New perspectives for cooperation with the Chairman of the Board of VERBUND AG, DI Wolfgang Anzengruber
In a very friendly atmosphere at the Headquarters of the VEF Cooperation partner Verbund AG, on 21. December 2020, the Secretary General of Vienna Economic Forum, Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva met with DI Wolfgang Anzengruber, Chairman of Board of VERBUND AG, founding member of Vienna Economic Forum and member of the VEF Honorary Committee.
The conversation, which was focused on the scope for design of future further cooperation, allowed new perspectives to be identified.
The VEF General Secretary presented DI Wolfgang Anzengruber with the "Decoration of Honor of Vienna Economic Forum", expressing great gratitude for his services in the successful development and realization of the joint project - Vienna Economic Forum.
Vienna Economic Forum founding member and Cooperation partner Raiffeisenbank International (RBI) - once again best CEE bank
The Financial Times publication "The Banker" recognized Raiffeisen Bank International as the "Best Bank in Central and Eastern Europe" for the fifth time in a row.
"The awards from 'The Banker' are valuable confirmation that we are on the right track to achieve our strategic goals," emphasized RBI CEO Johann Strobl. This is a common achievement of all RBI employees and complements the primary measure of success for the bank, customer feedback.
In addition to the regional award, RBI also won "Best Bank" awards for its subsidiary banks - Tatra banka in Slovakia and Raiffeisen Bank Aval in the VEF member country Ukraine.
Fotocredit: Raiffeisen Bank International AG
High distinction for the Vice-President of Vienna Economic Forum Dr. Ognian Donev
Vienna Economic Forum (VEF) is pleased to announce that Dr. Ognian Donev, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Executive Director of Sopharma PLC, as well as Vice-President of VEF, was awarded the highest annual business award in Bulgaria - "Mr. Economics".
This year, as per the 30th anniversary issue of the prestigious rankings from the "Economics" magazine and the Association of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (KRIB), the awards were given to the five managers and entrepreneurs who have made the greatest contribution to the development of a successful and sustainable business climate in Bulgaria in the past three decades
The prizes were awarded by five ministers of the current Bulgarian government which is a sign of recognition from the side of politics and the involved institutions.
Vienna Economic Forum is proud to have Dr. Ognian Donev in the front ranks of the Forum and wishes him many business and personal successes.
Further intensification of the contacts of Vienna Economic Forum with the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates H.E. Ibrahim S.M. AL Musharrakh
The Secretary General of Vienna Economic Forum Ambassador Dr. Elena KIRTCHEVA on 19 October 2020 invited the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Austria, H.E. Mr. Ibrahim S.M. AL MUSHARRAKH, to meet and exchange ideas with the partners in the Law Firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Dr. Willibald PLESSER and Dr. Stephan PACHINGER, Member of the VEF Board.
In a friendly and open atmosphere, very interesting potential opportunities for future cooperation were discussed.
The economic and social development of the United Arab Emirates is highly valued by many of the Vienna Economic Forum members and is a good prerequisite for the geographical expansion of the VEF activities.
The Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates H.E. Ibrahim S.M. AL Musharrakh took part in a „Future-oriented talk” at Vienna Economic Forum
Vienna Economic Forum (VEF) would like to thank H.E. Mr. Ibrahim S.M. AL MUSHARRAKH, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates in Austria, for the interesting exchange on future cooperation possibilities with the President of VEF DI Peter UMUNDUM, Member of the Management Board, Parcel & Logistics, Austrian Post AG, the Secretary General of VEF, Ambassador Dr. Elena KIRTCHEVA, the new President of the Board and CEO of DENIZBANK AG Mr. Wouter VAN ROSTE and his predecessor and VEF Board member Mr. Ahmet Mesut ERSOY.
The intense process of opening up of the United Arab Emirates, the vision for the future, as well as the economic development of the country, which aims to become an economic hub in the Arab region that not simply relays on traditional branches of the economy but increasingly focuses on modernization, Technology development and artificial intelligence.
Considering these developments the number of potential areas of economic cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and Europe is constantly growing, which makes the country eager to become more preset here. By offering its extensive discussion platform Vienna Economic Forum is ready to collaborate on achieving better access. We are confident that the true potential of the economic cooperation with the United Arab Emirates should be discovered by all members and partners of Vienna Economic Forum.
