Moderation during the Day
Tibor Szanyi, Vice-Chair of Advisory Board of the Vienna Congress; former Member of the European Parliament

Opening of the 21. Vienna Congress 2024 

Opening words | Peter Hanke, Executive City Councillor of Finance, Business, Labour, International Affairs and Vienna Public Utilities

Opening words | Kasia Greco, Vice-President, Vienna Chamber of Commerce

Opening words | Claudia Mischensky, Deputy Director General of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV); Managing Director of the Confederation of Industry, Carinthia

Opening words | Alfred Harl, Chairman of the Professional Association of Management Consultancy, Accounting and Information Technology, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Vice President – FEACO

Opening words | David Ungar-Klein, Initiator, Vienna Congress

Keynote Speech | Heino Falcke, Professor of Astroparticle Physics and Radio Astronomy; Recipient of the Balzan Prize 2023

In a time characterized by polycrises, advancing digitalization as well as questions of mobility and connectivity, it is crucial to understand the potential effects on the economy and to analyze the necessary alignment of economies, states, companies and society in order to act in a crisis-proof manner in the coming years. Regions are increasingly coming into focus as they are often underestimated key players when it comes to value creation and growth in Europe. Regional, often cross-border areas of strength are becoming increasingly important in international competition. The question arises which regional success strategies have a future and what makes regions attractive as locations, such as workforce, educational institutions and infrastructure.

Introductory note | Günther Ofner, Member of the Management Board of Vienna International Airport – Flughafen Wien AG; Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Österreichische Beteiligungs AG – Austria Holding PLC (ÖBAG)

Introductory note | Andreas Reichhardt, Head of Directorate-General VI – Telecommunications, Postal Services and Mining, Federal Ministry of Finance, Republic of Austria

Introductory note | Moritz Leuenberger, former President of the Swiss Confederation, former Member of the Swiss Federal Council & Head of the Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications

Panel Discussion

Moderation: Maximilian Scherr – Partner & Head of Strategy, Arthur D. Little Austria

Panelists:
Alexander Biach – Deputy Director of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, Location-Lawyer of Vienna
Otmar Kloiber – Secretary General of the World Medical Association (WMA)
Lukas Mandl – Member of the European Parliament
Gabriele Schindl – Entrepreneur and Business Angel
Birgit Wagner – Head of Corporate Development, Porr AG; Managing Director, Strauss Property Management GmbH; Member of the Supervisory Board, UBM Development AG

Coffee Break

Inflation, labor shortage and the energy crisis are putting pressure on states, companies and society. The current sources of tension in Europe and the world have an enormous impact on the supply- and economic situation. Which alternative economic and political models and solutions are conceivable and groundbreaking for a stable future? In what way do new digital technologies influence democracy and people? Will we be able to withstand the accumulation of different crises? What future does the European economic model have and what dead ends should Europe avoid now? The experts discuss the prospects for the future and look for answers to these pressing questions.

Introductory note | President Václav Klaus, former President of the Czech Republic; Chair of Advisory Board of the Vienna Congress

Introductory note | Iain Begg, Professorial Research Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science

Panel Discussion

Moderation: Wolfgang Baumann – President, Board of Trustees for Comprehensive National Defense

Panelists:
Iain Begg – Professorial Research Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science
Kasia Greco – Vice-President, Vienna Chamber of Commerce
Enver Hoxhaj – former Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo; Member of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo
President Václav Klaus – former President of the Czech Republic; Chair of Advisory Board of the Vienna Congress
Sebastian Kummer – Head of the Institute for Transport and Logistics Management, Vienna University of Economics and Business

Lunch Break

The increasing use of digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI) poses massive challenges to economic design and political shaping in the future. The responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) requires clear legal framework conditions. It is the responsibility of politics to educate society about the risks and opportunities of digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). It is crucial to understand the possible impacts on our economy and to analyze the required alignment of economies, states, companies and society. A key role in this context is played by the expansion of infrastructure with a special focus on digital infrastructure, a targeted training- and employment offer for skilled workers in order to counteract the increasing shortage of skilled labour as well as a focus on innovations and new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Digitalization and especially artificial intelligence (AI) will most likely determine the success of many economies, companies and societies in the future.

Introductory note | Dan Shechtman, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry; Vice-Chair of Advisory Board of the Vienna Congress

Panel Discussion

Moderation: Oskar Mencer – CEO – Maxeler Technologies, a Groq Company

Panelists:
Ophir Frieder – Professor, Georgetown University; Chief Scientific Officer, Invaryant
GroqChat – Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Ingrid Kriegl – Founder and Managing Director, Sphinx IT Consulting
Marsha Lipton – CO-Founder & CEO of NFTrends
Karim Taga – Managing Partner, Global Practice Leader Time, Arthur D. Little Austria
Claus Zeppelzauer – Division Head Companies & Technology, Chief Executive Officer Ecoplus Digitial GmbH, Ecoplus. The Business Agency of Lower Austria

Coffee Break

Science constantly brings new insights and helps us to understand and improve the world with it’s complex processes. It should not be forgotten that science needs the trust and interest of society. However, in many areas of the population, there is a tendency to skepticism and lack of interest in science. What are the reasons for a skeptical or disinterested attitude towards science and how can this be counteracted? How can we use scientific excellence to successfully shape the future? In the age of digitalization, following question arises: What influence do new digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) have on science?

Panel Discussion

Moderation: Sierd Cloetingh – Distinguished Professor Utrecht University; former President of the Academia Europaea

Panelists:
Lujain Alqodmani – President of the World Medical Association (WMA)
Heino Falcke – Professor of Astroparticle Physics and Radio Astronomy; Recipient of the Balzan Prize 2023
Eva Kondorosi – Recipient of the Balzan Prize 2018 for Chemical Ecology, Member of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors of the European Commission
Dan Shechtman – Nobel Laureate in Chemistry; Vice-Chair of Advisory Board of the Vienna Congress

Closing Remarks | Tibor Szanyi, Vice-Chair of Advisory Board of the Vienna Congress; former Member of the European Parliament