Event Partner Forum Europe events are where people and policy meet. We have been organising policy conferences in Brussels and around Europe since 1989. Our events provide unique insights from the people behind the policy and those seeking to influence it. Our expert team develop conference programmes with impact and provide first-class event logistics.
Forum Europe is more than an event management and conference production specialist. With offices in Brussels and the UK, we operate across Europe and globally. Through our international arm, Forum Global, our events cover five continents, and engage policymakers and industry at national and regional levels around the world. Our mission is to drill down to the issues that matter, creating policy events that are ahead of the curve, facilitating frank and open debate on some of the most pressing issues facing Europe and the world today.
You can find out more about us by going to www.forum-europe.com
Event Partner ALIBABA GROUP’S MISSION IS TO MAKE IT EASY TO DO BUSINESS ANYWHERE.
We enable businesses to transform the way they market, sell and operate and improve their efficiencies. We provide the technology infrastructure and marketing reach to help merchants, brands and other businesses to leverage the power of new technology to engage with their users and customers and operate in a more efficient way.
Our businesses are comprised of core commerce, cloud computing, digital media and entertainment, and innovation initiatives. In addition, Ant Group, an unconsolidated related party, provides payment services and offers financial services for consumers and merchants on our platforms. A digital economy has developed around our platforms and businesses that consists of consumers, merchants, brands, retailers, third-party service providers, strategic alliance partners and other businesses.
The Alibaba digital economy generated RMB7,053 billion (US$1 trillion*) in GMV in the 12 months ended March 31, 2020, which mainly included GMV of RMB6,589 billion (US$945 billion) transacted through our China retail marketplaces, as well as GMV transacted through our international retail marketplaces and local consumer services.
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose challenges for Europe, work is underway to boost economic activity and support the recovery. It is therefore vital, perhaps now more than ever, that stakeholders engage on what tools Europe has at its disposal in order to bolster economic activity and cement its global competitiveness. This Forum Europe and Alibaba Group online policy event series will focus on the contribution that e-commerce and retail, smart logistics and trade, data, and innovation can make. It will bring together stakeholders for an open and transparent discussion on the nature of business and global trade in this new and challenging environment.
For more information on this event series, please contact:
UPCOMING SESSION
24 June 2021 | 10:00 – 11:15 CEST
The Recovery and Resilience Facility is designed to support EU member states in delivering a sustainable recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. As the Commission begins to evaluate the plans submitted by member states, this next session in the Forum Europe and Alibaba online discussion series will look at the vital role that SMEs play in Europe’s recovery, and look concretely at the challenges they face in the current environment.
In cooperation with YouGov, Alibaba has commissioned a quantitative study among more than 2,000 SMEs across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Poland to better understand the obstacles they face in establishing and growing their e-commerce and trade operations in Europe and beyond.
Join us for the results of this study and a discussion around SME challenges through the lens of the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility.
10:00 – 10:10
Presentation of YouGov study findings
MODERATOR, Poppy Carnell, Chief Correspondent, MLex Poppy has been reporting for MLex since 2008, providing the latest coverage and in-depth analysis on various EU regulation. Since 2012 she has broken stories and given comment on trade defense matters, trade and investment agreements and commercial policy. Previously, she was reporting on energy policy and climate change negotiations.
An award-winning reporter, she trained at Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, and since then has freelanced for a variety of publications.
Poppy Carnell, Chief Correspondent, MLex
10:10 – 11:15
Discussion
Felicia Stanescu, Head of Unit, Secretariat General, Recovery and Resilience Taskforce, European Commission Felicia Stanescu (Romania, 1972) has over 15 years of international experience in the financial sector, combining public experience of developing European Union financial legislation with private experience of managing complex Mergers & Acquisitions and Initial Public Offerings.
She has been since 2014 Policy Assistant to the Director General in the Directorate General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union of the European Commission, advising the Director General on financial services policies.
She has been with the European Commission since 2010 working previously on long-term financing policy aspects, coordinating the Commission’s input to G20, the Financial Stability Board and other international fora on financial regulation, and developing legislation for the post-trading sector (clearing and settlement).
Prior to the European Commission, she worked in the private sector, mainly in banking, managing and advising on Mergers & Acquisitions and Initial Public Offerings. Positions included: Head of Strategy, ALM Management and Manager, Group M&A at BNP Paribas Fortis (Brussels, 2008-2010); Director, Equity Capital Markets at ABN AMRO Rothschild (London, 2003-2008); Assistant Director, Corporate Finance at ABN AMRO (London/Bucharest, 1999-2002). She started her career at KPMG Romania.
