From EV mainstreaming to digitalised fleet operations, the GlobalData Automotive Europe Conference sets the stage for a number of discussions around the choices shaping Europe’s car industry. Bennett explains why he’s joining, and why the debate in Munich should cause ripple far beyond the sector.
Once again, Munich becomes the beating heart of Europe’s automotive conversation when it hosts the GlobalData Automotive Europe Conference on 15–16 October which I’m honoured to be joining as a speaker, and host of the industry awards at the gala dinner on the evening of the 15th.
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With sponsors such as EY, KPMG, Autotrader, Autobiz and Mobile.de together with an exceptional line-up of industry leaders we’ll be in good company.
Why this conference matters:
The agenda reads like a blueprint for the next decade: reconfigured supply chains, GenAI in auto finance, the rise of new entrant brands, the connected-car, digitalisation of finance, leasing and fleet operations, and critically; the scaling of the European EV ecosystem from niche to mainstream. These aren’t academic topics; they are urgent strategic priorities for an industry that still underpins Europe’s economic strength.
Europe’s automotive sector is too big to ignore, or to lose:
The numbers are undeniable (according to the ACEA):
· 13.2 million Europeans employed in the automotive sector
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By GlobalData· 10.3% of all EU manufacturing jobs
· €383.7 billion in tax revenue for European governments
· €106.7 billion trade surplus
· Over 7.5% of EU GDP is generated by the industry
· €72.8 billion in annual R&D (33% of EU total)
This is not just an industry:
It is a pillar of European prosperity, innovation and geopolitical resilience. In that context, allowing the shape of Europe’s auto market to be determined passively risks unacceptable economic and strategic consequences.
Failure is not an option:
We are witnessing an unprecedented inflow of new Chinese brands into the UK and European markets. Many bring competitive products and scale, and that is to be expected in a globalised industry.
But, it is my belief that, Europe cannot afford to be caught flat-footed. The combination of rapid market entry, state-backed industrial strategies, and the strategic importance of automotive manufacturing and R&D means policymakers and legacy automakers must act together and immediately to protect their shared future.
JVs make sense and represent a pragmatic path:
Joint Ventures ensure supply-chain resilience simultaneously maintaining market openness whilst protecting industrial capacity and strategic know-how. For these reasons all Chinese brands who wish to sell to Europe and or manufacture their cars in Europe must be obliged to have a Joint Venture partnership with an existing European OEM whereby the European partner has a 51% share and by default controls the partnership.
Why JVs make sense:
· They preserve technology and IP flows into European research ecosystems rather than draining them away.
· They ensure local employment, supply-chain integration and sustained R&D investment across member states.
· They create regulatory leverage to align safety, cybersecurity, environmental and data standards with European norms.
· They encourage knowledge transfer, management practices and supply-chain resilience that benefits the whole ecosystem.
· They avoid blunt, retaliatory protectionism by offering market access in exchange for meaningful local commitments.
Join me and my fellow colleagues in Munich to debate a pathway that keeps Europe’s world-famous auto industry thriving, competitive and secure.
See you in Munich!
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