Speakers 2025 Edition

Summer K. Mersinger was first nominated by President Biden to serve as a Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate. She was sworn into office on March 30, 2022. On February 26, 2024, she was unanimously confirmed by the Senate for a second term ending on April 13, 2028.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Mersinger served as the Chief of Staff to CFTC Commissioner Dawn D. Stump. She also served as the Director of the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under former Chairman Heath Tarbert.

Ms. Mersinger has 20 years of Capitol Hill and government relations experience. Prior to joining the CFTC, she was Senior Vice President at Smith-Free Group, a leading government affairs practice, where she worked on financial services issues including advocating for large fintech organizations.

From 2004 to 2016, Ms. Mersinger was a top aide to current Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who represents her home state of South Dakota. Most recently she served as his DC Chief of Staff, coordinating legislative activities for Sen. Thune’s team and working regularly with Senate leadership and senior staff on both sides of the aisle. Ms. Mersinger was instrumental during policy debates involving banking, finance, telecommunications, surface transportation, agriculture, and trade issues. Ms. Mersinger was also directly involved in the communications efforts spearheaded by Sen. Thune through his leadership post on the Senate Republican Conference.

Prior to joining Sen. Thune’s staff, Ms. Mersinger was a director of government relations at Arent Fox, and she also worked in Sen. Thune’s office while he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002. Summer completed her undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota and her law degree from the Catholic University’s Columbus School of law. She is a proud mother of four children, two daughters and two sons, and resides in Northern Virginia with her husband.

Dan Gallagher is Chief Legal, Compliance and Corporate Affairs Officer of Robinhood Markets. Prior to joining Robinhood, Dan was Partner and Deputy Chair of the Securities Department at WilmerHale.

He served as a Commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from 2011 to 2015, and held several other positions on the SEC staff prior to being appointed Commissioner. Dan’s previous experience includes serving as the Chief Legal Officer at Mylan N.V., a leading global pharmaceutical company, and as a President of a financial services consulting firm. Dan holds a J.D. from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law and a B.A. from Georgetown University.

A former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) from 2009 until 2017, overseeing approximately 700,000 private-sector retirement plans and 2.3 million group health plans as well as additional welfare benefit plans that together provide benefits to approximately 150 million Americans.

She represented the Department of Labor (DoL) in implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). She was instrumental in important pension regulations, including the DoL’s Department’s 2016 rule extending Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) fiduciary duties to financial advisors to pension plans and retirement investors and the 2020 rules on ESG investments and proxy voting by pension plan fiduciaries. Ms. Borzi headed the U.S. delegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Working Party on Private Pensions and Insurance from 2009-2017. From 1995-2009, Ms. Borzi was a research professor in the Department of Health Policy at George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services and practiced law at a Washington, D.C. law firm. From 1979 to 1995, she was Pension and Employee Benefit Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Education and Labor. She is a nationally recognized expert in pension and health benefits, the author of numerous articles and a frequent speaker on these issues both in the U.S. and globally. She graduated from Catholic Law where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review and now serves on the law school’s Board of Visitors.

Eric J. Pan is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Investment Company Institute (ICI), the leading association representing the global asset management industry with offices in Washington DC, Brussels, and London. ICI’s mission is to strengthen the foundation of the asset management industry for the ultimate benefit of the long-term individual investor.

Mr. Pan also chairs the International Investment Funds Association, the body of national and regional associations representing investment funds in all parts of the world.
Mr. Pan previously served as the Director of the Office of International Affairs at the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission and head of international regulatory policy at the US Securities and Exchange Commission. He represented both market regulators in international standard-setting bodies, including the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and Financial Stability Board (FSB), and in regulatory dialogues with European and Asian counterparts. He chaired several international committees and working groups.
In addition to his government service, Mr. Pan was a Managing Director of Rock Creek Global Advisors LLC, a leading international economic advisory firm in Washington DC, and Director of the Heyman Center on Corporate Governance and professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York where he wrote extensively about financial regulation and corporate law. He began his career practicing corporate and international law with Covington & Burling in Washington DC.
Mr. Pan is an honors graduate of Harvard College, the University of Edinburgh, and the Harvard Law School. He is a member of the American Law Institute and an adjunct professor at Columbia Law School in New York where he also was a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Law and Economic Studies. He serves on the Editorial Board of Oxford University Press’s Journal of Financial Regulation. His opinion pieces in recent years have appeared in The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, Les Echos, South China Morning Post and Risk.net.

Erin Nickerson has been the Consul General in Krakow, Poland since August 2022. She joined the Foreign Service in 2002. Erin previously served as a Senior Watch Officer in the Executive Secretariat’s Operations Center, as Deputy Economic Chief in Bangkok, Financial Economist in Rome, and as a political officer on the Interagency Provincial Reconstruction Team at Embassy Kabul.

She completed an interagency detail assignment as the Mission Economist to USAID Dhaka.  Erin also served in Washington as the Azerbaijan desk officer and at Embassies Tegucigalpa and Warsaw. Erin was a Distinguished Graduate from NDU’s Eisenhower School with a Master of Science in National Security and Resource Strategy. She was the 2021 recipient of NDU’s Society of Logistics Engineers Award and the 2011 recipient of the Secretary’s Award for Innovation. Erin also holds degrees from the London School of Economics and the University of Colorado at Boulder. She speaks Polish, Spanish, and Italian. Erin is joined in Krakow by her husband and son.

Jurand Drop holds position of Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Finance. He assists the Minister of Finance in running the macroeconomic policy and broader economic policies, as well as shaping the regulatory framework of the financial markets in Poland. In particular, he supervises departments of: Macroeconomic Policy, Public Debt, Development of Financial Market, and Efficiency of Public Expenditures and Accounting.

He serves as the Chief Speaker for Discipline of the Public Spending. He is a member of the Economic Committee of the Council of Ministers, and represents Minister of Finance at the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers. Jurand Drop is an economist, public servant and academic lecturer. He graduated from the Cracow University of Economics, faculty of International Economic Relations. His master's thesis analysed the theory of the optimum currency areas in the European context. During his studies he made an internship at the National Bank of Poland. In 1999-2005 he worked as a researcher and teaching assistant at the Department of Macroeconomics at the CEU. He held lectures on macroeconomics, mathematical economics and the European Monetary Union. He also held lectures at several private university-level schools. Upon passing the concurs for the European civil servant, he worked from 2005 to 2008 as an economist at the European Commission. He was involved in the implementation of the i2010 information society programme, the Lisbon Strategy economic reform program, and also in the preparations of the economic analyses in the Directorate-General for Information Society and Media. He participated in negotiations between the European Commission and EU Member States in economic reforms and the creation of operational programs in cohesion policy. In the years 2009-2011, he was employed at the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw. He served as the head of the Unit for Strategy and Coordination of National Programs in the Department of Information Society. He was responsible in the implementation of the reforms foreseen by the i2010 program by the Polish administration. He co-operated with ministries, local government administrations, as well as with stakeholders from the telecommunications and IT sectors. During the Polish Presidency in the Council of the EU in 2011, he served as the Councillor for Economic Analyses in the Coreper-II Team at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union in Brussels. Among other assignments, he represented Poland in the Task Force for Greece that dealt with the economic crisis in that country. In the years 2012-2015, he served as the Counsellor for the telecommunications and information society. He represented Poland in the Council Working Parties for telecommunications and postal services, for cybersecurity, and periodically also for protection of personal data and for radio and telecommunications equipment. In 2015, he became Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Administration and Digitization responsible for digitization policy, telecommunications, cybersecurity and e-government. In 2020-2023, he worked again for the European Commission as the Country Coordinator for Finland, Lithuania and Poland in the Directorate-General for Telecommunications Networks, Content and Technology in the European Commission. He was responsible for, among others, supporting these three countries in running policies on telecommunications, cybersecurity, and on greening of the ICT. He participated in the process of setting up economic reforms, including negotiations regarding the Resilience and Recover Programs the implementation of the measures, as well as verification of the goals and milestones. He contributed to the Digital Agenda Reports on the three countries. He also participated in the European Semester procedures, in particular on the economic reforms. In 2023, he became Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Finance in Poland.

Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He received his B.A. from Louisiana State University in 1994, his J.D. from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in 1997, and his LL.M. from Columbia Law School in 2004.

After graduating from law school, he clerked for Circuit Judge John Malcolm Duhé Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

From 2008–2012, Duncan served as Appellate Chief for Louisiana’s Attorney General’s office. From 2012–2014, he served as general counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. From 2004-2008, he was an assistant professor of law at the University of Mississippi School of Law.

Before becoming a judge, Duncan practiced at the Washington, D.C. firm of Schaerr Duncan LLP, where he was a founding partner. He was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on May 1, 2018.

