Eastern European Security (Debate) – Polish House Davos 2023

Strategic investments – a key driver for Eastern European security

Political disturbances, socio-economic disruptions, including legal uncertainty, and geopolitical risks are exacerbating the negative impact felt in many areas of business as well as communities. Strong leadership, bold decisions, and strategic investments are more important than ever, as we face the most serious security situation in decades. Current security architecture and the value of strategic investments are being discussed among Eastern Europe stakeholders: civil society organizations, governmental officials, policy advisers, and business representatives all help in providing a sound foundation for a sustainable future. Our common goal is to enhance Europe’s competitiveness as an investment location in the face of global challenges and external forces. The shortening and regionalization of Global Value Chains, supporting new investments in key energy infrastructure, the inflow of further investments in the high-tech manufacturing industry as well investments in Europe’s key IT infrastructure will play an enormous role in building a new economic order.

Keynote: Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki

Moderator: Henry Foy (Financial Times)

Speakers: Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka (BGK), Paweł Gruza (PKO Bank Polski), Marek Dietl (GPW), Christopher Padilla (IBM), Roman Regelman (BNY Mellon), Christina Raab (Accenture)

Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka

BGK

Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka has been professionally active in the banking sector for over 25 years. From 1994 to 2016 she was employed at Bank Zachodni WBK (currently Santander Bank Polska). She managed many divisions and, among other things, the implementation of strategic projects, such as a new branch model or MiniBank24 electronic banking. She was responsible for the restructuring and optimization of banking processes. She managed the Logistics and Real Estate Division and she was the Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of BZ WBK Nieruchomości. She was responsible for the project of transforming the organizational culture „Bank of the New Generation”. She also headed the Business Partnership Division. In 2015, Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka was appointed the Management Board Member of BZ WBK. Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka is the 20th president of BGK since the bank was founded almost 100 years ago. Together with other members of the management board, she prepared and implemented a four-year strategy for 2017-2020, which allowed BGK to focus more on the key areas of activity: financing and mobilizing capital for investments, export and enterprise development, supporting sustainable development, as well as efficient distribution of EU funds. Within four years, BGK’s ability to mobilize capital for economic development increased fivefold. Additionally, the bank, while implementing its new strategy, strengthened its activity outside Poland and opened representative offices in London, Brussels, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. More are planned in the United States and Asia. The bank’s management board has prepared another strategy for 2021-2025. Its business pillars are: sustainable development, social commitment, international cooperation and business. As Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka says „our ambition is to inspire, show the way, be a leader in sustainable social and economic development programs”. President Daszyńska-Muzyczka is the originator and initiator of the establishment of the most important financial project in Central and Eastern Europe – the Three Seas Initiative Fund, and since 2019 she has been the chairwoman of its supervisory board. The aim of the Fund is to develop infrastructure in the countries of the Three Seas region by financing transport, energy and digital projects, which will support the integration and economic cohesion of the entire EU. She is also the originator of the 3W: Water-Hydrogen-Carbon initiative, implemented by BGK. She announced this initiative in August 2021 during the 3W Congress: „Water-Hydrogen-Carbon”, organized for the first time as part of the „4th Development Vision Forum in Gdynia”. The bank itself has become one of the ten best-rated companies in Poland in the Ranking of Socially Responsible Companies and has won the TOP Employer title four times. Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka is a member of the College of the President of the Republic of Poland for International Policy, which is part of the President’s International Policy Office. She is also a member of the Chapter of the Economic Award of the President of the Republic of Poland and the chairwoman of the program council of the Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs. She sits in the board of the Economic Award Forum „Wizja Rozwoju”, the program board of the ICAN Management Review Congress, and the Board of the Medical University in Wrocław. Honored with many awards, incl. President Lech Kaczyński Promethean Prize, the Bank Manager of the Year 2018 by Gazeta Bankowa, she was also in the Top 10 Polish Managers of Forbes magazine. In 2021 she was recognized by Federacja Przedsiebiorców Polskich as the Economic Personality of the Year 2021. The same year she has been awarded by the President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid with the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana for her contribution to deepening friendly relations with Estonia through her involvement in building the Three Seas Initiative. A graduate of economic universities with a specialization in corporate finance management and the Advance Leadership Program at the ICAN Institute. She also graduated from the University of Cambridge – Judge Business School. Privately, an aviation enthusiast, with a diploma of aircraft accessories mechanic. In the process of obtaining a pilot’s license.

POLISH HOUSE DAVOS 2023