First Regional Latin America Day
Kühne Logistics University (KLU) took part in the first Latin America Day held directly in the Dominican Republic. Organized by the Lateinamerika Verein e.V. (LAV), the Foro Económico Alemán para América Latina (German Economic Forum for Latin America) brought together business leaders, policymakers, development banks, associations, and institutions in Santo Domingo, on May 19, 2026. KLU professor and Director of Hapag-Lloyd Center for Shipping and Global Logistics (CSGL), Dr. Gordon Wilmsmeier, joined the occasion, contributing his expertise on nearshoring, logistics hubs, and resilient supply chains.
Embedded in the German Week in the Dominican Republic, the event focused on economic cooperation between Germany, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic served as a fitting location: an increasingly relevant investment, trade, logistics, and nearshoring hub for the region.
KLU expertise on logistics, resilience, and nearshoring
Prof. Dr. Gordon Wilmsmeier represented KLU as a panelist in the session “Infrastructure: Logistics & Resilience” and concluded afterwards: “While geopolitical and geoeconomic contexts challenge foreign investments and supply chains, the current environment actually invites to rethink investment strategies and partnerships beyond the traditional ones. Latin America and the Caribbean provide diverse opportunities to further intensify business that strengthens and advances energy and sustainable transitions of our economies.”
The panel – which included experts from Dominican port authorities and other logistics specialists – explored how logistics hubs, port infrastructure, and free trade zones can support nearshoring strategies and more resilient supply chain designs across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Wilmsmeier contributed insights from his work on risk-driven supply chain design, maritime logistics, and freight transport systems. His remarks also connected the discussion to the current economic and political dynamics shaping supply chains in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Looking ahead: KLU LATAM Campus in Colombia
The event underscored KLU's growing engagement in Latin America. Gordon Wilmsmeier, as Director of the CSGL and holder of the Kühne Chair at Universidad de los Andes, connects Hamburg-based expertise with Latin American networks. Following KLU Asia in Vietnam, the planned KLU LATAM Campus in Colombia will further strengthen the university's regional presence and create new opportunities for education, research, and executive exchange.
