Green Transition Forum 6.0

Registration and Networking Coffee

Opening Remarks by the Organisers

Welcome Address by Monika Stanisheva, Founder of GTF and President of BD, Dir.bg and Savvas Karafillidis, President, BHCCI

Welcome Address: H.E. Iliana Iotova, President of the Republic of Bulgaria

Flagship Keynote: Prime Minister of Bulgaria

High-Level Panel: Europe’s Strategic Autonomy and Competitiveness in a Turbulent World

Participants: Dan Nica, MEP, Vice-Chair, ITRE; Notis Mitarachi, Member of Parliament, Hellenic Republic; Prof. Manyu Moravenov, CEO, Bulgarian Stock Exchange; Industry Stakeholders Closing Keynote: Kimberly Guilfoyle, Ambassador of the United States to the Hellenic Republic (tbc)

Spotlighted Fireside Chat: Powering Europe’s Strategic Autonomy: The Role of the Three Seas Initiative

Participants: Beata Daszynska-Muzyczka, President of 3Seas Business Council; Pawel Nierada, Member of the Supervisory Board of the 3Seas Initiative Investment Fund

Coffee Break

Keynote: Connectivity as Power: How Transport and Technology Shape Europe’s Competitiveness and Strategic Autonomy

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism

High-Level Panel: Building Southeast Europe’s Connectivity at Speed

Participants: Minister of Transport and Communications, Bulgaria (tbc); Christos Dimas, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Hellenic Republic; Mario Mauro, European Coordinator, Baltic Sea – Black Sea – Aegean Sea European Transport Corridor, DG MOVE, European Commission; Jason Pellmar, Country Manager Bulgaria, World Bank Group; Jesus Caballero, CEO, SOF Connect; Todor Ivandjikov, President, Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association; Jiří Liberda, Managing Director, Škoda Group (tbc); Lazăr Comănescu, Secretary General, Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation

Ministerial Panel: Energy Autonomy, Carbon Pricing and Competitiveness

Participants: Minister of Energy, Bulgaria (tbc); Stavros Papastavrou, Minister of Energy, Hellenic Republic; Cristian Bușoi, Secretary of State, Ministry of Energy, Government of Romania; Energy Ministers from the CEE Region, Belgium, and Spain (tbc); Eurohold; Telelink Infra (tbc)

Lunch Break

Flagship Fireside: The Race for Energy Dominance

Participants: Prof. Klaus-Dieter Borchardt, European Coordinator, CESEC, and Former Deputy Director-General, DG ENER, European Commission; Joshua Volz, Special Envoy for Energy Integration U.S. Department of Energy (tbc); Munir Hassan, CMS Global Head of Energy, Copelouzos group; Alexandru Chiriță, CEO, Electrica (tbc)

Panel Discussion: Energy Connectivity and the EU Grids Package – Aligning Regulation, Investment and Implementation

Participants: Tahir Kapetanovic, Vice Chair Of The Board, ENTSO-E; Lukasz Kolinski, Director for Green Transition and Energy System Integration, DG Energy, European Commission (tbc); Tsvetelina Penkova, MEP, Vice-Chair, ITRE; Dominik Jarmer, Chairman of the BD, EVN Bulgaria; Frank Hajdinjak, VP, Romanian Energy Center; ESO EAD; Kaloyan Staykov, Chair of the Management Board of EMI

Coffee Break

Panel Discussion: Renewables – Build Faster or Fall Behind

Participants: Stéphane Aver, President, Transitions Foundation; Alastair Hammond, CEO at Rezolv; Azuro, Horia Grigorescu, Managing Partner, Grigorescupartners (tbc)

Interlinked Conversations

Participants: Veselin Todorov, VVT Engineering; Eurohold; Telelink Infra (tbc) Wind Power – Europe’s Strength, Still Too Slow Participants: Dimitar Enchev, Co-founder and Member of the Board of Directors, CWP Batteries – The Backbone of Speed and FlexibilityParticipants: Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Kosovo (tbc)

Strategic Exchange with Prof. Klaus-Dieter Borchardt: Addressing the Structural Challenges of Europe’s Energy Sector

Participants: Leading industry stakeholders, energy operators, utilities, grid and transmission system operators, energy companies across the value chain

Panel Discussion: Nuclear Energy and Innovation – Europe’s Low-Carbon Power Test

Participants: Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, IAEA (tbc); Joanna Drake, Deputy Director-General, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission; Cosmin Ghiță, CEO, SN Nuclearelectrica (tbc); Petio Ivanov, CEO, Kozloduy-NPP (tbc); Hyundai Engineering & Construction (tbc); Westinghouse; Olga Bakardzhieva, EU Director, Fusion Industry Association (tbc); Thomas Forner, CEO and Co-Founder, Focused Energy; Bogomil Manchev (tbc)

