10:00
Guest Registration, Welcome Coffee
POLISH-AMERICAN ECONOMIC SUMMIT
New York
21 September 2026
Live stream
Two countries.
A shared future.
As Poland joins the G20 and faces geopolitical challenges that require increased investment – shaping both the country’s economic development and the prosperity of Poles – the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland and the Center for Development Strategies are organizing the Polish-American Economic Summit. This one-day event, held during the annual UN General Assembly session in New York, is a platform to strengthen Polish-American economic cooperation, promote Polish companies, and encourage American investors to place capital in Poland. Deepening relations with Americans of Polish descent will also be a key part of the summit.
150+
PARTICIPANTS
80+
key companies from Poland and the USA
4
STRATEGIC AREAS
Report
Read the report “FIVE CORRIDORS: Where Polish-American Trade and Investment Will Actually Grow by 2030 – and What Will Drive the Growth” prepared by the Center for Development Strategies for the Polish-American Economic Summit
Download reportAGENDA
11:00
Conference Opening, Inaugural Address by the President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki
11:30
- Daniel Lichota, Center for Development Strategies
- Bartosz Piechota, Center for Development Strategies
12:00
Poland and the United States share increasingly strong economic, investment, and business ties. In this opening panel, we will review the current state of this cooperation while focusing primarily on its future: Where do the greatest growth opportunities lie today? Which sectors could become its new driving forces? What steps should be taken to ensure the Polish-American partnership delivers even greater mutual benefits?
- Caroline Berson, PepsiCo
- César Lipka, LipCo Foods
- Małgorzata Podrecka, CANPACK Group
- Robert Soszyński, ORLEN
- Moderator: Dr Nile Gardiner, The Heritage Foundation
13:00
Lunch
14:00
This expert panel will focus on positioning Poland as a dynamic and competitive global technology hub. The discussion will highlight the development of the Polish innovation ecosystem, global expansion strategies, and the business models that enable Polish tech startups to succeed in international markets.
- Intro: Adam Andruszkiewicz, Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland
- Piotr Byrski, Molecule One
- Garrett Johnson, Hydra Host
- Maja Schaefer, Zowie
- Jakub Turowski, Meta
- Moderator: dr Małgorzata Bonikowska, Centre for International Relations Foundation
Partner: Hydra Host
14:40
- Adina Portaru, Alliance Defending Freedom
15:05
A session showcasing some of Poland’s most promising technology startups, providing a direct platform for the Polish innovation ecosystem to connect with leading representatives of top U.S. investment funds.nnDuring the session, Polish startups will present their technologies, business models, and plans for global expansion to a distinguished group of investors. The format will include startup pitches, followed by a Qu0026A session and a direct discussion with investors.
- Natalia Glapińska-Spiralska, Sensorbite
- Franciszek Kosch, WIMBA,
- Piotr Greiner, Evertwin
- Robert Latoś, Well of Art
- Jarosław Jaworski, Edge Aerospace
15:45
Energy is currently one of the cornerstone areas of Polish-American economic cooperation. This panel will examine joint investments, energy security, emerging technologies, and the opportunities that the energy transition creates for both Polish and American companies. How can we leverage the potential of both markets to build partnerships that yield tangible projects?
- Intro: Karol Rabenda, Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland
- Margaret Cosentino, Westinghouse
- Michał Hojowski, Unimot
- Justin Siberell, Bechtel
- Moderator: Bartosz Piechota, Center for Development Strategies
16:50
The Polish-American security partnership provides growing opportunities for industrial and technological collaboration. This panel will address how to translate strategic alliance into concrete business ventures, investments, co-production, and technology transfer. The discussion will also center on the role of Polish and American enterprises in building a modern, competitive defense sector and resilient supply chain networks between both nations.