Felicia holds a first class degree in Economics from the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK (1994) and a degree in Business Administration from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest (1996).
Felicia Stanescu, Head of Unit, Secretariat General,
Recovery and Resilience Taskforce at European Commission
María Muñoz, Deputy Director General for SME Support, Ministry for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Spain Experience:
2006-2009: Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade. Cabinet of the Secretary General of Industry and SME.
2010-2019: Ministry of Finance. General Directorate of European Funds. Deputy Director of Programming and Evaluation.
2020- date: Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism. General Directorate of Industry and SME. Deputy Director of SME.
Annalisa Barbagallo, Head of Government Relations Europe, Alibaba Annalisa has over 20 years of experience in European public affairs, with a particular focus on digital and financial services issues. She now leads the government relations activities of the Alibaba group in Europe. Between 2014 and 2016, Annalisa was a partner in the Brunswick Group. She had previously spent a year in Washington DC advising clients on global regulatory developments. Between 2010 and 2013, Annalisa was part of GE’s Government Affairs and Policy team, where she led GE Capital’s advocacy work in Europe and represented the General Electric Company on financial services issues. Between 2006 and 2010 Annalisa was part of the eBay Inc. government relations’ team in Europe where she led the public affairs strategy for its PayPal business. Prior to this, she worked as in a Brussels-based public affairs consultancy, as Director of EU policy at the International Swaps and Derivatives Association – ISDA and a policy adviser at the European Association of Co-operative Banks. At the start of her career, Annalisa worked in both the European Parliament and the European Commission.
Annalisa has a degree in law from the Università Federico II of Naples, as well as a Masters in European politics and administration from the College of Europe in Bruges.
Annalisa Barbagallo, Head of Government Relations Europe, Alibaba Group
Lina Konstantinopoulou, Policy Director, EUROCHAMBRES Lina Konstantinopoulou is the Policy Director at Eurochambres. She has been leading NGO strategic planning and programming activities, management of various multi-stakeholder platforms and policy / public affairs and communication activities as well as managed a wide range of European research & innovation projects. Lina has also experience in the mobility field. Mrs Konstantinopoulou holds a certificate on Artificial Intelligence by MIT Sloan School of Management and the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) with accompanied Bachelor Studies in European Economics and Masters in International Trade and European Integration.
Lina Konstantinopoulou, Policy Director, EUROCHAMBRES
Maximilian Kaub, Managing Partner, Confiserie Burg Lauenstein Lauenstein Confiserie is a family-run business and a premium producer of handmade praline and chocolate specialities. In 2017, Max Kaub entered the family business in the third generation as Business Unit Manager Marketing / Sales / Export. In 2021 he joined the management team as a Managing Partner.
Max was responsible for the expansion into the Asian markets and has successfully established Lauenstein in the flourishing Chinese and Japanese markets.
He is driving innovations within the company, by greatly expanding e-commerce (relaunch of the brands own webshop, Amazon, Alibaba, jd.com etc.) and diversifying the distribution network by winning listings with major food retailers (i.e., EDEKA, REWE, Migros).
He has also reformed the product range to cater for the changing taste profiles of younger target groups. The Lauensteiner tea chocolates, for instance, which has already won several prestigious awards and was developed together with one of Europe’s biggest tea producers, is a direct result of his vision.
Before joining the family business, he held multiple management positions in the field of hospitality consultancy, hotel and property development and served as a Member of the Board for a joint venture with the Al Faisal Group in Doha, Qatar.
Among many other ventures he was the co-founder of “The Maxx Home & Living” a multi generation living concept and developed and implemented a new hotel classification system for the State of Qatar.
Maximilian Kaub, Managing Partner, Confiserie Burg Lauenstein
Andrea Gradassi, Director, Terre Francescana Andrea Gradassi was born in Foligno, in the central Italian region of Umbria, in October 1974.
Having obtained a Degree in Economy at the University of Perugia in 2001, he began immediately working with C.U.FR.OL., a family owned company, where he currently holds the position of Commercial Director.
Andrea grew up amongst the olive groves on his family’s estate and he represents the latest generation of one of the most prominent olive growing families in the region with its centuries’ old history. An expert olive oil taster, he not only follows the production of his single estate Gradassi extra virgin olive oil but also looks after the sales for the holding company, C.U.FR.OL. Married to Alessia Gironi (Brand Manager of the Company) and father to Vittoria.
A passion for hunting, dogs, horse-riding as well as a penchant for cross-country driving.