Jim Mazurkiewicz is a native of the Brazos Valley. His family settled in Washington County from Poland at the end of the ninetieth century (1880’s) and they still own and operate the family farm in Chappell Hill, Texas. He is a proud 5t h generation Polish-Texan with 100% Wielkopolska/Kujawskiego heritage. He graduated from Waller High School and received a B.S. and Ph.D. from Texas A&M University and a Master from Texas Tech University.

Upon graduation from Texas A&M in 1977, he worked for the USDA\FSQS Meat Grading Service for one year in Chicago and then joined Texas A&M AgriLife Extension as a CountyExtension Agent from April 1978 until April 1998 serving four counties in Texas (Guadalupe,Knox, Ector, and Brazos). For twelve of those twenty years, he served as the Brazos County Extension Agent-Agriculture. Currently, he provides leadership to three Extension/University Leadership programs: 1) the Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr. Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership (TALL) program for agriculture industry leaders in Texas, 2) the San Antonio Livestock Exposition - Leadership Extension for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension faculty and 3) the TALL Emerging Leaders International Exchange Program between Texas and Poland. In addition, he provides Extension International Outreach. In his spare time, he operates a registered Charolais beef cattle herd, and he is a certified National/International beef cattle judge. He has judged over 450 shows in ten states including every major livestock show in Texas. He enjoys working with youth and has coached 20 state qualifying 4-H Livestock Judging Teams and 10 national qualifying 4-H Livestock Judging Teams with one national title. He has been very involved in the community, the Texas A&M University System, and internationally with Poland. Currently, he serves on 10 association/foundation boards in Texas and Poland. One of his achievements locally was the establishment of the multi-million Brazos County Expo Complex that has made economic impact to the community since 2009 when it first opened and in 2023 it made a $45 million economic impact to Brazos County. In addition to Jim’s responsibilities with Texas A&M, he has been very active in building relationships, cooperation and collaboration between Texas/US and EU/Poland for over 13 years. Dr. Mazurkiewicz has been most active exchanging over 950 people between Texas and Poland working with people from the government, academia, and industry to include elected officials, university administrators, professors, researchers, students and businessmen & women, musicians, and farmers. He continues to work closely with the Polish Consulate in Houston, the Polish Investment & Trade Agency in Houston, Texas A&M University, and the State of Texas. The economic impact of his international work resulted in initiating a contact between the Texas Governor’s Office and the Polish Ministry of Energy to secure the first contract of LNG Gas from Cheniere Energy in Texas in 2017. This effort resulted in the purchasing of 1.72 billion cubic meters in 2017 and it increased each year to 6.04 billion cubic meters in 2022. The annual Polish purchases for 2022 were 36 deliveries from Texas/US, 18 from Qatar and 2 from Nigeria, and 1 from Trinidad/Tobago for a total of $31 billion in 2022. Poland has been free of purchasing Russian gas since April 23, 2022. In addition, Dr. Mazurkiewicz introduced #1 ranked grocer HEB in the US to Poland in 2017 with purchases of $5 million in 2017 to about $50 million in 2022.
To this day, Dr. Mazurkiewicz serves as an integral part of the Poland/Texas network in providing information, contacts, and business opportunities to promote economic development, educational opportunities and investment between Texas/US and Poland/EU. Since 2011, Dr. Mazurkiewicz has exchanged over 1,150 people between Texas and Poland.

J.C. Boggs is a partner with the international law firm of King & Spalding and helps clients navigate legal, political and regulatory issues commonly associated with doing business in Europe and the United States. He is recognized for his strong, bipartisan relationships with Members of Congress, State Attorneys General, congressional staff and senior government officials in the U.S. and internationally.

As former counsel to the Senate Banking Committee, J.C has developed a deep expertise in financial services, fintech, and emerging technology policy, and regularly interacts with financial regulators on a wide array of policy and institution-specific issues. He has a proven track record of influencing federal legislation, regulatory frameworks, and agency rulemaking impacting digital assets, banking, payments, and technology platforms. As co-chair of the firm’s State Attorneys General practice, he delivers results on high-impact legal work at the intersection of law, policy and regulation.

J.C. serves as Chairman of the Board of Visitors of The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law and as President of the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum. Earlier in his career, he was appointed to the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes by President George W. Bush and to the DC Board of Elections by Mayor Muriel Bowser, in which capacity he also served on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission Standards Board.
J.C. enjoys open-water swimming and is member of U.S. Masters Swimming and the historic Serpentine Swimming Club situated in London's Hyde Park. He has competed in swimming events across all 50 states, ten Canadian provinces and around the world.

He is a litigation and transactional attorney, concentrating his practice in the areas of international business law, general business representation, corporate law, commercial litigation and arbitration, and intellectual property law.

As a transactional attorney, he counsels clients on a wide range of business matters, from basic entity formation and shareholder agreements to complex cross-border acquisitions, distribution, and licensing agreements.

As a litigator, he has experience handling cases ranging from straightforward collection matters to patent and trademark infringement, international trade secret disputes, and breach of commercial contract cases.

He has advised business clients on legal matters involving jurisdictions such as Canada, Mexico, St. Lucia, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden, Malta, Russia, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States.

He has worked for business law firms in Houston, Texas, and Milan, Italy. He is available for appointment as an arbitrator in commercial, international, securities, and intellectual property cases.

Professor Anne Choike’s research, teaching, and practice focuses on corporate law, securities regulation, intellectual property, and local government law, with an emphasis on examining how communities, entrepreneurs, and innovators who are underserved are affected by corporate governance and transactional law. At MSU Law, she teaches Equitable Entrepreneurship & Innovation Law Clinic I and II, as well as Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital Law. She is the founder and director of the Equitable Entrepreneurship & Innovation Law Clinic, and also an Associate Clinical Professor of Law, at Michigan State University College of Law.

Choike is the founding co-editor of FEMINIST JUDGMENTS: CORPORATE LAW REWRITTEN (Cambridge University Press, January 2023), to which she also contributed two chapters as a co-author. Choike’s work has also been published or is forthcoming in the Harvard Business Law Review, Michigan Business & Entrepreneurial Law Review and the Columbia Journal of Tax Law. In 2024, Choike received a $30,000 grant for her interdisciplinary research with faculty in MSU's James Madison College, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, and Department of Forestry to research the influence of homeowner association governance on the environmental sustainability of residential development. Her work and commentary have been featured in Crain's Detroit Business and the Business Law Scholarship Podcast, among other media. She also served on the planning committee for the 2024 Transactional Clinical Conference and leads the 2025 Transactional Clinical Conference planning committee.

Before joining MSU Law in 2022, Choike previously served as the director of the Business and Community Law Clinic and an Assistant Professor (Clinical) at Wayne State University Law School, where she taught the clinic and advanced clinic. Choike also taught at the University of Michigan Community and Economic Development Clinic as a clinical fellow, and at the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning as a course instructor in its Michigan-Mellon Project on Egalitarianism in the Metropolis. Through the Michigan-Mellon Project, she collaborated with University of Michigan architecture faculty to develop and teach an international, interdisciplinary experimental travel research studio in Detroit, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Her clinical law experience also includes practicing with the University of Michigan Low Income Taxpayer Clinic during law and graduate school.

Prior to entering academia, Choike was an attorney at Jenner & Block LLP and Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP. Prior to law school, Choike was an extern for Hon. Amy St. Eve at the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois, and also worked at General Motors.

Choike earned her J.D. from Michigan Law and her M.U.P. from the University of Michigan Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning. She earned her B.A. from Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences, where she was a Rawlings Presidential Research Scholar and a Woods Fellow. She also studied and researched at Uniwersytet Jagielloński in Kraków, Poland, as a Tomaszkiewicz-Florio Scholar

Practising lawyer in securities law for 33 years, retiring in 2018 from Dechert, LLP, where he was a senior partner in the firm’s Financial Services Practice Group and provided legal advice to registered mutual funds, closed-end funds and investment advisers in connection with all aspects of their operations.

He began his career in the Division of Investment Management of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 1985. He left the SEC in 1988 for private practice in New York, after which he served as associate general counsel of an asset management firm before returning to the SEC in 1994 as Associate Director and Chief Counsel of the Division of Investment Management. In that role, he supervised the office primarily responsible for interpreting and establishing the Division’s positions under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. In 1997, he returned to private practice, joining Dechert, LLP as a partner. Since retiring, Mr. Murphy has served CUA’s Columbus School of Law as an Adjunct Professor, teaching Securities Regulation: Compliance and Introduction to Securities Law. He currently serves as the Director of the school’s Securities Law Program. He has also taught courses in American Business Organizations and American Securities Regulation as part of the CUA-JU American Law Program.

John retired in November 2023 as the Head of Compliance for Macquarie Bank Europe based in Dublin, Ireland. Previously John served as the Global Head of Compliance for Macquarie Group based in Sydney, Australia. Before joining Macquarie as Regional Head of Compliance Americas in New York, John was Global Head of Legal & Compliance Policy for UBS AG, Head of Compliance in the Americas for UBS Wealth Management and UBS Investment Bank, Managing Attorney at UBS Warburg, and Deputy General Counsel at PaineWebber Incorporated. John practiced law and served as Branch Chief in the SEC Division of Trading & Markets, Assistant General Counsel at Credit Suisse First Boston and Chief Compliance Officer at SG Cowen Securities Corporation before joining PaineWebber.

