INVITATION

Coca-Cola & Ball Packaging: journey towards sustainability, travelling together

AmCham Brabant Chapter: Your connection with the US Embassy & US Business Community

 

Dear Sir or Madam:

The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), Coca-Cola and BOM Foreign Investments, cordially invite you to a seminar & networking cocktail on Thursday November 18, 2010 – 16:00 hrs. at the Coca-Cola plant in Dongen.

Coca-Cola together with Ball Packaging will elaborate on their joint effort to create a more sustainable product lifecycle by combining their expertise. Sustainability is not only the sole responsibility of the producer but also strategic partners inside the value chain can make a substantial contribution. The result is that a more sustainable and more competitive product emerges in a consumer market which is – and will become – more conscious of consuming without depleting the world. This seminar offers a unique opportunity to connect with the US business community in the Brabant region and to share experiences and knowledge.

Program

16:00 – 16:30                     
Registration and welcome coffee

16:30 – 16:45                     
Welcome remarks and introduction by Amandus Lundqvist, Chairman AmCham Brabant Chapter, Board Member AmCham & former President of the TU Eindhoven

16:50 – 17:10                     
Opening remarks by Edwin R. Nolan, Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy

17:15 – 17:35
Presentation by Robert Seegers, Director Public Affairs and Communications of Coca-Cola Enterprises Netherlands

17:40 – 18:00                    
Presentation by Peter Kauw, Plant Manager of Ball Packaging Europe

18:00 – 18:15                    
Questions & answers

18:15 – 19:30                     
Cocktail & networking

 

Registration

• Non AmCham Members may send an email including business card details to: amcham@amcham.nl.
• Members of AmCham may register online via http://www.amcham.nl/eventfuture and click on the register button.

Please register before November 12, 2010. A confirmation letter will be forwarded to you upon receipt of your registration. Please note that first come, first serve applies. Registration is free of charge.

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Hans Scholten, AmCham’s Member Relations & Events Manager at: 020 – 795 1845 or 06 – 4211 6846.

We are looking forward to welcoming you on November 18, 2010.

Sincerely yours, on behalf of the Brabant Chapter Committee,
Riëtte Blacquière-Schalen
Executive Director

 

Bodo de Wit,
Sr. Project Manager
Foreign Investments
AmCham The Netherlands BOM Foreign Investments 

 

Speakers

The Honorable Edwin R. Nolan, Deputy Chief of Mission, United States Embassy

Edwin (“Ned”) Nolan has been Deputy Chief of Mission of Embassy The Hague since January 2010.  Mr. Nolan is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor.  Prior to arriving in The Hague, he served in the Western Hemisphere Affairs Bureau of the Department of State in Washington as Director of the Office of Canadian Affairs (2007-09).  From 2005-2007, he was Deputy Director of the Office of UK, Benelux and Irish Affairs, and from 2002-2005 Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus

Mr. Nolan spent four years in Dublin, Ireland as Political/Economic Affairs Chief where he worked extensively on the Northern Ireland Peace Process.  Other assignments have included Deputy Director of the Policy Planning and Coordination Office for Latin America at the Department of State, and Country Director for the Nordic countries in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.  Earlier postings included Norway, Sweden and Canada, working in political affairs with a focus on arms control and political/military issues.  He is a three-time recipient of the Department of State’s Superior Honor Award for his work on Latin America, U.S.-Nordic Defense Cooperation, and for his efforts toward a settlement of the Cyprus problem.

Mr. Nolan is a native of the Boston area.  He received his Bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Boston College and carried out graduate study at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.  Mr. Nolan is married to the former Patricia O’Neill of Melrose, MA, and has two children, Ryan and Katherine.

   

Robert Seegers, Director Public Affairs and Communications, Coca-Cola Enterprises Netherlands

Robert Seegers started his career in 1993 at NCW WEST, the regional employers association. As secretary of the board he was responsible for issues like infrastructure and spatial planning. Contacts with both management of member-companies and local and regional politicians and civil servants were his daily job.