Lunch Break

Spotlight Session: Rethinking Gas – Strengthening Energy Autonomy, Connectivity and Trading Networks

Participants: Petar Fildishev, Head of Gas Trading and Operations, MET Energy Trading Bulgaria (tbc); Vladimir Malinov, CEO Bulgartransgaz; Svetoslav Benchev, Chairman of the Bulgarian petroleum and gas association; OMV Petrom (tbc)

Roundtable Discussion: The Energy Focus on South Eastern Europe

Participants: Plamen Mladenovski, Chairperson, Energy and Water Regulatory Commission, Bulgaria (tbc); Alexei Taran, General Director, National Agency for Energy Regulation, Moldova; Slavtcho Neykov, Energy Policy Expert, SEE Region; Damir Miljević, Member of MB, Center for Sustainable Energy Transition – RESET; Milos Mladenovic, Managing Director, SEEPEX a.d. Beograd (tbc); Corneliu Coteț, Affiliate Expert at Europuls, Policy Advisor at EBRD & UNDP; Industry Stakeholders, Institutions, Experts

Coffee Break

Panel Discussion: Electrifying Mobility – Where We Are and Where We’re Going

Participants: Blagoi Burdin, Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems (IEES-BAS); Lucien Mathieu, Cars director, Transport & Environment (T&E); Raphael Héliot, Senior Policy Manager, E-Mobility Europe; Denyu Bostandzhiev, CEO Porsche BG; Mario De Martino, CEO Porsche Inter Auto BG; Tomasz Lipiński, EVSE Division Manager Photomate; LIFE Programme, European Commission

Interlinked Discussions

Participants: Rumen Radev, Chairman of the Government Board, BICA (tbc); Ivan Delibasic, Director, Advocacy Hydrogen Europe; Prof. Daria Vladikova, Sci.Coordinator of H2start CoE – Trakia University; Bozidar Dedus, Co-Founder, Croatian Association for the Development and Application of Hydrogen Fuel Cells; Nicolas Cuignard, Associate, HACE; Industry Representatives; Hydrogen Europe Research; European Hydrogen Association (EHA); Bulgarian Hydrogen Association (BGH2A) Concluding Segment: Hydrogen for European Strategic Autonomy Followed by a Joint Declaration – Industry and associations propose coordinated actions to strengthen EU energy sovereignty

Panel Discussion: Ports as Strategic Gateways for Connectivity and Sustainable Development

Participants: Peter Kirov, Head of Department, EU Maritime Safety Agency; Stanislav Yordanov, DG, State Enterprise “Port Infrastructure”, Bulgaria (tbc); Ivaylo Gavrailov, CEO, Port of Varna EAD; Dr. Ioannis Tsaras, CEO, Thessaloniki Port Authority (THPA S.A.) (tbc); Dr. Angelos Vlachos, CEO, Kavala Port Authority S.A. (tbc); Konstantinos Chatzikonstantinou, CEO, Alexandroupolis Port Authority S.A. (tbc)

Lunch Break

Panel Discussion: Accelerating Pan-European Transport Corridors: Rail, Multimodal Integration and Freight Flows

Participants: Roumen Markov, GM, Large Infrastructure Projects; Andrej Lepavcov, President, Engineering Institution of Macedonia; Corneliu Coteț, Affiliate Expert at Europuls, Policy Advisor at EBRD & UNDP; Skoda (tbc); Chamber of the Bulgarian road haulers (tbc)

Featured Thematic Segment: Building Europe’s Low-Altitude Economy

Interlinked Sessions:

The Low-Altitude Economy – Europe’s Next Growth Frontier?

Participants: Kalin Stoyanov, Head of Business Development, Destinus (tbc); Joint European Drone Association VP (tbc); Peter Malanik, MD, Aviation Industry Austria (tbc); Song (tbc)

Coffee Break

Governing the Skies Below: Trust, Regulation and Infrastructure

Participants: Anelia Marinova, Director General, General Directorate Civil Aviation Administration (tbc); Georgi Peev, Director General, Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority (BULATSA); Gergana Aneva, Managing Director, Rud Pedersen Public Affairs; Kaloyan Kumanov, CEO, NIK (tbc)

Urban Air Mobility: Are Air Taxis Ready for European Cities?