- Intro: Christopher Haave, RTX
- Veronika Folz, Northrop Grumman
- Christian Garrett, Onodrim Industries
- Adam Januszko, Grupa Niewiadów
- James Katzen, Lockheed Martin Corporation
- Jakub Olek, Shield AI
- Moderator: Andrew Michta, Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education
- Summary: general Robert S. Spalding
Partners: Onodrim, Shield AI
18:00
Ceremony of Presentation of State Decorations and Appointments to the Business Council to the President of the Republic of Poland
18:30
Cocktail Reception
SPEAKERS
Adam Andruszkiewicz
Deputy Chief of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland
Adam Andruszkiewicz
Deputy Chief of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland
Member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland representing the Podlaskie Voivodeship from 2015 to 2025. Served as Secretary of State at the Ministry of Digital Affairs in 2019–2020 and again in 2023, and as Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister from 2020 to 2023. On 7 August 2025, appointed by President of the Republic of Poland Karol Nawrocki as Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland and Deputy Chief of the Chancellery of the President.
Caroline Berson
Vice-President, Global Government Relations, PepsiCo
Caroline Berson
Vice-President, Global Government Relations, PepsiCo
Caroline Berson is PepsiCo’s Vice President of Global Government Relations. In this role, she oversees trade, geopolitical advisory, global thought leadership and serves as the primary liaison between PepsiCo and the DC diplomatic community. Caroline is based in Washington, DC.nPrior to joining PepsiCo, Caroline served in two Presidential administrations at the White House National Security Council and National Economic Council as Senior Advisor for International Economics. In that role, she helped coordinate U.S. policy related to international finance, trade, investment, energy and environmental issues, and advised the President’s representative to the G-7, G-20 and APEC.nShe previously served as the national security briefer to the office of the U.S. Vice President, where she was responsible for providing daily updates on a wide range of global issues. Prior to that, Caroline served as an analyst at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where she was a subject matter expert on several countries across the Middle East and Africa, writing frequently on sanctions, banking, energy and transportation issues for the U.S. President and senior U.S. policymakers.nCaroline began her career in journalism, with her work appearing in Slate Magazine, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the New Haven Independent. Caroline earned her M.A. in Government from Johns Hopkins University and her B.A. in English from Yale University.
Małgorzata Bonikowska
President, The Centre for International Relations Foundation
Małgorzata Bonikowska
President, The Centre for International Relations Foundation
Małgorzata Bonikowska has a Ph.D. in humanities and she specializes in international relations (with particular emphasis on the European Union) and communication in public institutions. EU expert, government consultant and academic fellow, graduated from the Warsaw University (Italian studies), University of Paris-Sorbonne (history and political sciences) and the PWST (State College of Theatre) in culture history. Alumnus of two Ph.D. programs: in Poland (Polish Academy of Sciences) and abroad (SSSS, Italy), dr Bonikowska completed a specialization program at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at the Columbia University in New York (Fulbright Scholarship). She is the author of more than 150 publications and tutor of over 100 BA, MA and post-graduated thesis.
Piotr Byrski
CEO & CO-FOUNDER, Molecule One
Piotr Byrski
CEO & CO-FOUNDER, Molecule One
Piotr Byrski is the co-founder and CEO of Molecule.one, which built Maria^TM, the world’s first AI Chemist to deliver autonomous research projects in organic chemistry. Maria’s frontier AI directs experiments in a dark, high throughput microliter-scale lab, and after automated results analysis, the data moves to Maria’s fast-growing, proprietary database comprising tens of millions of datapoints about more than 400,000 chemical reactions. Maria is already deployed commercially with CDMOs (incl. W. R. Grace), pharma companies, a frontier AI firm, and biotechs.