Intensive “Talks about the Future” in the premises of Vienna Economic Forum
On 24th of September 2020 in the premises of Vienna Economic Forum (VEF) the President of VEF DI Peter UMUNDUM, Member of the Management Board, Parcel & Logistics, Austrian Post AG and the Secretary General, Ambassador Dr. Elena KIRTCHEVA met the new President of the Board and CEO of DENIZBANK AG Mr. Wouter VAN ROSTE and his predecessor and VEF Board member Mr. Ahmet Mesut ERSOY for a „future-oriented talk”, a well established exchange framework.
Vienna Economic Forum is proud to have DENIZBANK AG as a long-standing VEF member and supporter of the VEF activities. We are happy to be able to further develop our excellent cooperation in new dimensions while also looking at new geographical directions.
Vienna Economic Forum “Talks about the Future” continue, this time at the Novomatic AG headquarters in Gumpoldskirchen
On 10. September 2020, the Secretary General of Vienna Economic Forum Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva visited the headquarters of NOVOMATIC AG in Gumpoldskirchen upon the invitation of the COO DI Ryszard Presch.
In a "tour d‘horizon" many topics of the long-standing excellent cooperation were discussed.
Particular attention was paid to the organization of the upcoming “Special Edition” of the 17th Vienna Economic Forum - Vienna Future Dialogue 2020 which will take place on 16. November 2020 under the motto “Economy meets Politics in a digital World”.
Further active cooperation was discussed, underlining the broad, comprehensive and globally recognized successes of the technological giant Novomatic AG and their implementation especially for the member countries of Vienna Economic Forum in the time of great challenges of the "New Type of Mobility".
Within the framework of this talk, NOVOMATIC board member Dipl.-Ing. Presch, highlighted that the main focus, of the Group, from the very start has been on maintaining the health of the employees and safeguarding the jobs. Thanks to great efforts, it has been possible to secure and maintain jobs despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the summer break, the series of intensive “talks about the future” with members of Vienna Economic Forum were continued.
During a very constructive talk on 3. September 2020, Ing. Wolfgang Schaffer, Head of Customer Related Services & PMO of bit media e-solutions GmbH, Member of Vienna Economic Forum and Secretary General Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva talked about the challenges that digitalization imposes on the reality in the era of "new mobility" and discussed further regional expansion of VEF activities.
A series of "Vienna Economic Forum - Talks about the Future" was completed
During June and July 2020, the Members of the Board of Vienna Economic Forum exchanged their views on the upcoming VEF activities under the current specific circumstances in a series of “Talks about the future”.
On 15th of July 2020, VEF- President DI Peter Umundum, Secretary General Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva, VEF- Vice President Dr. Achim Kaspar, VEF- Financial Referent Mag. Heinz Messinger, as well as the Members of the VEF Board Mag. Stefan Szyszkowitz, Mag. Peter Lennkh and Dr. Stephan Pachinger met each other. A special emphasis was placed on the form of the forthcoming 17. Vienna Economic Forum -Vienna Future Dialogue 2020 planned for 16. November 2020. The Members of the VEF Board agreed that a „Special Edition“ of the 17th Vienna Economic Forum in a hybrid form of physical and digital participation is best suited bearing in mind the ongoing circumstances.
Vienna Economic Forum is expecting an interesting event and will timely notify and keep all members, partners and friends informed.
“Talks about the future” with Dr. Ludwig Niessen, VEF Board member at the Vienna Economic Forum premises
Dr. Ludwig Niessen, member of The Board of Vienna Economic Forum and Secretary General, Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva discussed the topic of “Economy meets politics in a digital world” on 6. July 2020 at the premises of Vienna Economic Forum.
During the very productive talks, the organization of the forthcoming 17. Vienna Economic Forum- Vienna Future Dialogue 2020 on 16. November 2020 was discussed in detail and were shared views for an organisation in a hybrid form of a digital rather than physical participation.
The Secretary General thanked VEF Board member and representative of the Wiener Börse Dr. Ludwig Niessen for his constant and very active support.
Working Talks between VEF President DI Peter Umundum and Secretary General, Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva
During intensive working talks at the new VEF premises on 2. July 2020, VEF President DI Peter Umundum and Secretary General, Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva discussed and analyzed various possible scenarios for the organization of the 17th Vienna Economic Forum - Vienna Future Dialogue 2020 which is to take place on 16. November 2020 in Vienna.
Under the current specific circumstances, the traditional series of „Talks about the future“ with the VEF board members continue in a responsible manner.
The motto of the 17. Vienna Economic Forum in the year 2020 is: "Economy meets Politics in a Digital World".
The series of intensive „Talks about the future“ with Members of the Board of Vienna Economic Forum resumed after the quarantine period.