Participants: Nikolay Nikolov, CEO, Niki Rotor Aviation (tbc); Yordan Yordanov, Operations Manager, Hades Defense Systems (tbc)

Small Airports, Big Impact: Balancing Sustainable Connectivity, Economic Resilience, and Regional Growth

Participants: Pencho Milkov, Mayor of Ruse Municipality (tbc); Nikolay Rashkov, Mayor of Gorna Oryahovitsa Municipality (tbc); arch. Veselin Berov, CEO, VEBER Ltd. (tbc)

Exclusive VIP Welcome Dinner (Invitation only)

To request attendance, please contact the organizer Venue: Hilton Hotel, MUSALA Hall, 1 Bulgaria Blvd, Sofia Keynote Speakers:HE Prime Minister of Bulgaria HE Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Honorary Guests:HE Minister of Energy, Bulgaria HE Stavros Papastavrou, Minister of Energy, Hellenic RepublicHE Minister of Transport and Communications, Bulgaria HE Christos Dimas, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Hellenic Republic Hosts: Monika Stanisheva, Founder of the Green Transition Forum and President of BD, Dir.bg Savvas Karafillidis, President of the Hellenic-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Registration and Networking Coffee

Opening Remarks by the Organisers

Welcome Address by the Mihaela Dotsova, President of the 52nd National Assembly

Keynote: Andrzej Duda, Former President of Poland (tbc)

High-Level Panel Discussion: Global Risks and Barriers to Europe’s Competitiveness

Participants: Iliana Tsanova, Chief Risk Officer, European Commission; Haris Theoharis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic; Andriana Sukova, Deputy DG, DG EMPL, European Commission; Anna Akhalkatsi, Division Director for the European Union, World Bank (tbc); Sebastian Burduja, Honorary Counsellor to the Prime Minister of Romania, Former Minister of Energy of Romania (tbc); Ivan Mihaylov, CEO, AmCham Bulgaria (tbc); Lukas Bertram, Programme Lead: Economics, Green and Just Transition, ZOE Institute for Future-fit Economies

High-Level Panel Discussion: Sustainable Production and Industrial Acceleration

Participants: Anna Mani-Papadimitriou, Former Deputy Minister of Development, Hellenic Republic (tbc); Prof. Christiaan Vermorken, Managing Director, Carrières du Hainaut; Anelia Stefanova, Energy Transformation Strategic Area Leader, CEE Bankwatch Network; Mihnea Cătuți, Executive Director, EPG; Suzana Carp, Co-Founder, Clean SouthEast Europe

Coffee Break

Unlocking Economic Potential through Smart Simplification and Market Integration

Participants: Radan Kanev, MEP, ENVI; Andrea Bogoni, Research Fellow, Blue Europe; Prof. Antonios Nestoras, Founding Director, European Policy Innovation Council; Nadejda Myashkova, CEO, PPS; Dobri Mitrev, President, Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) (tbc); Maria Marinova, Director and Board Member, BVCA

High-Level Panel Discussion: Building a European Defence and Security Union

Participants: Minister of Defence, Bulgaria (tbc); Tonino Picula, MEP, AFET (tbc); Dr Josef Aschbacher, Director General, European Space Agency (ESA) (tbc); Sylvie Matelly, Director, Institut Jacques Delors, Dimitris Avramopoulos, former European Commissioner for Migration, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece; Piotr Wójcik, Blue Europe Fellow; Tarja Jaakkola, Assistant Secretary-General, Defence Industry, Innovation and Armaments, NATO (tbc)

Lunch Break

Panel Discussion: Dual-Use Industry – Bridging Civilian and Defense Technologies to Boost Resilience and Competitiveness

Participants: Yordan Bozhilov, Deputy Minister of Defense, Bulgaria; Borislav Bankov, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Innovation and Growth, Bulgaria; Dobroslav Dimitrov, Co-Founder, Raisen Technology; Advisory Board Member, BASCOM; Advisory Board Member, BRAIT; Nicolas Guignard, Associate, HACE; Svilen Rangelov, Co-Founder & CEO at Dronamics; Gregory Lipich, Chief Commercial Officer, FIXAR; Major General Stayko Prokopiev, Commandant, Rakovski National Defence College (tbc)

Spotlight Discussion: Cybersecurity and Digital Infrastructure in an Era of Constant Turbulence – Insights from Institutions and Industry leaders

Participants: Minister of e-Governance of Bulgaria (tbc); Hristian Daskalov, Cybersecurity & Digital Infrastructure Expert; Contributor to EC initiatives on NIS2, CRA, EUDI Wallet and internet standards; Margarita Kirilova, Business Development Manager, Cyber One; Information Services AD