Marcin Chludziński
Chairman of the Foundation Council, Center for Development Strategies
Marcin Chludziński
Chairman of the Foundation Council, Center for Development Strategies
A Polish manager with extensive experience in management and a proven track record in the transformation and development of large enterprises. He is a graduate of the University of Warsaw, IESE Business School at the University of Navarra, and holds an MBA from the Institute of Economic Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences.nHis professional career began with the establishment and leadership of a consulting company, after which he assumed key positions in companies strategic to the Polish economy.nAs the President of the Industrial Development Agency (2016–2018), he successfully implemented restructuring and modernization programs in Polish enterprises, including the effective restructuring of the Cegielski Rail Vehicle Factory in Poznań and the Regional Railways (Przewozy Regionalne).nHe facilitated the establishment of numerous investments in special economic zones, such as the LG Chem electric vehicle battery factory in Kobierzyce. From 2018 to 2022, he served as the CEO of KGHM Polska Miedź, one of the world’s largest copper and silver producers. Under his leadership, the company achieved its highest stock market valuation in history, maintained stable financial performance, transformed its mining project in Chile to profitability for the first time, and increased its mining scale. He is a pioneer in the industrial application of modular nuclear reactors, with KGHM obtaining the necessary legal permits for their construction.nFrom 2022 to 2024, he led Gaz-System, the Transmission System Operator, where he was responsible for the development and maintenance of gas infrastructure critical to Poland’s energy security. He prepared the project and secured financing for the floating LNG terminal in Gdańsk, which is currently under construction.nThroughout his career, Chludziński has also served on the supervisory boards of major companies such as PZU. He currently runs his own consultancy business. A laureate of the 2019 Gold Stevie Award in the Executive of the Year category, he topped the 2021 ranking as the highest-valued CEO among companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. He was named Manager of the Year 2022 by the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers. He has been awarded the Gold Cross of Merit, the “Distinguished for Polish Culture” badge, and the Medal of the National Education Commission.nHe is a member of the Council of the Leaders School Foundation named after Prof. Zbigniew Pełczyński, the Council of the Royal Castle, and the Council for Strategic Development Projects under the President of Poland.
Margaret Cosentino
Executive Vice President, External Affairs, Westinghouse Electric Company
Margaret Cosentino
Executive Vice President, External Affairs, Westinghouse Electric Company
Margaret Cosentino is Executive Vice President, External Affairs at Westinghouse Electric Company. In this role, she is responsible for Westinghouse’s strategic approach to global government relations, public policy, communications, sustainability, as well as the company’s government solutions business. Ms. Cosentino brings 20 years of experience in global government affairs, international business development and strategy for aerospace, defense and industrial companies. Most recently, Ms. Cosentino was Corporate Director for Policy at Northrop Grumman where she led the execution of the company’s public policy and regulatory portfolios. Ms. Cosentino was previously Vice President, Global Government Affairs for Arconic where she was responsible for advancing the company’s public affairs interests across its international operations and leading its defense business. She has held senior roles at The Cohen Group, a strategic global consultancy, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a leading bi-partisan, non-profit think tank in Washington, D.C. Ms. Cosentino earned a bachelor’s degree in international politics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service (SFS) and a master’s in international economics and strategic studies from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Paweł Ernst
President of the Management Board, Center for Development Strategies
Paweł Ernst
President of the Management Board, Center for Development Strategies
Expert in strategic management, innovation, and institutional relations, specializing in designing development processes in sectors critical to the Polish economy. As President of the CSR Foundation, he is responsible for fostering dialogue between public administration and the private sector, as well as for projects aimed at strengthening the state’s systemic resilience. He gained professional experience at KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. (Director of the Strategy Department, Advisor to the President of the Management Board, and Plenipotentiary for Strategic Development) and at GAZ-SYSTEM, where he headed the Development and Innovation Division. He has also served on the Supervisory Board of PSE. He has held positions in economic and social organizations, including Vice President of the Polska Miedź Employers’ Association and the KGHM Polska Miedź Foundation.
Veronika Folz
Director, Security Cooperation, Northrop Grumman
Veronika Folz
Director, Security Cooperation, Northrop Grumman
Veronika J. Folz is Senior Director, International Policy & Growth at Northrop Grumman, bringing extensive experience in global strategy and policy implementation within the aerospace and defense sector. Within Northrop Grumman, Veronika has held positions of increasing responsibility, including Senior Director, Security Cooperation, and Global Director, Mission Systems Strategic Development & Deployment, Expansion. Their tenure reflects a focus on driving international growth and security initiatives within the aerospace and defense sector. Earlier roles at Northrop Grumman include Director, International Programs. Prior to joining Northrop Grumman, Veronika served as Vice President, International Programs at Radiance Technologies, contributing to innovative solutions for government clients. Their work history also includes serving as International Programs Deputy Program Director at the Missile Defense Agency, and in International Plans and Programs at the Defense Microelectronics Activity. Earlier in their career, Veronika was a Systems Engineer at the Missile Defense Agency, supporting national defense objectives through program management and systems engineering. Veronika holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University.
