From 29 November till 1 December the 7th edition of the European Silk Road Summit takes place, this time in the Hungarian capital Budapest. Because this summit takes place in the CEE, specific attention will be paid to the region. What is more, the specific focus will be on the Middle Corridor, which is especially interesting for the CEE and Balkan regions.

EBRD, Deloitte and CBRE

We are proud to announce that the first line-up of speakers come from reputable institutions and organisations such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Deloitte and Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis (CBRE).

In fact, Grigory Savva, associate director at EBRD’s Sustainable Infrastructure Group, was the first one to commit to the annual summit about China-Europe rail. Savva co-authored the report ‘Sustainable transport connections between Europe and Central Asia’, which formulated the stance of the European Commission towards the Middle Corridor.

From Deloitte, we welcome Rati Devadze, an experienced transport and logistics professional who strives to improve this industry in Georgia and the region. Currently, he works as a Transport and Logistics Policy Advisor at USAID Economic Governance Program implemented by Deloitte, providing technical assistance and policy recommendations to the respective public institutions and private sector stakeholders.

From a whole other sector is Przemysław Piętak, who develops and manages supply chain advisory projects at CBRE. As a real estate expert, who knows very well how the nearshoring of the supply chain has developed and will share which companies have settled where.

Kazakhstan, Turkey and Italy

We will also welcome speakers from a wide variety of countries. Take for example Yerzhan Nauruzbayev, who is the director of the business transformation center at KTZ, the national railroad operator of Kazakhstan. Or Mehmet Örgen, hyperloop leader at Erciyas, a company eying the hyperloop technology playing a major role in Turkey and on the New Silk Road.

From Italy, we have agreed on a speaking slot with Andrea Giurcin, transport economist at the University Milan Bicocca. Andrea will shed light on the possibility that Italy leaves the Belt and Road initiative and the consequences this would have on the Italy-China connections.