Coffee Break

Panel Discussion: Competitiveness in a Changing Economy – How to Help SMEs Grow, Innovate, and Stay Resilient

Participants: Boyko Takov, Executive Director, BSMEPA (tbc); Florin Jianu, President, National Council of Small and Medium Private Enterprises in Romania (CNIPMMR) (tbc); Lou Kaiser, Head of ESG, EUPD; Chamber of Commerce Representative; Innovation Hub or Accelerator Director; Bogdan Ivanov, Director Corporate Clients at UniCredit Bulbank

Responsible Business Conduct in Action: Advancing Bulgaria’s OECD Accession through SME Sustainable Growth

Participants: Yordanka Chobanova, Head of the Representation of the EC in Bulgaria (tbc); Nicolas Hachez, Head of Public Policy and Regional Programmes, and Head of Access to Remedy at the OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct (tbc); Amaryllis Verhoeven, Head of Unit for Responsible Business Conduct, DG GROW, European Commission; Zornitsa Rusinova, Chair, Economic and Social Council of the Republic of Bulgaria; Velislava Deltcheva, Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria (tbc); Dobri Mitrev, Rotating Chair of AOBE, Chair of the Board, BIA; Rumen Radev, Chair of the Board, AICB (tbc); Plamen Dimitrov, President of the CITUB; Eng. Dimitar Manolov, President of the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour

Sustainable and Economic Diplomacy: Straightening Cooperation in Times of Division

Participants: Meglena Kuneva, Ambassador of the EU to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg (tbc); Rosen Plevneliev, Former President of the Republic of Bulgaria (2012 - 2017) (tbc); H.E. Pierre Hagmann, Ambassador of Switzerland to Bulgaria (tbc); Ambassadors and leading stakeholders

Lunch Break

Interlinked Panel Discussions: EU Enlargement and the Western Balkans

Co-organised in partnership with: Balkan Economic Forum (BEF) Opening Keynote: Mathieu Bousquet, Director, Enlargement Coordination, Strategy & Investments, EC

Sub-panel 1: From Accession Perspective to Economic Convergence: Unlocking Growth through Enlargement

Participants: Antonios Nestoras, Founding Director, European Policy Innovation Council; Sasho Kjosev, PhD, President of BEF (presenting the Balkan Socio-Economic Integration); Borislav Kostadinov, Fund Director at Finance in Motion GmbH

Sub-panel 2: Connecting Before Acceding: Infrastructure as the Backbone of Enlargement

Participants: Prof. Klaus-Dieter Borchardt, European Coordinator, CESEC, and Former Deputy Director-General, DG ENER, European Commission; Nikolas Sofianos, Secretary General, Institute of Energy for SEE; Elvin Guri, Founder of Empower Capital, Entrepreneur and Investor; Andrej Lepavcov, President of the Engineering Institution of North Macedonia; Dinko Eror, Vice President EMEA Central Europe, Red Hat/ Member of Advisory Board, BEF

Sub-panel 3: Green by Accession: Aligning Enlargement with Europe’s Climate Agenda

Participants: Andrea Bogoni, Research Fellow, Blue Europe; Andrijana Nelkova - Chuchuk, Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) Chair; Head of Economic Department; Ivana Vojinović, Director of the Centre for Climate Change, Natural Resources and Energy at UDG; World Bank representative (tbc)

Coffee Break

Roundtable Discussion: Forging Competitiveness, Simplifying Regulation, Unlocking Innovation and Investment for SME

Co-organised in partnership with: Bulgarian-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BHCCI), Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce Opening: Savvas Karafyllidis, President of the Bulgarian-Hellenic Chamber (BHCCI); Victor Gugushev, Chairman of the Bulgarian-Romanian Commercial Chamber; Tsvetan Simeonov, President of BCCI (tbc); Dr. Rosen Tkachenko, President of the EU Chambers of Commerce in Bulgaria; Emmanouil Vlachoyiannis, Honorary President of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Nikolay Stanchev, CEO Generali; Branco Azeski, President, Economic Chamber of North Macedonia (tbc) Keynote: Konstantinos Gioulekas, Deputy Minister of Interior, Hellenic Republic

High-Level Discussion: Labour Market, Social Transition and Europe’s Talent Agenda – Skills, Mobility and Competitiveness

Participants: Andriana Sukova, Deputy DG, DG EMPL, European Commission; Ivailo Kalfin, Executive Director, Eurofound; Smilen Valov, Executive Director, Employment Agency of Bulgaria; Catherine Canter, Expert in International Development & Social Transition of Green Economies in MBDs and IFIs; Martina Grigorova, Executive Director, SIS Credit; Nadezhda Vasileva, Country Operations Head of Adecco Bulgaria; Francesca Cristea, Head of Policy and Programs at Europuls