In a “tour d'horizon” on 30. June 2020, the Managing Director of CANON CEE (Central Eastern Europe) and Board member of Vienna Economic Forum, Mr. Wilbert Verheijen and the Secretary General Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva discussed further VEF activities during the “new mobility” period and agreed upon an even more active collaboration in the coming years.
„Talks about the future“ at the Vienna Economic Forum premises
The long-time President and Co-Founder of Vienna Economic Forum, Vice-Chancellor Dr. Erhard Busek and Secretary General, Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva met on 29. June 2020 at the new premises of Vienna Economic Forum in order to discuss the development of the mutual “VEF Vision” in the coming years.
The topic of the friendly, as always, very open discussion was also the upcoming 17. Vienna Economic Forum which is to take place on 16. November 2020 in Vienna.
The Secretary General thanked the Honorary President Dr. Busek for his constant support and his great contribution to the VEF success story.
Der Präsident des Vienna Economic Forum DI Peter Umundum als Vorstand Paket & Logistik bestätigt
Der Aufsichtsrat der Österreichischen Post AG hat in seiner letzten ordentlichen Sitzung Peter Umundum zum Vorstand Paket & Logistik wiederbestellt. Seine aktuelle Funktionsperiode läuft noch bis 31. März 2021 und wird danach um drei Jahre bis 2024 verlängert, mit einer anschließenden Verlängerungsoption um weitere zwei Jahre.
Seine Verantwortungsbereiche umfassen das Paketgeschäft Österreich und Tochterunternehmen und Gesellschaften in zehn europäischen Ländern mit Schwerpunkt CEE (Mittel- und Osteuropäische Länder). Darüber hinaus trägt er die Gesamtverantwortung für die Brief- und Paketlogistik Österreich mit rund 13.000 Mitarbeitenden. Zudem ist er Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates des europäischen Distributionsnetzwerkes Eurodis.
Karriere in der Medienbranche
Peter Umundum startete nach seinem Studium der Informatik und Technischen Mathematik seine berufliche Karriere im Jahr 1988 in der Steirerbrau AG, wo er die Leitung der Organisations- und Informatikabteilung übernahm. 1994 wechselte er als IT-Leiter in die Styria Medien AG und stieg bereits zwei Jahre später zum Geschäftsführer der Tochtergesellschaft Media Consult Austria GmbH auf. 1999 war er Mitbegründer und Geschäftsführer von redmail. Im Jahr 2001 wurde Peter Umundum mit der Geschäftsführung der Tageszeitung Die Presse betraut und drei Jahre später in die Geschäftsführung der Tageszeitung Kleine Zeitung berufen.
Nach zehn Jahren Tätigkeit bei der Styria Gruppe folgte 2005 der Wechsel zur Österreichischen Post, wo er als Mitglied der Divisionsleitung Brief im größten Geschäftsfeld des Unternehmens tätig war. Mit 1. April 2011 wurde er zum Vorstand Paket & Logistik bestellt.
Der Vorstand des Vienna Economic Forum gratuliert herzlich dem VEF Präsidenten DI Peter Umundum!
Information
On behalf of the Board of Vienna Economic forum and together with Their Excellencies, the Ambassadors, Members of the Ambassador Committee of Vienna Economic Forum, we would like to inform all our Members, Partners and Friends, that the 19th Traditional Garden Party „Culinary and musical journey through the member countries of Vienna Economic Forum”, planned for 19th of June 2020, must be postponed due to the regulations enforced upon the current quarantine circumstances.
We would be delighted to once again welcome all of you to our mutual, traditional and pleasant summer event on Friday, 18th of June 2021!
We wish you and your Family to “Stay healthy!” and we are hopeful and impatient, looking forward to the next Vienna Economic Forum Garden Party Summer 2021!
Annual general meeting of the Vienna Economic Forum on March 9, 2020
The annual general meeting of the Vienna Economic Forum took place
on March 9, 2020 at the headquarters of Österreichische Post AG, Rochusplatz 1, 1030 Vienna.
The President DI Dr. Günther Rabensteiner opened the meeting, welcomed the members present and gave the floor to the host, DI Peter Umundum, who in turn welcomed the guests to the Trumpet Hall of the corporate headquarters of Österreichische Post AG.
The Secretary General Ambassador a. D. Dr. Elena Kirtcheva reported on the
VEF activities in a very successful year for Vienna Economic Forum 2019 and informed about the planned events in 2020, as well as the relocation of the VEF office from Stubenring 16 to the ambassador quarter on Prinz-Eugen-Straße 58.
