LocationsDr Christine Frank took over as the new Managing Director of the German Centre in Moscow on 1 April 2021. The German Centre, an LBBW company, has been helping German companies do business in Russia since 2011. She succeeds Stephan Weiss, who headed the German Centre in Moscow since its inception and is now taking on new career challenges outside the LBBW Group.
Dr. Frank, who is from Schwerin, gained her doctorate from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland and has lived and worked in Russia for the past nine years. Before moving to the German Center, she worked at the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce in Moscow, where she was the first port of call for German companies active in Russia in her role as head of member companies consulting and event management. Previously, Dr Frank was responsible for business development, sales and marketing at EkoNiva, one of Russia’s largest producers of unpasteurized milk and part of Ekosem Agrar Holding from Walldorf in Baden-Württemberg.
“There are currently around 4,000 German companies operating in Russia,” Dr. Frank says. “It is the small and medium-sized family firms in particular that are less affected by crises and are enjoying success on the market.” She feels that Russia remains an important market for mechanical engineering, logistics and the chemical industry, with significant potential for partnerships in the healthcare, digital transformation and sustainable energy generation sectors. “As the Managing Director of the German Centre, I see my role as being that of a moderator, a networker and an expert. In that respect, I want to contribute my experience working for an SME and my network to the German business community in Russia and create a platform for dialog, innovation and successful business on the Russian market.”
German Centre Moscow – a reliable local partner
Since 2011, the German Centre has been supporting German SMEs in particular with their market activities in Russia. The center boasts unique infrastructure comprising offices, conference and meeting rooms and social areas as well as providing consulting and event management services. Some 30 companies are currently renting space in the German Centre. What makes the center especially important is the fact that it launches and promotes a wide range of platforms where customers, trade association representatives, experts and the local business community can exchange experiences. This enables new arrivals in particular to familiarize themselves more easily with the conditions on the local market. The German Centre also works closely with LBBW’s Moscow representative office.
LBBW runs other German Centres in Mexico City, Beijing and Singapore.