Roundtable Discussion: Jobs of the Future – The New Social Contract

Co-organised by a Partner

Innovation Norway: Unlocking New Funding for Innovation and Green Growth – The Next Programme Period

Co-organised by a Partner

Lunch Break

Interactive Discussion: Navigating the MFF 2028 - 2034: Regional Competitiveness and Strategic Cohesion

Co-organised by Europuls – Centre of European Expertise

Exclusive VIP Dinner (Invitation only)

To request attendance, please contact the organizer Venue: East Plaza Hotel, 28 Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd., Sofia Honorary Guests:HE Iliana Iotova, President of the Republic of BulgariaProf. Philippe Aghion, Nobel Prize Laureate for 2025 in Economic ScienceHE Panagiotis Theodorikakos, Minister of Development, Hellenic Republic HE Marie Dumoulin, Ambassador of the French Republic to the Republic of Bulgaria Host:HE Sergei Stanishev, Member of the Strategic Foresight Committee of the Green Transition Forum, Prime Minister of Bulgaria (2005 - 2009)

Business Breakfast with Prof. Philippe Aghion: The Competitiveness Playbook

Registration and Networking Coffee

Welcome Address by the Organisers

FLAGSHIP SESSION: From Stagnation to Dynamism – Rethinking Growth in an Era of Global Challenges

Participants: Martin Danovski, Executive Director, Sofia Tech Park; Iliya Garkov, COO and EVP, DPM Metals; Sasha Bezuhanova, Founder of MOVE.BG & Co-founder of SCION; Rumen Radev, Member of the Board of Directors, Asarel Medet; Dominic Hamers, Managing Director, Geotechmin

High-Level Discussion: Carbon Policy and Competitiveness: Challenges and Opportunities

Participants: Minister of Economy and Industry, Bulgaria (tbc); Andriana Sukova, Deputy DG, DG EMPL, European Commission; Mette Quinn, Deputy Director, DG CLIMA, European Commission; Vedrana Lemor, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Aurubis AG; Konstantin Bojinov, ANRAV Project Manager, Heidelberg Materials Devnya; Maya Stefanova, Director Environmental Affairs&Climate Action, Agropolychim AD; Hans Grünfeld, President, IFIEC Europe

Coffee Break

High-Level Panel Discussion: Europe’s €2 Trillion Question: What Is the EU Budget Actually For?

Participants: Deputy Prime Minister for European Funds, Bulgaria (tbc); Panagiotis Theodorikakos, Minister of Development, Hellenic Republic; Valere Moutarlier, Deputy DG, DG GROW, European Commission; Marek Mora, VP, EIB; Tsanko Arabadjiev, Member of the Management board and Executive Director, BDBank; Adelina Dabu, Head of Public Affairs at the Employers’ Confederation Concordia

Panel Discussion: Banks at the Frontline: Climate Risks, Industrial Resilience, and Sustainable Finance

Participants: Theodoros Pelagidis, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Greece; Manuela Nessl, Head of EBRD Bulgaria; Borislav Kostadinov, Fund Director, Finance in Motion GmbH; Claudia Marcuson, Managing Partner, Zero Emissions Fund; Ernst & Young, Bulgaria

Lunch Break

Panel Discussion: Rethinking Financial System for Greater Access, Less Bureaucracy, and More Innovation

Participants: Vasil Golemanski, Chair of the Financial Supervisory Commission; Alexandru Petrescu, President, Romanian Financial Supervisory Authority (tbc); Antonio García Del Riego, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC); Martin Gikov, Country Officer Bulgaria, International Finance Corporation (IFC); George Marinos, Innovation & Digital Partnerships, National Bank of Greece; Brian Fabregue, President, Blue Europe

Panel Discussion: From Savings to Scale – Mobilizing Pension and Institutional Capital for Venture and Competitiveness

Participants: Diana Yordanova, Deputy chair, Financial Supervisory Commission; Miroslav Marinov, Executive Director, PAC Doverie; Evgeni Angelov, Chairman, Bulgarian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association; Edward Randolph, Investment Director, Amber Infrastructure; Mariya Mincheva, Deputy Chair, Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce (tbc); Bojidar Vidinov, Head of Strategic Development, The Revenues Factory

Coffee Break

Panel Discussion: Circular Economy at Scale – From Waste Streams to Strategic Resources