Nile Gardiner
Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation
Nile Gardiner
Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation
Nile Gardiner is Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation, and a leading authority on Brexit. Before joining Heritage, Dr. Gardiner served as a foreign policy aide to Lady Thatcher in her private office in London, assisting her with her final book, Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World and advising her on a number of international issues. His work for Lady Thatcher helped shape her foreign policy vision, including her powerful call in Statecraft for Great Britain to consider leaving the European Union, which laid the foundations for Brexit over a decade later.nDr. Gardiner is a prominent expert on US-British relations, US foreign policy, and the transatlantic alliance, and received his M.A., M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in History from Yale University, and B.A. and M.A. in Modern History from Oxford University. He has served as a foreign policy adviser to three US presidential candidates: Senator Ted Cruz, Governor Mitt Romney and Mayor Rudy Giuliani.nDr. Gardiner has testified several times before Congress on foreign policy issues. Most recently he testified before the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs Europe Subcommittee on the Brexit negotiations as well as the prospects for a US-UK Free Trade Agreement.nNile Gardiner frequently provides analysis of global events for US and international television networks including Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, CNN, CNBC, Sky News and the BBC. He is a regular contributor to The London Daily Telegraph, and his writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The London Times, The London Sunday Times, The London Daily Mail, USA Today, The New York Times Room for Debate, The Washington Times and The Boston Globe.
Christian Garrett
Investment Partner, 137 Ventures
Christian Garrett
Investment Partner, 137 Ventures
Christian Garrett is a partner on the investment team at 137 Ventures. Prior to joining 137 Ventures in 2019, he was an investor at Caerus Investment Advisors. Christian is a co-founder of The Hill & Valley Forum, one of the largest bipartisan gatherings of Technology and Government leaders in the country. Christian was selected as a Rising Star by the Venture Capital Journal in the 2020 class. He earned his BS in Education from The University of Kansas, where he played basketball for four years as a student-athlete, winning four Big 12 Championships and going to The Final Four in 2012. He is also on the board of the Bernard Garrett Sr Foundation.
Christopher Haave
Vice President, International Operations, Global Government Relations RTX Corporation
Christopher Haave
Vice President, International Operations, Global Government Relations RTX Corporation
Haave leads a global team responsible for managing RTX Corporate relationships and engagements with senior officials of the U.S. and other governments worldwide on international defense and commercial aviation issues. He and his team provide advocacy for and guidance to RTX’s Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon businesses to enable successful international outcomes through favorable governmental actions and approvals. Previously, Haave led the corporate Raytheon, followed by RTX, Enterprise Technology Release team. In that capacity, he focused on facilitating approvals by the U.S. and foreign governments regarding exports of complex defense technologies. Prior to Raytheon, he oversaw Boeing’s Global Trade Controls’ Washington, D.C. office, where he coordinated company trade control policy, technology release and export licensing issues with the Departments of State, Commerce, Defense and Treasury. During a 26-year Air Force career, he flew primarily the A-10 and commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels. His political-military affairs assignments included Special Advisor for Europe to Vice President Dick Cheney, Visiting Military Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), and as the U.S. National Military Representative to NATO’s SHAPE headquarters. Haave is a CFR Life Member and currently chairs the American League for Exports and Security Assistance. He received a master’s degree in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, a master’s degree in government from New Mexico State University and a bachelor’s degree in Western European Area Studies from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He also holds degrees from the Institute of Political Studies, Lyon, France, and the French War College in Paris.
