Kai von Pahlen, an associate in the Bristol office of law firm VWV, has become the Honorary Consul for Germany for Bristol, Somerset and Gloucestershire.
Kai, who was born in Hamburg and studied law in the UK, was appointed to the role by the German Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Andreas Michaelis, at a socially distanced ceremony in Bristol.
Kai was joined at the event by Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees and Tim Illston, the former Honorary Consul for Germany.
Honorary Consuls are volunteers who are well connected in the community and offer valuable representation and assistance to the citizens of the country appointing them, including in emergency situations.
They also play a role in developing and maintaining bilateral cooperation and friendship in fields such as trade, economy, culture and science.
Kai, who is bilingual in English and German, is experienced in advising on cross-border issues through his work as a construction and engineering associate at VWV.
He also already holds an impressive list of honorary appointments, having served as the regional head of the British Chamber of Commerce in Germany and of the Junior Chamber International.
He currently serves as a committee member of the Bristol Hannover Council, which represents the two cities’ twinning relationship and was founded in 1947 as the first between a British and a German city.
Kai said: ”It is a great privilege to accept this appointment as Honorary Consul for Germany. It was an absolute pleasure to take over this role from Tim and to meet Mayor Rees and HE Ambassador Michaelis.
“Particularly in the current climate, I look forward to looking after German citizens in my area and helping to maintain friendship and cooperation between the UK and Germany.”
The appointment ceremony took part during HE Ambassador Michaelis’ two-day visit to Bristol – his first official function outside London and one he chose himself as he is from Hannover and had received a welcoming letter from Mayor Rees inviting him to the city.
He also visited Airbus’s plant at Filton and toured the SS Great Britain, met West of England Mertro Mayor Tim Bowles, Sarah Hildesley from Business West and Jenny Gaschke from the Bristol Museums team.
HE Ambassador Michaelis, a rugby fan and played himself in Hannover as a younger man, was presented with a Bristol Bears rugby shirt by Mayor Rees.
Pictured, from left: Former Honorary Consul Tim Illston, Kai von Pahlen, Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees and German Ambassador to the UK Andreas Michaelis