Participants: Paolo Campanella, Secretary General, European Waste Management Association (FEAD) (tbc); Zdravko Bikov, MB, Bulgarian Association of Recycling (tbc); Vihren Mitev, Founder and Director of ManEco Foundation; Bulgarian Recovery and Recycling Association BRRA (tbc); Prof. Maria Petrova, Assistant Director, Program for Environment and Sustainability, Georgetown University, Sustainability Expert, AUBG

Europe's catalytic transformation moment: how the CEE and SEE regions are powering our common clean European futures

Participants: Malgorzata Bugajska, Managing Partner, Luma Ventures, Switzerland/Poland; Angelina Bintoudi, CEO & Co-founder, Optimems, Hellenic Republic; Krassen Dimitrov, President, Voltera Bulgaria; Max Gurvits, Managing Partner, Vitosha Ventures, Bulgaria

FLAGSHIP SESSION: 5 Skills You Need to Survive the AI Revolution

Public Lecture by Mo Gawdat, Futurist and Former Google X Executive(Followed by Q&A Session – additional registration required!)

Roundtable Discussion: CBAM in Action – Ensuring Fair Competition While Decarbonising Global Trade

Participants: Mette Quinn, Deputy DG, DG CLIMA, European Commission; Radan Kanev, MEP, ENVI; Philippe Rombaut, Co-Owner, Chairman of the Board, Agropolychim AD; Konstantin Stamenov, Director of Strategic Planning and Investments at Stomana Industry AD; Mihnea Cătuți, Executive Director, EPG; Titan Zlatna Panega (tbc); Solvay Sodi (tbc); Gopettrans (tbc); BFIEC; TEC Bobovdol; Holcim; CEOs of Leading Industries

Interactive Discussion: Low-Carbon Industrial Transformation: Greening Supply Chains to Secure Europe’s Competitiveness

Participants: Minister of Energy, Bulgaria (tbc); Yvon Slingenberg, Director for Strategy, Analysis and Planning, DG CLIMA, European Commission (tbc); Dimitar Tsotsorkov, Chairman of the Board, Asarel Medet (tbc); Marius Koeppen, Senior Analyst, Energy and Climate Program, CSD

Lunch Break

Interactive Discussion: RESourcEU – Securing Industrial Autonomy, Critical Raw Materials, Reducing Dependencies, and Strengthening Competitiveness

Participants: Jan Moström, President, Euromines; prof. Ivaylo Koprev, Rector, University of Mining and Geology, “Sv. Ivan Rilski”; Irena Tsakova, General Manager, DPM Krumovgrad EAD; Svetoslav Georgiev, Director, Geological Institute, BAS (tbc); Nicola Rangelov, Chair of the Board of Directors, BAMI; Christian Kühne, MD, Think Tank for Industrial Resource Strategies; Georgios Karakatsanis, Founder and Director, EVOTROPIA; Boyan Rashev, Founder, MindYourFuture.org; Aurubis; GBS (tbc); Elatzite Med (tbc); Asarel (tbc); KCM (tbc)

Interactive Discussion: Resilience as a Driver of Competitiveness – From Risk to Readiness and Economic Security

Participants: Valere Moutarlier, Deputy-DG, DG GROW, European Commission (tbc); Maryna Saprykina, Founder of Ukrainian Women-Enterpreneurs Hub; Prof. Hristo Pimpirev, Chairman, Bulgarian Antarctic Institute

Keynote: From Compliance to Competitive Advantage – How ESG Transparency Drives Regional Growth (Co-organised in partnership with: European Sustainability Week and EUPD)

Lou Kaiser, Head of ESG, EUPD

A FLAGSHIP WORKSHOP: A People-Powered Climate Transition for Europe – Turning Climate Ambition into Everyday Action

Co-organised in partnership with: EU Climate Pact

Interactive Discussion: Turning EU Budget Allocations into Real Economic Growth – Unlocking MFF Funding to Strengthen National Competitiveness in Bulgaria

Participants: Ivan Ivanov, Director, Central Coordination Unit Directorate, Council of Ministers (tbc); Zornitsa Rusinova, President, ESC of the Republic of Bulgaria; Mihaela Toader, Secretary of State at the Ministry of European Funds, Romania (2018 - 2019); Anelia Stefanova, Energy Transformation Strategic Area Leader, CEE Bankwatch Network; Karina Angelieva, Executive Director, International Science and Technology Center (ISTC)

Lunch Break

Mobilising Capital for Europe’s Coal Regions: From Strategy to Investment Pipeline Co-organised in partnership with: Regional Economic Development Agency - Stara Zagora

Registration and Networking Coffeе

High-Level Discussion: Circular Industry, Climate Action and Water Resilience – Driving Europe’s Competitive Transition

