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Our mission

The missing voice of Central and Eastern Europe in Brussels.

The European Strategy Institute is an independent, Brussels-based think tank - or, more precisely, a "do-tank" - established as a Belgian non-profit association (ASBL).

Its mission is to buildcompelling, fact-based narratives at the heart of Europe and to give Central and Eastern Europe a stronger, more professional voice in the European debate.

Positioned at the centre of EU decision-making, the Institute will serve as a platform where policymakers, business leaders and experts come together to shape ideas that matter for the region’s competitiveness, security and long-term prosperity.

Read about our mission
Insight

Independent analysis, strategic reports, policy briefs and expert insights that help organisations and decision-makers understand emerging trends, regulatory developments and strategic challenges.

Dialogue

We create opportunities for meaningful discussion through roundtables, conferences, executive forums and expert meetings in Brussels and across Europe.

Engagement

We engage with policymakers, institutions, industry leaders and stakeholder communities to contribute expertise, facilitate dialogue and support evidence-based policymaking.

The people behind ESI

Experience. Credibility. Leadership.
A European perspective.

The Institute brings together experience from business, European institutions, academia and technology.

Strategic Council

The Strategic Council is an independent advisory body bringing together distinguished leaders from European institutions, business, academia, international organisations and public policy. Its purpose is to contribute strategic insight, support high-level dialogue and provide guidance on the Institute's long-term priorities.

Elżbieta Bieńkowska

Former European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Industry; former Minister of Regional Development

Elżbieta Bieńkowska

Former European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Industry; former Minister of Regional Development

Former European Commissioner and Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, with extensive experience in European policy, regional development, industry and public administration. A graduate of the Jagiellonian University, Poland’s National School of Public Administration (KSAP) and postgraduate studies at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, she was also a scholarship recipient of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the German Marshall Fund. From 2014 to 2019, Elżbieta Bieńkowska served as European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. Previously, she was Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Development (2013–2014) and Minister of Regional Development (2007–2013), playing a key role in regional policy and the management of European funds. Her career in public administration spans several decades, including senior positions responsible for regional development and European funds in the Silesian Voivodeship. Currently, Bieńkowska serves as Chair of the Board of the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) in Brussels, Senior Advisor at Rasmussen Global, Chair of the University Council of the University of Silesia, and a member of the Supervisory Board of Ukrainian Railways. Her position as Chair of the CEPS Board is also confirmed in CEPS's latest annual reporting.

Dominika Bettman

Former President of Microsoft Poland; former head of the Siemens group in Poland

Dominika Bettman

Former President of Microsoft Poland; former head of the Siemens group in Poland

Manager with many years of experience; CFO and CEO of international technological corporations. Leader, mentor, and speaker. Author of the books "Technological Magnolias" and "When No One's Watching: Ethical Dilemmas in Business" (December 2025). Connects the worlds of technology and business with an ethical approach, arguing that progress only makes sense when it serves people and the environment. She promotes leadership based on values, empathy, and trust. Graduate of the Faculty of International Trade at the Warsaw School of Economics and the Advanced Management Program at IESE in Barcelona. Member of supervisory boards, academic committees, and the program boards of congresses and business initiatives.

Dr Ewa Łabno-Falęcka

Former Communications Director at Mercedes-Benz Poland; founder, Foundation for Development of Education for Industry

Dr Ewa Łabno-Falęcka

Former Communications Director at Mercedes-Benz Poland; founder, Foundation for Development of Education for Industry

Academic, former diplomat and senior business executive with extensive experience at the intersection of industry, public policy, communications and Polish-German relations. From 1993 to 1999, she served as Counsellor at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Bonn. In 2000, she joined Mercedes-Benz Group in Poland, where she held senior roles spanning strategy, change management, marketing communications, governmental affairs and public policy. From 2015, she coordinated Mercedes-Benz investment projects in Poland. Since 2024, she has run her own consultancy, ELF Consulting & Communication. She is an expert in Industry 4.0 and sustainable development and lectures on New Mobility at the Warsaw University of Technology. She has co-founded and led several initiatives, including the Partnership for Road Safety, the Friends of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw and the Foundation for the Development of Education for Industry. A contemporary art collector and regular commentator in business media, she has received numerous industry and public distinctions, including Businesswoman of the Year (2016) and the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2025, she received the European University Viadrina Prize for her contribution to Polish-German political, economic and social dialogue and her support for women’s rights.

