Agenda 2026

08.30 - 09.00 / Registration

09.00 - 09.10 / Opening Remarks

09.10 - 10.10 / PANEL 1 / From Risk to Resilience

Navigating a New Geopolitical Reality

Last year, leading economists, policymakers and financial-sector representatives gathered to discuss the risks dominating the economic outlook and to assess what the year ahead might bring. One year later, the challenge has fundamentally changed.

Geopolitical tensions have intensified, trade and energy markets have become more unpredictable, fiscal space is under pressure, and economic shocks are increasingly interconnected. The question is therefore no longer only what the next risk will be — but whether economies, financial institutions and businesses are sufficiently prepared for a world in which shocks may arrive faster and with less warning.

This discussion will explore the new risk landscape, assess the resilience of SEE economies and ask what policymakers and markets should do differently when traditional economic forecasting becomes increasingly difficult.

10.10 - 11.10 / PANEL 2 / Capital Markets

From Savings to Investment

Capital markets in Southeast Europe still have significant room for development, while the region has substantial domestic savings and a growing need for long-term sources of financing. The key question is no longer simply how to develop capital markets, but how to connect savings, institutional capital and investment opportunities to create a market that offers companies an alternative to bank financing and investors a wider range of attractive and reliable instruments.

Regulatory developments, including the alignment with Solvency II standards, the emergence of new investment products and increasing digitalisation are reshaping how capital can be mobilised. At the same time, a new generation of investors is emerging, with financial decisions increasingly influenced by social media and digital platforms.

The panel will explore how SEE can build deeper, more liquid and integrated capital markets — and what is needed to turn the region’s potential in domestic savings and institutional capital into long-term investment and sustainable economic growth.

11.10 - 11.30 / Networking Break

11.30 - 12.30 / PANEL 3 / Investment Funds

Expanding Investment Opportunities in the Region

Investment funds are becoming an increasingly important channel for connecting savings with capital markets, offering investors diversification, professional management and access to different asset classes. Yet the range and availability of investment products in SEE still lag significantly behind those in developed markets.

The panel will explore how the region’s investment landscape is evolving — from traditional funds and global equity funds to ETFs, real estate funds and REITs — and what is needed to provide investors with more attractive, accessible and diversified investment opportunities.

12.30 - 13.30 / PANEL 4 / Data Centers

Where Does the Value Lie?

Where does the true value of a data center lie – in the land and the building, in its energy and IT capacity, in the infrastructure, in the users and contracted revenues, or in its ability to generate future cash flow?

The development of data centers represents a new investment field that connects real estate, energy, telecommunications, digital infrastructure, and the financial sector. Serbia already has a developed market for data center capacity, while significant expansion is expected in the coming years, including further development of state infrastructure in Kragujevac and new capacities in Niš and Novi Sad.

The panel will discuss how investors, banks, and appraisers currently approach the valuation of this new asset class and what makes a data center project a sustainable and financially attractive long-term investment.

13.30 - 14.30 / Lunch

14.30 - 15.15 / SPOTLIGHT SESSION / Banking Regulation, Innovation and Customer Expectations

15.15 - 16.15 / PANEL 5 / Real Assets in SEE

Where is Capital Moving Next? Real Estate, Private Credit and Alternative Investments in Southeast Europe

The SEE real estate market is entering a new phase in which investment decisions are increasingly driven not only by price and location, but also by access to capital, infrastructure quality, energy availability, digital connectivity and long-term market potential. At the same time, new sources of capital and emerging asset classes are reshaping the traditional investment landscape across the region.

The panel will explore whether capital is returning to the region, who is leading investment today, and which asset classes offer the greatest growth potential towards 2030. Particular attention will be given to emerging opportunities, including data centres, logistics, living and student housing, as well as alternative sources of financing and investor expectations for the next 3–5 years.

27 November 2026 / Belgrade / Mona Plaza Hotel