In Wiesbaden, near Frankfurt, the International Investors' Conference “Europe at a Crossroads - Are We Still Competitive?” took place yesterday. The event, organized as part of its Annual Meeting by the European Federation of Investors and Financial Services Users (BETTER FINANCE) – in collaboration with the German Association for Shareholders (DSW), has become a well-established tradition.
The gathering was officially opened with an address by Natasha Cazenave, Executive Director of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). Following the introduction, panel discussions were held, featuring high-level representatives from prominent companies and institutions, including the European Commission, Deutsche Börse, Deutsche Bank, Norges Bank Investment Management, the international law firm Linklaters, corporations such as K+S, Henkel, SAP, GEA Group, the Federation of European Securities Exchanges (FESE), DSW, BETTER FINANCE, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, and the Vienna University of Economics and Business, etc.
Distinguished guests, representing the financial industry and regulatory institutions, engaged in discussions on building resilience and developing strategies in Europe’s complex environment, turning challenges into opportunities, advancing the Capital Markets Union, fostering investor participation, and strengthening European competitiveness through digital transformation.
VZMD President and a member of the BETTER FINANCE Executive Board, Mr. Kristjan Verbič, actively participated in the event. On Monday, Mr. Verbič took part in the sessions of the Legal Committee, the Executive Board, and the General Assembly. During the latter, in addition to presenting VZMD’s activities, he delivered a short speech inviting attendees to observe a minute of silence in memory of the late Henning Wegener, the longstanding General Secretary of the Spanish Association of Shareholders (AEMEC), a member of Euroshareholders and the World Federation of Investors (WFI), an accomplished diplomat, and a close associate of VZMD since its establishment 20 years ago.
On the sidelines of the event, Mr. Verbič held discussions with various participants about VZMD’s ongoing efforts to address the injustices faced by dispossessed shareholders & bondholders of Slovenian banks, legislative initiatives and frameworks, the development of the “Share SUPPORT” program, and collective actions undertaken by the Association against four Slovenian telecommunications operators (Telekom Slovenije, Telemach Slovenija, A1, and T-2), among other issues.
As part of its international business-investor programs, investo.si & investo.international, VZMD once again ensured the appropriate promotion of opportunities, activities, and possibilities for companies and investors. With the Wiesbaden conference, VZMD President concluded another intensive year of international business-investor program activities, which have already secured direct participation in 2024 events in Miami, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, San Marcos, Ghent, Brussels, Sofia, Vilnius, Paris, Budapest, Milan, Shanghai, and once again in Paris, Brussels, and Frankfurt.
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