"Allianz für den Mittelstand" is the name of an initiative jointly launched in 2012 by the KfW Banking Group and the Mittelstandsmagazin Markt und Mittelstand. The aim is to promote dialogue between companies and banks and thus also to secure financing for us German SMEs. Twice a year, a discussion round takes place in Frankfurt between SMEs and representatives of banks and rating agencies. I think this initiative is a good thing, after all one cannot always assume that the dialogue between medium-sized companies and banks is as intensive and constructive as at Haas Schleifmaschinen  and our bank, KSK Tuttlingen.

The second meeting in 2014 was under the motto "Succession Challenge", and I was very happy to accept the invitation to Frankfurt. The event took place on 8 October and there were participants: Georg Maier (Head of Staff Office, KfW), Rudolf Rampf (Chairman of the Advisory Board of Rampf Holding), Joachim Eckerle (Managing Director of Eckerle Holding), Olaf Tölke (Director Corporate Rating, Standard & Poors), Oliver Bortz (Deutsche Bank, Head Corporate Clients Germany), Joachim Kary (Editor-in-Chief Markt und Mittelstand), Boris Karkowski (Publisher Markt und Mittelstand).

See you soon.

Dirk Wember

PS: A few years ago, the business magazine brand eins had published a magazine on the topic of succession.