ECONOMIST : THE SIXTH THESSALONIKI METROPOLITAN SUMMIT
Leading up to 2030: Connectivity and growth for south – east Europe
September 3-4, 2026 “Ioannis Vellidis” Conference Center , Thessaloniki
Online broadcast:YouTube Economist Enterprise south – east Europe / www . hazliseconomist . com
In collaboration with Powergame.gr
Energy security, supply chain resilience and technological competition are redefining national strategies in a profoundly transforming global order. Within this international environment, strengthening connectivity, through multilateral cooperation schemes and infrastructures capable of driving growth in the region, is of particular importance. wider region of SE Europe. In this context, the 6th Economist Thessaloniki Metropolitan Summit is taking place , organized in collaboration with Powergame.gr on September 3 and 4 , 2026 at the ” Ioannis Velidis ” Conference Center in Thessaloniki .
The conference is attended by high-ranking officials from Greece and abroad under the chairmanship of Alasdair Ross , international affairs editor of The Economist ‘s annual forecast publication “The World Ahead 2027”:
Kostis Hatzidakis , Deputy Prime Minister
Kyriakos Pierrakakis , Minister of National Economy and Finance and President of the Eurogroup
George Gerapetritis , Minister of Foreign Affairs
Adonis Georgiades , Minister of Health
Christos Dimas , Minister of Infrastructure and Transport
Stavros Papastavrou , Minister of Environment and Energy
Nikos Papathanasis , Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance
Konstantinos Gkoulekas , Deputy Minister of Interior, Department of Macedonia and Thrace
Thanasis Kontogeorgis , Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister
Peter Frankopan , Professor of World History at the University of Oxford, Distinguished Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government
Oana – Silvia Ț oiu , Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania
Sanja Božinovska , Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of North Macedonia
Iva Petrova , Minister of Energy of Bulgaria
Artem Rybchenko , Deputy Minister, Ministry of Rehabilitation, Infrastructure and Transport of Ukraine
Stelios Angeloudis , Mayor of Thessaloniki
Joshua Volz , Special Envoy for Energy Integration, U.S. Department of Energy
Egemen Bağış , former Minister of European Affairs of Turkey
Dimitris Skalkos , Secretary General of International Economic Relations and Extroversion
Demosthenis Anagnostopoulos , Secretary General of Information Systems and Digital Governance
Yianna Andronopoulos , CEO and General Manager, Microsoft Greece, Cyprus and Malta
Viorel Beltechi , CEO, Therme Group China, Vice President of Energy and Engineering of the Executive Advisory Board of Therme Group Worldwide
Shlomo Ben Ami , former Foreign Minister of Israel, Vice President, Toledo International Centre for Peace ( TICpax )
Laura Bononcini , Public Policy Director for Southern Europe, META
Marcel Cobuz , Chairman of the Executive Committee of TITAN Group and Executive Member of the Board of Directors of TITAN Group
Corina Crețu , Consul General, Head of the Consulate General of Romania in Thessaloniki, former European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms
Alexandros Exarchou , Chairman of the Board and CEO, AKTOR Group of Companies
George Karakousis , Deputy Group CEO – Commerce, PPC
Fotis Kollias , Director , Powergame.gr
George Kollidas , Partner and Technology Leader , PwC Greece
Ian Lesser , Vice President and Executive Director, The German Marshall Fund of the US
Christos Balaskas , Vice President, Commercial, Growth and External Relations, Eldorado Gold and President,
Greek Gold
Dinos Benroubi Vice President and CEO, METKA
George Pagoulatos , Ambassador of Greece to the OECD
Yiannis Papachristou , Executive Member and CEO, Growth Fund
George Pitsilis , Governor of AADE
Ondrej Safar , CEO and President, Directorate of Distribution Oltenia (DEO)
Sonya Thissen , Ambassador of Canada to Greece
Christos Tsentemeidis , President, TIF-HELEXPO
Lela Chrysanthopoulou , Editorial Director , Energygame.gr
Platinum sponsor: PPC
Gold sponsor: AKTOR Group of Companies, METKA, Hellas Gold
Premium silver sponsor: Enaon
Silver sponsor: Iron Mountain
Bronze sponsors: HEDNO, HELLENiQ ENERGY , DEPA Commercial, ELLAKTOR Group, PwC, Potpan, EFA Group, EYATH, Michail Arabatzis – Hellenic Dough
With the support of: Hellenic Growth Fund
Academic partner: ALBA Graduate Business School – The American College of Greece
Online communication sponsors: iefimerida, Energygame.gr, Parapolitika
Telecommunications provider: Nova
Logistics supplier: DHL , Hospitality sponsor: TIF HELEXPO , Wine sponsor: Boutari Wineries
Communication sponsors: Apogevmatini, Apogevmatini Sunday Edition
Communication supporter: Athens-Macedonian News Agency
Supporters: Hanikian Law Firm , Ask2Travel , Lino 3D , Artecniko , FCA Hygiene Biosecurity Solutions , Gloa Design & Marketing Services , Digital agency: AdPIXEL
Conference proceedings September 4
Start: 09:00
End: 17:50
Reservation of a seat at the formal dinner of the conference
Please register your participation via email to address: george @ hazliseconomist . com
Formal dinner September 3
Cocktail reception: 19:00
Speeches and dinner : 19:30
Speakers: Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of National Economy and Finance and President of the Eurogroup , Peter Frankopan , Professor of World History at the University of Oxford, Distinguished Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government