John graduated from Harvard University in 1980 and Catholic University School of Law in 1983 and received the Master of Laws degree in Securities Regulation from Georgetown University Law Center in 1990. John is admitted to the bar in Maryland and D.C. and author of “The Finder’s Exception from Federal Broker-Dealer Regulation,” published in Volume 40 of the Catholic University Law Review in 1991.

John is a member of the adjunct faculty of the Catholic University School of Law and the Associate Director of the Compliance, Investigations, and Corporate Responsibility Program (CICR). John has served on the FINRA National Adjudicatory Council, SIFMA Compliance and Regulatory Policy Committee, NYSE Compliance Advisory Group and the Executive Committee of the FIA Law and Compliance Division.

Gabriel Rauterberg is a professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School. He teaches Corporate Law, Capital Markets Regulation, and Contracts. His research interests include corporate governance, securities regulation, investment funds, contract law, and financial institutions.

Rauterberg’s research has won multiple awards, including being selected twice as one of the top 10 articles published annually in corporate and securities law. The Delaware Supreme Court, Delaware Chancery Court, and Commissioners of the SEC have repeatedly cited his research. Rauterberg’s solo and co-authored work has been published in various leading journals, including the Harvard Law Review, Stanford Law Review, Columbia Law Review, and Yale Journal of Regulation, and has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Forbes, and Bloomberg. He is routinely cited in the press for his expertise in corporate and securities law, and conducts training for international securities regulators.

His current projects include empirical studies of private investments in public equity and of the contracting practices of England’s first business corporations, the analysis of developments in contemporary corporate governance and securities law, and an interdisciplinary effort to study the trading behavior of artificially intelligent algorithms.

Rauterberg is also the co-author of three books: a systematic analysis of policy issues in securities trading markets, The New Stock Market: Law, Economics, and Policy (with Merritt Fox and Larry Glosten; Columbia University Press, 2019); a contracts casebook, Contracts: Law, Theory, and Practice (with Daniel Markovits; Foundation Press, 2018); and a popular primer on corporate law, Corporations in 100 Pages (with Holger Spamann and Scott Hirst, 2022).

Before joining the Michigan Law faculty, Rauterberg was a research scholar in capital markets at Columbia University. Before academia, he was an associate at Cooley LLP and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where he represented institutions and individuals in a variety of complex civil disputes ranging from class action securities fraud suits to breach of contract and fiduciary duty claims. Since then, he has been an expert or consultant on a number of litigation matters involving securities law, corporate governance, and contract law.

Chris Ross is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Law at The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. He teaches the Religious Liberty Clinic; serves as the Managing Director of Columbus Community Legal Services; and is the Director of Experiential Curriculum. He is also a Fellow with the law school’s Center for Religious Liberty.

In Fall 2025, Chris was appointed the Faculty Director of the Catholic University of America-Jagiellonian University Joint American Law Programs. In this role, he coordinates Catholic Law’s International & Business Trade Summer Law Program in Krakow, oversees and teaches in the American Law Program at Jagiellonian University, and helps facilitate a summer program for L.L.M. candidates in Washington, DC.

Before joining Catholic Law, Chris was a Senior Managing Associate at Sidley Austin LLP, where he practiced appellate and regulatory litigation in federal courts. He has also served as a Deputy Solicitor General for the State of Ohio and clerked for the Honorable Alice M. Batchelder on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He graduated magna cum laude from the Fordham University School of Law, where he served as the Executive Notes Editor of the Fordham Law Review. He holds an undergraduate degree from The King's College in New York City.

Prof. Ewa Syta is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. She received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Yale University. Her research interests focus on computer security and distributed systems.

The long-term goal of her research is to apply cutting-edge cryptographic techniques to real-world applications in order to help shape the future of the digital world. She is particularly interested in the security and privacy challenges users encounter during online activities, as well as in strengthening the foundations of systems and networks. Most recently, her work has concentrated on provable security for real-world protocols. Her current research is supported by the Nati

CUA Director of CUA-UJ Law Programs, namely American Law Program, International Business and Trade Summer Law Program, and LL.M. in American Law. Professor Emerita of Law; J.D. (Harvard Law School).

She served as CUA Law’s clinical program coordinator, an Associate Dean, and taught professional responsibility, criminal law, and the externship seminar, Becoming a Lawyer. She has taught, presented, or consulted in 35 countries regarding teaching legal ethics, legal profession reform, clinical education, and legal education generally. Professor Wortham was Chair of the Rules of Professional Conduct Review Committee and the Legal Ethics Committee of the DC Bar, which has more than 100,000 members.

Roksana Kałużna-Bałazy is a founding member, Vice President of the Management Board, and leader of the Legal Center at POLSIF.
An attorney-at-law and graduate of the Faculty of Law at the Jagiellonian University. She provides legal advisory services to business entities in sustainable transformation processes and in incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into their operations.

She specializes in sustainable debt financing through loans and financial instruments, as well as regulatory issues concerning financial institutions. She has participated in pioneering sustainable finance transactions on both the Polish and international markets. She also delivers lectures and workshops and is the author of publications on ESG-related legal regulations.

Director of the CUA-UJ American Law Program, Ph.D. in law (diploma cum laude), assistant at the Chair of Civil Law UJ (Department of Comparative Private Law), attorney at law, court expert in American inheritance law.

Winner of 4th place Risings Stars – Lawyers of Tomorrow Prize, scholar of Ministry of Science and Higher Education for outstanding young scientists, scholar of “Start” by Foundation of Polish Science.
Former post-doc in the grant project "Homo consumens, Homo ecologicus – Ecological Efficiency Test of the New Directive on Certain Aspects Concerning Contracts for the Sale of Goods" financed by National Science Centre, former scientific assistant at the University of Osnabrück, European Legal Studies Institute.

Justyna Wilczyńska – Baraniak is an Attorney-at-Law, Partner, and the Leader of the Intellectual Property, Technology & Data Protection Team at EY Law. She also heads the Cyber Law practice in EY EMEIA. As a co-founder and director of the Academy of Business and Law of New Technologies at Łazarski University, Justyna coordinates the Postgraduate Studies program “Law in Business of New Technologies” and lectures on technology dispute resolution.

With over 20 years of experience in strategic advisory, Justyna has provided counsel to multinational clients across various sectors, including retail, technology, energy, finance, telecommunications (5G), and pharmaceuticals. Her expertise encompasses intellectual property matters, focusing on brand protection within the EU, IP infringements, cybersecurity, IP transfer and licensing, cloud services, DORA, and the implementation of AI in regulated sectors.

Recognized as one of the top-ranking lawyers in her field, Justyna is recommended for her efficient advisory services and excellent representation of clients in multi-jurisdictional cases. She has been ranked by Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, Legal 500 (TMT), WTR 1000 and I AM Patent. The latest I AM Patent 1000 report for 2025 describes Justyna as “a proactive visionary and sage adviser tackling domestic and EU-wide IP infringement head-on.” Her presence at EY Law has significantly enriched the firm's offerings by amalgamating various sector specialties, legal expertise, and commercial awareness.

Justyna emphasizes that in the realm of legal services related to new technologies, understanding both technology and business is crucial. The combination of this knowledge with a thorough understanding of regulations and a “tailor-made” legal service can provide clients with legal security, better outcomes, and success. Justyna is also an alumna of Jagiellonian University (2003), as well as Columbus School of Law (2002/2003) and the American Law School, Business and Trade (2003).

Joao Barreiros is a case handler at the European Commission, working in the DG COMP department based in Brussels. He previously worked as an associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and VdA Vieira de Almeida. Joao has a postgraduate diploma in economics in competition law from Kings College London and an LL.M. from the College of Europe in European Legal Studies.

Joao Barreiros is a case handler at the European Commission, working in the DG COMP department based in Brussels. He previously worked as an associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and VdA Vieira de Almeida. Joao has a postgraduate diploma in economics in competition law from Kings College London and an LL.M. from the College of Europe in European Legal Studies.

Ewa Całus is a lawyer and a licensed legal advisor. She completed her law degree at the Jagiellonian University and holds an MBA in Public Management from the Krakow School of Business at the Cracow University of Economics, where she defended a thesis titled "A Pro-Climate Urban Model with Particular Emphasis on the Activities of the Municipality of Kraków."

She began her work in local government in 2014 as Deputy Mayor of Wadowice. For the Municipality of Kraków, she served as Director of the Education Department and later as Director for Didactics and Promotion at the Municipal Park and Zoological Garden Foundation in Kraków.