Michał Hojowski
Vice President of the Management Board for Energy Transformation, Unimot
Michał Hojowski
Vice President of the Management Board for Energy Transformation, Unimot
Michał Hojowski is a graduate of the Cracow University of Economics – Faculty of Finance with a major in Finance and Banking. He earned an Executive Master of Business Administration – Cracow University of Economics and Stockholm University. He has been working at UNIMOT Group since 2023 as Director of Marketing and Development. He has professional experience gained in financial institutions: Raiffeisen Bank Polska S.A. – FX dealer and derivatives specialist, director of the financial markets sales department; Raiffeisen Solutions – President of the Management Board and later member of the Supervisory Board; Bank Pekao S.A. – managing director of the financial markets division; BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A . – managing director of the financial markets division. Since January 2024, Michał Hojowski has been Vice President of the Management Board for Energy Transformation.
Adam Januszko
Chairman of the Board, Niewiadów Polska Grupa Militarna S.A.
Adam Januszko
Chairman of the Board, Niewiadów Polska Grupa Militarna S.A.
Ph.D. in Chemistry, retired Major of the Polish Army, with many years of experience in scientific research, the development of dual-use technologies, and the management of research institutions and technology companies. He is the author and co-author of over 70 scientific publications and 23 patents. His expertise combines advanced technological knowledge, military experience, and management practice, providing significant support for the development of innovative technological and defense capabilities within organizations.
Garrett Johnson
Co-Founder & COO, Hydra Host
Garrett Johnson
Co-Founder & COO, Hydra Host
Garrett Johnson is a former member of the board and co-founder at FAI. He is co-founder and COO at Hydra Host. He previously co-founded SendHub.com, a venture-backed YCombinator startup launched in 2011. Garrett served as professional staff to the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where his oversight portfolio included Afghanistan, Pakistan and Haiti. Originally from Florida, Garrett holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and was the two-time NCAA Shot Put champion. He also read for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Migration Studies at the University of Oxford, England as a Rhodes Scholar. Garrett currently lives in Jacksonville, Florida.
James Katzen
Business Development Director, Central & Eastern Europe. Lockheed Martin Corporation
James Katzen
Business Development Director, Central & Eastern Europe. Lockheed Martin Corporation
James Katzen, based in Warsaw, PL, is currently a International Business Development, Missiles and Fire Control International at Lockheed Martin. James Katzen brings experience from previous roles at Sikorsky. James Katzen holds a 2011 – 2013 Masters of Science at Boston University Graduate School of Management.
Daniel Lichota
Vice President of the Management Board, Center for Development Strategies
Daniel Lichota
Vice President of the Management Board, Center for Development Strategies
An economist specializing in business strategy, holding an Executive MBA in Innovation Management from Queen Hedvig Academy in collaboration with the Stanford Research Institute International (USA). Institute International z USA). He also completed postgraduate studies at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics in strategic marketing and digital marketing. He brings over 25 years of managerial experience, combining strong interpersonal skills and employee engagement with a strategic approach to corporate growth. His professional focus centers on modern technologies, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, particularly their practical applications in business.
César Lipka
President of the Management Board, LipCo Foods
César Lipka
President of the Management Board, LipCo Foods
César Lipka heads LipCo Foods – a multi-food group uniting companies and brands that previously operated under the SuperDrob and CPF Poland capital groups. As CEO, he sets the strategic direction for the organization, which operates across 18 production sites and partners with clients in over 60 countries. His priority is building a comprehensive multi-food platform that currently spans 22 specialized segments – including poultry, convenience food, fish and seafood, pet food, and logistics. He brings over 25 years of managerial experience in the food industry and is a graduate of the University of Missouri. For yearsv, he managed the family-owned company SuperDrob, where he climbed the entire career ladder – from a production worker to President – and now serves as Chairman of the Supervisory Board. He also previously held the position of President of the Management Board at CPF Poland.
