I have just returned from the Munich Security Conference side event of the vbw – Association of Bavarian Business entitled “New Defense: The Future of European Industry” and I am downright euphoric, even though not all of the positive things were presented. But the clarity of the statements was impressive.
In the welcome speech by the host, Wolfgang Hatz, President of vbw, and the cooperation partner of the BDI, Peter Leibinger, it was already clear that we in Germany have to relearn sales in the security and defense sector (SVI) in order to react quickly to global changes. But on the customer side, too, processes need to be streamlined, as well as the legal framework needs to be revised, which even at this time dates back to the late 1950s and 1960s.
The keynote speech by the Lithuanian national defense minister, whose speech was influenced by yesterday’s Ukraine/NATO meeting, was an eye-opener and a breath of fresh air. She clearly addressed what must be expected from Europe and its SVI today.
The following panel with Thomas Gottschild, Uwe Horstmann, Stephanie Wißmann and Stefan Thumann highlighted the current situation and the short-term actions that need to be taken today. It is a generational challenge that this generation is taking on, but a reduction in bureaucracy in people’s minds is also necessary. It must be possible for start-ups to take new paths and not be forced back onto the old beaten track. A clear commitment to the security and defence industry even after the German “Zeitenwende” is urgently needed.
For me, one of the most important sentences is “Value creation in Germany is also a gain in resilience”. And I’m happy to help young companies making this a reality.
Let’s do it …