Piotr Wielgomas

Founder and President of BIGRAM

Piotr Wielgomas

Founder and President of BIGRAM

Born in Warsaw, he is married and has three adult children. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Warsaw and has participated in international business scholarship programmes in the United Kingdom, including at Nottingham Trent University, and in the United States. He is the founder and President of BIGRAM, a human resources consultancy that has been successfully operating on the Polish market for more than 30 years. The company specialises in executive recruitment and HR advisory services, including management audits, 360-degree assessments and outplacement. BIGRAM is also the exclusive Polish partner of two renowned global networks: IIC Partners Executive Search, where Piotr Wielgomas served for several years as a member of the Global Board, and Career Star Group. For many years, BIGRAM has also been running Enactus Poland, part of the international Enactus student entrepreneurship initiative, which operates across 40 countries and 1,700 universities worldwide. Piotr Wielgomas also has extensive corporate governance experience, having served for many years on the supervisory boards of a number of companies. Beyond his professional activities, he has served for many years as Vice President of the Association of Collectors of Historical Securities. He is also a co-creator of a unique project reconstructing pre-war Warsaw in the form of a detailed scale model, developed together with the renowned Polish actor and director Emilian Kamiński.

Prof. Piotr Wachowiak

Rector of SGH Warsaw School of Economics; Chairman of KRUE

Prof. Piotr Wachowiak

Rector of SGH Warsaw School of Economics; Chairman of KRUE

Professor Piotr Wachowiak n- Ph.D., D.Sc. - Rector of the SGH Warsaw School of Economics Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Organization and Management Sciences at the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), Chairman of the Conference of Rectors of Economic Universities and the Conference of Rectors of Warsaw Universities. Specializes in human resource management in organizations and corporate social responsibility. Author or co-author of publications on negotiations, conflict resolution, human resources management, intellectual capital measurement and knowledge management in enterprises.

Andrij Deshchytsia

Former Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland, 2014–2022

Andrij Deshchytsia

Former Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland, 2014–2022

Born in Sokal, Ukraine, Andrii Deshchytsia holds an MA in History and a PhD in Political Science. He studied at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and the University of Alberta in Canada. He speaks English, Polish and Russian. A career diplomat holding the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Deshchytsia served as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in 2014 and as Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland from 2014 to 2022. His previous roles include Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for Conflict Resolution, Ambassador of Ukraine to Finland and Iceland, and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Earlier in his career, he held diplomatic posts at Ukrainian embassies in Poland and Finland and served as Senior Coordinator of the Polish-American-Ukrainian Cooperation Initiative (PAUCI) in Kyiv. He currently serves as Honorary Consul of Iceland in Lviv and is the Founder and CEO of AAD Consult Ltd.

Jacek Siewiera

Former Head of Poland’s National Security Bureau; Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council

Jacek Siewiera

Former Head of Poland’s National Security Bureau; Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council

Polish transatlantic security strategist, military physician, and founder of Hybrid Global Strategy, a company focused on civil protection, CBRN infrastructure, and defence technologies. From 2022 to 2025, he served as Secretary of State and Head of Poland’s National Security Bureau. A lieutenant colonel in the reserve and a holder of a habilitation (DSc) in medical sciences, he brings extensive experience at the intersection of medicine, defence policy, and hybrid threat response. After completing his government service in early 2025, he transitioned to international strategic roles. He is a Clarendon Scholar at the University of Oxford and a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, where his work focuses on transatlantic security, resilience, and the evolving sub-defence sector. Founder of Hybrid Global Strategy (Hybrid GS), a holding company focused on urban life-protection infrastructure, CBRN preparedness, and technologies designed to counter hybrid threats, contributing to the development of advanced security and resilience solutions. In parallel, he serves as an Associate Professor at the Polish Naval Academy and remains a leading authority in international discussions on hybrid threats, national resilience, and the transformation of civil defence.