Since 2021, she has served as a climate education expert at UN Global Compact Network Poland. Since June 2022, she has represented the City of Kraków as Chair of the Climate Committee of the Association of Polish Cities and has also represented the local government side in the Energy, Climate, and Environment Team of the Joint Commission of the Government and Local Government. She is also a columnist for the quarterly journal Zdanie, where she publishes articles on climate change.

Throughout her career, she has consistently focused on climate education and has developed numerous ecological and climate-related initiatives. At the Foundation, she co-created an educational program for the Kraków Zoo and Wolski Forest, aimed at promoting knowledge about endangered animal species, conservation programs, and forest care and maintenance.

While working at the Education Department of the Kraków City Hall, she coordinated the creation of Kraków's eco-starter kits for first-year students and recommendations for schools on reducing plastic use. She is a co-author of the Climate Education in Poland report and co-editor of Climate Education in Poland 2022 – Recommendations of the Roundtable, published by the UN Global Compact Network Poland. Within this organization, she collaborates with a group of distinguished experts involved in the Climate Education Roundtable, which advocates for integrating climate change content into school curricula.

She is also a fellow of the prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), organized by the U.S. Department of State.

Attorney-at-law, mediator, and partner at Trzeciak|Chmal, as well as a collector of contemporary art. Author of the book “Collection. A Personal Exhibition”, dedicated to his personal journey with art.

From 2000 to 2017, he worked with the international law firm White & Case, where he served as a partner leading the energy and natural resources practice. He was involved in some of the largest transactions in the energy sector in Poland. He is also a co-founder of Business & Science Poland in Brussels—a business association representing the interests of major Polish companies before EU institutions.

He was a board member and energy expert at the Sobieski Institute. He collaborates with various NGOs, including the Zbigniew Pełczyński School for Leaders, the Friends of the Museum of Modern Art Association, the Center for Divine Providence, and the Tertio Millennio Institute.

He is also a high-altitude mountaineer. In his professional practice, he focuses on regulatory matters and public affairs.

Fulbright Alumni Ambassador, Fulbright Junior Visiting Scholar at Columbia Law School in New York (2023), and the Foundation for Polish Science START Fellow. Conducts research on financial markets regulation at the Business Law Department of the Jagiellonian University. Manager for External Relations at the Kościuszko Mound Committee in Kraków.

Earned his Master of Laws degree with summa cum laude distinction from Jagiellonian University in Kraków. Project Coordinator at the CUA Columbus School of Law in Washington D.C., Principal Investigator of the National Center for Science research grant at the University of Warsaw. Two-time recipient of the international SYLFF grant (in United States and Australia). Completed numerous scientific scholarships and internships at prestigious academic institutions, including University of Cambridge, Melbourne Law School, Bucerius Law School, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and the Program in the EU Private Law for Postgraduates. Graduated with honors from the American Law School at Jagiellonian University and Columbus School of Law in Washington D.C. Founder and board member of the Semper Augustus Foundation, a scientific think tank offering pro bono education in the field of business and company law.

My participation and expert contribution to the substantive content of this event were made possible thanks to the generous support of the Polish National Science Center (NCN) scientific grant “Preludium” No. 2018/29/N/HS5/02977.

For 20 years, Bartek has been connecting business and people with the European agenda. He has done so in various roles: as a diplomat and civil servant, the first Managing Director of Business & Science Poland, advisor at a climate think tank, and consultant (including for EY and Forward Global).

He is an expert in international trade and economic relations, as well as the EU Green Deal. As a diplomat, Bartek participated in EU interinstitutional negotiations—from working-level meetings to engagements involving EU leaders. He has been a member of numerous EU bodies and represented national interests within EU institutions.

While working for the Polish government, Bartek led national policy on EU trade legislation, anti-dumping measures, and represented the government in trade-related legal disputes.

He regularly speaks on European affairs at conferences, public events, in the media, and before the national parliament. His publications have appeared in Euractiv, the Global Journal on International Trade and Customs, Rzeczpospolita, and Monitor Celny.

He has served as President of the Management Board of Business & Science Poland since July 2024.

Piotr Dobosz is a Professor of Legal Sciences, Associate Professor, and Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków.
In 1994, he obtained his doctoral degree from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the Jagiellonian University.

His doctoral dissertation received an individual award in a national competition organized in 1995 by the Ministry of Culture and Art, the General Conservator of Monuments of the Republic of Poland, and the Association of Monument Conservators for the best scholarly, academic, and popular works in the field of heritage protection and museology. On December 12, 2012, he earned his postdoctoral degree (habilitation) at the Department of Administrative Law, and in 2017 he was appointed Associate Professor at the Jagiellonian University and awarded the title of Professor of Legal Sciences. He also serves as Associate Professor at the Faculty of Administration and Economics at the University of Applied Sciences in Tarnów. He is a member of several organizations, including the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Polish National Committee of ICOMOS, the Social Committee for the Restoration of Kraków’s Monuments, and the Society of Lovers of the History of Kraków. He is also President of the Kościuszko Mound Committee in Kraków.
He is the author of over 200 academic publications. He has received numerous awards for scientific and organizational achievements from universities, state authorities, and professional associations, as well as national and municipal honors, including the Bronze Cross of Merit (2002), the Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2020), and the Silver Medal ""Gloria Artis for Merit to Culture"" (2018). He was also awarded the Gold Badge for the Protection of Monuments by the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Poland (2003) and the ""Honoris Gratia"" badge (2017).

He is a Professor of Social Sciences in the discipline of economics and finance. He works at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Warsaw, where he heads the Department of Political Economy. He obtained his PhD in 2007, habilitation degree in 2014, and the title of professor in 2021. Over the course of his academic career, he has also worked at the Institute of Economics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS).

Beyond strictly academic work, he is publicly engaged and has served, among other roles, as a member of the National Development Council under the President of Poland. From 2016 to 2022, he was a member of the Monetary Policy Council. He is a member of the Committee for Science of Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Scientific Council of the Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development of PAS. He is also a co-founder of the Polish Network for the Philosophy of Economics.

He has received several prestigious distinctions for his research: a scholarship from the Foundation for Polish Science; a scholarship from the Minister of Science and Higher Education for outstanding young scientists; and the “Stay with Us!” scholarship awarded by Polityka weekly. In 2014, he received the Professor Edward Lipiński Award from the Polish Economic Society for his book Studies in Realist Philosophy of Economics (C.H. Beck, Warsaw, 2013). A textbook he co-edited (Metaeconomics: Issues in the Philosophy of Economics, CC Press, Kraków, 2016) received the First Prize in the PTE competition for the best economics textbook published between 2014 and 2016.

He has been a visiting professor at the University of Cambridge and has completed research fellowships at universities in Helsinki, Milan, and at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

His research interests lie primarily in the philosophy, methodology, and history of economics. He is also interested in broadly understood institutional and political economics.

He is a member of the Polish Economic Society (Łódź Branch), and in 2021 he was elected Vice President of the Polish Economic Society.

Attorney at Law (Poland), Tax Adviser (Poland), Partner, Head of legal and tax department at Rödl & Partner Gliwice. His main areas of professional interest include contract law, criminal law, criminal and fiscal law, Compliance, bankruptcy and restructuring law, M&A and AML, data protection and cybersecurity.

He advises clients on business contracts and M&As and conducts legal and tax due diligence audits. He represents clients in civil-law and criminal proceedings, and creditors in bankruptcy and restructuring proceedings. He has authored many expert publications and articles in the national and foreign press. Member of the Regional Bar Association in Katowice. In Rödl & Partner since 2005. He speaks Polish, German and English.

Ph.D. in law (Jagiellonian University), advocate in Poland and partner in M&A / VC practice of B2RLaw - independent law firm that houses multi-disciplinary experts focused on the different types of matters and transactions ranging from VC, PE, Public Listed M&A, Cross-Border/Multi Jurisdiction; the standout leader for VC and NTT company transactions in Poland and CEE.

An author of several books and articles in recognized magazines, co-author of the series of e-books "Make a startup right", free guides for startup originators. Conducts transactional projects from VC to multi-entity and multi-jurisdiction industry transactions. Has extensive cross-border experience and knowledge of international standards and requirements in the area of compliance & ESG as a head of B2RLaw’s Compliance 360 practice.

Vice President of ABSL, Director of Public and Regulatory Affairs at IBM Poland & the Baltic States.

Board Member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Poland.

Responsible for cooperation with public administration, universities, business organizations, and NGOs in the areas of innovation policy, digital transformation, employment policy, and investment climate development. An expert in innovative investment development, digital transformation projects, leadership, and human capital management.

Board Member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Poland and Co-Chair of the Chamber’s Human Resources Committee. Co-founder of the Polish Professional Woman Network and Vital Voices Poland.

Graduate of the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH) and Henley Management College in the United Kingdom.

M.A. (Faculty of Law and Administration, Jagiellonian University in Kraków), MBA (University of Bedfordshire, UK). He joined the American Chamber of Commerce in January 2019, to run the Kraków and Katowice Branch of AmCham Poland and was appointed Branch Director in January 2021.