Andrea Gradassi, Founder, Terre Francescane
MODERATOR, Poppy Carnell, Chief Correspondent, MLex Poppy has been reporting for MLex since 2008, providing the latest coverage and in-depth analysis on various EU regulation. Since 2012 she has broken stories and given comment on trade defense matters, trade and investment agreements and commercial policy. Previously, she was reporting on energy policy and climate change negotiations.
An award-winning reporter, she trained at Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, and since then has freelanced for a variety of publications.
MODERATOR, Poppy Carnell, Chief Correspondent, MLex Poppy has been reporting for MLex since 2008, providing the latest coverage and in-depth analysis on various EU regulation. Since 2012 she has broken stories and given comment on trade defense matters, trade and investment agreements and commercial policy. Previously, she was reporting on energy policy and climate change negotiations.
An award-winning reporter, she trained at Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, and since then has freelanced for a variety of publications.
Chief Correspondent
MLex
María Muñoz, Deputy Director General for SME Support, Ministry for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Spain Experience:
2006-2009: Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade. Cabinet of the Secretary General of Industry and SME.
2010-2019: Ministry of Finance. General Directorate of European Funds. Deputy Director of Programming and Evaluation.
2020- date: Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism. General Directorate of Industry and SME. Deputy Director of SME.
Deputy Director General for SME Support
Ministry for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Spain
Felicia Stanescu, Head of Unit, Secretariat General, Recovery and Resilience Taskforce, European Commission Felicia Stanescu (Romania, 1972) has over 15 years of international experience in the financial sector, combining public experience of developing European Union financial legislation with private experience of managing complex Mergers & Acquisitions and Initial Public Offerings.
She has been since 2014 Policy Assistant to the Director General in the Directorate General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union of the European Commission, advising the Director General on financial services policies.
She has been with the European Commission since 2010 working previously on long-term financing policy aspects, coordinating the Commission’s input to G20, the Financial Stability Board and other international fora on financial regulation, and developing legislation for the post-trading sector (clearing and settlement).
Prior to the European Commission, she worked in the private sector, mainly in banking, managing and advising on Mergers & Acquisitions and Initial Public Offerings. Positions included: Head of Strategy, ALM Management and Manager, Group M&A at BNP Paribas Fortis (Brussels, 2008-2010); Director, Equity Capital Markets at ABN AMRO Rothschild (London, 2003-2008); Assistant Director, Corporate Finance at ABN AMRO (London/Bucharest, 1999-2002). She started her career at KPMG Romania.
Felicia holds a first class degree in Economics from the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK (1994) and a degree in Business Administration from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest (1996).
Head of Unit, Secretariat General, Recovery and Resilience Taskforce
European Commission
Annalisa Barbagallo, Head of Government Relations Europe, Alibaba Annalisa has over 20 years of experience in European public affairs, with a particular focus on digital and financial services issues. She now leads the government relations activities of the Alibaba group in Europe. Between 2014 and 2016, Annalisa was a partner in the Brunswick Group. She had previously spent a year in Washington DC advising clients on global regulatory developments. Between 2010 and 2013, Annalisa was part of GE’s Government Affairs and Policy team, where she led GE Capital’s advocacy work in Europe and represented the General Electric Company on financial services issues. Between 2006 and 2010 Annalisa was part of the eBay Inc. government relations’ team in Europe where she led the public affairs strategy for its PayPal business. Prior to this, she worked as in a Brussels-based public affairs consultancy, as Director of EU policy at the International Swaps and Derivatives Association – ISDA and a policy adviser at the European Association of Co-operative Banks. At the start of her career, Annalisa worked in both the European Parliament and the European Commission.
Annalisa has a degree in law from the Università Federico II of Naples, as well as a Masters in European politics and administration from the College of Europe in Bruges.
Head of Government Relations Europe
Alibaba Group
Lina Konstantinopoulou, Policy Director, EUROCHAMBRES Lina Konstantinopoulou is the Policy Director at Eurochambres. She has been leading NGO strategic planning and programming activities, management of various multi-stakeholder platforms and policy / public affairs and communication activities as well as managed a wide range of European research & innovation projects. Lina has also experience in the mobility field. Mrs Konstantinopoulou holds a certificate on Artificial Intelligence by MIT Sloan School of Management and the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) with accompanied Bachelor Studies in European Economics and Masters in International Trade and European Integration.
Policy Director
EUROCHAMBRES
Maximilian Kaub, Managing Partner, Confiserie Burg Lauenstein Lauenstein Confiserie is a family-run business and a premium producer of handmade praline and chocolate specialities. In 2017, Max Kaub entered the family business in the third generation as Business Unit Manager Marketing / Sales / Export. In 2021 he joined the management team as a Managing Partner.
Max was responsible for the expansion into the Asian markets and has successfully established Lauenstein in the flourishing Chinese and Japanese markets.
