GE man Bourgeois takes over AmCham EU chair

Hendrik Bourgeois

The Belgian national has been a member of AmCham EU for several years and is a former vice-chair of its competition committee.
Bourgeois has a two-year term in the chair, and takes up the role after AmCham EU was forced to re-run the election process for the job this summer when Rory Macmillan, who had only just been elected to the role (PAN, July), left his employer – sports brand Nike – to move to Carlyle Group (PAN, Aug). Because Macmillan had switched day job, AmCham was obliged by its rules to hold a new contest. Bourgeois is therefore a successor to Microsoft’s John Vassallo, who was chair for four years.
Bourgeois – who joined GE in 1999, prior to which he worked for a US law firm in both Washington DC and Brussels – said: “AmCham EU member companies are an integral part of the EU economic fabric, and the business activity they create generates tremendous growth in both economic activity and jobs. Our members also continue to be significant investors in the EU. Aggregate US investment in Europe totalled in excess of €1 trillion in 2010, which is more than the next 20 investor countries combined. It also supports more than 4.5 million jobs.”
He added: “AmCham EU member companies are also very committed to the European integration project. We were among the first to press for a single market. Europe’s competitiveness and growth depends on the completion of that process, which began well over two decades ago. As we look to emerge from the current crisis we all need to focus on the revitalisation of the European project as a means of driving Europe’s future prosperity. I look forward to building on the successes of my predecessors and serving the needs of our members.”

7th November 2011 by Ian Hall