Europe stands at a critical crossroads. Security, economic resilience, and energy autonomy have emerged as fundamental priorities for the European project, amid a global environment of multiple crises. With the central theme “Progress in an Age of Turbulence,” the landmark 30th Round Table Discussion of the Economist with the Greek Government captures the challenges posed by geopolitical flashpoints in the Middle East and Ukraine, the dizzying rise of artificial intelligence, and the race against time to address the climate crisis.
The Economist conference at Grand Resort Lagonissi, July 8–10
The conference will take place on 8, 9 and 10 July 2026 at the Grand Resort Lagonissi, with simultaneous online broadcast (YouTube: Economist Enterprise South-East Europe / www.hazliseconomist.com). The sessions will be chaired by Daniel Franklin, Executive Editor and Senior Editor for Britain at The Economist, Joan Hoey, EIU Adviser for Europe, Alasdair Ross, International Affairs Editor of The Economist’s annual publication “The World Ahead 2026,” and Fani Papageorgiou, Editor of The Economist’s Money Talks newsletter.
Economist conference: confirmed speakers
H.E. President of the Hellenic Republic Konstantinos An. Tasoulas
Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Cyprus (via link)
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece
Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament
Enrico Letta, EU Rapporteur on the future of the single market and former Prime Minister of Italy
Alexander Poulev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry of Bulgaria
Abdullah Gül, former President of the Republic of Turkey
Armen Sarkissian, former President and former Prime Minister of Armenia
Boris Tadić, former President of the Republic of Serbia
Ahmet Davutoğlu, former Prime Minister of Turkey
Charles Michel, former Prime Minister of Belgium and former President of the European Council
Alexis Tsipras, President, SYRIZA, former Prime Minister of Greece
Robert Habeck, former Vice Chancellor of Germany
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, European Commission
Dubravka Šuica, Commissioner for the Mediterranean, European Commission (video message)
Kostis Hatzidakis, Deputy Prime Minister of Greece
Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of National Economy and Finance, President of the Eurogroup
Giorgos Gerapetritis, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Nikos Dendias, Minister of National Defence
Adonis Georgiadis, Minister of Health
Stavros Papastavrou, Minister of Environment and Energy
Takis Theodorikakos, Minister of Development
Thanos Plevris, Minister of Migration and Asylum
Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance
Michalis Damianos, Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry of Cyprus
Dorin Junghietu, Minister of Energy of Moldova
Iva Petrova, Minister of Energy of Bulgaria
Ivan Vasilev, Minister of Innovation and Digital Transformation of Bulgaria
Haris Theocharis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy and Extroversion
Tasos Chatzivasileiou, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for European Affairs
Marios Themistocleous, Deputy Minister of Health
Nikos Tsafos, Deputy Minister of Energy
Artem Rybchenko, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine
Alona Shkrum, First Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine
Amre Moussa, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, former Secretary-General of the Arab League
Sameh Shoukry, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt
Stefanos Agiasoglou, Chief Executive Officer, OSY
Theoni Alampasi, Secretary General for the Financial Sector and Private Debt Management, Ministry of National Economy and Finance
His Eminence the Metropolitan of Alexandroupolis, Traianoupolis and Samothrace, Anthimos
Milena Apostolaki, Member of Parliament, PASOK–Movement for Change, former Deputy Minister of Rural Development
Michalis Argyrou, Head of the Prime Minister’s Economic Office
Ameca, the world’s most advanced social humanoid robot
Anne Applebaum, journalist, author and historian
Sotiris Vandoros, Professor of Health Economics, UCL, Affiliated Professor, Harvard University
Makis Voridis, Member of Parliament, New Democracy, former Minister
Gus Bilirakis, Congressman and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, U.S. House of Representatives
Evelyne Bischof, Head of Medical Department, Sheba Longevity Centre, President, Healthy Longevity Medicine Society
Robert Blotevogel, Coordinator of the European Stability Mechanism team for Greece
Peter Bofinger, economist, former member of the German Council of Economic Experts
Volkan Bozkir, former President of the United Nations General Assembly
Emmanuel Brutin, Director General, NuclearEurope
Yannis Georgoulas, Non-Executive Director, ECOMMBX
Thanos Georgountzos, legal counsel and policy adviser, founder and Executive Director, WeSolve Think Tank
Victor Yiannikopoulos, high school student with research interests in space medicine, artificial intelligence and astrophysics, Pierce – The American College of Greece
