Discussing regional cooperation and economic integration

With ambassadors from the region – tbc

Moderator:

Michael Lally

Regional Senior Commercial Officer for Eurasia, and Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs

Michael Lally

Regional Senior Commercial Officer for Eurasia, and Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs

Michael Lally is Career Minister with the U.S. Department of Commerce.  He was Director for International Economics at the White House National Security Council (2023) and previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) in Washington D.C. His area of responsibility included 42 offices with over 400 staff located in the EMEA region, where he focused on trade policy, project advocacy and business facilitation for U.S. firms.

Previously, Mr. Lally was Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs in Europe, based at the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium, where he led a team of 200 business development professionals located in 24 countries focused on direct sales, policy and market development and project advocacy in the member states of the European Union. 

Mr. Lally, a Senior Foreign Service Officer, held previous postings in Mexico, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and began his Foreign Service career in the U.S. Embassy, Kyiv, Ukraine.  He also served as the Director of the U.S. Export Assistance Center in Philadelphia. 

In addition to his Foreign Service experience, Mr. Lally was Vice President for Business Development with AES, an independent power producer and an Energy Analyst with the Science Applications International Corporation.

Mr. Lally holds a Master’s degree from Indiana University and Bachelor degrees with Honors from The American University in Washington D.C. He is a graduate of the Wharton Management Program of the University of Pennsylvania. He speaks Russian, Spanish and Turkish. He holds Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals for superior federal service in support of U.S. business development in Turkey, Eurasia and Afghanistan.   He is a recipient of the Presidential Meritorious Service Award for his performance in Moscow during heightened U.S.-Russian tensions and the Rockwell Anthony Schnabel Award for Advancing U.S. – European Union Relations (2023).

Mr. Lally’s writings have been published in the Christian Science Monitor, the Foreign Service Journal, Turkish Policy Quarterly, and Inside a U.S. Embassy. He has studied trade policy and international security at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and international credit and trade finance at the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

In Summer 2024, he will take up his posting as Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs in Ankara, covering Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and the Caucasus and Central Asia.

The Role of the U.S.A: Highlighting the pivotal role of the United States in fostering regional collaboration and shaping diplomatic relations across the continent..

Challenges in Multilateral Engagements: The barriers to deeper economic and political integration, such as geopolitical tensions, differing economic policies, and the impact of global economic shifts.

Diplomacy and Trade Agreements: The role of diplomatic engagements in facilitating or hindering regional trade agreements, focusing on recent negotiations and their outcomes

Future Directions for Regional Cooperation: Look ahead at potential new areas for collaboration, including digital infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and energy security.

Discussing strategies to increase trade and investment

Moderator:

Jimmy Church

Commercial Officer & Partner Post Manager U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA)

Jimmy Church

Commercial Officer & Partner Post Manager
U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA)

Jimmy Church is an experienced professional with a background in government and the private sector. He has worked for three years at the International Trade Administration (ITA), previously serving as the Ukraine Desk Officer and Central Asia and Caucasus Desk Officer and is now currently the Partner Post Manager based in Ankara, Turkiye. Prior to his government service, Jimmy spent 15 years in the private sector, gaining experience in start-ups, small businesses, manufacturing companies, and industry associations. He holds an M.A. in International Economics from The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Washington. Jimmy is happily married with two young sons and has language proficiency in Swahili, Korean, and Turkish.

Speakers

Oybek Khalilov

CEO, Mosaic Insurance Group, President, AmCham Uzbekistan; Chairman, Insurance Association of Uzbekistan

Oybek Khalilov

CEO, Mosaic Insurance Group, President, AmCham Uzbekistan; Chairman, Insurance Association of Uzbekistan

Oybek N. Khalilov – CEO of MOSAIC Insurance Group, experienced professional with 30+ years of experience in managing international insurance companies. He is a founding member of Insurance Association of Uzbekistan, as part of his work as Chairman the Association of Professional Participants of the Insurance Market of Uzbekistan he participated in the development of the Law on Insurance Activities.

During 1995 to 2015, Oybek Khalilov successfully managed American International Group companies in Central Asia, the former Acting General Director of the Uzbekinvest Export-Import Insurance Company.

He played an important role in establishing of political risk insurance company in London, within the framework he was responsible for promotion of investments to the Republic of Uzbekistan.