Prof. Joanna Kulczycka

Professor at AGH University of Krakow; Head of the Circular Economy Division at IGSMiE PAN

Prof. Joanna Kulczycka

Professor at AGH University of Krakow; Head of the Circular Economy Division at IGSMiE PAN

Professor of Management Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences and AGH University of Krakow, Poland Prof. Joanna Kulczycka is the Head and Founder of the Division of Strategic Research and the Department of Circular Economy at the Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences (MEERI PAS), and a Professor at the Academy of Krakow, Faculty of Management, where she delivers lectures on economics, circular economy, eco-innovation in industry, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). She also serves as Director of the IATI Bureau—the largest virtual research institute in Poland—and as President of the Waste Management and Recycling Cluster, a Key National Cluster in Poland. She is the author of over 250 publications, including the first Polish-language book on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the first Polish Minerals Yearbook, and more than 120 peer-reviewed scientific articles addressing raw materials, the circular economy, energy and waste management, eco-efficiency of industrial processes, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and just transition. She is a member of the UNEP International Resource Panel (IRP) and a co-author of two flagship reports: Global Resources Outlook 2024 and Global Environment Outlook 7. She has been actively involved in numerous national and European research and innovation projects. She also served as the organizer and Chair of the Steering Committee of EUIndTech2025 – Industrial Technologies and Materials for a Sustainable Europe, the EU flagship event held under the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński

Former Deputy Minister at the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment

Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński

Former Deputy Minister at the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment

Former Secretary of State (Deputy Minister) at the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment,former Government Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructure. He currently works at Transport & Environment (T&E), providing evidence-based analysis and policy recommendations to Polish decision-makers on the transition to clean transport. Previously, he served as Head of the Environment Section at Poland’s Permanent Representation to the EU and as a Deputy Minister in the Polish government. He was also a member of Poland’s UNFCCC Presidency negotiating team at COP19 in Warsaw and Poland’s chief negotiator at COP24 in Katowice.

Žygimantas Vaičiūnas

Former Minister of Energy of Lithuania; former Energy Attaché to the European Union

Žygimantas Vaičiūnas

Former Minister of Energy of Lithuania; former Energy Attaché to the European Union

An energy policy expert and former Lithuanian Minister of Energy, with more than 20 years of experience shaping national and European energy policy, advancing strategic energy infrastructure, and strengthening energy security. As Lithuania’s Minister of Energy across three governments, he led and contributed to key initiatives at the intersection of energy security, the energy transition, and European energy policy. He has also served as Acting Prime Minister, Acting Minister of Economy and Innovation, and Acting Minister of Environment. His career spans senior positions in the Lithuanian government, the Permanent Representation of Lithuania to the European Union, and the European Solar Manufacturing Council in Brussels, where he focused on European industrial policy for solar PV manufacturing. He has been closely involved in major strategic energy initiatives, including the synchronisation of the Baltic States’ electricity grids with Continental Europe, the development of renewable energy, and the deployment of battery energy storage systems. Žygimantas holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and European Studies and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Vilnius University.

Meet the Council

Publications & Events

Bringing CEE expertise to the European table.


ESI connects business, policymakers and experts to bring Central and Eastern European experience, priorities and expertise into Europe’s strategic debate.

Explore our work
01Executive round tables

Closed-door conversations in Brussels that bring business leaders and public institutions together.

02Flagship programmes & Special projects

Multi-year initiatives connecting industry, policymakers and experts around Europe's most consequential strategic challenges.

03Reports & briefings

Independent analysis, developed with leading experts, turning regulatory and geopolitical developments into clear, actionable insight.

04Strategic support

Tailored advisory drawing on our network of experts to help organisations navigate Europe's evolving policy and security landscape.

