iconannual 2015 - The European Business and Investment Magazine

Austrian Federal Economic Chamber
Foreword
iconvienna − Best
Practice in International
Knowledge Transfer and
Networking
Dr. Christoph Leitl
President Austrian Federal
Economic Chamber
Within only a couple of years, iconvienna
has become a bench mark for
international know-how transfer and
a discussion platform for leading decision-makers
in the fields of business, politics
and science. I am proud and pleased that iconvienna
is again taking place at the premises of
the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber in Vienna
since it is one of the foremost aims of the
Chamber to host top-class events and facilitate
international business contacts.
It is not by coincidence that the iconvienna
event is taking place in Vienna. Austria and
specifically Vienna have proven to be an important
meeting place for companies and institutions
from the Central and Southeastern European
region and iconvienna is the best example
for this tradition.
The global economic and financial crisis has
dramatically shown how interlinked the business
world has become. International problems
need new innovative approaches and cross-border
solutions. Iconvienna, the “East-West summit
on regional co-operation through innovation
and entrepreneurship” offers a perfect
platform for discussions of some of the most
challenging questions of the future, like mobility
and smart transportation, infrastructure and
sustainable energy, and I am convinced that
iconvienna will deliver crucial input and fruitful
discussions in that respect.
I am particularly pleased that for the second
time iconvienna has added the young leaders’
dialogue to its usual program. Incorporating
the views of young entrepreneurs and high potentials
from Central and Eastern Europe is a
clear and important sign to stress the significance
of the younger generation and will definitely
enrich the event as a whole.
The secret of success of iconvienna however,
does not only consist in its high-level presentations
and expert discussions but also in its
attractive supporting program. There is plenty
room for the exchange of ideas and experience
among its speakers and participants in a very
relaxed atmosphere and in my opinion this is
the true value of the whole event. It is nowhere
easier to get to know international experts and
business people than at the iconvienna. Knowledge
transfer is undoubtedly a very important
thing, but establishing and developing an international
professional network and creating
cross-border friendships is an even more important
undertaking. Iconvienna offers the perfect
platform for both of it and therefor I congratulate
the organizers of this fabulous event
to its concept and hope that there will be many
more iconvienna events in the future.
Foto: Atelier Doris Kucera
The European Business and Investment Magazine iconannual 15