On January 27, AmCham and its Industry Committee celebrated the annual New Year’s Dinner at the Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam. We were honored to welcome Admiral (ret.) Rob Bauer, former Chair of the NATO Military Committee, as this year’s keynote speaker. In his speech, Admiral (ret). Bauer emphasized that the strength of the transatlantic alliance depends not only on military cooperation, but equally on economic resilience, industrial capacity, and shared responsibility. He highlighted the need for Europe to strengthen its societal, economic, and defense foundations, noting that while militaries may win battles, economies ultimately sustain peace and security. His message was clear: in a time of geopolitical uncertainty, cooperation and investment in resilience are essential to safeguarding our shared future.
Prior to the keynote, United States Ambassador Joseph Popolo, and AmCham President and President of Mastercard, Jan-Willem van der Schoot gave thoughtful opening remarks. Through the speeches and the dinner, members and guests from business, government, and the diplomatic community were able to continue the dialogue of transatlantic cooperation.
