Rolf Meijer-Werner
Founder, Behrens de Venezuela C.A.

Born in Hamburg, Germany, Rolf Meijer-Werner was the founder of ”Behrens de Venezuela C.A.” and associated companies in 1963, today one of the strongest companies in the country as representatives of worldwide producers and local distributors in the area of chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical raw materials and paper.

After retiring from day-to-day business Rolf Meijer-Werner is now staying on as the group’s chairman, he is daily engaged in the international financial markets and is strongly involved with his lifetime passion of classical music and support of young talents in the Americas and Europe.

Mr. Meijer-Werner got involved in classical music early in his life starting studying piano at the age of ten and attending subscription performances with his mother at both the Hamburg State Opera and  Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra from age twelve on.

For decades now  Mr. Meijer-Werner is strongly involved in Venezuelan music activities, supporting particularly Venezuelan youth orchestras and promising piano talents.

Mr. Meijer-Werner’s  “Fundación MW”  is dedicated to numerous activities in this respect and has brought internationally acclaimed artists as Aprile Millo, Samuel Ramey, Dolora Zajick to Venezuela.

Likewise for many years Mr. Meijer-Werner is a strong supporter of the “Young Artist Development Program” of the Metropolitan Opera, of the New York Philharmonic and of Carnegie Hall, all in New York.

Mr. Meijer-Werner is involved in the Patrons Program of the Salzburg Festival for 31 years and continues to  attend about 15 Salzburg Festival  performances every year during the summer.

Mr. Meijer-Werner has also been involved his entire life with sport, playing field hockey and tennis on international basis, being captain of corresponding teams in Germany and Venezuela for many, many years. Again Mr. Meijer-Werner has supported promising  young athletes in these disciplines.

Mr. Meijer-Werner’s most important private interest, however, has always been classical music, and he is excited about the possibility of getting strongly involved in the development of the  “Youth Orchestra of the Americas”.