BIR World Recycling Convention (Round-Table Sessions) in Paris (27-28 October 2014)

Ferrous Division: President of German Steel Federation comments on economic forecast for European and global steel markets

For the first time since his designation as President of the German Steel Federation in 2008, Hans Jürgen Kerkhoff will address the delegates of the BIR Ferrous Division during its upcoming plenary session in Paris on Monday, 27 October 2014 at 14.00 at the Pullman Montparnasse Hotel.

In his presentation with the title 'The steel industry - regional responsibilities and global developments', he will be sharing his profound knowledge of the European and global steel trends while providing a middle- to long-term outlook for the international recycling industry.   

After studying political philosophy, economy and international relations at the universities of Dusseldorf and Cambridge, Hans Jürgen Kerkhoff began his professional career at the German Bundestag. In 1987 he joined the German Steel Federation, whose representative office he headed in Brussels from 1991 to 1999. After his return to the headquarters in Dusseldorf, he was responsible for business area politics. In 2004, he was appointed CEO, before becoming President of the German Steel Federation and Chairman of the Steel Institute VDEh in 2008. Since 2012 he has also been Chairman of the Economic Committee of the World Steel Association.

Second guest speaker is Björn Voigt, founding partner and Managing Director of ACTIVE M&A Experts GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany. Mr Voigt has extensive experience in the steel sector, with over 20 years in restructuring and managing companies in the recycling industry as manager of the German conglomerates Klöckner & Co. and later ThyssenKrupp. In 2004, he chose to become an independent consultant for international transactions in mergers and acquisitions as partner of a major privately owned consultancy. He later founded ACTIVE M&A Experts GmbH in Düsseldorf together with four other partners. His presentation will focus on ‘Mergers and Acquisitions - Challenges and Chances during Challenging Times’.

The Ferrous Division plenary meeting will also feature an update on the World Steel Recycling statistics by BIR Statistical Advisor Rolf Willeke, together with up-to-date market reports presented by divisional board members covering the most important regions of the world.