The Innovation Hub RheinMain recently had the pleasure of hosting an inspiring and high-level exchange dedicated to strengthening German–Korean economic relations. The evening brought together distinguished representatives from business, international networks and regional stakeholders to deepen dialogue and foster long-term cooperation between Germany and South Korea.
Insightful Perspectives from Christoph Heider
A special highlight of the event was the keynote contribution by Christoph Heider, a highly respected expert in European–Korean economic relations.
Christoph Heider has been living in South Korea since 2010 and is the Founder & CEO of 10TEN – The Export Network, as well as Managing Director of InterGest Korea. From 2013 to 2023, he served as President of the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ECCK), where he played a pivotal role in representing European business interests in dialogue with the Korean government and EU institutions. Prior to this, he held senior leadership positions within the Bayer Group in Japan, Germany and Korea. Since 2016, he has also been an Honorary Citizen of the City of Seoul.
During the event, Christoph shared valuable insights into the evolving economic landscape in Korea, the importance of cultural understanding in international business, and the strategic opportunities for German companies engaging with the Korean market. His experience and balanced perspective highlighted the shared values that connect both countries: innovation, reliability, long-term thinking and technological excellence.
Strong Cooperation with the German-Korean Business Circle (DKW)
The event was organized in close cooperation with the German-Korean Business Circle (DKW), whose commitment to fostering bilateral exchange continues to play a vital role in strengthening business relations.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to:
- Dr. Michael Grund, Board Member of DKW and Head of Business Field LC Windows, SVP at Merck Group
- Barbara Sillich, Managing Director of DKW e.V. and Partner at KPMG
Their engagement and professional coordination contributed significantly to the success of the evening.
A Meaningful Exchange of Perspectives
We are also grateful to all participants who enriched the discussion and contributed their perspectives, including:
Michael Grund, Bernd Gehlen, Solin Ahmad, Dirk Lukat, Chanda Syed and Stephan Wittekind.
The discussions clearly demonstrated the growing importance of structured cooperation between Germany and South Korea — particularly in areas such as advanced technology, innovation ecosystems, supply chains and cross-border investment.
Building Sustainable Bridges Between Korea and the Frankfurt Rhine-Main Region
At Innovation Hub RheinMain, our mission is to create structured and sustainable bridges between Asian markets and the Frankfurt Airport region. South Korea remains one of our strategic focus countries for 2026 and beyond.
Events like this underline the importance of personal dialogue and trusted networks in international business development. Economic partnerships do not grow solely through agreements — they grow through mutual understanding, shared values and long-term collaboration.
We look forward to continuing this dialogue and further strengthening the connection between Korea and the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region.