151st General Assembly of the Bremen Cotton Exchange

Focus on Global Economic Risks – ARD Stock Market Expert Anja Kohl visits Bremen – Fritz A. Grobien elected as President

ARD stock market expert Anja Kohl provided food for thought with a keynote speech on the current situation of the global economy. The event thus combined forward-looking personnel decisions with a professional look at the global challenges facing the industry.

Election of the Executive Committee

The General Assembly of the Bremen Cotton Exchange elected Fritz A. Grobien as the new President of the long-established association. Grobien is the Managing Partner of Albrecht, Müller-Pearse & Co. Trade (GmbH & Co.) KG in Bremen. As a member of a Bremen merchant family, he brings many years of professional experience from his work on the trading floor of the globally networked cotton industry. He is also Managing Director of the Haus Seefahrt Foundation, founded in 1545. This traditional institution is one of the oldest charitable organisations still in existence worldwide. His grandfather and father were both presidents of the Bremen Cotton Exchange in the 1970s and 1980s. In his younger years, Fritz A. Grobien himself held the office of president for a two-year term in 1991, and again in 1999 and 2012. He was also a member of the Executive Committee for many years, remaining Vice President to this day. From 2004 to 2005, he was as first non-British citizen President of the International Cotton Association in Liverpool. During his tenure, he laid the foundation for a lasting institutional link between Liverpool and Bremen. This is evident today in the joint venture ICA Bremen GmbH, a recognised centre with the global arbitration tribunal for international cotton testing and quality assessment, based in the Bremen Cotton Exchange building.

“I am convinced that as the Bremen Cotton Exchange, we have always managed to overcome the challenges facing the global cotton trade structure thanks to our core competence in cotton quality and our international network. In line with our principles, we remain the international centre of quality in the cotton world, combining expertise, independence and strength. The International Cotton Conference Bremen, which takes place every two years in Bremen, underlines our role as a global hub”, said Grobien after his election.

The outgoing President Jean-Paul Haessig, Director of Asian Cotton Traders Pte. Ltd., a trading company based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Singapore, will remain on the Executive Committee of the Bremen Cotton Exchange as Vice-President.

“The past few years have undoubtedly been challenging for the cotton textile industry. The economic and global political situation does not seem to be stabilising. Planned legal requirements and bureaucratic regulations for supply chains continue to present a challenge to the industry in Europe. As President of the Bremen Cotton Exchange, I have seen it as one of my tasks to ensure maximum transparency among our members and to represent the interests of the natural fibre cotton vis-à-vis the EU administration. This is particularly evident in the ‘Make the Label Count’ initiative, which is supported by many people around the world and aims to promote natural fibres. I believe that the Bremen Cotton Exchange is well positioned for the future thanks to a reorganisation over the last two years and the creation of the strategically important position of Managing Director,” explains Jean-Paul Haessig.

The Executive Committee also comprises Vice-Presidents Stephanie Silber, Managing Director of Otto Stadtlander GmbH, Bremen, and Jens D. Lukaczik, Managing Partner of the service company Cargo Control Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bremen.

Keynote: The threat to free global trade and financial markets

Anja Kohl, renowned journalist and ARD stock market expert, impressed as guest speaker with an insightful presentation on the state of international markets. With her extensive expertise and ability to convey complex economic relationships in an understandable way, she offered participants valuable insights into economic policy, particularly with regard to the impact of structural, cyclical and political developments in the financial sector. In the subsequent discussion, she was available to answer questions from the guests, ensuring a lively and informative exchange.

Regulations and election of the new Board of Directors

The 151st Ordinary General Assembly of the Bremen Cotton Exchange, held in the 153rd year since the association was founded, approved the financial statements, accepted the Board of Directors’ annual report for the 2024 financial year, and unanimously discharged the Board and management.

The voluntary members of the Board and Executive Committee represent companies from all areas of the cotton supply chain, from trade and processing to specialised service providers. This diversity gives the association a broad network of expertise and access to valuable global information resources, not only within the international cotton sector but also throughout the entire textile industry.

The newly elected Executive Committee and new Board of Directors of the Bremen Cotton Exchange at a glance:

• President Fritz A. Grobien, Albrecht, Müller-Pearse & Co. Trade (GmbH & Co.) KG, Bremen (Germany)

• Vice-President Jean-Paul Haessig, Asian Cotton Traders Pte. Ltd., Ho-Chi-Minh-Stadt (Vietnam)/Singapore

• Vice-President Jens D. Lukaczik, Cargo Control Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bremen (Germany)

• Vice-President Stephanie Silber, Otto Stadtlander GmbH, Bremen (Germany)

• Hannes Drolle, Getzner Textil AG, Bludenz (Austria)

• Ernst Grimmelt, Velener Textil GmbH, Velen (Germany)

• Carl Illi, CWC Textil AG, Zürich (Switzerland)

• Jan Kettelhack, Hch. Kettelhack GmbH & Co. KG, Rheine (Germany)

• Dr. Uwe Mazura, Gesamtverband der deutschen Textil- und Modeindustrie e.V., Berlin (Germany)

• Konrad Schröer, SETEX-Textil-GmbH, Hamminkeln-Dingden (Germany)

• Roland Stelzer, Gebr. Elmer & Zweifel GmbH & Co., Bempflingen (Germany)

• Axel Trede, Cotton Service International GmbH, Bremen (Germany) Advisory Board Member:

• Manfred Kern, Vereinigung Textilindustrie (VTI), Vienna (Austria)