Leszek Balcerowicz – Keynote Speaker

Professor Leszek Balcerowicz is a highly renowned economist, legendary politician who is regarded as the architect of Poland’s market reforms initiated in 1989, after the collapse of communism. With truly remarkable achievements, he has been a dominant figure in the country’s developments and economic strategy between 1989-2007.

Professor Balcerowicz served as Deputy Prime Minister responsible for economic matters and Finance Minister in the first and second post-communist government. Driven by values deeply rooted in moral and political philosophy combined with a vast knowledge in economics and other social sciences, he stood behind the changes which led to the historical transformation from command economy to the market and from dictatorship to democracy. He successfully dealt with very difficult economic situations, like hyperinflation, foreign debt crisis, extreme imbalances in the economy, and social and political tensions related to the introduction of reforms.

Leszek Balcerowicz is currently Professor of Economics at the prestigious Warsaw School of Economics. He is one of the most respected and internationally acclaimed experts on the economic reforms and financial crisis and one of the leading economic voices navigating through the post-crisis reality. He is the only Central/Eastern European member of the prestigious financial advisory body Group of Thirty. Professor Balcerowicz is a Honorary Chairman of Bruegel –
a Brussels think tank devoted to policy research on international economic issues. In 2008-09 he was a member of “De Larosiere “ high-level expert group on financial supervision in the EU.

As a leading economic practitioner, dominant strategist and prolific author, Professor Balcerowicz’s versatile knowledge and experience offer eye-opening assessment of the issues of stability and economic growth in various countries. His clear view of the economic and social development, stamina in the face of intellectual opposition and courage to be critical of mainstream economics and establishment, bring most genuine insight and advice. Professor Balcerowicz has been regarded as on of the most influential thinkers and advisors setting out the current challenges facing international economy.