Munich. Over a period of four decades, the BMW Clubs
all over the world have been official ambassadors for the brand. There
are more than 230 000 members in 54 countries on all the continents
suitable for travel with automobiles and motorcycles. The clubs
represented in the BMW Clubs International Council form an
exceptionally large and proactive international association. The
diverse club life of the members of around 700 clubs includes joint
activities, road trips and events. These activities are an expression
of their huge commitment and their strong emotional link with the BMW brand.
Communication with the BMW Clubs on an equal footing is extremely
important for the BMW Group. In his congratulations on the
anniversary, Pieter Nota, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG
responsible for Customer, Brands and Sales, highlighted the importance
of the clubs for the living brand experience:
“It is my honour to congratulate the BMW Clubs International Council
on its 40th anniversary. Our most valuable customers gather under this
umbrella: loyal enthusiasts of the BMW brand. In the past decades, an
internationally active community has been built with great passion. It
is characterized not only by the exchange of expertise, but also by
friendships developed beyond national borders. On behalf of BMW AG and
my fellow board members, I therefore wish you special congratulations
on the anniversary!”
The foundation stone for the umbrella organisation of the BMW Clubs –
the BMW Clubs International Council – was laid at a meeting in Vienna
held in 1981. The Head of the Press Office at that time, Dr Horst
Avenarius, initiated this first step on behalf of BMW. The first
leadership duo comprised Dr Reiner Jodjohn from Germany as Chairman
and Keith Dempster from the United Kingdom as his Deputy. Since 2014,
David de Bruyn from South Africa has been President of the Council.
George Nyktas from the USA, Dr Bernhard Knöchlein from Germany and
Julio Reyes from Guatemala currently provide him with support as Vice-Presidents.
The international alignment expanded over the decades and this was
very evident at meetings right from the start with representatives
taking part from many countries including the USA, Canada, the United
Kingdom, Japan, Australia and of course Germany as well. Meanwhile,
international representatives from 16 umbrella organisations attend
the annual Council Meetings.
Communication between the Clubs and the BMW Group has continued to
intensify as a result of global networking and the organisational
support provided by the BMW Club Community Management (BCCM),
based at BMW Group Classic in Munich. The BCCM is a global interface
supporting the regional Clubs in arranging club life and organising
meetings and events.
The BMW Clubs International Council is now the biggest network of
Clubs worldwide representing the brand of an automobile and motorcycle
manufacturer. With the exception of the Antarctic, the BMW Clubs
International Council can therefore proudly proclaim that on its 40th
anniversary, BMW Clubs exist virtually everywhere in the world.