A Fabulous Gala with an Impressive Award Winner

May 17, 2026
2026, Past Events, Special Events

The GABA Gala 2026 welcomed a record number of guests for an unforgettable evening celebrating transatlantic friendship and entrepreneurial spirit.

A true highlight of the evening was this year’s recipient of the GABA Award of Excellence, Prof. Dr. h.c. Carsten Maschmeyer, whose acceptance speech deeply moved the audience. With authenticity, humor, and humility, he shared the fascinating story of his life and career journey — offering personal insights, lessons learned, and reflections that resonated far beyond the business world. His remarks were both inspiring and refreshingly genuine, leaving a lasting impression on everyone in the room.

For more great pictures of the GABA Gala 2026, please see our event photo album here.
Foto Credits go to © Barak Shrama

The GABA Gala also celebrated the next generation of transatlantic innovation. Among the distinguished guests were 2026 GABA NextGen Award winner Lukas Haffer, CEO of Casca (below, left) as well as the recipients of the 2026 GABA NextGen Transatlantic Tech Award, Flexoo from Heidelberg (CEO Michael Kröger, right), recognized earlier that day at the Transatlantic Technology Summit.

The evening was made possible through the generous support of outstanding partners and sponsors. Special thanks go to Gold Sponsor SAP, Silver Sponsor Deutsche Bank Wealth Management, Bronze Sponsors Rueter and Partner and CMS Law, Lufthansa Group, BMW Group as well as aicas from Germany and wine sponsor Seebass Family Wines, whose contributions helped create such a memorable experience. See you next year at the GABA Gala 2027 when we celebrate the 25th anniversary of GABA.