Speakers
Jean-David Malo
Director (European Innovation Council / EISMEA)
Jean-David Malo became Head of Unit in charge of regional aspects in DG R&I (2006-2010) and of the unit (2011-2013) in charge of increasing private finance and closing market gaps by expanding existing EU innovative financial instruments (see RSFF) and by developing new ones in the fields of debt (including guarantees) and equity financing (InnovFin). Horizon 2020SMEs was also addressed by the unit (i.e. EUROSTARS II, SME Instrument and the Fast Track to Innovation). Director for Open Innovation and Open Science in 2017, he designed and expanded initiatives such as the VentureEU Initiative and the RDI dimension under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) among other things. In 2019 following the European Council’s request to set up the European Innovation Council (EIC), he became Director of the EIC Task Force.
Daria Saharova
FOUNDING PARTNER WORLD FUND
Daria Saharova, born in Riga, is a founding partner of the World Fund. She has over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and investor and was awarded the German Startup Award as the best investor by the German Startups Association in 2020. Daria is an expert advisor to the European Commission and maintains a close relationship with international industry thought leaders as co-founder of the think tank 1E9 Denkfabrik.
Falk Müller-Veerse
PARTNER, CO-HEAD OF THE ENERGY TRANSITION, SUSTAINABILITY AND INDUSTRIAL TECH PRACTICES AND HEAD OF THE DACH REGION AT BRYAN, GARNIER & CO.
Falk boasts three decades of investment banking and tech industry expertise. Falk founded Cartagena Capital, leading it for 16 years before merging it with Bryan, Garnier & Co in 2016. He initially started in investment banking in the late '90s, leading the Continental European operations of Durlacher, an LSE-listed investment bank later acquired by Lazard. His early career also included management and consulting roles at Nokia, Gartner Group, and McGraw Hill. Falk holds an MBA from California State University and a BA in Management & Technology (Mechanical Engineering) from the Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Germany.
Ernestos Panayiotou
GENERAL MANAGER TRANSFORMATION, STRATEGY & INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Ernestos Panayiotou is General Manager of Transformation, Strategy and International Activities and member of the Executive Committee of the National Bank of Greece (NBG) Group. He leads the Group’s business strategy – including sustainability and partnerships –, the implementation of the Bank’s Transformation Program, and the oversight of the NBG’s international subsidiaries.
Before rejoining NBG in 2019, he was Partner at McKinsey & Company, where he worked during the periods 2001-2005 and 2012-2018. At McKinsey, he focused on serving financial institutions in Greece, Cyprus, the USA and the Middle East on strategy, transformation and risk management topics. During the period 2006-2011, he worked for the NBG Group as strategy advisor.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics & Economics from the University of Oxford and a Master in Public Administration & International Development from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
Laurent Samama
MANAGING PARTNER & IMPACT OFFICER - Jolt Capital
Laurent Samama has experience across large corporations and dynamic start-ups. His experience as a senior manager includes serving as VP Business Development with Orange, Country Manager for France with both NEC and Nokia, and also as Global Business Unit Manager with Nokia. Laurent has also held executive positions with smaller technology companies (DxO Labs, Coronis Systems, Varioptic) where he experienced all stages from growth to exit, including equity raising, technology development, commercial expansion and trade sale. He graduated from Telecom Paris Tech and won the French Digital Technology Manager award in 1998. Laurent is currently a board member of Alpha MOS, Boydsense, Virta, and BC Platforms
Special guests
Dora Trachana - Partner @ Uni.Fund VC
Misa Lukic - Founder & CEO @ NEW STARTEGY
