Political influence is not always conspicuous: According to the trade magazine „Politik & Kommunikation“ („politics and communication“), Pierre Gröning is one of the most influential Germans in Brussels. The 41-year-old is Managing Director of the Brussels European Office of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) and in this role represents the interests of around 1,900 German chemical and pharmaceutical companies, or more than 90 percent of the German chemical industry.