05European Dialogue platform

Operating at the intersection of business, policy and European institutions, translating sector needs into a stronger Central and Eastern European voice on Europe's geopolitical agenda.

AREAS OF FOCUS

From analysis to action - for a stronger Central and Eastern Europe.

01Addressing Europe's Strategic Challenges02Competitiveness & Industrial Policy03Energy, Industry & Industrial Transformation04Defence, Security & Strategic Resilience05Critical Resources & Supply Chains06Space, Nuclear & Emerging Technologies

Partnerships

Partnerships built around ideas, shaped together

Building Partnerships for European Impact


ESI works with companies, institutions, universities, associations, foundations and public-sector organisations that share a commitment to strengthening Europe's future.

Partner with ESI

Executive team

Makes ESI's mission happen through daily engagement across Central and Eastern Europe.

Agnieszka Sitek-Kobosko

Co-Founder & CEO

agnieszka.sitek@esi-eu.com

Agnieszka Sitek-Kobosko

Co-Founder & CEO

Founding President and CEO of The European Strategy Institute, an independent Brussels-based think tank dedicated to advancing strategic dialogue and developing forward-looking solutions for Europe's most pressing political, economic and societal challenges. Under her leadership, The European Strategy Institute brings together leaders from policy, business, academia and civil society to strengthen Europe's competitiveness, resilience and global influence. The Institute serves as a platform for expert analysis, cross-sector collaboration and high-level dialogue on the future of Europe. Agnieszka is a strategic communications and public affairs executive with more than 15 years of international experience spanning corporate communications, stakeholder engagement, reputation management and organisational transformation. Throughout her career, she has advised senior executives and leadership teams across Europe and Asia, helping organisations navigate change, build trust and communicate effectively in complex and rapidly evolving environments. Prior to establishing The European Strategy Institute, she held senior leadership roles within global organisations. At InPost Group, she led international brand communications and sponsorship integration across multiple European markets. At Citi, she served as Communications & Employee Engagement Manager and Chief of Staff for Global Consumer Technology, overseeing communication and engagement initiatives for a workforce of more than 5,000 professionals across EMEA and Asia. Earlier in her career, she held positions in marketing, corporate communications, retail development and brand strategy at Levi Strauss & Co., Momentum Worldwide, Brand Designers Planet, PepsiCo and Ogilvy, contributing to initiatives that strengthened organisational reputation, stakeholder engagement and business growth. Based in Brussels, at the heart of European decision-making, Agnieszka is committed to fostering trusted leadership, strategic foresight and meaningful dialogue that contributes to a stronger and more competitive Europe.

Daria Smolarek

Communication & Programme Director

daria.smolarek@esi-eu.com

Daria Smolarek

Communication & Programme Director

Communications and programme management professional with over 20 years of experience spanning media, public institutions, non-profit organisations and the creative sector. Prior to joining ESI, she worked at the Chancellery of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, within the Office of the Marshal of the Sejm, where she was responsible for communications and public engagement activities for “Sejm Otwarty”, an initiative designed to strengthen connections between the Polish Parliament and citizens through social, cultural and educational programmes. She also developed and coordinated a range of projects aimed at increasing civic participation and public engagement. Earlier in her career, Daria spent more than twelve years at TVN, one of Poland's leading television broadcasters, contributing to a wide range of programmes and editorial projects. Her responsibilities included content development, production coordination and team management. She later joined Next Film, where she coordinated a team of project managers responsible for artist relations, communication strategies and budget oversight. Throughout her career, she has led multidisciplinary teams and delivered projects across the media, public and creative sectors, combining expertise in strategic communications, programme development and stakeholder engagement. At ESI, she leads the Institute's communications activities and supports the development and delivery of strategic programmes, partnerships and public engagement initiatives. She is currently pursuing a degree in Political Science with a specialisation in Communication and Public Relations at Vizja University in Warsaw.

Our partners

Organisations shaping Europe's future alongside us.

KGHM Polska MiedźVeoliaKGHM Polska MiedźVeoliaVeolia