For more than 25 years provided leadership to American Chambers of Commerce teams in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, took board and committee management to the next level, developed and

advocated for support of AmCham members’ needs and interests, engaged in dialogue with the governments of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia on a wide range of issues affecting their respective business communities to improve the investment climate and create opportunities for private sector development.

Loïc Tassel, President, Europe- Procter & Gamble Europe SA – invited

Imran Ahmadzada, Chief Financial Officer, Neqsol Holding – invited

Representative of the World Bank – invited

Topics

Strategic Infrastructure for Boosting Trade: Geographic and strategic roles in the Middle Corridor to discuss infrastructure development, such as rail and road networks, that facilitates trade.

Investment Climate and Opportunities: The investment environment, focusing on sectors ripe for growth and the role of international partnerships.

Challenges and Opportunities in Regional Trade: Barriers to trade such as regulatory hurdles, logistical challenges, and how these can be overcome through cooperative
policies and investments.

Investment Attraction Strategies: Strategies employed by these countries to attract investments along the corridor, focusing on economic incentives, stability, and market access.

Joint Business Ventures, Sustainable Development, ESG & more

Ministers’ Remarks

Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Türkiye – invited

Sebastian Burduja, Minister of Energy, Romania – invited

Vladimir Malinov, Minister of Energy, Bulgaria

Moderator:

Mr. Olivier Marquette

Head of Business Development, Eurasia and President, AES Bulgaria

Olivier Marquette

Head of Business Development, Eurasia and President, AES Bulgaria

Speakers

Ambassador Matthew Bryza, Senior Advisor, Straife

Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, Vice President Caspian Region, BP – invited

Vaclav Harant, Central Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States – invited

Representative, Bain & Company Türkiye – invited

Alexandros Paterakis, Deputy CEO, Public Power Corporation (PPC) – invited

Maria-Rita Galli

CEO, National Natural Gas System Operator (DESFA)

Ms. Maria-Rita Galli

CEO, National Natural Gas System Operator (DESFA)

Maria Rita Galli is the CEO of DESFA (Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator). Until recently she held the position of the Executive Vice President Business Development & Asset Management at Snam S.p.A, a leading global energy infrastructure company and was the Chairman of the SENFLUGA Energy Holdings S.A., a consortium controlling 66% of DESFA’s share capital.

Ms. Galli started her career at Eni in 1997, as a graduate in nuclear engineering from the Milan Polytechnic University. At Eni, she went through various roles within the International Business Development Department, joined relevant international projects and was involved in M&A activities. As a member of Eni’s Board of Directors, she also oversaw the operations of some of the Group’s companies abroad (Galp, Distrigas, eni Gas&Power Trading BV, eni Gas&Power France, GVS GmbH, etc.)

Since 2006, she has been in charge of the International Business Development unit and, from January 2010, she has been in charge of the International Business Development and Assets Management department.

In October 2016, she joined Snam as the Head of Business Development and International Asset Management.

Teodora Georgieva-Mileva, Executive Officer and Board Member, ICGB – invited

Representative from SOCAR – invited

Representative from the World Bank – invited

Topics

Full Speed Towards Green Energy: The transition to sustainable energy solutions, with a strong emphasis on innovation in promoting green technologies and reducing carbon emissions across Eurasia.

Impact of EU Energy Policies: How EU energy regulations and policies are shaping the energy markets in Bulgaria and Greece, and the ripple effects in neighboring non-EU countries. 

Energy Security and Independence: Bulgaria’s and Azerbaijan’s roles in enhancing regional energy security.

Mobilizing Energy Investments in Southeast Europe: How corporate strategies and governmental policies are aligning to meet future energy needs sustainably.

The COP29 – What are the expectations ahead of Bakü?

The invited ministers may discuss trade developments and government initiatives across Eurasia.

Moderator:

Tankut Turnaoğlu

Chair, AmCham Türkiye

Tankut Turnaoğlu

Chair, AmCham Türkiye

Tankut Turnaoğlu is the CEO/Senior Vice President of P&G Turkey & CCAR since March 2013. He started his career as an Assistant Brand Manager in 1991 in P&G Turkey and since then he held various positions like Country Manager of Central Asia and Caucasia in Kazakhstan, Fabric Care Marketing Director of Central and Eastern Europe in Brussels, Fabric Care General Manager of Asia and Australia region in Singapore.

Giving a lot of importance to building self-confidence among children and youngsters through sports, he led Olympic Moms movement program for encouraging children to engage in sports at early ages for their development.

