Mr Baranowski is a political scientist, think-tank expert, and author of numerous publications on transatlantic relations, European policies, and the European security order.

Born in Warsaw, where he completed his secondary education at Jan Zamoyski Upper Secondary School, Mr Baranowski went on to study Economics and Political Science at Mercer University in the United States, the University of Oxford, and Maastricht University.

In 2005, he received a Master’s degree in European Public Affairs from Maastricht University. That same year, he began his career as a think-tank analyst in the Brussels office of the independent American organisation, the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF). Over the course of several years, he served the GMF in various capacities.

From 2005 to 2011, Mr Baranowski was part of the GMF Brussels office, focusing on transatlantic cooperation, particularly with Central Europe and the Eastern Partnership countries.

Between 2008 and 2011, he worked in Washington, D.C., where he led a project on transatlantic trade. In 2011, he established the Warsaw office of GMF, which was the first permanent office of a Western think tank in Warsaw at that time. From 2011 to 2021, he expanded the Foundation’s activities in Poland and across the eastern flank of the European Union. In 2021, Mr Baranowski became Managing Director of GMF East, overseeing the organisation’s work in Poland, Ukraine, the Baltic States, the Visegrád Group, and Romania; his team produced a report on a proposed ‘Marshall Plan’ for Ukraine.

Mr Baranowski is a frequent contributor to Polish and international media, offering analysis of economic and international affairs.

Theresa Fallon is the founder and director of the Centre for Russia Europe Asia Studies in Brussels. She is a member of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific, and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. Her current research is on EU-Asia relations, maritime security, transatlantic relations, and great power competition.

Previously, she was a member of the Centre for European Policy Studies Task Force on AI and Cybersecurity, the Bertelsmann Expert Group on Transatlantic Relations, and The Loisach Group on Transatlantic Relations, Non-resident Senior Fellow of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and Adjunct Professor at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. She was also an analyst at the Centre for Global Energy Studies in London, Senior Associate with the European Institute for Asian Studies in Brussels, and a member of the Strategic Advisors Group for the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

She has testified to the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs and Subcommittee on Security and Defense as well to the UK House of Lords. She has briefed the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Members of the U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of State and other U.S. government institutions. She has participated in executive training courses for French and Dutch government officials. She has published extensively on EU-PRC relations, security, and broader geopolitical trends.

From 2003 to 2007, Theresa worked in Beijing as a researcher and consultant. From 1998 to 2003, she was the Moscow representative of PlanEcon, a research and consulting firm, and taught economics in the first MBA program established in Russia at the American Institute of International Business in Moscow. In addition, she lived and worked in London, Paris, Rome, Kyoto and Washington D.C. She was educated at the University of Chicago, Loyola University, and the London School of Economics.

Florence, a French-German national, has held key positions such as deputy director at the EU Institute for Security Studies, foresight advisor at the EU Council, and special advisor to EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič.

Beginning her career at NATO’s Middle East Faculty in 2009, she now focuses on strategic foresight.

Head of the political cabinet of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski. Political scientist and linguist, researcher at the University of Warsaw. Founding member of the Zryw Foundation. Before joining the ministry, she worked at Visegrad Insight, the Res Publica Foundation, where she led the “Europe on Edge” program.

Magdalena Jakubowska is the Vice President and Director of Operations at the Res Publica Foundation. In this role, she is responsible for strategic foresight and programme planning, institutional cooperation and strategic development, looking at the EU and transatlantic affairs through the lens of democratic security. One of her flagship projects concerns women’s empowerment in security (#WomenAreNATO). Previously, Magda Jakubowska worked at the Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) and the Polish Institute of International Affairs.

Jacob Funk Kirkegaard is a resident senior fellow with the Bruegel think tank in Brussels and a nonresident senior fellow with the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE). He has a BSc from the University of Aarhus in Denmark; an MA from Columbia University in New York; and received his PhD in political economy from Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies.

Carlos Mulas-Granados is the IMF’s Regional Resident Representative for Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Until his recent appointment, Carlos was the Deputy Head of the IMF’s Strategy Unit and represented the Fund at G20 meetings. Before that, Carlos led analytical and country work for the European, Research and Fiscal Affairs Departments. Carlos joined the Fund over a decade ago, after having served as Deputy Director of the Spanish Prime Minister’s Economic Office, as an Advisor to the European Commissioner of Economic and Monetary Affairs, and as Director of ICEI think tank. Carlos holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Cambridge and a Master’s degree in International Relations from Columbia University.

Founder and President of Forum Energii, a Polish think tank supporting the energy transition. Expert in European energy and climate policy, energy markets and renewable energy. Former Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Environment. Part-time Professor at the Florence School of Transnational Governance. Special adviser to the European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen.

A manager, economist, and capital markets expert with extensive experience in Polish and international financial institutions, he specializes in public and private markets, directly managing or supervising investments of multi-person investment teams. He possesses extensive knowledge of macroeconomics and economic processes.v

Matteo Rivellini is an experienced manager at the European Investment Bank, leading the Ukraine Investment Team. He oversees financing for infrastructure, green transition, energy, transport, and SMEs across Ukraine, Moldova, and the South Caucasus.

Jan Sechter is Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, with more than 30 years’ experience in public administration, diplomacy and the private sector. Since 1992, he has held various posts in the Czech diplomatic service in Central European countries;At the Ministry of Industry and Trade, he focuses on international relations, the EU and economic policy.

Matej Šimalčík is the Executive Director of the Central European Institute of Asian Studies, a think tank that focuses on foreign and security policy issues related to East Asia. His research looks at China’s economic and political presence and influence in Europe, elite relations, corrosive capital, and how they impact EU’s economic security and research security.

An expert in the field of security and management of institutions of critical importance to the state. He has extensive experience in leading large organisations, implementing complex operational projects, and effectively managing teams. He specialises in cooperation between public administration, state services, and the financial sector.