Mateusz is also responsible for running ’AmCham 30 Under 30’ - a youth development program, coordinates energy-related issues and the ‘Rebuild Ukraine’ working group. Except that he is a lead of American Investor Desk – an AmCham project supporting Polish companies on their way to the U.S. market expansion. He has 18 years of professional experience in senior management positions, working for both Polish and international companies, where he focused on finance, quality, relationship-building, and sales.

He graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the Jagiellonian University, where he also completed doctoral studies and lectured at the university. He was a Harvard University fellow and has participated in numerous academic programs in Poland and abroad, with a particular focus on the United States, including at Stanford University.

Throughout his professional career, he has appeared before courts around the world. His academic and professional activities have focused on issues related to cyber law and the security of ICT networks. For many years, he has represented clients in banking and financial matters, conducted audits of criminal liability of corporate executives, and independently led disciplinary proceedings in Poland, Switzerland, and the United States.

Maciej Kliś currently serves as Vice President of the Management Board at BGK, where he is responsible for product development, transport infrastructure financing, and housing programs.

He is the author of numerous academic and popular science publications, including contributions to Polityka and various industry journals. His work is particularly focused on corporate criminal liability, the consequences of acting to the detriment of a legal entity, and the prevention of financial misconduct.

He is also engaged in issues related to mobbing and workplace discrimination, with a special emphasis on disciplinary and criminal liability, as well as the design and transparency of procedures in this area. He has authored numerous training courses on corporate law.

Outside of academia and his professional career, he is actively involved in sports, particularly competitive bridge, in which he has earned the title of International Master.

President of the Management Board of the ESG Impact Network Association and COO at Rud Pedersen Public Affairs Poland.
Former Deputy Minister of Development, Labour and Technology, responsible for construction, spatial planning and development, housing, and renewable energy.

Originator and co-author of the “Decalogue of the Polish Energy Transition.”
An advocate of civic energy, renewable energy development, and sustainable growth.
Attorney-at-law, author of books and publications.
For many years, she ran her own law firm, advising businesses and local governments.
Lecturer at the Cracow University of Economics, the University of Economics in Katowice, and the University of Wrocław.

Bartłomiej Kot – Head of Public Policy, Startup Poland & foreign and security policy strategist, Aspen Institute CE Warsaw Office. Previously for over 6 years Bart worked as the Program Director at the Warsaw Security Forum. In Brussels he collaborated with the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies – the official think tank of the European People's Party (EPP).

He has also supported the private sector as a consultant at ZN Consulting – a leading Brussels-based digital advocacy agency serving clients such as the EPP, Coca-Cola, and Pfizer. For over two years, he served as a strategic policy advisor at the International Center for Ukrainian Victory, facilitating dialogue between Ukrainian policymakers and representatives of the U.S. government and other European states during the ongoing war in Ukraine.

He is a frequent commentator in Polish and international media, including appearances on TVP, TVN, Polsat, Foreign Policy, Gazeta Wyborcza, Onet, Polish Radio, and TOK FM. He also advises Polish parliamentarians on Polish-American relations.

Gaspar Kot is a markets, products, and structuring lawyer at UBS Asset Management in Zurich, Switzerland. PhD in law (Jagiellonian University in Kraków) and a member of the attorneys-at-law bar in Poland. He also holds an LL.M. degree from the University of Heidelberg as well as The Catholic University of America.

Gaspar Kot is a markets, products, and structuring lawyer at UBS Asset Management in Zurich, Switzerland. PhD in law (Jagiellonian University in Kraków) and a member of the attorneys-at-law bar in Poland. He also holds an LL.M. degree from the University of Heidelberg as well as The Catholic University of America.

Professor at the Jagiellonian University, Doctor habilitatus of Legal Sciences.
Conciliator at the OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration in Geneva (term 2019–2025).
Independent Expert of the OSCE Human Dimension Mechanism (term 2023–2029).

Member of the Advisory Legal Committee to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland in 2014–2021 and again since 2024.
Ad hoc judge at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg (2018–2024).
Appointed by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland as an adjudicating member of the Refugee Board during its 3rd and 4th terms (2009–2019).
Member of the International Scientific Committee of the International Law Association (ILA) on “Use of Force: Military Assistance on Request (Military Action with Consent)”.
Scholarship recipient of, among others: the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Max Planck Society, and the Tokyo Foundation.

Prof. Marek Kozień, DSc, Eng., is a distinguished expert in the field of applied mechanics, long affiliated with the Cracow University of Technology. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (major: Fundamental Problems of Technology, specialization: Applied Mechanics). His scientific activity focuses on areas such as the dynamics of material systems, vibrations of technical continuous systems, vibration control, vibroacoustics, biomechanics, fatigue analysis of structures, and mathematical modeling in management.

He has previously held numerous academic and administrative roles, including: Vice-Dean for Research at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Member of the Doctoral School Council at Cracow University of Technology, Head of Doctoral Studies at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Deputy Director for Teaching at the Institute of Applied Mechanics, Chair of the Faculty Teaching Committee, Secretary of the Faculty Admission Committee, coordinator of the English-language specialization at the Faculty, and Head of the Dynamics of Material Systems Group in the Department of Applied Mechanics and Biomechanics.

Professor Kozień is a member of the Committee on Mechanics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, where he serves within the Section on System Dynamics. He is also a member of the Polish Acoustical Society.

His impressive scientific output includes over 200 publications, among them dozens of articles in respected scientific journals and numerous presentations at international scientific conferences. He collaborates extensively with research centers both in Poland and abroad. Between 2000 and 2004, he conducted structural and dynamic analyses for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and neutrino beam focusing devices (Gran Sasso project) at CERN in Geneva. He has also participated in industry-commissioned research and is the author of a registered utility model.

As a project leader and supervisor of numerous doctoral theses, Professor Kozień actively supports the development of young researchers and students, engaging them in ambitious scientific projects. His commitment to teaching and engineering practice brings tangible benefits to both the academic community and industrial partners.

During the upcoming term beginning in January 2025, as Dean-elect, his goals include maintaining the Faculty’s Category A scientific rating in the discipline of mechanical engineering and increasing the number of research projects, particularly those funded by the European Union. He aims to systematically improve academic curricula to better meet labor market needs, by introducing modern PBL (problem-based learning) methods and creating joint interdisciplinary degree programs across faculties and with international partners. He also plans to strengthen cooperation within the STARS EU European university alliance, especially within the Sustainable Industry thematic group.

Equally important will be continued collaboration with the Faculty Student Government Council, resulting in the organization of various events and the increased activity of student scientific associations — particularly in the development of electric and hydrogen-electric racing cars.

Professor of Social Sciences in the discipline of Political Science and Public Administration (2023), Doctor habilitatus in Political Science (Jagiellonian University, Faculty of International and Political Studies, 2012, degree awarded with distinction); Ph.D. in Political Science (Jagiellonian University, Faculty of International and Political Studies, 2003); Master’s degree in Law (Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Law and Administration, 1995–2000); secondary education: Bartłomiej Nowodworski High School No. I in Kraków (1991–1995).

Recipient of the Sasakawa Young Leaders’ Fellowship Fund (SYLFF, 2001, Catholic University of America). Visiting Professor at the JFK Institute for North American Studies, Freie Universität Berlin (March–September 2015). He has conducted research and delivered lectures in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and Australia.
Recipient of the First Prize of the Jagiellonian University Student Laudations for the highest-rated instructor at the university based on student evaluations (2013). Eight-time recipient of the Jagiellonian University Rector’s Awards for excellence in teaching and for academic achievements.
Deputy Director for Teaching at the Institute of American Studies and Polish Diaspora (2008–2016); Vice-Dean for Teaching at the Faculty of International and Political Studies, Jagiellonian University (2016–2020).

Aleksandra Kubiś is an attorney-at-law specializing in new technologies law, data protection, and intellectual property. She advises startups, tech companies, and international corporations on compliance with legal regulations related to innovative solutions, IT contracts, and cybersecurity.

She gained professional experience as an in-house lawyer in IT companies, where she supported clients in the areas of technology contracts (with particular emphasis on cloud-based solutions), regulatory matters, and compliance. For several years, she led the legal department of a globally operating company offering services in the SaaS model, gaining extensive experience in advising international corporate groups across various jurisdictions.

She has also worked with one of the global leaders in cybersecurity services, providing regulatory compliance advice and comprehensive legal support in contract matters, including negotiation, drafting, and review of agreements. Additionally, she has led numerous IT system implementation projects.

Attorney-at-law, LL.M (The Catholic University of America – Washington, D.C.), co-founder and partner at Skawiańczyk & Stanek Adwokaci i Radcowie Prawni, a law partnership based in Kraków. He specializes in commercial, business, civil, family, and criminal law, with a particular focus on white-collar crimes.

He has extensive litigation experience, especially in commercial and criminal proceedings. He is the author of publications on capital structure changes in commercial companies.

