Dialog.business

Werner H. Bittner, Umdasch Group Ventures, Martin Engelberg, ÖVP member of the National Council, and Arnold Schuh, WU Vienna, will discuss perspectives of increased economic cooperation with Africa, the potential contribution of local companies and the need to catch up in terms of communication and coordination.

For Elisabeth Engelbrechtsmüller-Strauss, CEO of the Upper Austrian technology company Fronius, the key to further growth lies in internationalization - and in the megatrend of sustainability. She sees the need for industry to provide innovative solutions here. As a family company, Fronius has the staying power to do this.

Renationalization tendencies and a lack of self-responsibility endanger our prosperity, warns Georg Kapsch, CEO of Kapsch Group and former President of the Federation of Austrian Industries. For sustainable growth and climate protection, what is needed are above all technological progress and a different kind of globalization for the benefit of all.

Globalization came to an abrupt halt as a result of the measures taken by the states in the fight against the corona virus. Norbert Haslacher, Frequentis, Stefan Krauter, Cargo-partner, and Mariana Kühnel, Austrian Chamber of Commerce discuss how Austrian companies deal with this and what opportunities the crisis offers for sustainability and innovation.

Heimo Scheuch, CEO of the Wienerberger building materials group, would like to make his international business more digital and sustainable in the future, relying on existing markets. After the crisis, he would like the economy and politics to rethink so that growth and sustainability go hand in hand in the future.

In order to limit global warming, all players need to come together. Sabine Gaber, Austrian Development Bank OeEB, Ulrike Gehmacher, RHI Magnesita, and Bernhard Heneis, OMV, discuss why the international community and companies need to strike the right balance between short-term and long-term measures.

Alexander Baumgartner, CEO of the packaging group Constantia Flexibles, sees the plastics industry being challenged worldwide to increase the proportion of recycling. In order for Europe to remain a pioneer in environmental issues, he wants a uniform European framework instead of individual action measures.

Helmut Bernkopf, Member of the Board of Oesterreichische Kontrollbank OeKB, on the challenges in export finance and how OeKB is expanding its presence in the area of ​​sustainability.

Landry Signé, Africa expert at the Brookings Institution, looks with optimism at the development of Africa: growth everywhere. And he also sees great opportunities in the new African free trade agreement.

WKÖ President Harald Mahrer says: In terms of climate and environmental protection, Austrian companies and technologies are pioneers - with enormous opportunities on the world market.