Celebrating our 60th anniversary in style: Gala 2023

Bringing together over 500 guests, AmCham EU celebrated its 60th Anniversary on Wednesday, 28 June in true style. The evening began with a conversation between Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister, Belgium and Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister, Estonia on the importance of strong transatlantic ties. The rest of the evening ranged from celebratory messages from the likes of Mark Gitenstein, United States Ambassador to the EU and Ursula von der Leyen, President, European Commission, to sustainable dining and music from the NATO SHAPE International Band and Ukrainian Cellist and Queen Elisabeth Competition laureate Oleksiy Shadrin. The celebrations were capped off with a presentation of the Youth Entrepreneurship Award by Vera Jourova, Vice-President, European Commission to Bulgarian start-up AMIRA Meditech. Couldn’t make it? Here’s what you missed. 

News
28 Jun 2023
Celebrating our 60th anniversary in style: Gala 2023

Following the prime minister's fireside chat, we were treated to a performance by the NATO SHAPE International Band before then enjoying a seated dinner from Michelin Green Star chef Arabelle Meirlaen and the beginning of the evening's programme. Susan Danger, CEO, AmCham EU and Zeger Vercouteren (Johnson & Johnson), Chair, AmCham EU, welcomed guests and drew attention to some of the highlights of the organisation over the past six decades.   

Following their remarks, guests received a special video message from Ursula von der Leyen, President, European Commission wishing the organisation the best on this special occasion and highlighted areas of strong transatlantic cooperation. Mark Gitenstein, United States Ambassador to the EU then gave a congratulatory toast emphasising the significance of AmCham EU’s work. Guests then had the opportunity to enjoy a performance by Oleksiy Shadrin, Ukrainian Cellist and Queen Elisabeth Competition laureate. 

Before everyone had the chance to break out their dancing shoes to more hits from the NATO Shape International Band, the final piece of the evening’s festive programme took place. Vera Jourova, Vice-President, European Commission joined us to present the winner of this year’s AmCham EU Youth Entrepreneurship Award to Bulgaria’s Natalia Konova, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, AMIRA Meditech. Now it’s 11th edition, AmCham EU has been proud to support entrepreneurship in Europe, together with JA Europe. Building on the mission of the EMPOWER HER initiative, the Executive Council doubled down on their commitment to support women entrepreneurs with the award for the fourth year in a row.  

A big thank you to all of our sponsors for making the event happen. Cheers to the next 60 years!

Related items

Position Paper
10 Nov 2026

Making web scraping rules work for AI

The European Data Protection Board’s draft guidelines on web scraping for generative AI are an opportunity to provide greater legal certainty and support Europe’s AI competitiveness. However, some proposed requirements risk creating disproportionate burdens for AI developers.

A pragmatic, risk-based approach is needed to ensure the rules reflect the technical realities of AI development. This includes proportionate transparency obligations, recognition of the need for diverse training datasets and greater alignment with the AI Act and Digital Omnibus. Clear, harmonised rules are essential to protect personal data while enabling innovation.

Read our consultation response to learn more about the recommendations.

Digital
Read more
Read more about Making web scraping rules work for AI
News
9 Nov 2026

On Thursday, 5 November, Malte Lohan, CEO, AmCham EU, spoke at a discussion hosted by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Europe and the Federation of German Industries (BDI) on EU-US trade relations after the US midterms. Mr Lohan stressed that elections change the conversation, though not necessarily the outcomes. While the midterms shift power on Capitol Hill, he was not sure this would extend to transatlantic relations, certainly not in the short term. He noted the Turnberry Agreement has brought much-needed predictability, but the relationship remains volatile, with flashpoints ahead that could put stability at risk. The agreement should be solidified and built on, with a move from strategic autonomy to strategic complementarity that will resonate in Washington. Exploring new avenues for partnering where interests align is worthwhile for a $9.8 trillion relationship that employs over 16 million people on both sides of the Atlantic. Learn more about the latest EU-US trade developments in the Transatlantic Economy Pulse.

Transatlantic
Read more
Read more about
News
6 Nov 2026

Digital Economy Conference 2026: in review

AmCham EU’s 13th Annual Transatlantic Digital Economy Conference took place on Thursday, 5 November, under the theme Cutting through complexity. The event brought together policymakers, regulators and industry leaders to discuss how clear, workable frameworks and closer EU-US cooperation can bring more coherence to the digital landscape and support economic growth.

Digital
Read more
Read more about Digital Economy Conference 2026: in review