The VEF President DI Dr. Günther Rabensteiner informed about the admission of new VEF members at the board meeting on February 10, 2020 as follows:
New as cooperation partner:
- Steiermärkische Bank and Sparkassen AG
- As a cooperation partner – by changing membership, Pöyry Management Consulting Austria GmbH
As members – legal entities
- Ecolog Germany GmbH
- Serentschy Advisory Services GmbH, Vienna
As a member-natural person
- Ms. Irina Yordanova, Director Public Affairs & Projects, Confederation of Employers and Industrials in Bulgaria (CEIBG)
The new VEF members were unanimously welcomed by the general assembly.
The General Assembly also made the following decisions:
Mr. DI Peter UMUNDUM, board member of Österreichische Post AG, was elected as the new VEF presidentfor the next term of office;
As Vice Presidents Mag. Harald Neumann, Novomatic AG, Dr. Ognian Donev, Chairmann of the Board of Directors and Executive Director Sopharma PLC, Bulgaria,
Dr. Achim Kaspar, Member of the Board of VERBUND AG and Mag. Heinz Messinger, Managing Director, AME International GmbH, elected as a financial officer with the skills of a Vice President;
Newly elected VEF board members are:
Mr. Mag. Peter Lennkh, Member of the Board of Directors of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), Mr. Ahmet Burak Dağlioğlu, President, Presidency of the Republic of Turkey Investment Office, Dr. Wolfgang Pospischil, Management Director, Pöyry Management Consulting Austria GmbH, Mr. Wilbert Verheijen,Managing Director Canon Central & Eastern Europe GmbH.
The following were re-elected as board members:
Mr. Ahmet Mesut Ersoy, Chairman of the Management Board, CEO, DenizBank AG;
Mr. Emmanuel Forest, CEO, Bouygues Europe, Brussels, Belgium; Dr. Kurt Gollowitzer, CEO, Wien Holding GmbH; Amb. Victor Jackovich, President, Jackovich International, USA;
Dr. Gabriel Lansky, partner, LANSKY, GANGER + partner; Dr. Ludwig Niessen, Chief Operating & Technology Officer, Wiener Börse AG; Prof. Dr. Günther Ofner, Member of the Executive Board, Flughafen Wien AG; Mag. Stefan Szyszkowitz, Spokesman of the Executive Board, EVN AG; Mag. Thomas Arnoldner, CEO, A1 Telekom Austria Group AG; Mr. Aleksandar Vlahovic, President of the Serbian Association of Economists, Serbia; Dr. Klaus Liebscher, Former Governor of the Austrian National Bank; Dr. Karl Blecha, former Federal Minister of Interior of the Republic of Austria.
Ambassador a. D. Dr. Elena Kirtcheva was re-elected as a member of the board and VEF Secretary General for another term of office.
Mr. DI Dr. Günther Rabensteiner was unanimously elected Honorary President of the Vienna Economic Forum.
The auditors Mag. Gregor Höpler, Head of Management Secretariat Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI) and Mag. Ekkehart Stremizer, Managing Director AME International GmbH, were unanimously re-electedfor another term of office.
The following were confirmed as members of the arbitral tribunal of the Vienna Economic Forum:
KR. Ing. Otto Musilek, Consultant, MEC Management Energy Consulting, member of the Vienna Economic Forum; Mag.Marika Levena, Strategic Advisor, European Investment Bank (EIB), member of the Vienna Economic Forum and Dr. Friedhelm Boschert, Founder, MINDFUL SOLUTIONS and Executive Advisor, member of the Vienna Economic Forum.
Honorary membership in the Vienna Economic Forum's honorary committee was awarded to the following persons: Dr. Sonja Sagmeister-Brandner, author and journalist, ZIB 2, editorship of the current service, ORF; Mr. Sali Limani, “Triple-S Trade”, PR Marketing & Media Company, North Macedonia; Mr. Nikolay Tsenkov, Governor, Municipal Guarantee Fund for SME, s Sofia Municipality.
The following were elected and warmly welcomed as new members of the VEF Ambassador Committee: H. E. Mr. Daniel Gluncic, Ambassador of Croatia; H.E. Mr. Lulzim Pllana, Ambassador of Kosovo and H.E. Mr. Ozan Ceyhun, Ambassador of Turkey.
In a nice ceremony Dr. Rabensteiner the office of president to DI Peter Umundum, who first to DI Dr. Günther Rabensteiner thanked for his activities and especially for his calm, factual and cosmopolitan manner and then thanked and emphasized for the trust, he wants to carry the office well into the future and to develop the forum well.