Participants: Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy; Kata Tüttő, President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR); Institutional and Industry Stakeholders; Julian Popov, Minister of Environment and Water, Bulgaria; Konstantin Stamenov, Chairman of the Management Board, BFIEC; Rossen Papazov, CEO, Holcim Bulgaria; George Kremlis, Ambassador of EPLO for Bulgaria; Solvay (tbc); EnEarth (tbc)

Panel Discussion: Building the Cities of Tomorrow – Best Practices in Sustainability and Resilience

Participants: Vasil Terziev, Mayor of Sofia; Tomislav Tomašević, Mayor of Zagreb; Dušan Raičević, Mayor of Bar, Montenegro; Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture, Azerbaijan (tbc); Nadya Dankinova, Executive Director of the FLAG Fund; LIFE Programme, European Commission (tbc)

Coffee Break

High-Level Panel: Cohesion Policy as Strategic Catalyst – Bridging Growth, Innovation and Resilience

Participants: Raffaele Fitto, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms (tbc); Minister of Regional Development, Bulgaria (tbc); Kata Tüttő, President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR); Andrey Novakov, MEP, Committee on REGI; Tanya Hristova, Mayor of Gabrovo; Andreas Von Busch, Head of Unit for DG Regio E3, European Commission

Ministerial Panel: Scaling Sustainable Growth through Environmental Policy and the Blue Economy

Participants: Ministers of Environment and Water from South-Eastern Europe; Ivelina Vasileva, Member of the Mission Board “Restore our Ocean and Waters”, European Commission; Diana-Anda Buzoianu, Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests, Romania; Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture, Azerbaijan (tbc); Walid Oueslati, Head of the Climate, Biodiversity and Water Division, Environment Directorate, OECD; Geneviève Pons, DG and President of Europe Jacques Delors (tbc)

Lunch Break

Panel Discussion: The EU Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Chapter – Energy Efficiency, Investment and Innovation

Participants: Dragomir Tsanev, CEO, Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect; National Trust EcoFund; Joanna Masic, Lead Urban Specialist and Global Lead for Urban, Disaster Risk Management and Land Global Practice, World Bank (tbc); LIFE Programme, European Commission (tbc); Legrand (tbc); HUS group (tbc)

Panel Discussion: Producing More with Less Resources – The Future of Sustainable Agriculture

Participants: Ministers of Agriculture; Ilia Lazarov, MEP (tbc); Natasha Santos, Head of Sustainability & Strategic Engagement, Vice President, Bayer; Viktor Rombaut, Agricultural Investor and Producer (tbc); Stoyan Tchoukanov, President, Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, EESC (tbc); LIFE Programme, European Commission (tbc)

Coffee Break

Interactive Discussion: Innovation and Digitalisation in Agriculture – From Data to Impact

Participants: Blagoja Mukanov, Consultant, AgFutura Technologies; Georgios Karakatsanis, Founder and Director, EVOTROPIA; Sonia Belén Palomo Das Neves, Directora de Transferencia de Tecnología y Relaciones Internacionales, Parque Tecnológico de Andalucía; Sonsoles Jiménez Pérez, Managing Director of Alberizas, PhD in Economics and Business, University of Málaga; Veselina Stoyanova, Co-founder Mealprot; Ivan Dragoev, Founder & CEO, Ondo Solutions

Closed Ministerial Meeting of Ministers of Environment and Water within the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP): A Shared Vision for Sustainable Growth and Regional Cooperation

Co-organised in partnership with: Ministry of Environment and Water of the Republic of Bulgaria

High-Level Working Group Sessions: Green Deal Going Local Initiative

Hosted by the European Committee of the Regions

Meeting of the Green Deal Going Local Working Group (Closed-door session)

Lunch Break

Homegrown energy – from a local transition to European impact

Coffee Break

Roundtable Discussion: Next-Gen Buildings – Energy Efficiency Standards and Smart Readiness

Participants: Assa Abloy (tbc)

Meeting of EU Local Councillors (Closed-door session)

Lunch Break

Panel Discussion: Water – When Scarcity Becomes Systemic

Participants: Toni Popovski, Consultant, Energy Regulators Regional Association

Fireside Chat: Innovative Water Technologies – Securing Urban Supply and Modernizing Infrastructure

Coffee Break

EU Funding Opportunities - Info Session by LIFE Programme, European Commission

Registration and Networking Coffee

Welcome Address by the Organisers

High-Level Discussion: Beyond Fragmentation – Unlocking Europe’s Competitiveness through the 28th Regime and the Fifth Freedom

