Under the guiding theme “A Fresh Start for Europe! How We Can Regain International Competitiveness”, the Salzburg Economic Forum 2026 brought together nearly 300 decision-makers, entrepreneurs and experts from business, academia, society and politics at Salzburg Congress. The fifth edition of the successful event format once again successfully bridged the gap between academia and industry, impressing participants with high-profile speakers, practical insights and inspiring dialogue.
The afternoon featured engaging keynotes and lively discussions on entrepreneurship, innovation, resilience and transformation. In times of multiple global challenges, the Salzburg Economic Forum provided valuable orientation and motivating impulses to actively shape Europe’s future.
The event officially opened with welcome addresses by leading representatives from business and politics, including Peter Unterkofler, President of the Federation of Austrian Industries Salzburg, and Brigitta Pallauf, President of the Salzburg State Parliament. The program was moderated by Marco Riebler from Salzburger Nachrichten.
Cornelius Matthes, CEO of Dii Desert Energy in Dubai, opened the program with his presentation “Clean Energy from the Deserts – From Vision to Reality.” Afterwards, Susanne Wiegand, former CEO of Renk AG and Supervisory Board Member at Volkswagen and Quantum Systems, addressed geopolitical shifts and the performance capabilities of the European defense industry.
Angie Gifford, Supervisory Board Member at Thyssenkrupp and Value Accelerator Advisor at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, as well as former SVP at Meta, Microsoft and HP, highlighted how Europe’s economy can successfully navigate the transformation driven by artificial intelligence. Following a networking break, Ulrike Tagscherer, Managing Director of China Innovation Consulting, explained why companies without an innovation strategy risk losing relevance within the next few years.
Christine Catasta, Supervisory Board Member at Erste Group, Erste Bank, BCR Banca Comercială Română, BIG Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft and OMV Petrom, discussed Austria as a business location and explored possible strategies for the future. The event concluded with Frank Sieren, leading German-speaking China expert, who provided insights into China’s emerging world order and the resulting challenges for Europe.
As in previous years, the Innovation Area provided young companies and start-ups with a platform to present their ideas and connect with leading representatives from business, academia and politics. Culinary networking breaks and an atmospheric closing reception created additional opportunities for in-depth discussions and rounded off the successful event.
The Salzburg Economic Forum 2026 was organized by the Federation of Austrian Industries Salzburg in cooperation with Salzburger Nachrichten, Salzburger Sparkasse, Spar AG, Innovation Salzburg, Palfinger AG, GrECo, the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce, FH Salzburg, and MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®.
Leading speakers, guests, and experts from the worlds of business and academia will gather at the 2026 Salzburg Economic Forum ©Birgit Probst Photographie
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