The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is hosting the Western Balkans Investment Summit at the EBRD headquarters in London on Monday, 22 February 2016.
The event will be attended by all prime ministers from the region, government ministers, political decision-makers and leading entrepreneurs. It will be opened by EBRD President Sir Suma Chakrabarti and Lord Maude of Horsham, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, United Kingdom.
The aim of the event is to highlight potential investment and business opportunities in the region and promote the inflow of foreign direct investment and cross-border projects.
It follows the first Western Balkans Summit at the EBRD in February 2014 which for the first time had brought together all prime ministers from the region.
After the first session, three panels will provide an opportunity to discuss regional projects and opportunities for investment in energy and transport as well as the privatisation agenda in the Western Balkans. Participants will have the opportunity to engage directly with key political and business representatives.
This is a by invitation only event.
Agenda for EBRD Hosted Event "Western Balkans
Investment Summit"
8.45 - 9.30 Registration and refreshments
9.30 - 9.45 Welcome address (auditorium)
Suma Chakrabarti, President, EBRD
Lord Maude of Horsham, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, United Kingdom
9.50 - 11.15 Western Balkans and Croatia prime ministers’ session* (auditorium)
* Held under the Gymnich formula.
11.15 - 11.25 Launch of the “SEE Link”
11.25 -11.35 Signings: agreements EBRD/EC and EBRD/MEPSO
11.35 - 12.05 Coffee break for participants
11.35 -12.05 Prime ministers’ press conference (auditorium)
12.10 - 13.30 Session 1 (auditorium). Extending the TEN-T network and regional connectivity
Chair: Thomas Maier, Managing Director for Infrastructure, EBRD
Violeta Bulc, European Commissioner for Transport (confirmed): Core Network Transport Projects in the Western Balkans
Zorana Mihajlovic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure of Serbia (confirmed): Highway Nis-Pristina-Durres
Edmond Haxhinasto, Minister of Transport of Albania (confirmed): The Blue Route
Wolfram Senger-Weiss, Managing Director of Gebruder-Weiss (confirmed): Regional connectivity challenges for seamless transport solutions in the Western Balkans
Zoran Milkovski, General Manager of Granit (confirmed): Developing Corridors VIII and X – a local perspective
Followed by a question and answer session
12.10 - 13.30 Session 2 (Boardroom). Renewables and grid modernization for a sustainable regional energy model
Chair: Riccardo Puliti, Managing Director for Energy and Natural Resources, EBRD
Christian Danielson, Director General NEAR, European Commission (confirmed): Energy priorities in the Western Balkans connectivity agenda
Janez Kopac, Director, Energy Community (confirmed): The implementation of the EC rules and its impact on regional co-operation
Vladimir Kavaric, Minister of Economy of Montenegro (confirmed): A view from Podgorica
Carlo Crea, Director, International Affairs, Terna SpA (confirmed): The experience of a national TSO in investing in the region
Yousef Pipelzadeh, Manitoba Hydro International (confirmed): Transition to a low carbon economy - hydro resources and their integration in the transmission network
Giovanni Caracciolo di Vietri, Secretary General of the Central European Initiative
Followed by a question and answer session
13.30 - 14.30 Networking lunch for all participants (auditorium ante area)
14.30-16.00 Session 3 (Auditorium). Privatisation Agenda in the Western Balkans
Chair: Holger Muent, Director for Western Balkans, EBRD
Dusan Vujovic, Minister of Finance of Serbia (confirmed): Serbia’s privatisation programme
Silvia Vernetti Blina, EMEA Head of Business Development, FCA (confirmed): experience of investing in the region
Emil Tedeschi, CEO of Atlantic Grupa (confirmed): experience of investing across the borders in the South Eastern Europe
Johannes P. Huth, Head of EMEA, KKR (confirmed): Valued-added investing across the region
Followed by a question and answer session
16.00 - 17.00 Networking drinks reception (Auditorium ante area)
For more information about the concept of the Summit contact Oleg Levitin.
The event is by invitation only. Interested investors may contact eckhartb@ebrd.com.
