Congratulation to Jo Chexal
On the evening of May 12, 2009, Mrs. Josephine Chexal was awarded the Cross of Merit (Knight’s Cross) of the Federal Republic of Germany by the Consul General of the German Consulate, Edinburgh, Mr. Wolfgang Moessinger. The award was presented at a dinner held at the Mansion House in Newcastle upon Tyne in front of invited guests including civic dignitaries and representatives of business who have supported the work of the Honorary Consul.
The Order of Merit was instituted by the German government in 1951 and is the only honour awarded in all fields of endeavour and the highest tribute the Federal Republic of Germany can pay to individuals for services to the nation. The Order of Merit may be awarded to Germans as well as foreign nationals for achievements in the political, economic, social or intellectual realm. Mrs. Chexal was presented with the Cross, along with a document signed by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Horst Koehler.
Mrs. Chexal, a Tynedale resident, was appointed German Honorary Consul on April 28, 1999, following her proposal by the Head of the Siemens UK group of companies and the Director General of the German British Chamber of Commerce. Her office in the Regent Centre, Gosforth, is shared with the French Honorary Consul and provides services to German nationals and British/other nationals including birth registration, pension, legal and personal identification certifications. She also undertakes representational duties on behalf of the German government, including at the recent celebrations of 50 years of German studies at Newcastle University. In addition, Mrs. Chexal contributes to the enhancing of Germany’s standing in the UK and assists the Regional Language Network and Routes to Languages programme which encourages young people to take up the study of the German language to improve their future employability.
Currently working as a consultant, Mrs. Chexal held senior positions within the regional development agency, One NorthEast and predecessor organisations over a period of 26 years, in the attraction and retention of international investment into the NorthEast of England. She previously worked in the USA and Switzerland in universities and a multinational pharmaceutical company and speaks German fluently. She is also the Chair of the German British Chamber of Commerce in the NorthEast and Cumbria and is a Trustee of a number of charitable organisations, as well as being the Regional Programme Action Chair of Soroptimist International Northern England.
According to German archives, there has been a German consular presence in Newcastle, covering the wider region, since 1871 and possibly prior to this during the Prussian era. The German Honorary Consul is a member of the Consular Corps of Newcastle upon Tyne which celebrates its 100 year anniversary this year and has consular representation from across Europe.