He is fluent in German and English and has a good command of Italian. He is also a member of the Berlin Bar Association as a European lawyer.

Counsel at SSW. Dr Piekut specializes in advising energy-intensive companies and energy companies on sustainability issues, including renewable energy, greenhouse gas emissions allowances (EU ETS), energy efficiency, energy transition, net-zero strategies, ESG and non-financial reporting.

He is a member of the Sustainable Development and ESG Practice Steering Committee at SSW. He is an expert on non-governmental organizations which support climate change mitigation. He obtained his PhD from the University of Warsaw, having written a doctoral thesis on legal instruments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector. He graduated the University of Warsaw and the Warsaw School of Economics and holds an LLM from the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich. He also studied at Fudan University (Shanghai) and the China University of Political Science and Law (Beijing).

LL.M. in American Law (CUA); advocate admitted to the Warsaw Bar; partner at Peak Legal; from 2018 to 2021, named as the top dispute resolution lawyer in Poland by Rzeczpospolita Daily; featured in the Who's Who of Foreign Attorneys section of the National Jurist Fall 2019; co-founder at Expedition Cooperative; member of CUA Law School’s Board of Visitors. He has led or supervised more than three hundred technology litigations, the aggregated value of which exceeds a couple billion USD.

LL.M. in American Law (CUA); advocate admitted to the Warsaw Bar; partner at Peak Legal; from 2018 to 2021, named as the top dispute resolution lawyer in Poland by Rzeczpospolita Daily; featured in the Who's Who of Foreign Attorneys section of the National Jurist Fall 2019; co-founder at Expedition Cooperative; member of CUA Law School’s Board of Visitors. He has led or supervised more than three hundred technology litigations, the aggregated value of which exceeds a couple billion USD.

Graduate of the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice. He completed postgraduate Managerial Studies in Business Management at the Silesian University of Technology, International Managerial and Marketing Studies at the Brno University of Technology, International Managerial and Financial Studies at the University of Economics in Katowice, and a Master of Business Administration at the Brennan School of Business, Dominican University, River Forest, Illinois, USA.

He has been associated with the energy sector for over 27 years. He has extensive experience in developing effective sales and marketing strategies and managing change. He is an expert in designing and implementing new products and services, marketing campaigns, customer contact channels, and IT tools and systems. He has led and implemented numerous projects aimed at improving organizational efficiency and business processes.

Since March 2024, he has served as President of the Management Board of TAURON Polska Energia S.A.
From 2020 to 2024, he was Vice President of the Management Board at Polenergia Dystrybucja and Polenergia Sprzedaż.
From 2012 to 2019, he was associated with the TAURON Group, serving as Vice President of the Management Board at TAURON Sprzedaż and TAURON Sprzedaż GZE, as well as Executive Director for Customer Affairs at TAURON Polska Energia S.A.
From 1997 to 2012, he worked for companies within the Vattenfall Group, holding positions such as Head of Development, Head of Planning and Personnel Strategy, Project Manager, Director of Customer Service, Director of Sales and Marketing, and Vice President of the Management Board.

He is a member of several supervisory boards. He currently serves as Vice President of the Polish Electricity Association (PKEE) and President of IGEOS.

Dawid is an English-qualified solicitor. In his transactional practice, he focuses on private equity and mergers & acquisitions transactions. He also routinely advises his clients on general corporate matters, such as shareholders' agreements, share buybacks, etc., and provides support in relation to commercial contracts (NDAs, MSAs, collaboration agreements, etc.).

Throughout his career, he has worked at renowned corporate law firms in the City of London (Hogan Lovells, Taylor Wessing, Dechert) and in Warsaw (Baker McKenzie, Greenberg Traurig) representing large corporates, global financial institutions, private equity sponsors, and venture capital funds. In addition to his experience working in the City, he has also handled numerous English law-governed matters and transactions in the CEE and CIS regions, often representing local clients in connection with their UK-based matters and investments.

His clients include listed companies; large private enterprises; tech start-ups and scale-ups; and private equity and venture capital funds. He also routinely represents private businesses which belong to Forbes-listed individuals.

As an experienced professional, he is frequently invited to speak at various industry events and conferences, such as the Polish Economic Forum in Karpacz or Our Future Forum. Outside of his professional engagements, Dawid is committed to widening access to educational opportunities for young people and volunteers with 'Our Future Foundation,' one of Poland’s largest educational NGOs according to Forbes Magazine. He is also a mentor at Sebastian Kulczyk's InCredibles Programme, and has been shortlisted by Wolters Kluwer for the 'Rising Star Lawyer - Leader of Tomorrow 2024' ranking for Poland.

Wojciech Maryański is a graduate of the Faculty of Finance and Insurance at the Karol Adamiecki University of Economics in Katowice and an experienced professional in the capital markets sector. Over the course of 21 years of his professional career, he has cooperated with numerous financial institutions, including Fio Banka a.s., Dom Maklerski BDM S.A., Biuro Maklerskie Banku BPH S.A., Opera Dom Maklerski sp. z o.o., and SkyCash Poland S.A., where, since 2011, he has held various executive and supervisory roles.

On April 9, 2019, he received unanimous approval from the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) to assume the position of President of the Management Board at PGE Dom Maklerski S.A.

Privately, he is an amateur drummer who devotes his leisure time to his family and to classic cars and motorcycles.

An economist and manager with many years of experience in the financial sector. He is currently the Director of Development at the Warsaw Enterprise Institute, where he is responsible for initiatives supporting free-market economic reforms as well as the development of analytical and educational projects.

Previously, as the CEO of the Polish branch of Tavex — a company specializing in the trade of gold and other precious metals—he led the company’s dynamic growth, expanded its market presence, and promoted investment in physical assets together with the development of cash payments.

Zofia Piwowarek is a sustainability strategist and ESG expert based in Warsaw, currently serving as ESG Chapter Leader at Erste Bank Polska, where she leads the bank’s sustainability strategy across corporate and SME banking. Her work spans non-financial reporting under CSRD and ESRS, EU Taxonomy compliance, and green finance structuring for corporate clients.

She has supported several publicly listed fashion companies through their mandatory non-financial disclosure obligations and advises businesses across sectors on regulatory transitions in EU sustainability law.

Before moving into banking, Zofia spent five years at the UN Global Compact Network Poland, where she rose to Head of the Climate Positive Programme. In that role she coordinated national implementation of UN climate strategies across government, business and civil society, co-authored legislative proposals on circular economy and green finance, and initiated the Roundtable for Sustainable Fashion — a multi-stakeholder initiative that brought together over 60 Polish and international fashion brands to develop a collective industry response to the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles.

Alongside her work in finance and policy, Zofia co-founded intu circularity, a circular economy consultancy working with fashion manufacturers on EU regulatory transition. She leads the “DPP in Fashion” roundtable — 130+ industry representatives participating in European Commission public consultations on the Digital Product Passport and Extended Producer Responsibility for textiles. She is also a lecturer at Łazarski University’s Postgraduate Studies “Law and Business in Fashion” and the author of a published handbook on non-financial reporting for SMEs and a sector report on the EU Circular Textiles Strategy for fashion industry audiences.

Zofia holds a Master’s degree from the University of Warsaw’s Institute of International Relations and completed postgraduate studies at The Bush School in Washington, DC.

Małgorzata Podrecka is a long-tenured officer, member and Vice President of the CANPACK Management Board since 2013, overseeing company’s legal, compliance, ESG and public relations strategies. In 2025, she was honored with the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by the President of Poland. Małgorzata sits on the Board of the Council of Polish Global Entrepreneurs. She is also the member of the Council of the Jagiellonian University.

She holds a law degree from the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and is a licensed legal counsel and member of the bar. Her academic background also includes studies at the Catholic University of Leuven and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. She earned her post-doctoral degree from the Jagiellonian University in Kraków.

Kamil Pruchnik, PhD currently works as the Senior Regional Representative of the European
Investment Fund (EIF) to Poland. In this capacity, he acts as the ambassador of EIF and
promoter of EU initiatives in Poland, with the ultimate goal to boost private investments in
Poland and enhance competitiveness and innovativeness of the Polish economy.

For his contribution in promoting EU instruments in Poland, he received a special recognition by the
Polish Banks Associations. Before moving to Warsaw, Mr. Pruchnik led EIF commitments in
15 countries (worth EUR2.5bn) to financial intermediaries (banks, investment funds, leasing
companies and fintech). In the past, Mr. Pruchnik worked at HSBC Group (in Poland and in
the UK) in various roles including: corporate governance, strategy and commercial banking.
Before transitioning to corporate banking, he started his career as an economist working at:
NBP (Polish Central Bank), the World Bank and the UN. Mr. Pruchnik received Ph.D. at
Warsaw School of Economics (thesis advisor: prof. L. Balcerowicz, f. Minister of Finance and
f. Governor of NBP). He conducted parts of his studies and research at Georgetown
University and Harvard University. For his dissertation, Mr. Pruchnik won first prize in the
competition organized by the Polish Bank Guarantee Fund (2023).

