Danish companies remain confident about their export opportunities in Germany. Together with the Danish Export Association, we will discuss what this means for German-Danish trade relations and which success factors are particularly crucial for companies right now.

On 17 February Bjarne Foldager Jensen, Senior Vice President, Head of Two-Stroke Business & Country Manager Denmark, Everllence, will join Andreas Wenzel for a coffee and shared his insights. 

Heavy industry is undergoing a profound transformation as companies with long-standing engineering traditions adapt to growing demands for sustainability, digitalisation and new business models. The challenge lies in balancing the preservation of proven expertise and operational strengths with the need to reduce emissions, improve efficiency and embrace new technologies, while translating strategic ambitions into tangible and lasting impact. This shift increasingly requires a holistic approach that connects engineering, data, and organisational change to support long-term competitiveness and responsible industrial development. 

Everllence builds on a long-standing industrial heritage with roots in MAN and MAN Energy Solutions, a company founded in the 18th century and firmly embedded in European industrial history. In June 2025, the company was globally rebranded as Everllence, marking a strategic evolution that builds on established engineering strengths while positioning the business for a more sustainable and digital future. In November 2025, Everllence was recognised as “German Company of the Year” at the German–Danish Business Awards. 

The topics the 30-minute talk will be: 

• From legacy heavy industry to transformation at scale 
• Large-scale heat pumps – the Esbjerg and Aalborg projects 
• Sustainable shipping – transforming a global system 
• Digitalisation and data-driven transformation 
• A German–Danish perspective on industrial leadership

On 14 January Dietmar Baro, Vice President, Danfoss joined Andreas Wenzel for a coffee and shared his insights.

The healthcare sector is undergoing significant transformation as the push for sustainability and decarbonisation gains momentum. Hospitals, which operate 24/7 and rely on complex energy systems, face increasing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint while maintaining operational reliability and high-quality patient care. In both Denmark and Germany, hospital decarbonisation has been prioritised as a strategic goal, driving initiatives in electrification, sector coupling, and data-driven optimisation. As these systems evolve, the challenge lies not only in cutting emissions but also in creating resilient and efficient solutions that support long-term sustainability and operational effectiveness in an energy-intensive environment.

Danfoss is a global leader in energy-efficient technologies, focusing on solutions that enable the transition to smarter and more sustainable energy systems. Through the integration of high-efficiency heat pumps, hydronic optimisation, digital controls, and waste-heat recovery, Danfoss plays a key role in connecting buildings, district heating, and intelligent energy infrastructure.

The topics for the 30-minute will were:

• The challenge and its scale – Denmark, Germany and beyond
• From ambition to action – technologies, measures, and concrete examples
• Implementation in practice – how do you actually do it?
• Looking ahead – Denmark–Germany collaboration and opportunities in Europe and the US 

On 9 December at 8.30, Dasha Krivonos, CEO & Futurist, Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, will join Andreas Wenzel for a coffee and share her insights.

Structural change is accelerating across industries as technology, AI, and sustainability redefine what it takes to stay competitive. Organisations are navigating fast-moving geopolitical dynamics, shorter innovation cycles, and demographic shifts that challenge established business models. At the same time, these forces are creating new avenues for strategic positioning — from leveraging advanced technologies to elevating sustainability as a core driver of value. As leaders adapt to this evolving agenda, future-oriented thinking and resilient capabilities are becoming essential foundations for long-term performance and growth.

The Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies is one of Europe’s leading strategy and foresight institutions, supporting both companies and public organisations in navigating long-term trends and making robust decisions in an increasingly complex environment. The Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies plays a central role in shaping discussions on key megatrends, including geopolitical fragmentation, cognitive automation, and demographic transformation.
 

The topics for the 30-minute talk will be:
- Navigating structural change
- Technology, AI, and the evolving leadership agenda
- Sustainability as a strategic breakpoint