Meet Secretary General of AmCham, Karin Zeltner, the Bridge Builder for Transatlantic Relations
The American Chamber of Commerce in Austria (AmCham) has had a new Secretary General for some time now: Karin Zeltner. Born in Vienna in 1982, the expert is taking up her post at a time when transatlantic trade relations are not only of crucial importance to the Austrian economy, but are also significantly affected by the tariff dispute between the EU and the US.
The manager is moving from the Vienna Business Agency to the top of the American Chamber of Commerce in Austria and faces major challenges in light of the current tariff conflict. / Picture: © American and Austrian crossed flags by Vindobona
Karin Zeltner emphasizes the central role of the transatlantic partnership: "The U.S. is Austria's second-largest trading partner, and U.S. companies account for just under three percent of GDP in Austria. Transatlantic trade relations are crucial for our companies and our economy, and the complex political situation calls for diplomatic skill. Against this backdrop, her goal is to ”build bridges between people, markets, and opportunities."
Call for a new free trade agreement
Michael Zettel, President of AmCham and Managing Director of Accenture Austria, welcomes the new appointment: “With Karin Zeltner, we have gained a professional for AmCham. With her technical expertise and international experience, she will successfully advance trade relations between the U.S. and Austria.” Zettel emphasizes the need to reshape transatlantic cooperation in light of current global developments—and the expected tariff conflict. AmCham supports both Austrian companies in the U.S. and U.S. companies in Austria.
The importance of these relations is underlined by current economic data: The U.S. is an important anchor of stability for Austria. Austria's exports to the U.S. rose from €14.7 billion to €16.2 billion last year. In addition, U.S. companies in Austria create and secure around 150,000 jobs. In view of these deep-rooted relationships, AmCham representatives, including Michael Zettel, are calling for a de-escalation of trade restrictions and are striving for a new free trade agreement between the EU and the U.S. in the long term.
Profile of the new Secretary General
Karin Zeltner was born in Vienna in 1982. She studied international business administration at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and at the Université Paris Dauphine. She brings with her almost 20 years of experience in international B2B consulting and intercultural business development. Before joining AmCham, she was Head of FDI at the Vienna Business Agency, where she supported international companies in establishing themselves in Vienna. Zettel's extensive know-how and strong network will now help to strengthen transatlantic economic relations in a complex geopolitical environment.