His next step was Manager relations and acquisition at VNO-NCW, where he was responsible for customer-satisfaction. In that function he had intense contacts with companies and federations, in order to better align the work of VNO-NCW on the desires of its members.

In 2001 Robert became member of the management team of the Dutch Brewers Association. Responsible for issues like sustainability, packaging, education Robert built a strong political and societal network.

Robert joined Coca-Cola Enterprises Netherlands in august 2008 and is now Director Public Affairs and Communications. He is also CRS coordinator for The Netherlands.

 

Peter B.M. Kauw,  Plant Manager, Ball Packaging Europe Oss

For more than 27 years, Peter Kauw held several positions within Friesland Campina. Starting as a dairy food QA Manager, as a Plant Manager he gave supervision to cheese, dairy and can factories. Leaving the Friesland Campina company in 2006, he started as a Plant Manager within Ball Packaging Europe at Oss The Netherlands.                     

Ball Corporation is a provider of metal packaging for beverages, foods and household products, and of aerospace and other technologies and services to commercial and governmental customers. Founded in 1880, the company employs more than 14,000 people in more than 90 locations worldwide.                                                                                                                  

ORGANIZING ORGANIZATIONS

AmCham Brabant Chapter

 

Objective of the AmCham Brabant Chapter:

Create a business platform to make a relevant contribution to the business climate in Brabant, within the broader scope of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands.

In the last few decades approximately 300 North-American companies have established an operation in the Brabant region employing more than 31.000 people. In order to improve the local business climate and to continue to provide a platform for these corporations, the American Chamber of Commerce and BOM Foreign Investments have decided to set-up a AmCham Brabant Chapter, which will be launched on the 30^th of June.

One of the reasons behind this new Brabant Chapter is the successful seminar hosted by AmCham and BOM Foreign Investments (NV BOM) in 2009 for American companies based in the region, which saw some 75 interested parties convening at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven.

The AmCham Brabant Chapter contemplates hosting three meetings in 2010, each highlighting specific matters of interest, such as taxes and incentives, availability and management of human resources, innovation power and R&D, opportunities and threats for the Brabant area and cultural differences.

Target audience: 

• US companies or subsidiaries in the Brabant area 
• Dutch and international companies with US connection
• Representatives from national and local government, politicians and knowledge institutions

Members of the Brabant Chapter Committee:

Mr. Amandus Lundqvist (chairman) ? Mr. Sandor Noordermeer, Banner Pharmacaps ? Mr. Rob van Zeeland, Fluke Europe ? Mr. Bert Aertsen, Goodyear Nederland ? Mr. Willem Bongaerts, Loyens & Loeff ? Mr. Robert Wassenaar, Philip Morris Benelux ? Mr. Bodo de Wit, Brabant Development Agency (NV BOM) ? Ms. Riëtte Blacquière, AmCham.

 

American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham)

The American Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands is a non-profit, non-governmental, non-political, voluntary organization of companies and individuals involved in investment and trade between the United States of America and the Netherlands. The Netherlands is one of the most important desti­nations for US direct investment in Europe and a major hub of American professionals living and working abroad. US business is the Netherlands’ leading foreign investor.

AmCham is concerned with matters affecting the investment climate in the Netherlands. We actively promote increased US investment in the country. We make sure that potential investors understand the well-known advantages of the Netherlands.

 

For more information please contact Hans Scholten: hans.scholten@amcham.nl or 020-7951845.

 

BOM Foreign Investments (NV BOM)

BOM Foreign Investments (Brabantse Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij / NV BOM) aims to strengthen the industrial and economic structure of its region. Besides attracting foreign investments we also maintain relationships with existing foreign companies in our region. We assist both new and existing foreign companies by offering our network and expertise on issues like real estate, supply chain, taxes, grants, recruitment or contacts with our political network. We hope that this new network event will be a good example on how to utilize your network more effectively.

 

For more information please contact Bodo de Wit: bdewit@bom.nl or 06 – 15 24 98 59.