Programme
Our two-day programme is packed with timely discussions, high-level speakers, and interactive sessions to ensure you extract maximum value:
- Day 1: The Summit opens with a welcome from our hosts and a keynote address by a senior European leader setting the tone for cooperation. Morning plenaries feature expert panels on overarching themes, such as European strategic autonomy and alliance cooperation. After lunch, the afternoon offers the first rounds of one-to-one meetings and time for tours of the exhibition. We conclude Day 1 with a networking cocktail reception, providing an opportunity for delegates, speakers, and partners to mingle in a more informal setting.
- Day 2: Kicks off with a high-profile industry leaders’ panel discussing innovation and future market needs. Further plenary talks delve into topics such as financing defence R&D and enhancing joint force readiness. The Summit concludes with a capstone session – a visionary closing keynote outlining next steps for European defence collaboration – and final remarks that synthesise key takeaways and actionable commitments for our community. The One-to-one meetings continue throughout the afternoon.
Format Highlights: Each day blends big-picture plenaries with choose-your-own deep dives. All plenary sessions take place in a grand hall with theatre seating, ideal for our large audience and keynote presentations. We transform rooms into the main hall into roundtable setups to encourage participation and direct exchange between speakers and attendees. This shift from auditorium to roundtable is deliberate – we want you not just to listen, but to engage and co-create solutions.
Day 1: Building the Framework for European Defence Infrastructure
🕗 08:00 – 09:00
Registration & Networking Breakfast
🕘 09:00 – 09:15
Opening Remarks
• Summit Chairperson – Christopher Higgins, Co-Founder, CWI Summits
• Welcome from Host Government (TBC – Polish Ministry of Defence)
🕤 09:15 – 09:45
Keynote Address
Mircea Geoană – Deputy Secretary General, NATO (invited)
NATO’s Infrastructure Priorities in a Changed Security Landscape
🕥 09:45 – 10:30
Ministerial Panel: Vision, Gaps & Urgency
• Thierry Breton – European Commissioner for Internal Market (invited)
• Jiří Šedivý – Chief Executive, European Defence Agency (invited)
• Jacek Siewiera – Head, Polish National Security Bureau (invited)
• Moderator: Lucia Retter, Senior Defence Analyst, RAND Europe
🕙 10:30 – 11:00
Coffee Break
🕚 11:00 – 11:45
Panel: The Role of the Private Sector in Defence Readiness
• Micael Johansson – CEO, Saab Group (invited)
• Guillaume Faury – CEO, Airbus (invited)
• Michael Burke – Chairman & CEO, AECOM (invited)
• Jan Pie – Secretary General, ASD Europe
• Moderator: Lucia Retter, RAND Europe
🕦 11:45 – 12:30
Panel: Financing Defence Infrastructure – Public, Private & Blended Models
• Emma Navarro – Vice President, EBRD (invited)
• Werner Hoyer – President, European Investment Bank (invited)
• Gabriel Caillaux – Co-President, General Atlantic (invited)
• Ana Gomez – Partner, Clifford Chance LLP
• Moderator: Tomáš Kopečný, Envoy for Ukraine Reconstruction (invited)
🕧 12:30 – 13:00
Audience Q&A Session
🕐 13:00 – 14:30
Networking Lunch
🕝 14:30 – 17:00
One-on-One Partnership Meetings
🕔 17:15 – 18:30
Evening Reception
Day 2: Delivering Resilient, Future-Proof Defence Infrastructure
🕗 08:00 – 09:00
Arrival Coffee & Networking
🕘 09:00 – 09:30
Keynote: Infrastructure as Deterrence
General Christopher G. Cavoli – Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), NATO (invited)
Lessons from the Frontline – Ukraine and NATO’s Eastern Flank
🕤 09:30 – 10:15
Panel: Securing Logistics Corridors & Supply Chains
• Sophie Punte – Executive Director, Smart Freight Centre
• Mirosław Kowalik – CEO, Westinghouse Poland
• Senior Logistics Officer, NATO Support & Procurement Agency (TBC)
• Moderator: Bastian Giegerich, Director, IISS (invited)
🕥 10:15 – 11:00
Panel: Green Energy & Dual-Use Infrastructure
• Kadri Simson – European Commissioner for Energy (invited)
• Mark Enzer OBE – Digital Twin & Infrastructure Innovator
• Marta Krupińska – Google for Startups, CEE
• Moderator: Tania Daniels, NATO Procurement Advisor (invited)
🕙 11:00 – 11:30
Coffee Break
🕚 11:30 – 12:15
Panel: Cutting Red Tape – Fast-Track Procurement & Delivery
• Michael Switalla – Director, Industry Synergies, EDA
• Olli Ruutu – Deputy Chief Executive, EDA (invited)
• Ana Gomez – Partner, Clifford Chance LLP
• Senior Legal Counsel, NATO Support & Procurement Agency (TBC)
• Moderator: Dr. Bastian Giegerich, IISS (confirmed or alternate)
🕦 12:15 – 13:00
Closing Brief: From Dialogue to Action
• Summit Chair & Hosts
• Forward planning for 2026
• Summary of key partnership opportunities
🕐 13:00 – 14:30
Lunch & Informal Networking
🕝 14:30 – 17:00
One-on-One Meetings