As a strong believer of innovative ideas in business, corporate citizenship and work culture, Turnaoglu led P&G Turkey’s Office Move Project. The office is created under his leadership based on the career and personal development needs of Generation Y employees.

More about Mr. Turnaoğlu

Turnaoglu is especially engaged in the creation of corporate start-up atmosphere within P&G. He initiated an internal P&G team building partnerships with start-ups and organizing start-up days & hackhatons. He also represents P&G in Endeavor Turkey as a member of Board – supporting entrepreneurship ecosystem of Turkey region.

He is currently the Chair of ABFT Turkey (US AmCham – American Business Forum) and a board member of BCSD (Business Council for Sustainable Development Turkey) and Fenerbahce Sports Club Association, as well as a member of TUSIAD (Turkish Industry and Business Association) and has been in the Board of YASED (International Investors Association) for 3 terms. He is also in the High Advisory Board of Darussafaka Foundation, Boğaziçi University and Fenerbahçe University.

Turnaoglu received his bachelor’s degree from Boğaziçi University in Business Administration and completed a master’s degree with honors in International Marketing at the University of Massachusetts, where he was a scholarship student. Tankut is married and has three children.

Speakers

Mustafa Tuzcu, Deputy Minister of Trade, Republic of Türkiye – invited

Ștefan Radu Oprea, Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Romania – invited

Laziz Shavkatovich Kudratov, Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan – invited

Kostas Fragogiannis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy and Openness, Hellenic Republic

Discussing advancements in the digital economy 

Moderator:

Didem Duru, Cisco – invited

Speakers

Zekeriya Çoştu, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology, Türkiye – invited

Babek Aghayev, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Prosol Azerbaijan – invited

Achilleas Kanaris, CEO, Vodafone Romania – invited

Denys Sychov, Horizon Capital

Representative of Mastercard Türkiye & Uzbekistan – invited

Topics

AI as an Enabler: AI’s role in accelerating digital innovation across sectors.

Building a Digital Single Market: Creating a digital single market in the region, focusing on regulatory frameworks, digital infrastructure, and barriers to integration.

Role of Startups and Innovation Hubs: The impact of startups and tech hubs in driving digital transformation. Ukraine and Türkiye’s growing tech ecosystems, discussing key drivers such as governmental support, investment, and international partnerships.

Government and Private Sector Collaboration: How collaboration between governments and the private sector is facilitating digital growth, including public-private partnerships and investment in tech education.

Cross-Border Digital Initiatives: Potential initiatives for digital cooperation among the countries, focusing on areas such as cybersecurity, e-government, and digital education.

Exploring the role of banking and finance in fostering regional cooperation, including contributions from financial institutions like EIB, EBRD, EXIM Bank of the U.S., and DFC

Moderator:

TBC

Speakers

Roman Matkiwsky

Director of Energy and Infrastructure, Black Sea Trade & Development Bank

Roman Matkiwsky

Director of Energy and Infrastructure, Black Sea Trade & Development Bank

Emre Karter

Chair, AmCham Türkiye

Emre Karter

Chair, AmCham Türkiye / CEO & Board Member, Citibank Türkiye

Prior to his current role, he was the Treasury and Trade Solutions Cluster Head for Middle East, North Africa, based in Dubai, UAE. In this role, Emre Karter was responsible for driving Citi’s market-leading Treasury and Trade Solutions. In addition to his responsibilities, he was also Governance Head for Citi’s Non-Presence Countries (NPC) in Central Asia and Transcaucasia.

Emre Karter’s other previous experience include; managing the Transaction Services business for Russia, CIS, Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey; and several Sales & Coverage roles, where he led origination and execution activities Citi’s Multinational, Financial Institutions client segments, based in Turkey.

More

Emre joined Citi in Turkey in 1996 and held various positions in Corporate Bank as a Banker, followed by an assignment in Brussels coordinating the multinational (GSG) franchise across Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Before joining Citi, Emre worked at Coca-Cola in Turkey and Prudential Securities in the United States.   Emre holds a B.Sc. in Management from Bilkent University and a M.Sc. in International Business and Finance from New Hampshire College.  He is a Board Member for Citi Islamic Investment Bank E.C in Bahrain – (CIIB)..

Representative of Bank of Georgia Group PLC – invited

Kamala Nurijeva, Board Member, Pashabank Türkiye – invited

USTDA Representative– invited

DFC World Bank Representative– invited

Mylonas Pavlos, Chief Executive Officer, National Bank of Greece – invited

Topics

Integrating Regional Financial Markets: How integration of financial services across these countries can boost economic stability and growth, with a focus on EU-backed initiatives in Greece and Bulgaria.

