We are delighted to host our annual CEE Finance and Capital Markets Workshops, taking place at our Vienna office on 23-24 October 2025. The event will feature keynote addresses, panel sessions, interactive discussions and networking opportunities over coffee and lunch.
This year’s workshops, titled Europe 2.0 - Competitive and Autonomous will explore how the current global political and economic environment is shaping the path toward a more competitive and autonomous Europe. We will examine its impact on financial and capital markets, the evolving regulatory landscape, legal risks in lending and investment activities, and the regional outlook for this new era.
If you would like to find out more about this event, please contact our CEE Finance & Capital Markets Workshops team
23 October 2025
Welcome Florian Klimscha, Freshfields
Keynote Sebastian Firlinger, Kommunalkredit Austria AG
Approaches to pricing, credit growth and domestic capacity-building across diverse CEE banking environments
Moderator Anouschka Zagorski, Freshfields
Co-moderator Florian Braunauer, Freshfields
Panellists
- Péter Horvai-Hillenbrand, Oppenheim, Hungary
- Tomáš Sedláček, BBH, Czech Republic
- Marija Pušić, Karanović & Partners, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Successes and setbacks in building digital, inclusive and accountable finance infrastructure through regulatory reform
Moderator Eva Schneider, Freshfields
Co-moderator Maximilian Ihra, Freshfields
Panellists
- Alexandra Manciulea, Filip & Company, Romania
- Kätlin Krisak, Sorainen, Baltics
- Damir Topić, Divjak Topić Bahtijarević & Krka, Croatia
First experiences from early warning systems, class-based creditor solutions and post-pandemic legislative improvisation
Moderator Florian Klimscha, Freshfields
Co-moderator Maximilian Hohenauer, Freshfields
Panellists
- dr hab. Łukasz Gasiński, Rymarz Zdort Maruta, Poland
- Emil Emanuilov, Kambourov & Partners, Bulgaria
- Roman Vydra, BBH, Slovakia
- Igor Angelovski, Ketler & Partners (Karanović), Slovenia
Transactions, bottlenecks and regulatory frameworks for funding energy and infrastructure independence in the new Europe
Moderator Mathias Lehner, Freshfields
Co-moderator Aylin Bektasli, Freshfields
Panellists
- Maja Jovančević Šetka, Karanović & Partners, Serbia
- Glib Bondar, Avellum, Ukraine
- Zekican Samlı, Paksoy, Türkiye
24 October 2025
Welcome Stephan Pachinger, Freshfields
Keynote Mario Hössl-Neumann, OSL EU
Panellists
- Peter Allen, Freshfields
- Doug Smith, Freshfields
- Stephan Pachinger, Freshfields
Integrated bond platforms and cross-border solutions that are reducing dependency and growing genuine local capital pools
Moderator Stephan Pachinger, Freshfields
Co-moderator Victoria Bazil, Freshfields
Panellists
- Damir Topić, Divjak Topić Bahtijarević & Krka, Croatia
- Ramona Miglane, Sorainen, Baltics
- Olga Nita, Filip & Company, Romania
- Dominik Liška, BBH, Czech Republic
