Dear members, partners, and friends,

I’m writing to share that I’ve passed the torch as President of the German American Business Council of Boston. At our June Board meeting, I recommended my fellow board member, Simon Alfano, as my successor—and the board unanimously elected him to the role.

It has been a true privilege to serve as President of the GABC over the past two terms. These four years have been marked by profound global challenges and transformation. Leading the GABC through the uncertainties of the COVID-19 crisis tested our resilience as a membership-based organization—but we emerged stronger, more connected, and more committed than ever to our mission of fostering transatlantic dialogue and collaboration. 

Despite the challenges over these past four years, we maintained a robust calendar of events and opportunities to connect—virtually during the pandemic, and in person once we were able to gather again. 

Among my personal highlights were the German American Economic Forum: Smart Cities 2021 (virtual) and the recent 2025 Life Sciences event at EMD Serono; the annual German American Business Outlook events featuring panelists from our New England member companies; our signature GABC Holiday Galas at the UMass Club; the Fireside Chats; the unique DFB/New England Patriots Panel Discussion; and our special Frühlingsfest | Spring Celebration in 2022.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to our close partner, the German Consulate General in Boston, especially Consul General Dr. Sonja Kreibich and her team, for the very productive collaboration on events, delegations, and fostering the presence of German business in the region. Furthermore, I would like to thank the Goethe-Institut Boston, the German International School Boston, and the German Saturday School Boston for being key stakeholders and partners in enriching and completing our community. My thanks also go to the German American Chamber of Commerce in New York, with whom we have partnered on many successful events.

Most importantly, I want to thank you—our members, both individual and corporate—for your continued support and engagement: as event hosts, speakers, guests, volunteers, board members, and in so many other invaluable roles. Your involvement —both financial and hands-on— is the cornerstone of our work here, especially at a time when supporting transatlantic collaboration and connection is more important than ever. 

Finally, I am deeply grateful to to our Executive Director, Emily Westhoven, for her unwavering support, and to my fellow GABC Board members for their steadfast commitment, thoughtful contributions, and spirit of collaboration throughout these years. I look forward to continuing to serve alongside you. 

I’m pleased to hand over the leadership to Simon and am confident that he will guide the GABC into its next chapter with purpose and dedication. 

With gratitude,

Jan Hartmann, MD

President, GABC Boston (2021–2025)

Member, Board of Directors (2019– )

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GERMAN-AMERICAN BUSINESS COUNCIL OF BOSTON (GABC) ELECTS

SIMON ALFANO AS NEW PRESIDENT

GABC Announces 2025-2026 Board of Directors

BOSTON, Mass., June 19th, 2025 — The Board of Directors of the German-American Business Council of Boston, Inc. (GABC) is pleased to announce the election of Simon J. Alfano, Vice President at Sobi Inc., as its new President. He succeeds Jan Hartmann, who will continue to serve as a Board member.

“I am honored to step into this role and continue to deliver on GABC’s mission of fostering transatlantic dialogue and business collaboration for the German-American business community in the Greater Boston area,” said Simon Alfano. “Under Jan Hartmann’s leadership, the GABC has continued to build a strong platform for connection between German and American professionals, and I look forward to working with the other GABC Board and our members to grow our community even further.”

Simon leads the Core Asset Team for Gamifant at Sobi, where he focuses on bringing innovative therapies to patients with high unmet need. A native of Germany, he has spent more than 15 years working across the healthcare value chain in over ten countries throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. For the last six years, he has lived with his family in the Greater Boston area. Prior to joining Sobi, he was an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Co., advising high-growth biotech and pharmaceutical companies and co-founder of the AI company TonalityTech. He started his career at GE Healthcare. He holds a PhD in Information Systems from the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg.

Reflecting on his term, Jan Hartmann shares: "It has been a privilege to serve as GABC President over the past two terms—four years marked by profound global challenges and transformation. Leading a membership-based organization through the COVID crisis tested our resilience, but we emerged stronger, more connected, and more committed than ever to our mission. I am proud to pass the torch to Simon. I am confident in his leadership and know he will guide the organization with vision and dedication. Recognizing the importance of strong transatlantic ties in today’s world, I look forward to continuing to support him and the GABC as a board member.”

The GABC Boston continues to foster meaningful connections, promote transatlantic collaboration, and provide a platform for thought leadership across industries, serving a community of over 1,000 professionals and 30 member companies.

The organization just concluded a highly active first half of 2025, culminating in a sold-out Fireside Panel Discussion held this week in conjunction with the BIO International Convention, and earlier this month, its flagship event — the German American Economic Forum — which took place on June 6th bringing together CEOs and senior executives from the Life Sciences sector.

The election was held during the Board’s annual meeting in June.

2025-2026 GABC Board of Directors

Officers:

President – Simon Alfano (Sobi)

Vice President – Michael Haueisen (Fluence Energy)

Treasurer – Angelo Moesslang, (FourthQuarterLife)

Secretary – Alexander Adam, (Hamilton Brook Smith Reynolds)

Executive Director – Emily Westhoven

Directors:

Dr. Mridul Agrawal (iuvando Health)

Johannes Becker  (Dive CAE)

Jobina Gonsalves (Forrester)

Dr. Jan Hartmann (Haemonetics)

Benjamin Hein (MilliporeSigma)

Bodo Liesenfeld (Liesenfeld International GmbH)

Fiona Mack (Johnson & Johnson)

About the German-American Business Council of Boston, Inc.

The German-American Business Council of Boston, Inc. (GABC) is the region’s premier networking organization dedicated to fostering and strengthening German-American business and trade. GABC is a non-profit, member-based organization of companies, professionals, and entrepreneurs who engage through industry forums, networking events, and cultural gatherings. The Council enjoys strong ties to the German Consulate General in Boston and is a member of the Global Business Alliance of New England. For more information, visit www.gabc-boston.org.

Contact:

Emily Westhoven - Executive Director, GABC

emily.westhoven@gabc-boston.org

(617) 870-3400

From left to right:

Mridul Agrawal, Emily Westhoven, Bodo Liesenfeld, Angelo Moesslang, Simon Alfano, Consul General Sonja Kreibich, Jan Hartmann, Jobina Gonsalves, Benjamin Hein, Fiona Mack, Alexander Adam.

Not pictured: Johannes Becker, Michael Haueisen

Make sure to follow us on