Andrew A. Michta
Professor of Strategic Studies, Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education
Andrew A. Michta
Professor of Strategic Studies, Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education
Andrew A. Michta is Professor of Strategic Studies at the Hamilton School. Before joining Hamilton, Michta was a Senior Fellow with the GeoStrategy Initiative in the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security and the former dean of the College of International and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. He holds a PhD in international relations from the Johns Hopkins University. His areas of expertise are international security, NATO, and European politics and security, with a special focus on Central Europe and the Baltic states. Previously, he was professor of national security affairs at the US Naval War College, an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Europe Program, and an affiliate of the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies at Harvard University. From 1988 to 2015, he was the M.W. Buckman distinguished professor of international studies at Rhodes College. From 2013 to 2014, he was a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington, DC, where he focused on defense programming. From 2011 to 2013, he was a senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the founding director of the organization’s Warsaw office. From 2009 to 2010, he was a senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. He served as professor of national security studies and director of studies of the Senior Executive Seminar at the George C. Marshall Center from 2005 to 2009. Previously, he was a visiting scholar at the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace at Stanford University, a public policy scholar at the Wilson Center, and a research associate at the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University. His books include The Limits of Alliance: The United States, NATO and the EU in North and Central Europe (Rowman & Littlefield, 2006); The Soldier-Citizen: The Politics of the Polish Army after Communism (St. Martin’s Press, 1997); The Government and Politics of Postcommunist Europe (Praeger Publishers, 1994); East Central Europe After the Warsaw Pact: Security Dilemmas in the 1990s (Greenwood Press, 1992); and Red Eagle: The Army in Polish Politics, 1944-1988 (Hoover Press, 1990). He also edited and contributed to America’s New Allies: Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic in NATO (The University of Washington Press, 1999); and coedited, with Ilya Prizel, Polish Foreign Policy Reconsidered: Challenges of Independence (St. Martin’s Press, 1995) and Post-Communist Eastern Europe: Crisis and Reform (St. Martin’s Press and Johns Hopkins Foreign Policy Institute, 1992). His most recent book with Paal Hilde, The Future of NATO: Regional Defense and Global Security, was published by the University of Michigan Press in 2014. He is currently completing a book Europe Reconfigured: U.S. Europe Strategy for an Age of Great Power Conflict, funded by a two-year grant from the Smith Richardson Foundation. The book will be published in 2026. Michta is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is also a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and a Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution on War Revolution and Peace at Stanford University.He is fluent in Polish and Russian and proficient in German and French.
Jakub Olek
Government Relations Director, Europe, Shield AI
Jakub Olek
Government Relations Director, Europe, Shield AI
Jakub Olek has been involved with innovation and technology companies for over 15 years. He specializes in market expansion strategies, corporate communications, and regulatory affairs at the intersection of technology, policy, and business. He currently serves as Head of Government Relations for Europe at Shield AI, managing relations with governments, public institutions, and industry partners in defense tech and AI. Previously, he gained experience at TikTok (Central Europe, Ukraine) and Lime (CEE, Middle East), as well as in China, India, and Brussels. Personally, he is an avid IRONMAN triathlete who tackles the challenge of a 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike ride, and a 42.195 km run.
Bartosz Piechota
Member of the Foundation Council, Center for Development Strategies
Bartosz Piechota
Member of the Foundation Council, Center for Development Strategies
Bartosz Piechota is an experienced attorney and manager, a graduate of the University of Warsaw, Cardiff University Law School, and IESE Business School in Barcelona. He also completed the University of Florida’s School of American Law and the Cross-Border Dispute Resolution Program organized by the LexMundi Institute. Within the LipCo Foods Group, Bartosz Piechota served as CEO of the NexTi Business Line, which developes the energy and innovation segments. He was also member of the Management Board of LipCo Foods International. Previously, he held management positions at companies critical to the Polish economy, including as Vice President of Polska Grupa Lotnicza and a member of the management of PLL LOT. He also served on the supervisory boards of companies in the mining sector: KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. and Lubelski Węgiel “Bogdanka” S.A. He has also worked at leading domestic and international law firms.
