Ain Hanschmidt – Chairman of the Council of the Estonian Employers’ Confederation and entrepreneur

Maciej Witucki – President of Business Europe

We cannot change the external environment, but we can shape the economic landscape in Estonia. If the external environment is becoming increasingly unpredictable, what can government leaders, politicians, officials, and businesspeople themselves do to ensure that Estonian businesses have the confidence to invest and consumers have the confidence to spend? Will tax stability, a decisive overhaul of the state’s finances, and the necessary reforms be implemented?

Over the past decade, Lithuania has increased the size of its ICT and business services sector fivefold and has grown into one of Europe’s most influential hubs for fintech companies. What steps have they taken to achieve this, and what can Estonia learn from their experience?

The economy needs investment to grow, but in recent years we have lagged behind our closest neighbors in attracting foreign investment, and local companies are also investing only modestly. In addition, the Estonian stock market is small relative to the economy and falls into the category of frontier markets, which means that some investments never make it here. How can we develop Estonia’s capital market and create a business environment that attracts both local and foreign investors?

The list of speakers is being updated.

Exports are critically important for the development of the Estonian economy, but our reliance on our current main export markets has taken a heavy toll on us. How can we find new growth markets and succeed with our products and services amid fierce competition there? Should we focus on unique products and services or on high-volume business?

The list of speakers is growing.

The new growth story of the Estonian economy depends on investment in research and development and innovation; to achieve this, the research conducted at local universities must have a greater impact on the economy and productivity growth than it has to date. How can this be achieved, and how can we create high-value-added products, services, and companies?

The list of speakers is being updated.

Achieving rapid growth in added value requires not only ambition but also high-quality leadership and employee development. What can we learn from those entrepreneurs who aren’t limited to the Estonian market but aim to conquer the world? How can we find people with the necessary skills when the workforce is shrinking? What skills are needed to manage major changes?

The list of speakers is growing.