Professor of Economic Sciences, habilitated doctor (DSc) in the field of public institution management. Director of the Center for Global Economy at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw (UKSW). He specializes in economic system management, public finance, the informal economy, and corporate restructuring. From 2012 to 2021, he served as Director of the Institute of Economics at the University of Social Sciences in Warsaw and Head of the Department of Economic Management. From 2015 to 2020, he was a member of the National Development Council under the President of the Republic of Poland.

He has held management, supervisory, and advisory roles in companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE), the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and the London Stock Exchange (LSE). He is a former Deputy Minister of Finance (2015/2016).

From 2003 to 2013, he worked at the Ministry of Finance. He collaborated with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in Brussels and the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm (as a Visiting Fellow). He completed a three-year postdoctoral internship in economic sciences at the Institute of Organization and Management in Industry “Orgmasz” in Warsaw (2006–2009). He is a recipient of a Swedish government scholarship in the field of management (2009), a member of the State Examination Committee for Tax Advisory (6th term), and a member of the Royal Economic Society and the British Academy of Management. Since 2012, he has been a speaker at the Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime at the University of Cambridge.

He is the author of over 120 scientific publications. He has been awarded the Gold Medal of the Minister of Justice and the Gold Badge of the Minister of Finance. He is also a laureate of the President of the Polish Academy of Sciences Award for “outstanding scientific achievements in the field of finance.”

Attorney-at-law. Spokesperson of Kraków Bar Association of
Attorneys-at-Law. Member of the National Bar Council of Attorneys-at-Law
and member of Kraków Bar Council of Attorneys-at-Law. Chairperson of the
International Cooperation Committee of Kraków Bar Association of
Attorneys-at-Law.

Mediator entered on the list of permanent mediators kept by the
President of the Regional Court in Kraków. Permanent mediator of the
Court of Arbitration at the General Counsel's Office to the Republic of
Poland. Mediator of the Malopolska Centre for Arbitration and Mediation
at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Krakow. Originator of
establishing the Administrative Mediation Section and the National
Leader of the Administrative Mediation Section operating at the Regional
Bars of Attorneys-at-Law.

Author of articles and publications devoted to the application of
mediation in European and Asian countries and on administrative law.
Originator and organiser of the First Day of Administrative Mediation at
the Supreme Administrative Court in Warsaw and the International
Mediation Congress/Second Day of Administrative Mediation in Kraków.

Borys supports clients on all matters related to sustainable transformation, including sustainability
reporting (ESRS, VSME), the EU Taxonomy, as well as implementation of new regulations on
deforestation (EUDR) and circular economy, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste
Regulation (PPWR) and Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). He also advises on
sustainability financings, including sustainability-linked loans and „green” loans under, among
others, the LMA Green Loan Principles, ICMA Green Bond Principles and the Equator Principles
(EP 4).

He is a member of the ESG Committee at the National Chamber of Commerce, a member of the
EFRAG support group for the development of reporting standards for small and medium-sized
enterprises (VSME ESRS) and a member of the ESG Innovators Council at the Polish ESG
Association. Borys is also an expert working within a working group on application of the EU
Taxonomy under the auspices of the Polish Ministry of Development and Technology and a
member of the minimum safeguards working group at the Polish Banking Association (Związek
Banków Polskich). He co-heads the firm’s ESG Team.
Borys regularly publishes and lectures on matters related to sustainable development and ESG.
Among others, he is a lecturer at the ESG School organised by the National Chamber of Commerce
and at post-graduate courses in sustainability and financing organised by the University of Wroclaw
and the Kozminski University.
He also advises on project finance, structured finance, and leveraged finance transactions
particularly in the energy, infrastructure, and real property sectors, as well as on securitisation,
factoring, and leasing transactions.

Dr. Yochanan Shachmurove is Professor of Economics and Business at the City College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He has worked with Harvard Institute for International Development advising the government of Ukraine with regards to its macroeconomic policies, including energy and natural resources issues. He has served as a Guest Editor for three special issues of the International Journal of Business, two of them dealing with Financial Markets of the Middle East, and one co-edited with Nobel Laureate Professor Lawrence Klein about the BRICs (Brazilian, Russian, Indian and Chinese economies), and as a Guest Editor for two issues of the Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance and Business Ventures. He is the Editor of the Proceedings of the Academy of Entrepreneurial Finance, 2002.

He has been on the board of many journals, including Montenegrin Journal of Ecology, Studia Historiae Oeconomicae, The Journal of Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland, Poznan University of Economics Review, Economics and Economy, Interdisciplinary Journal of Economics and Business Law, Montenegrin Journal of Economics, (Co-Editor with Veselin Draskovic), Montenegrin Journal of Economics, Polityka Wschodnia – Eastern Politics, Journal of Quantitative Methods for Social Sciences, Foundations of Management, Quantitative Methods in Economics, International Trade Journal, Empirical Economics Review, The International Journal of Finance, The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance, Frontiers in Finance and Economics, International Journal of Business, Global Finance Journal, The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance and Business Ventures, The American Economist, and the Indiana Academy of the Social Science.

Dr. Shachmurove has taught at leading institutions of higher learning in five continents: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, and Australia. Examples are, the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Temple University, Indiana University – Indianapolis, University of Minnesota, National University of Kiev – Mohyla Academy, Ukraine; Taras Shevchenko National University of Kiev, Ukraine, New Economic School, Russia; Moscow State University, Russia, The University of Warsaw, Poland, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, P. R. China, Pokhara University, Nepal and Bar- Ilan and Tel - Aviv universities in Israel. He has been awarded four Fulbright Senior Specialist awards in Shanghai, China in 2004, in Lodz, Poland in 2003-2004, in Warsaw, Poland in 2010-2011 and in Kiev, Ukraine in 2014.

Dr. Shachmurove has published extensively in the areas of economics, finance and management with more than 100 refereed papers and more than 110 papers accepted for presentation at professional meetings throughout the world, travelling to numerous numbers of countries. His papers are published in journals including, among others, Kyklos, Public Choice, The Manchester Journal, Review of International Economics, Review of Development Economics, The World Economy, Journal of Policy Modeling, Journal of Economic Modelling, International Trade Journal, The Journal of Energy and Development, Energy Economics, Comparative Economic Studies, Justice Quarterly, Papers in Regional Science, Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, Applied Economics, Global Finance Journal, Applied Financial Economics, Journal of Futures Markets, The Journal of Derivatives, North American Journal of Economics and Finance, International Journal of Manpower, and International Migration.

Professor Shachmurove has been awarded grants from, among others, the Kauffman Foundation (several grants), The U.S.A.’s State Department, The Institute for International Education Research (several grants), The Eurasia Foundation, Ukraine, Russia and the U.S.A.; University of Pennsylvania, Institute for Economic Research, University of Pennsylvania, Center for Analytic Research in Economics and the Social Sciences, The New Economic School, Moscow Russia, The Kasierer Institute for Research in Accounting, the Israeli Institute of Accounting Research, The European University Institute, Indiana Department of Commerce, and the Hudson Institute. Dr. Shachmurove has been awarded four Fulbright Awards.

Professor Shachmurove’s main research interests are in applied econometrics (including vector auto regressions, Bayesian vector auto regressions, emulative neural networks, non-linear deterministic systems, and chaos), international economics, industrial organization, entrepreneurial finance, advanced futures and options.

She specializes in comprehensive legal advisory services for business entities. She has extensive experience, particularly in commercial law, e-commerce, and modern technologies.

She served as Head of the Legal Department at one of Europe’s leading e-commerce companies in the footwear market. Previously, she managed a compliance team and was responsible for AML security matters at one of the largest mortgage lenders in the United States.

She is involved in legal project management, including the coordination of foreign company incorporation processes.

She supports the US Desk team, which provides specialized assistance to entrepreneurs engaged in transatlantic activities.

She holds a law degree from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the Jagiellonian University. She also completed the American Law Program organized by the Jagiellonian University in cooperation with the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Marta Soniewicka is a university professor at the Chair of Philosophy of Law and Legal Ethics at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University. She holds a postdoctoral degree (habilitation) in legal sciences and a PhD in the humanities, specializing in philosophy. Her research interests include political philosophy, philosophy of law, ethics, and bioethics.

She is the author of numerous academic publications, including books such as: The Limits of Justice. Justice Beyond Borders (2010); The Loss of God: The Philosophy of Will in Friedrich Nietzsche (2016); Genetic Selection in Medically Assisted Procreation: Ethical and Legal Criteria (2018); and Emotions and the Law: The Significance and Role of Feelings in the Philosophy of Law (2024).

She has also edited several volumes, including co-editing the Krakauer–Augsburger Rechtsstudien monograph series with P. Hellwege. Professor Soniewicka serves on the editorial board of the CEE Forum Legal Theory Yearbook and the editorial team of the journal Forum Prawnicze. She is also a member of the National Bioethics Committee in Poland.