Małgorzata Podrecka
Vice President of the Board, CANPACK Group
Małgorzata Podrecka
Vice President of the Board, CANPACK Group
Małgorzata Podrecka is Vice President and Chief External Affairs Officer at Giorgi Global Holdings, Inc. and has been Vice President of the Management Board of CANPACK S.A. since 2013, having joined the company shortly after its founding. Małgorzata Podrecka leads company’s legal, compliance, sustainability, communications, and public affairs functions and serves as Chair at CANPACK Foundation.nMałgorzata Podrecka brings extensive experience in business, public policy, and industry leadership. From 2019 to 2025, she served on advisory bodies to the President of the Republic of Poland, and from 2011 to 2017 she was Vice President of the Lewiatan Court of Arbitration in Warsaw. She represents CANPACK in leading business and industry organizations, including the American Chamber of Commerce in Poland and Metal Packaging Europe. She also serves on the Board of the Polish Global Entrepreneurs Council and the Board of Trustees of the Jagiellonian University in Cracow. nAs a historian at heart Małgorzata Podrecka is involved in activities of the Supervisory Board of Pałac Saski sp. z o.o., which oversees the reconstruction of the Warsaw’s Saxon Palace, destroyed during the Second World War, and the committee responsible for distributing grants and overseeing the restoration of historical sites in Cracow (SKOZK). nIn 2025, Ms. Podrecka was honored with the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by the President of Poland. nMs. Podrecka studied at the Jagiellonian University, the Catholic University of Leuven and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. She holds a post doctoral degree in law from the Jagiellonian University.
Adina Portaru
Senior Counsel, Europe, Alliance Defending Freedom
Adina Portaru
Senior Counsel, Europe, Alliance Defending Freedom
Dr. Adina Portaru serves as senior counsel, Europe, for Alliance Defending Freedom in Belgium, where she leads the work of our Brussels and Strasbourg teams with a particular focus on advocacy at the international organisations and institutions in Europe. Prior to joining Alliance Defending Freedom, Portaru worked extensively in academic research. She was a research assistant at Maastricht University in the Netherlands and at the European Training and Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Austria, where she assessed human rights policies. Portaru has a Bachelor in Law and a Bachelor of Theology. She earned her LL.M. in Law and Globalization from Maastricht University, and completed her doctorate in Law at Karl Franzens University in Austria. Her thesis assesses how the European Court of Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Committee interpret freedom of religion or belief. Portaru is admitted to the bar in Bucharest, Romania, and specializes in the topics of freedom of religion, freedom of conscience and freedom of expression. Portaru’s range of expertise includes academic settings, and national and EU institutions and bodies. She is the editor of the book, A ‘Precious Asset’? Analyzing Religious Freedom Protections in Europe (Kairos, 2020).
Marcin Przydacz
Secretary of State, Head of the International Policy Bureau Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland
Marcin Przydacz
Secretary of State, Head of the International Policy Bureau Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland
A graduate of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the Jagiellonian University, where he also studied International Relations and Philosophy. He further pursued academic studies at universities in Rome, Messina, and Kyiv. A qualified attorney-at-law, he served as Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland from 2015 to 2019. Between 2019 and 2023, he was Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for security policy as well as relations with the Americas, Asia, and Eastern Europe. In 2023, he headed the International Policy Bureau of the Chancellery of the President, before serving as a Member of the 10th term of the Polish Parliament. Since August 2025, he has served as Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the President and Head of the International Policy Bureau.
Karol Rabenda
Undersecretary of State Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland
Karol Rabenda
Undersecretary of State Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland
Local government official, manager and energy expert. Former Deputy Minister of State Assets (2021–2023), responsible for overseeing energy companies, energy security and nuclear energy projects. Since 2018 city councillor in Gdańsk, since 2024 Vice-Chairman of the City Council. Since August 2025 Undersecretary of State at the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland.
Maja Schaefer
CEO & CO_FOUNDER, Zowie
Maja Schaefer
CEO & CO_FOUNDER, Zowie
Zowie is a Polish technology company that creates AI agents for customer service. It was founded on the belief that the future of the internet is conversation. No more buttons, forms, and menus. Brands should talk to customers the way people talk to each other. The Zowie platform allows companies to build autonomous AI agents that manage complete business processes, complete tasks, and make decisions—from initial contact to order completion or problem resolution. Today, Zowie automatically resolves hundreds of millions of cases annually. Since its inception, the company has successfully attracted capital, initially from local business angels and, over time, from renowned global investors such as Gradient (Google’s AI fund) and the Altman brothers. The founder abhors mediocrity. Her leadership style is characterized by decisiveness, passion, and a refusal to accept mediocrity. She is not afraid to make unpopular decisions, and she considers her greatest success to be proving that it is possible to build and develop technology in Poland that outperforms Silicon Valley competitors.