The new VEF President DI Peter Umundum praised the network that had been established in the past few years, the new Vice President Dr. Achim Kaspar thanked DI Dr. Günther Rabensteiner for the good cooperation in the past 25 years in the network and emphasizes the foresight and the good steps towards evolution and globalization, which DI Dr. Günther Rabensteiner were always forced.
DI Umundum thanked the Secretary General Ambassador a. D. Dr. Elena Kirtcheva and her team, without whom the forum would not exist in this way.
The Secretary General Ambassador a.D. Dr. Elena Kirtcheva expressed a big thank you to all members and partners of the Vienna Economic Forum for the trust and constant support that makes it possible to continue writing the success story of the Vienna Economic Forum.
The host and VEF President DI Peter Umundum then held a small reception in honor of Honorary President DI Dr. Günther Rabensteiner, where members had the opportunity to discuss various opportunities and ideas for further cooperation in the Vienna Economic Forum region in an informal atmosphere.
----------
Ordinary board meeting of the Vienna Economic Forum on February 10, 2020
The annual Ordinary Board Meeting of the Vienna Economic Forum took place on February 10, 2020 in the premises of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, in Seilergasse 16, 1010 Vienna.
The host, Dr. Stephan Pachinger, member of the board of the Vienna Economic Forum, welcomed the attendees and spoke introductory words to the process.
The Secretary General Ambassador a. D. Dr. Elena Kirtcheva reported on VEF activities in a very successful year for Vienna Economic Forum 2019 and informed the board about the planned events in 2020.
Chaired by VEF President DI Dr. Günther Rabensteiner unanimously elected new VEF members - as cooperation partners, as members - legal persons and members - natural persons.
Decisions were made to propose to the general assembly to make the following decisions: changes in the board; Election, re-election and co-opting of board members; Updates of various VEF bodies: Honorary Committee, Ambassadorial Committee, Auditor, Arbitration Court.
Afterwards, the board members took the opportunity to discuss various ideas for the further successful development of the Vienna Economic Forum and regional cooperation in the informal atmosphere of a reception.
The Annual General Meeting of the Vienna Economic Forum will take place on March 9, 2020 at the headquarters of Österreichische Post AG, Rochusplatz 1, 1030 in Vienna.
----------
Official visit of the Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic, H.E. Bakyt Dzhusupov at the Vienna Economic Forum
H.E. Mr. Bakyt Dzhusupov, Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic in Vienna, accompanied by Mr. Kanat Tursunkulov, Minister Counselor in the Embassy, paid an official visit to the Vienna Economic Forum on 6. March 2020.
During this first meeting with the Secretary General of Vienna Economic Forum, Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva, various options for future cooperation between the countries of Central Asia and the Vienna Economic Forum member countries in the economic sector were discussed.
----------
Courtesy visit to the Vienna Economic Forum of the new Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey S.E. Mr. Ozan Ceyhun
The new ambassador of the Republic of Turkey, S.E. Mr. Ozan Ceyhun completed a courtesy visit to the Vienna Economic Forum on March 6, 2020.
In an intensive talk with the Secretary General, Ambassador a.D. Dr. Elena Kirtcheva discussed ways to work more closely with the embassy.
Vienna Economic Forum is pleased to see S.E. Mr. Ozan Ceyhun, as a new member of the Ambassador Committee of the Vienna Economic Forum.
----------
Farewell reception to the Ambassador of Kosovo, H.E. Mr. Mag. Sami Ukelli, Member of the Ambassadors Committee of Vienna Economic Forum
On 30 January 2020, the Ambassador of Kosovo, H.E. Mr. Mag. Sami Ukelli, Member of the Ambassadors Committee of Vienna Economic Forum, invited to his farewell reception in the Embassy's premises.
On behalf of the VEF Board, the Secretary General Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva thanked for the excellent cooperation with the Embassy of Kosovo and personally thanked H.E. Ambassador Sami Ukelli and she gave him the "Badge of Honour of Vienna Economic Forum" with her best wishes for further professional and personal success.
----------
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Vienna Economic Forum and Business Ladies Club Austria (BLC)
In the premises of Vienna Economic Forum on 23 January 2020 was signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by DI Dr. Günther Rabensteiner, President of Vienna Economic Forum, and Secretary General Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva with Ms. Velina Ileva, Chairwoman of Business Ladies Club (BL) Austria.
In view of this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the two parties would like to establish good cooperation and promote the development of further economic activities.
The Business Ladies Club (BLC) has nominated VEF-Secretary General Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva for her positive and professional contribution to the good image of Bulgaria as an outgoing personality of the year 2019 and awarded her the BLC Honorary Award "Golden Rose 2019" on 12 January 2020.