She has received numerous scholarships and awards, including the POLITYKA magazine award for young scholars (2011) and a Fulbright Fellowship at Boston University (2011).

An expert in trade in goods and related issues, successfully combining a strong academic foundation with extensive practical knowledge and experience in VAT, excise duties, customs, intellectual property, trade compliance, and trade facilitation in various business applications worldwide.

Currently, he works at Amazon, focusing on broad consumer policy as well as the regulatory aspects of e-commerce, particularly in the areas of consumer law, competition law, product safety, intellectual property law, customs law, and tax law. Before joining Amazon, Cezary held the position of Senior Director of Customs and Regulatory Affairs Europe at DHL Express and a managerial role in the Indirect Tax Team at PricewaterhouseCoopers Poland. He also worked at the Ministry of Economy. He graduated from the Cracow University of Economics and the University of Southern Denmark (earning two master’s degrees) and later obtained a PhD from the SGH Warsaw School of Economics. He is a certified tax advisor.

Katarzyna Stradomska is Vice-President of the Alumni Association, with extensive experience at the intersection of law, public policy, and international cooperation. In 2024, she participated in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on Transparency and Accountability.

She is an EU-qualified lawyer (adwokat) and a PhD Researcher at the Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences. She specializes in foreign direct investment (FDI) screening, competition law, and consumer protection, with professional experience in litigation and mediation. She also serves as Country Reporter for Poland at the CELIS
Institute.

She has gained substantial international experience as an expert in EU-funded technical
assistance and information exchange projects, working with public institutions in Georgia,
Albania, and Moldova. She has also contributed to policy development and coordination
across EU Member States through her involvement in EU Working Groups.
Katarzyna regularly shares her expertise at international conferences and professional
workshops.

She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Warsaw, graduating with honors, and
served as Senior Editor of the Warsaw University Law Review. She also completed the
German Law School program, jointly organized by the University of Bonn and the University
of Warsaw, graduating with honors.

Angelika Szufel is an advocate and counsel in the Energy and Infrastructure
Department at CMS. Her practice focuses on providing legal advice on the
development of infrastructure projects, including ones carried out in compliance with
the requirements of public procurement law and in the PPP formula.

She has been involved in projects implemented in the energy, railway and air transport industries,
as well as the public utilities sector. Angelika has advised public entities on major
infrastructure investments related to the construction of railway stations. She has
also handled train supply contracts and assisted clients in the organisation of
procedures, including the drafting of a public procurement contract to select a
contractor for one of the largest power units in Europe, and providing advice at the
contract delivery stage.
Angelika also has expertise in providing comprehensive advice on transactions and
projects in the renewable energy market. She also advises business entities on the
implementation of regulatory guidelines related to the European Green Deal and
ESG reporting (sustainability indicators). She also coordinates the interdisciplinary
ESG group at CMS in Poland.
She is recommended by The Legal 500 EMEA in the categories of Energy and
Natural Resources, as well as Public Procurement. In 2020, she was recognised in
the “Rising Stars Lawyers – leaders of tomorrow” ranking by Wolters Kluwer.

Dr. Hab. in law, Professor at the Chair of International Public Law, Jagiellonian University in Kraków; head of OKSPO Center for Foreign Law Schools; member of UNA Europa Sustainability Self-Steering Committee; Head of the flagship project Centre for Advanced Sustainability Studies; member of Polish Accreditation Committee.

He is a principal investigator of the NCN research grant entitled Rights of Nature - a vehicle for sustainable development ? Operationalisation and critique from an international and comparative law perspective. His research interests are: international trade and investment law, international law of natural resources, comparative legal language.

Mariusz Wawer holds a position Head of Governmental Relations & ESG for all 3M entities in Poland and Central Europe. Responsible for strategic planning & coordination of regulatory & public affairs activities as well as communication with key company stakeholders and trade organizations.

He actively works as within the American Chamber of Commerce in Poland, chairing the Sustainable Development Committee.
Prior to 3M he gained his professional experience in various consulting companies incl. Deloitte and as a journalist in Polish nationals dailies & business magazines. Academic lecturer in the areas of social communication and Public Affairs at MBA studies. Graduated from Faculty of Law.

Daniela Werbeniec is the Director of the Digital Forum at the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers in Warsaw, Poland. She collaborates with startups, businesses, and public stakeholders to shape digital policy that fosters innovation and competitiveness while safeguarding democratic values. Her work focuses on AI, cybersecurity, and ethical technology governance.

Her background spans media, tech, and civil society. At Google, she supported public policy strategies across Central and Eastern Europe. She has also advised leading technology companies on innovation-driven strategies at Łukaszewicz & Partners.

Previously, she led strategic communications at Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland’s leading liberal daily, where she co-created the Investigative Journalism Initiative — the first program in Central and Eastern Europe offering legal and financial support to investigative reporters. She also built the School of Editors, a training program for journalists designed to bolster critical thinking and media integrity in an era of rising disinformation.

Daniela is an Aspen Institute Leaders Alumna and a Humanity in Action Senior Fellow. She holds degrees in media economics, governance, and digital law. Her leadership has been recognized by the International News Media Association’s “30 Under 30” award. She believes that ethical leadership must connect policy, technology, and empathy—ensuring that innovation ultimately serves people.

Zuzanna Westlund is the Director of the Polish Investment and Trade
Agency’s Foreign Trade Office in Houston, where she leads efforts to connect
Polish businesses with opportunities across the U.S. market.

She has extensive experience in international trade promotion, economic
development, and innovation policy. Prior to her current role, she served as
Project Manager for the Poland-U.S. Innovation Program at the National
Center for Research and Development and supported innovation initiatives as
Program Manager at the American Chamber of Commerce in Warsaw. She is
also the co-founder of Girls Code Fun, a foundation based in Poland that
teaches coding to girls aged 8–12. Zuzanna has also held roles at FEMA and
Slate Magazine. She holds both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree from New
York University and is a strong advocate for transatlantic business
collaboration and youth empowerment through technology.

Since 2002, he has been an employee of the United Nations. He currently serves as the Representative and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Poland, as well as the Representative of UNOPS in Poland. He is an expert in UN and EU policy, particularly in areas at the intersection of business and public administration.

He is also a lecturer at universities such as the Central European University in Bucharest, the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, the Warsaw School of Economics, Kozminski University, Collegium Civitas, SWPS University, the Ignacy Paderewski Institute of Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the University of Warsaw.

An expert in engaging the private sector in the implementation of UN goals, policies, and standards, he specializes in development cooperation, multilateral collaboration, and knowledge transfer. As a UN official, he has worked in the fields of economic diplomacy, social and economic innovation, social economy, and the design of development leaps and meta-trends in business. A lawyer specializing in international law and a graduate of the prestigious United Nations Development Programme Academy (UNDP VDA).

Together with his team, he received the Medal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland for contributions to supporting people with disabilities, developing a model for the Social Economy in Poland, and supporting the ratification process of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In 2012, he received an award from the UN Assistant Secretary-General for creating and leading the most innovative and effective UNDP office in the Europe and CIS region.

From 2009 to 2012, he was a member of the Strategic Advisors Team to the Prime Minister of Poland. In this capacity, he co-authored the Long-Term National Development Strategy for 2030 and coordinated the Human Capital Development Strategy for 2020. Since 2014, he has served on the Expert Council of the National Centre for Research and Development on economic and social innovation. Since 2016, he has been a member of the innovation task force at the Ministry of Development, and since 2018, an advisor to the Minister of Investment and Development.

Founder and CEO of Columbus Energy - the largest Polish company in the sector of modern energetics and renewables. Graduate of electrical engineering at AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow, he also holds the diploma of MBA at Tadeusz Kościuszko University of Technology. He has gained managerial experience working, among others, for Heidelberg Technology Centre in Heidelberg, Air BP in London, or MARS Poland.

He has been an entrepreneur since 2009. From the beginning he has concentrated on energy efficiency and renewables, focusing on innovation in his start-ups. During 10 years of Columbus activity, he performed the development and transformation of the company listed on the GPW Main Market, achieving spectacular business success. Through Columbus, Dawid Zieliński invests in innovative start-ups, among others in Nexity, the company connected with electromobility, or Saule Technologies - Polish company developing the technology of perovskite solar cells. Valued expert in the sector of modern energetics, member of the Programme Council OZE Power, winner of a prestigious competition EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 in the category New Technologies/Innovativeness, laureate of the Emblem “Teraz Polska”, he was named one of 200 people who create Polish economy (according to rankings by RMF FM, Money.pl and 300Gospodarka). Charismatic leader and visionary, enthusiast of unconventional solutions and mountain climbing. He lives in harmony with values, which are in Columbus DNA: tempo, talent, thoughtfulness, and technology. His vision, which he implements, among others through Carbon Footprint Foundation, is neutralisation of carbon footprint.