Defense Policy Department handover at DIHK led by Baykal
Benjamin Baykal Takes the Helm of DIHK's Defense Policy Department
Benjamin Baykal has been appointed as the head of the "Defense Policy, Cooperation with the Bundeswehr" department at the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), effective March 1, 2025[1][2]. In his new role, Baykal is tasked with strengthening civil-military cooperation between the German industry sector and the Bundeswehr (Germany's armed forces).
Under Baykal's leadership, the DIHK is advocating for greater efficiency in defense spending and emphasizing the importance of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the context of expanding military-relevant infrastructure. This includes calls for accelerated approval procedures to address the skilled labor shortage in case of emergency and ensuring that investment and cooperation initiatives adequately include industry stakeholders[1][2].
Baykal's responsibilities in this position encompass enhancing efficiency in defense expenditures, supporting SMEs in defense-related infrastructure projects, and improving civil-military collaboration to respond to labor and logistical challenges in emergencies. This role is part of a newly established DIHK department addressing crucial defense policy and industrial cooperation challenges amid Germany's evolving security environment[1][2].
Before joining the DIHK, Baykal worked for the Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA) and the Federation of German Food and Drink Industries (BVE). Prior to his current role at the DIHK, Baykal coordinated topics such as bureaucracy reduction, statistics, and the DIHK's basic program. However, his primary focus at the BDA and BVE was not bureaucracy reduction, statistics, and the DIHK's basic program, as it is in his current role[1][2].
Rainer Kambeck, division head at the DIHK, is not the head of the "Defense Policy, Cooperation with the Bundeswehr" department, but continues to be Baykal's superior. Baykal has been with the DIHK for three years, but his current role in the defense policy department is a more recent development[1][2].
[1] German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) Press Release, March 1, 2025. [2] Bundeswehr Daily News, March 1, 2025.
- Benjamin Baykal's role at the DIHK involves leading the Finance and business sectors, as he is responsible for strengthening the partnership between the German industry and the Bundeswehr, focusing on the efficient use of defense spending, supporting SMEs in defense infrastructure projects, and addressing labor and logistical challenges in emergencies.
- In the context of evolving defense policies and industrial cooperation in Germany, the new DIHK department, led by Benjamin Baykal, aims to advocate for the leadership of SMEs in defense-related projects, ensure their inclusion in investment and cooperation initiatives, and streamline approval procedures in emergencies to address the skills labor shortage.
