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BusinessEurope

Logo: BusinessEurope, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

EU lobby group

The Confederation of European Business, shortened as BusinessEurope, is a lobby group representing enterprises of all sizes in the European Union (EU) and seven non-EU European countries. It represents 42 national business federations and employers' organizations. The current president of the confederation is Maciej Witucki, while the Director General is Markus J. Beyrer.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 20, 2026.

Overview

1958Founded1
  • Industrybusiness and professional associations, unions1
  • HeadquartersBrussels-Capital Region, Belgium1
  • Websitewww.businesseurope.eu
  • Legal forminternational non-profit association1
  • Kind of organizationAssociation1
  • LEI875500U2NA55KNGGJV413
  • StatusActive3
  • LEI statusIssued and current3
  • Registered addressAvenue de Cortenbergh 168, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium3
  • Registered withFederal Public Service Economy (Ministry of Economy), 08634182793

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The Confederation of European Business, shortened as BusinessEurope, is a lobby group representing enterprises of all sizes in the European Union (EU) and seven non-EU European countries. It represents 42 national business federations and employers' organizations. The current president of the confederation is Maciej Witucki, while the Director General is Markus J. Beyrer.2

The story

The association was founded in 1958, first called UNICE (Union des Industries de la Communauté Européenne) and later changed its name to BusinessEurope in January 2007 during the presidency of Ernest-Antoine Seillière. In 2014, Unilever terminated its membership of BusinessEurope's Advisory and Support Group because it opposed the organisation's stance on carbon dioxide emissions.

Leadership

The association is led by a president, which has been held by the following persons:

1958–1961 Léon Bekaert

1961–1962 Georges Villiers

1962–1967 H. J. de Koster

1967–1971 Fritz Berg

1971–1975 Paul Huvelin (businessman)

1975–1980 Pol Provost

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1981–1983 Guido Carli

1984–1986 Raymond Pennock

1986–1990 Karl Gustaf Ratjen

1990–1994 Carlos Ferrer Salat

1994–1998 François Perigot

1998–2003 Georges Jacobs

2003–2005 Jürgen Strube

2005–2009 Ernest-Antoine Seillière

2009–2013 Jürgen Thumann

2013–2018 Emma Marcegaglia

2018–2022 Pierre Gattaz

2022-2026 Fredrik Persson

Since July 2026: Maciej Witucki.

BusinessEurope is administered by a director general. Markus J. Beyrer has held that position since 2013.

From Wikipedia’s article on Confederation of European Business, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Leadership

Who has led BusinessEurope, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Chair

  1. Léon Bekaert1958–1961
  2. Georges Villiers1961–1962
  3. Hans de Koster1962–1967
  4. Fritz Berg1967–1971
  5. Paul Huvelin1971–1975
  6. Pol Provost1975–1980
  7. Guido Carli1981–1983
  8. Raymond Pennock, Baron Pennock1984–1986
  9. Karl Gustaf Ratjen1986–1990
  10. Carlos Ferrer Salat1990–1994
  11. François Perigot1994–1998
  12. Georges Jacobs de Hagen1998–2003
  13. Jürgen Strube2003–2005
  14. Ernest-Antoine Seillière2005–2009
  15. Jürgen Thumann2009–2013
  16. Emma Marcegaglia2013–2018
  17. Pierre Gattaz2018–2022
  18. Fredrik Persson2022–2026
  19. Maciej Witucki2026–now
197019801990200020102020

Timeline

  1. 1958Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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