Today, March 18, 2025, Sorin Mierlea, President of InfoCons, is attending the 5th Annual Economist Romanian Business & Investment Roundtable, entitled “Increasing competitiveness for a future-ready Romania”. This event, organized by Economist Impact and Hazlis & Rivas , brings together top leaders for meaningful discussions aimed at navigating the present and preparing for the future.
This year’s roundtable will feature insightful, action-oriented debates with the Romanian Government and international experts, covering crucial topics such as geopolitical shifts, U.S. foreign policy, and their impact on Europe. Key discussions will also explore security, economic growth, energy, and investment opportunities.
As a pivotal player within the EU, Romania has made remarkable progress in economic performance and investment attraction over recent decades. The country serves as a model for nations seeking to accelerate their European integration.
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The agenda of the event is the following:
Keynote Speech
- The Romanian Government’s New Economic Agenda
Interview
- Can Tech Disruption Unleash Economic Growth?
Speaker: Iwona Sikora, Senior Vice-President & General Manager, Europe & South Africa, Iron Mountain
Panel: The Necessity of Innovative Digitalization
- Technology and telecom advancements provide economies with a competitive edge, but disparities in infrastructure persist across the EU. This panel will address how the EU and Romania can bridge these gaps, foster digital innovation, and build a globally competitive digital infrastructure.
Speakers:- Bogdan Gruia Ivan, Minister of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism, Government of Romania (via connection)
- Marius Posa, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Development, Government of Romania
- Joakim Reiter, Chief External & Corporate Affairs Officer, Vodafone Group
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Panel: The Financial & Economic Landscape in Southeast Europe
- How are Southeast European economies, including Romania, navigating current uncertainties? This discussion will focus on policies that drive equitable growth, inflation concerns in the eurozone, banking system resilience, and Bulgaria’s readiness to join the eurozone in 2026.
Speakers:- Robert Kalman Raduly, Secretary of State, Ministry of Finance, Government of Romania
- Sergei Stanishev, Former Prime Minister of Bulgaria
- Alexandru Nazare, President, Paneuropean Union Romania; Board Member, National Bank of Romania
In Dialogue with Business Leaders
- Omer Tetik, CEO, Banca Transilvania
- Georgios Athanasopoulos, CEO, Vista Bank
- Paul-Dieter Cîrlănaru, CEO, CITR
- Mihail Ion, Vice-President, Capital Markets & Investment Banking, Raiffeisen Bank Romania
- Ionuț Lianu, CFA, Chief Treasury & ALM Officer, CEC Bank
Panel: Europe’s Relationship with America Under a Second Trump Administration
- What impact will Donald Trump’s second term have on NATO, EU-U.S. relations, and Ukraine’s NATO aspirations?
Speakers:- Victor Ponta, Former Prime Minister of Romania; Candidate, Romanian Presidential Election
- Cristian Bușoi, Former MEP; President, ITRE Committee, European Parliament (2019-2024)
- Domagoj Juričić, Former Chief of Staff to the President of Croatia; Political Risk Management Senior Consultant, MKPS, Croatia
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Panel: Sustainable Business Practices & The Green Transition
- As Romania pursues its climate goals, businesses must embrace sustainability by reducing waste and maximizing efficiency. This panel will examine the role of finance and industry in the green transition.
Speakers:- Paul Romeo Barbur, Secretary of State, Ministry of Environment, Waters & Forests, Government of Romania
- Gemma Webb, CEO & President, RetuRO SGR
- Marcos Buscaglia, Founder, Alberdi Partners; Author of Beyond the ESG Portfolio
Panel: Strengthening Europe’s Growth Through Investment
- The EU’s economic strength lies in its connectivity. This discussion will explore the “Three Seas” initiative and major infrastructure projects in Romania aimed at improving regional and international links.
Speakers:- Ionuț Săvoiu, State Secretary, Ministry of Transport & Infrastructure, Government of Romania
- Victoria Zinchuk, Director, Head of Romania, EBRD
- Stefan Kraus, COO, Henley & Partners
- Bogdan Mărginean, Technical Subdivision Manager, Civil Engineering, STRABAG Romania
- George Kremlis, Member of the Board, European Public Law Organization
Panel: Energy Security in Uncertain Times
- The EU has moved away from Russian energy since 2022, pushing for a green transition while ensuring energy affordability. How can governments collaborate to secure Europe’s energy future? What role will the “Vertical Gas Corridor” play?
Speakers:- Sebastian-Ioan Burduja, Minister of Energy, Government of Romania
- Matthew Bryza, Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs; Former U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan; Board Member, Overgas
- Giles Dickson, CEO, WindEurope
- Alessio Menegazzo, CEO & Country Manager, PPC Romania
- Cosmin Ghiță, CEO, Nuclearelectrica
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InfoCons – European Organization for Consumer Protection and Promotion of Programs and Strategies , a full member of the World Organization Consumers International , founding member of the Federation of Consumer Associations , and member of ANEC .