Council leader, Mike Whitby, is paying a flying business visit to Birmingham's twin city of Frankfurt.
He leaves today to meet Mayor, Petra Roth, and a representative of the European Central Bank.
Coun Whitby will be promoting Birmingham as a preferred location for Frankfurt-based financial services companies and institutions which are considering establishing UK operations.
He will also discuss with the Mayor of Frankfurt how to gain greater benefits for both cities from their longstanding partner city relationship.
"Next year sees the 40th anniversary of Birmingham's partnership with Frankfurt and I am keen to explore with Frau Roth how our two cities can add value to our business communities as well as to our young people and other community groups through the more effective use of this special relationship in the future," he said.
Frankfurt is already well known to the people of Birmingham through the annual Christmas Market - nearly scrapped by party colleagues but reprieved after Councillor Whitby's personal intervention.
It is also said to be becoming increasingly familiar to young people as more links are put in place between schools in both cities.
Coun Whitby, who returns on Saturday, will also visit Colgne, and during his stay in the city he will return to the district where as a young teenager he worked as an overseas voluntary worker for the church-based community organisation called Help Your Brother.