He is driving innovations within the company, by greatly expanding e-commerce (relaunch of the brands own webshop, Amazon, Alibaba, jd.com etc.) and diversifying the distribution network by winning listings with major food retailers (i.e., EDEKA, REWE, Migros).
He has also reformed the product range to cater for the changing taste profiles of younger target groups. The Lauensteiner tea chocolates, for instance, which has already won several prestigious awards and was developed together with one of Europe’s biggest tea producers, is a direct result of his vision.
Before joining the family business, he held multiple management positions in the field of hospitality consultancy, hotel and property development and served as a Member of the Board for a joint venture with the Al Faisal Group in Doha, Qatar.
Among many other ventures he was the co-founder of “The Maxx Home & Living” a multi generation living concept and developed and implemented a new hotel classification system for the State of Qatar.
Managing Partner
Confiserie Burg Lauenstein
Andrea Gradassi, Director, Terre Francescana Andrea Gradassi was born in Foligno, in the central Italian region of Umbria, in October 1974.
Having obtained a Degree in Economy at the University of Perugia in 2001, he began immediately working with C.U.FR.OL., a family owned company, where he currently holds the position of Commercial Director.
Andrea grew up amongst the olive groves on his family’s estate and he represents the latest generation of one of the most prominent olive growing families in the region with its centuries’ old history. An expert olive oil taster, he not only follows the production of his single estate Gradassi extra virgin olive oil but also looks after the sales for the holding company, C.U.FR.OL. Married to Alessia Gironi (Brand Manager of the Company) and father to Vittoria.
A passion for hunting, dogs, horse-riding as well as a penchant for cross-country driving.
Director
Terre Francescane
Annalisa Barbagallo, Head of Government Relations Europe, Alibaba Annalisa has over 20 years of experience in European public affairs, with a particular focus on digital and financial services issues. She now leads the government relations activities of the Alibaba group in Europe. Between 2014 and 2016, Annalisa was a partner in the Brunswick Group. She had previously spent a year in Washington DC advising clients on global regulatory developments. Between 2010 and 2013, Annalisa was part of GE’s Government Affairs and Policy team, where she led GE Capital’s advocacy work in Europe and represented the General Electric Company on financial services issues. Between 2006 and 2010 Annalisa was part of the eBay Inc. government relations’ team in Europe where she led the public affairs strategy for its PayPal business. Prior to this, she worked as in a Brussels-based public affairs consultancy, as Director of EU policy at the International Swaps and Derivatives Association – ISDA and a policy adviser at the European Association of Co-operative Banks. At the start of her career, Annalisa worked in both the European Parliament and the European Commission.
Annalisa has a degree in law from the Università Federico II of Naples, as well as a Masters in European politics and administration from the College of Europe in Bruges.
Head of Government Relations Europe
Alibaba Group
Event Partner Forum Europe events are where people and policy meet. We have been organising policy conferences in Brussels and around Europe since 1989. Our events provide unique insights from the people behind the policy and those seeking to influence it. Our expert team develop conference programmes with impact and provide first-class event logistics.
Forum Europe is more than an event management and conference production specialist. With offices in Brussels and the UK, we operate across Europe and globally. Through our international arm, Forum Global, our events cover five continents, and engage policymakers and industry at national and regional levels around the world. Our mission is to drill down to the issues that matter, creating policy events that are ahead of the curve, facilitating frank and open debate on some of the most pressing issues facing Europe and the world today.
You can find out more about us by going to www.forum-europe.com
Event Partner ALIBABA GROUP’S MISSION IS TO MAKE IT EASY TO DO BUSINESS ANYWHERE.
We enable businesses to transform the way they market, sell and operate and improve their efficiencies. We provide the technology infrastructure and marketing reach to help merchants, brands and other businesses to leverage the power of new technology to engage with their users and customers and operate in a more efficient way.
Our businesses are comprised of core commerce, cloud computing, digital media and entertainment, and innovation initiatives. In addition, Ant Group, an unconsolidated related party, provides payment services and offers financial services for consumers and merchants on our platforms. A digital economy has developed around our platforms and businesses that consists of consumers, merchants, brands, retailers, third-party service providers, strategic alliance partners and other businesses.
The Alibaba digital economy generated RMB7,053 billion (US$1 trillion*) in GMV in the 12 months ended March 31, 2020, which mainly included GMV of RMB6,589 billion (US$945 billion) transacted through our China retail marketplaces, as well as GMV transacted through our international retail marketplaces and local consumer services.
This conference will take place using Forum Europe’s virtual solution. For more details, please visit forum-europe.com.