Justin Siberell
President for Regions and Corporate Relations, Bechtel
Justin Siberell
President for Regions and Corporate Relations, Bechtel
Justin Siberell oversees Bechtel’s Regions, Government Relations, and Corporate Security organizations. Previously, he served as Region President for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. In this role, he leveraged his strategic insights, diplomatic experience, and international relations expertise to support Bechtel’s four global business units by delivering projects, building partnerships, and pursuing new projects. Justin has been instrumental in supporting our customers and helping Bechtel secure key opportunities. These have included motorway and hydropower projects in the Balkans, gold and aluminum facilities in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and nuclear power and advanced manufacturing opportunities in Central Europe. Justin was elected a principal vice president in 2022. Prior to joining Bechtel in 2020, Justin spent 27 years in the U.S. Foreign Service, most recently as U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain. He served as Principal Officer of the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and completed earlier postings at U.S. diplomatic missions in Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, and Panama. He is a graduate of the State Department’s Arabic language field school in Tunisia. In Washington, Justin held key roles in the State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism, including leading the bureau as Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism. He also served in the State Department Executive Secretariat, the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and on the staff of the National Security Council at the White House. Justin was raised in California and holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of California at Berkeley.
Robert Soszyński
Vice-President of the Management Board, ORLEN S.A.
Robert Soszyński
Vice-President of the Management Board, ORLEN S.A.
Manager with over 30-year job experience. He has an extensive experience in managing of commercial law companies, in particular energy sector. In 2008 he held a position of the President of the Management Board of CIECH Service Sp. z o.o., in 2008-2011 a position of the President of the Management Board of PERN Przyjaźń S.A. He was also the Vice-president of the Management Board of the Polskie LNG S.A. (in 2015). In 2018-2021 he held the position of the Deputy of the President of Warsaw Capital City.nDuring his job career he successfully coordinated many large investment projects, in particular in the oil and gas area, including crude oil tanks park and commissioning of one of the key, in the point of view of the energy security of Poland, investment in gas port in Świnoujście.nHe graduated from Warsaw University of Technology (Technical Physics and Applied Mathematics) and MBA studies at Gdańsk University. Member of Supervisory Boards, among others: Rockbridge TFI S.A., PAGED Energy S.A., Masovian Railways-KM S.A. He passed an exam for candidates for Members of Supervisory Boards of State Treasury Companies.
Robert S. Spalding III
Brigadier General (R), United States Air Force
Robert S. Spalding III
Brigadier General (R), United States Air Force
Robert Spalding retired from the U.S. Air Force as a brigadier general after more than 25 years of service. He is a former China strategist for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, as well as a senior defense official and defense attaché to China. He earned his doctorate in economics and mathematics from the University of Missouri and is fluent in Mandarin.Robert Spalding retired from the U.S. Air Force as a brigadier general after more than 25 years of service. He is a former China strategist for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, as well as a senior defense official and defense attaché to China. He earned his doctorate in economics and mathematics from the University of Missouri and is fluent in Mandarin.
Jakub Turowski
Public Policy Director, Central and Eastern Europe, Meta
Jakub Turowski
Public Policy Director, Central and Eastern Europe, Meta
Jacob is responsible for building relationships between Meta and legislators, regulators, NGOs, and other communities interested in the Internet’s impact on society and the economy. Prior to joining Meta, he led the public policy and regulatory team at UPC Poland, the first cable operator in Poland. He gained international experience in the digital economy in Paris and Brussels, working on the digital agenda and European regulations for PwC and Belgacom, among others.
PARTNERS
Center for Development Strategies Foundation
ul. Wiejska 16/2, 00-490 Warsaw, Poland
The Center for Development Strategies is an independent think tank specializing in long-term economic strategy and building consensus around Poland’s key development directions.
https://fundacjacsr.pl/ 
centrum@fundacjacsr.pl 