Participants: Enrico Letta, President of Jacques Delors Institute, Author of The EU Single Market and Competitiveness Report; Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation; Svetoslav Tsenov, Senior Executive and Global Transformation Lead, Astellas Pharma; Dan Stratan, CEO, RCI Holding; Philippe Rombaut, Co-Owner and Chairman of the Board, Agropolychim AD

High-Level Discussion: Funding the Future – How CEE Can Win Big with EU Innovation Programs (Followed by Ask-Me-Anything session for invited participants)

Participants: Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation; Minister of Innovation and Growth, Bulgaria (tbc); Kristina Kallas, Minister of Education and Research, Estonia (tbc); Marjut Falkstedt, CEO, EIF; Тhe Alliance of Science and Technology Parks and Innovative Ecosystems in South East Europe; Regional Innovation Stakeholders

Coffee Break

Panel Discussion: Education of the Future – Teaching for a World That Doesn’t Yet Exist

Participants: Victor Negrescu, Vice President, European Parliament; Minister of Education and Science, Bulgaria (tbc); Barbara Nowacka, Minister of Education, Poland (tbc); Antoaneta Angelova-Krasteva, Director, Innovation, Digital Education and International Cooperation, DG EAC, European Commission; Andreas Schleicher, Director, Education and Skills, OECD (Founder of PISA); Emily Sargent Beasley, President, The American College of Sofia (tbc); Miglena Temelkova, PhD, Chairwoman, Council of Rectors, Bulgaria; Prof. Stamatis Aggelopoulos, Rector, International Hellenic University

Fireside Chat: Digitalization of Industries and Technology Driven Innovation – Best Examples from the CEE Region

Participants: Emil Wagenstein, Chief Experience Officer, Ozone.bg

Lunch Break

Panel Discussion: Health Innovations for Social Impact

Participants: Kristian Vigenin, Member of the European Parliament; Pavel Naydenov, Omega Group; Bayer; Kristina Polianyi, Novo Nordisk; ARPharM Bulgaria (tbc); Luka Chichov, CEO, Haelan – Integrated Healthcare; Information Services AD

Fireside Chat: Digital Sovereignty vs. Global Platforms – Who Controls the Future?

Participants: Brando Benifei, MEP, Committee on International Trade (INTA) (tbc); Tsvetan Alexiev, CEO, Sirma Group Holding JSC; Desislava Wallner, Head of IoT Connectivity, A1 Digital Austria

Coffee Break

Fireside Chat: AI a Source of Deep Societal Transformation?

Interlinked Conversations

Participants: Luis Bravo Martins, VP, XR Safety Intelligence – Europe, Emerging Tech Advisor, Author and Speaker; Joanna Pilch, Director of Business Development AI, AI Strategic Partnerships, AI Strategy, Ethics, and Compliance UK & EMEA; Manijeh Motaghy, Founder and Researcher, UCLA MARC and Perfectly Here; Stephanie Camarena, PhD, Australia, Founder, Source Transitions

One Europe. One Market: Strategic Exchange between Enrico Letta, Leading Industry CEOs & Chambers of Commerce on Europe’s Economic Future (Invitation only)

Followed by Signing Ceremony:THE SOFIA INITIATIVE: From Fragmentation to Scale – Accelerating EU Competitiveness; A Call to Action by 100 Leading CEE Industry Stakeholders (Invitation only)

Lunch Break

Interactive Discussion: Innovation Bridges – Building a Connected Tech and Startup Ecosystem in South East Europe

Participants: Alliance of Science and Technology Parks and Innovative Ecosystems in South-East Europe; Regional Innovation Leaders; Sofia Tech Park (tbc)

Spotlighted Fireside Chats

Can Europe Innovate Fast Enough?

Participants: Robin Tuerlings, Managing Partner, Zero Emission Fund; VC Representatives, Leading Innovators; Anne-Charlotte Joubert, Founder, SCALE’HER Accelerator; Martin Stoilkov, Regional Development Director, BESCO

Coffee Break

Access vs Assurance: How Ecosystems Shape Entrepreneurial Behavior – Understanding the Mindset Differences Between US and European Founders

Participants: Corinne Trang, Strategic Advisor, Systems Thinker and Author, Co-Lead SCALE’HER PROJECT; Milena Stoycheva, Former Minister of Innovations of Bulgaria

Spotlighted Interview: AI Index CEE 2026 Co-organised in partnership with: The Recursive

Panel Discussion: The Reality of Developing and Implementing AI

Participants: Tomasz Snazyk, CEO AI Chamber; Europe Cloud