Dimitris Demos, President and Chief Executive Officer, DEMO, Vice President, Panhellenic Union of Pharmaceutical Industry (PEF)
Anna Diamantopoulou, President, Network for Reform in Greece and Europe, former European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
John Dautzenberg, former White House official, founder, JPD Global Advisors
Alexandros Exarchou, President and Chief Executive Officer, AKTOR Group, Chief Executive Officer, Atlantic SEE LNG Trade
Colin Ellis, Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics
Tom Duff Gordon, Vice President and Head of Policy for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), OpenAI
Kimberly Ann Guilfoyle, Ambassador of the United States to the Hellenic Republic
Robert Hanea, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Therme Group
Jack Hidary, Chief Executive Officer, SandboxAQ
Věra Jourová, lawyer, former Vice President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency
Domagoj Juričić, former Director of the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Senior Political Risk Management Adviser, MKPS, Croatia
Emmanouil Karalis, Olympic bronze medallist
Vassilis Karkatzounis, Special Secretary for Artificial Intelligence and Data Governance
Joong Shik Kang, Head of Mission for Greece, IMF
Elisabeth Kelan, Professor of Leadership and Organisation, King’s College London
Saad Bin Ali Al Kharji, President, Qatar Tourism
Pelayo Cortina Koplowitz, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Oakmond
Georgios Kormas, Independent Non-Executive Member, ONYX Touristiki
Stefan Kraus, Chief Operating Officer, Henley & Partners
Dmytro Lubinets, Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
Manos Manousakis, President and Chief Executive Officer, Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO)
Evangelos Marinakis, Founder and President, Capital Maritime & Trading Corp
Georgios Batsakis, Professor of International Business, Alba Graduate Business School, The American College of Greece
Pavlos Mylonas, Chief Executive Officer, National Bank of Greece
Paul Meeks, Head of Technology Research, Freedom Capital Markets
Osama Mobarez, Secretary General, East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF)
Noah Molinski, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Von Ardenne Health
Pierre Moscovici, Member, European Court of Auditors, former First President of the French Court of Auditors, former European Commissioner
Dora Bakoyannis, Member of Parliament and President of the Standing Parliamentary Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs
Thanasis Navrozoglou, President and Chief Executive Officer, Natech Banking Solutions
Dmytro Natalukha, President, State Property Fund of Ukraine
Hryhoriy Nemyria, First Deputy Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, former Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine
Sophia Nikolova, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, BioBliss
Michael Oberreiter, Head of International External Affairs, Roche
Georgios Pagoulatos, Ambassador of Greece to the OECD
Lambros Papakonstantinou, President, IDEAL Holdings
Dimitris Papalexopoulos, President, TITAN
Andreas Papandreou, Professor, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Co-Chair, SDSN Greece
Iakovos Petropoulas, Senior Adviser for the Middle East–North Africa, Vigilis Group
Lefteris Petrounias, Olympic gold medallist
Giorgos Pitsilis, Governor, Independent Authority for Public Revenue (IAPR)
Kavita Patel, General Manager for Greece and Cyprus, Roche Hellas
Geoffrey Pyatt, Senior Managing Director, McLarty Associates, former Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, U.S. Department of State, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine and Greece, Distinguished Fellow, Atlantic Council, Chairman, DTEK Advisory Council
Mathios Rigas, Chief Executive Officer, Energean
Kristian Ruby, Secretary General, Eurelectric
Yannis Sifakis, Director General of Commercial Development, Tiresias
Georgios Sioufas, Managing Partner and Founder, Sioufas & Associates Law Firm
Michail Stasinopoulos, President, Viohalco, President, Greek Production – Council of Industries for Development
Aristofanis Stefatos, Chief Executive Officer, Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company (HEREMA)
Katerina Stefanidi, Olympic gold medallist
Yannis Stournaras, Governor, Bank of Greece
Elita Sfakiotaki, lawyer, legal adviser at the Ministry of Digital Governance
Maria Sferruzza, Chief Executive Officer, DESFA
Iwona Sikora, Senior Vice President and General Manager, EMEA, Iron Mountain
Feridun Sinirlioğlu, Secretary General, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
John Sitilides, geopolitical strategy analyst, Senior Fellow for Global Risk, Centre for the National Interest, former diplomatic adviser to the U.S. Department of State
Dan Stratan, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, RCI Holding
Christina Tarnanidou, Associate Professor of Commercial Law, Athens University of Economics and Business, Senior Partner, Sardelas Petsa Law Firm
Theofanis Tasis, Professor of Philosophy of Information and Digital Humanism, Ionian University, Visiting Professor
