Ms. Antje Abshoff
Managing Director, State of Georgia, Europe Office
Georgia Department of Economic Development
Antje Abshoff is the Managing Director for the State of Georgia European Offices located in Munich and near London. Her responsibilities are to promote economic development within the state by attracting new European corporate investment to Georgia and supporting existing European investors in their Georgia expansion plans, as well as to oversee trade and tourism initiatives between Georgia and Europe.
Prior to her current position, Antje served as Deputy Director of the Georgia Department of Economic Development Brussels office and in 2001, opened Georgia’s second European office in Munich, Germany. Antje has also worked as Assistant Marketing Director for the German-American Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta, where she was responsible for consulting German companies in all aspects of entering or expanding in the U.S. market.
Antje regularly represents Georgia as guest speaker at prestigious U.S. investment conferences hosted by different German Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Roedl & Partner in Germany and other organizations. She also regularly speaks at and coordinates corporate investment events throughout Europe on behalf of the Council for American States in Europe (C.A.S.E.), an organization comprising nearly 20 official U.S. state representative offices in Europe, and additionally offers guest lectures at a number of universities.
Antje has an educational background in hotel and restaurant management from Germany, attended both Cornell University in New York and the University of Georgia and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Georgia with a BBA in International Business. She is a native of Hamm, Germany, and speaks German, English and French.
Antje Abshoff
Managing Director, State of Georgia, European Office
Georgia Department of Economic Development
Im Amerika Haus
Karolinenplatz 3
80333 Munich – GERMANY
T: +49 (0) 89-517-027-40
F: +49 (0) 89-517-027-45
E: aabshoff@georgia.org
Additional contacts:
Mr. Nils Gerber
Nils Gerber joined the State of Georgia European Office as Trade Officer in September 2005. Nils consults European companies in all aspects of entering or expanding in the United States as well as assists Georgian trade in Europe.
As a former Deputy Director of the West Virginia European Office, he gained experience in economic development, transatlantic trade and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Prior to this, Nils served as PR-Consultant in the Energy Sector and Press Officer for the World Exposition EXPO 2000 in his hometown of Hannover, Germany.
In addition to being fluent in German and English, Nils is also proficient in French and Norwegian. He holds a Master's degree in European Law from the University of Hannover. As an intern he worked for the permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations in New York. For more than one year Nils lived as an exchange student in Norway's capital, Oslo, and traveled extensively throughout Scandinavia.
Nils Gerber
Trade Manager, State of Georgia, European Office
Georgia Department of Economic Development
Im Amerika Haus
Karolinenplatz 3
80333 Munich – GERMANY
T: +49 (0) 89-517-027-41
F: +49 (0) 89-517-027-45
E: ngerber@georgia.org
Ms. Ulrike Schauerte
Ulrike Schauerte joined the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) in 2005 as Office Manager. She is responsible for the administration of the European office as well as assisting the marketing manager of the European offices with various marketing tasks, such as attracting new European corporate investment to Georgia as well as supporting existing European investors in their Georgia expansion plans.
Ulrike earned her Bachelor degree in Business Administration (BBA) from the University of Applied Sciences Furtwangen (Germany).
After completing her Bachelor of Business Administration studies, Ulrike spent 18 months in Atlanta working for the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern United States, Inc. She is a native German and speaks English, Italian and French.
Ulrike Schauerte
Office Manager, State of Georgia, European Office
Georgia Department of Economic Development
Im Amerika Haus
Karolinenplatz 3
80333 Munich – GERMANY
T: +49 (0) 89-517-027-40
F: +49 (0) 89-517-027-45
E: uschauerte@georgia.org
Mr. Franz Pastorius
Franz Pastorius joined the European office in early 2008 where he is responsible for attracting foreign corporate investment to Georgia and assisting existing European investors with their expansion plans in Georgia. Prior to his joining the GDEcD, Franz interned with the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service in the American Consulate, Munich. There he assisted U.S. exporters establish and expand their business relationships in Germany.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Franz entered the business world at a young age working in his family's German-themed microbrewery and restaurant. Franz has been living in Germany since 2006 during which time he has filled a variety of roles including English tutor and graduate fellow at the University of Osnabrueck.
Franz graduated cum laude with honors from Davidson College with a degree in Political Science and a concentration in International Studies. He is fluent in English and German.
Franz Pastorius
Marketing Manager, State of Georgia, European Office
Georgia Department of Economic Development
Im Amerika Haus
Karolinenplatz 3
80333 Munich – GERMANY
T: +49 (0) 89-517-027-51
F: +49 (0) 89-517-027-45
E: fpastorius@georgia.org