On 23 November 2015 Dr. Erhard Busek, President of Vienna Economic Forum and Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva, Secretary General of Vienna Economic Forum had the pleasure to welcome participants from 39 countries at Palais Niederösterreich in Vienna to the 12th Vienna Economic Forum – Vienna Dialogue 2015.
• “How can Europe Grow? Can Banks stimulate growth? Investments as a motor. How to create Jobs- regional, sub-regional and Europe-wide? Is a common regional Investment Strategy Possible? ”
• “Investment as a motor for Competitiveness and growth. The European way to a more pragmatic aspect. Visions and investor response world-wide.”
The 12th Vienna Economic Forum – 2015 Vienna Dialogue was opened after the welcome addresses of State Secretary Sonja Stessl and Othmar Karas, Member of the European Parliament, by VEF- President Dr. Busek.
In the following First Opening Session “How can Europe Grow? Can Banks stimulate growth? Investments as a motor. How to create Jobs- regional, sub-regional and Europe-wide? Is a common regional Investment Strategy Possible?” discussed the high-level participants, moderated by Dr. Stepic, Senior Advisor, Raiffeisen Bank International AG, Honorary Member of the Vienna Economic Forum about the importance of investment in the region. The Main Statement was given by Ms. Bernadette Gierlinger, Vice Minister, Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy of Austria. The discussion aby representative of banks, including Mr. Chen Fei, chairman of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) Europe SA, Mrs. Flavia Palanza, Director of Central and Southeastern Europe the European Investment Bank (EIB), and Dr. Holger Muent, Director for Western Balkans of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as well as delegates from investors side: Dr. Ognian Donev, CEO, Sopharma AD, Vice President of Vienna Economic Forum, DI Peter Umundum, Board member, Österreichische Post AG , board member, Vienna Economic Forum, and representatives of FTAs: Mr. Nikolay Tsenkov, Member of the Board of Directors, National Company Industrial Zones, Member of Vienna Economic Forum, and Dr Dragan Kostic, CEO, Free Zone Pirot, gave insightful knowledge of the various areas.
The lively roundtable discussion “Investment as a motor for Competitiveness and growth. The European way to a more pragmatic aspect. Visions and investor response world-wide. “, moderated by Mr. Aleksandar Medjedovic, Executive Board Member, Turkish-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Board Member, Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK), Strategic Partner of Vienna Economic Forum highlighted investments to promote competitiveness and growth.
In her video message, the Vice-President of the European Commission H.E. Kristalina Georgieva, praised the VEF for cooperation in this special times.
The discussants: DI Dr. Rabensteiner, Member of the Board of VERBUND AG, Member of the Board, Vienna Economic Forum, Mr. Mag. Stefan Szyszkowitz, Executive Director, EVN AG, First Vice-President of Vienna Economic Forum, Mr. Arda Ermut, President of the Investment Support and Promotion Agency of Turkey (ISPAT) and the World Association of Investment Promotion Agency (WAIPA) and board member of the Vienna Economic Forum, Dr. Bertram Burtscher, Partner Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, partners of Vienna Economic Forum, Dr. Gabriel Lansky, Partner Lansky, Ganzger + partner, board member, Vienna Economic Forum, Mr. Emmanuel Forest, CEO, BOUYGUES EUROPE, board member, Vienna Economic Forum, Dr. Milan Parivodic, CEO, FORINVEST, discussed openly and pragmatically with their own experience about business oriented solutions for future cooperation.
In the annual ceremony for the Vienna Economic Forum Awards Albania was awarded “Country Partner of the Year 2015” and the Casinos Austria AG and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Karl Stoss nominated as “Cooperation Partner of the Year 2015”.
The Vienna Economic Forum wishes to thank all partners, members and partners of Vienna Economic Forum for the constant support. A special thank you goes to: the Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy, the European Commission Representation in Vienna, the Investment Support and Promotion Agency of Turkey (ISPAT), Canon CEE GmbH, Denizbank AG, Sopharma AD and the Vienna Insurance Group.
A special thanks goes out to VEF Main Media Partner MonitorTV and Mr Thomas Ebner for production, with the support of Kapsersky Lab, a DVD about the successful Vienna Economic Forum – Tirana Talks 2015 at which all six Premier of the Western Balkans for the first time in have a part of the Balkans.
The team of the Vienna Economic Forum is highly motivated by all successful events in 2015 and in 2016 for all VEF members, partners and friends to be there and to wish you a restful holiday season.
