Logistics and e-services companies join the EU-Japan BRT
The EU-Japan Business Round Table (or “BRT”) brings together business leaders from the EU and Japan to foster communication, discuss issues of common concern, submit recommendations to the EU and Japanese Authorities to help develop trade, investment, industrial cooperation and other EU-Japan ties. Philippe Wahl, the BRT’s EU-side Chairman (and Chairman and CEO of Le Groupe La Poste) is delighted to welcome two new companies to the BRT’s EU-side. The new members will feed into the BRT’s work and discussions in the areas of logistics and e-services. 
Charles Kaufmann
CEO – DHL Global Forwarding North Asia & South Pacific (NASP), President/Representative Director - DHL Global Forwarding Japan K.K.
Deutsche Post DHL Group has been present in Japan for more than 50 years. DHL Global Forwarding – the leading provider of air, sea and road freight services in Europe and Asia – together with DHL Express and DHL Supply Chain employ 3,500 people in Japan making it an important location for the Group. Mr Kaufmann joined Deutsche Post DHL in 1973, becoming CEO for Japan in 2017 and CEO for the North Asia & South Pacific region in 2018. It is his 3rd assignment in Japan with more than 20 years of experience in the trade between Europe and Japan. DHL Global Forwarding has joined the BRT Working Party on Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development.
Fabien Versavau
President & CEO, Rakuten France
Created in Japan in 1997 and founder of the marketplace concept, Rakuten is a major international actor of innovation. The Rakuten Group has more than 80 businesses across the world from Fintech to advertising and digital content, 1.4 billion members and more than 25,000 employees in 30 countries. In Europe, Rakuten’s main activities are related to e-commerce (in particular, through the online marketplace operated by Rakuten France), VoD and online advertising. Mr Versavau joined Rakuten France in 2016 and has been its CEO since 2018. For him, “the business dialogue between Japan and Europe is of great importance, especially in the current international economic context. We hope to make a valuable contribution to the work of the BRT.” Rakuten France has joined the BRT’s Working Party on Digital Innovation & Mobility.
Published: March 2021