Innovative Financial Products for Regional Development: The introduction of innovative banking products and services that can support cross-border trade and investment, especially in emerging markets like Azerbaijan and Türkiye.

Role of International Financial Institutions: How organizations like the EBRD and the World Bank are facilitating financial cooperation and development in the region.

Enhancing tourism to boost regional growth, including discussions on cultural heritage tourism and cross-border collaborations

Moderator:

Armin Zerunyan

Hilton Worldwide Türkiye Country Manage

Armin Zerunyan

Speakers

Ismail Bütün, CEO, Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) – invited

Jordi Kuijt, CEO of Silk Hospitality – invited

Representative – Enterprise Greece Trade and Invest

Vasiliki Koutsoukou, Secretary General, Ministry of Tourism, Greece – invited

Topics

Impact of Global Trends on Regional Tourism: How global trends such as health tourism, adventure tourism, and luxury travel are influencing tourism strategies in these countries.

Leveraging Cultural and Eco-Tourism: Greece’s and Georgia’s strategies in promoting cultural and eco-tourism and how these can be applied or adapted in other countries like Kyrgyzstan.

Tourism as a Tool for Economic Diversification: Discuss how tourism is being used to diversify economies away from traditional sectors, particularly in countries like Azerbaijan and Türkiye.

Cross-Border Tourism Initiatives: Evaluate successful cross-border tourism projects and policies that have boosted regional tourism and consider potential new collaborations.

Enhancing tourism to boost regional growth, including discussions on cultural heritage tourism and cross-border collaborations

Moderator:

Speakers

Onur Candar

Managing Partner, Bain & Company Türkiye

Onur Candar

Managing Partner, Bain & Company Türkiye

Onur Candar, Managing Partner at Bain & Company Türkiye, is a key leader in the firm’s Energy & Natural Resources and Advanced Manufacturing & Services practices. With extensive consulting experience across Turkey and Azerbaijan, Europe and the Middle East, Onur has developed a deep expertise in helping companies navigate complex challenges.

Onur’s work primarily focuses on energy transition, portfolio strategy, and operating model transformation for energy and advanced manufacturing companies. He has significant experience in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy, sustainability initiatives, and implementing innovative solutions to reduce carbon footprints across industries. His expertise extends to driving commercial growth, optimizing cost structures, and designing future-proof corporate centers.

In addition, Onur advises clients on digital transformation strategies, leveraging his knowledge in agile frameworks, design thinking, and digital prototyping. He assists energy and manufacturing firms in developing use cases for digital experiences enhancement, and driving sustainable growth. Onur’s work also includes portfolio planning and corporate resource allocation optimization.

Radu Ionescu, General Manager, LIBERTY Galati Romania – invited

Aysan Hoşver, Ford Otosan Yeniköy Plant Leader – invited

Uygar Doyuran, President, Turkey, Israel & Central Asia at Honeywell Manufacturing

Topics

Urban Development Trends: The latest trends in urban development and real estate growth in the participating countries, focusing on sustainable building practices and smart city initiatives.

Investment Opportunities in Real Estate: The emerging investment opportunities in the real estate markets highlighting the factors driving investment such as economic stability, regulatory changes, and market demand.

Challenges in Construction and Development: The major challenges facing the construction industry, including supply chain disruptions, regulatory hurdles, and the need for skilled labor. Discuss how companies are innovating to overcome these challenges.

Impact of Infrastructure Projects: The impact of major infrastructure projects on regional development and real estate values, with a focus on how these projects can spur further economic development.

20 minutes each via b2match platform

Facilitating business-to-business interactions with structured speed networking. 20 min slots, at the coffee break area with numbered seats. 

Digital Transformation Strategies: Case studies and real-time problem-solving activities.

Digital Health Solutions: Exploring the role of tech in healthcare transformation, including digital health technologies, telemedicine, and data-driven care.

Sustainable Finance and ESG Implementation: Best practices and interactive discussions on integrating ESG standards.

Enhancing Trade and Supply Chains: Hands-on activities to identify and address trade bottlenecks.

Boosting Tourism through Innovation: Strategies for sustainable tourism development.

Human Capital and Inclusivity: Strategies for building an inclusive workforce in the tech sector. 

USTDA / DFC

Awaiting Confirmation