full programme: 1st sme assembly "helping smes go for growth"

7/30/2019 Full Programme: 1st SME Assembly "Helping SMEs Go for Growth"

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Helping SMEs go for Growth

15th 16th November 2012

Filoxenia International Conference Centre, Nicosia, Cyprus

Organised by the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union &

the European Commission's Directorate General for Enterprise & Industry


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Conference programmeat a glance

Programme details correct at time of printing. Delegates will be briefed by the organiserson any last minute revisions to the timetable and/or speakers at the event location.

Thursday, 15th November

08.00 Transport from hotels to Filoxenia Centre

09.00 Arrival, security & coffee

09.30 Introduction

09.35 Welcome from the Cyprus Presidency by Neoklis Sylikiotis

Message from President Barroso

09.40 Opening plenary session: If SMEs grow, the economy grows by Antonio Tajani

10.10 For Journalists: Press conference with Antonio Tajani and Neoklis Sylikiotis

10.10 Networking coffee break

10.30 The Big Debate: this Assembly believes that the best way to help Europes

SMEs grow is to remove the obstacles in their path

11.40 Growing through finance12.45 Family photos of EEPA candidates and SME Envoy Network

12.45 Networking lunch

14.15 Meeting of the SME Envoy Network

by invitation only

14.15 Policy session 1

Growing through green innovation

Policy session 2

How regions & cities help SMEs grow

Policy session 3

Simplifying the rules to help SMEs grow

15.30 Networking coffee break

16.00 Policy session 4

Small business / Big world

Policy session 5

Helping SMEs grow through public procurement

Policy session 6

Big business cares for small business

17.15 Transport to hotels

19.00 Coaches depart hotels to the EEPA Gala Dinner at the Carob Mill, Limassol

19.30 Reception & entertainment

20.45 Dinner

22.15 Awards ceremony

23.30 Coaches return guests to the hotels

Friday, 16th November

08.30 Transport from hotels to Filoxenia Centre

09.00 Arrival, security & coffee

10.00 Welcome & introduction

10.10 Keynote speech by Neoklis Sylikiotis

How Cyprus is helping SMEs grow

10.30 Principles into action: Othmar Karas & Luc Van den Brande

10.50 Question time

11.30 Challenges for 2013

12.20 Conclusions from Daniel Calleja

12.30 Networking lunch

FROM 12.30 Transport to hotels and Larnaca airport


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A welcome to the2012 SME Assembly

from Antonio Tajani,Vice-President of theEuropean Commission

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 2012 SME

Assembly in Cyprus. The European Commission and the Cyprus

Presidency of the Council are proud to present a varied programme

of keynote speeches, interactive policy sessions and the opportunity

to exchange views with business organisations, business owners and

eminent speakers from all over Europe.

The SME Assembly is an important part of the governance of

the Small Business Act. Thinking Small First must become an

automatic part of our economic and legislative measures. We have

more than twenty million SMEs in Europe and they are the backbone

of our economy. They deserve the best policies that we can create

for them.

This is why I invite you to exploit every opportunity that presents

itself at the Assembly, to listen to the good practices of other

organisations, to network with colleagues from other Member

States and to present your own experience & ideas. The SMEAssembly is our yearly gathering of stakeholders in SME policy; it

complements the SME Envoy Network that works throughout the

year to push forward the implementation of the Small Business Act.

This Assembly is certainly a moment to take stock, but it is first and

foremost the arena in which we will discuss the challenges of the

coming year and how we are going to tackle them.

In times of economic crisis only a strong and unified Europe can

get SMEs back on the path to growth. We have to enable our

citizens both to become entrepreneurs and to stay in business.

Finally, let me thank our co-hosts, in particular Neoklis Sylikiotis,the Cypriot Minister for Commerce, Industry and Tourism, for their

excellent co-operation in the preparation of this Assembly. Let me

also thank H.E. President Christofias of Cyprus as well as European

Parliament Vice-President Karas and Vice-President Van den Brande

of the Committee of the Regions, who will be joining us this evening

at the Awards Ceremony of the 2012 European Enterprise Promotion

Awards.

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Preface to the Programmeby the Minister of Commerce,Industry and Tourism for the

1st SME Assembly, 15-16November 2012

Dear Guests,I welcome you to Cyprus, the island of Aphrodite, a small country

with a long history and rich cultural heritage. Over the course of

time Cyprus has experienced many conquerors. Its natural wealth

and strategic geographical location has, since antiquity, played an

important role in the islands turbulent history. However, the peoplesucceeded to overcome any adversities caused by the various

conquerors and maintain intact its language and culture heritage as

well as developing its entrepreneurial spirit.

Recognising the importance of SMEs as a catalyst to boost growth in

Europe, I welcome you to this 1st SME Assembly.

Today, Europe needs to create the necessary tools and mechanisms

towards economic recovery and sustainable development. Cyprus,

as the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, is workingtowards the achievement of its target for a better Europe, with its

citizens in the forefront. Such a goal, however, cannot be realised

unless a clear message is sent to all stakeholders regarding the need

to support SMEs and utilise their potential to the maximum extent.

The Assembly is a great opportunity to discuss important issues for

SMEs and to exchange views and best practices that will effectively

enhance the further development of SMEs.

I hope that the results of this event will provide a useful tool for all

stakeholders in creating more effective and effi cient policy for SMEs.

I wish you a pleasant stay in Cyprus.

Neoklis Sylikiotis

Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism

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09.30 hrsWelcome and Introductionby Michalis Persianis, Assembly ChairMichalis Persianis is chief editor, Economy and Finance, at Kathimerini, the leading Cyprus newspaper.

He also works as the Wall Street Journals correspondent in Cyprus. Before returning to Cyprus, Michalis

worked from 2006 to 2009 as an assistant in the European Parliament to Ioannis Kasoulides MEP

(EPP, CY); having previously served as chief of research in the Kasoulides presidential campaign.

Michalis is a native of Cyprus, completing his education in the US at Rutgers (MA in Political Science)

and later at Johns Hopkins SAIS (MA in International Economics). Michalis has in the past acted as a

debating coach.

Welcome from The Cyprus PresidencyMr Neoklis Sylikiotis, Minister of Commerce, Industry & Tourism will welcome delegates

to the first SME Assembly in Cyprus on behalf of the Cyprus Presidency.

Message from President Barroso:SMES ARE KEY TO DELIVERING

EU 2020 GOALSPresident Barroso will send a message of support for the work of the Assembly.

9.40 hrsKEYNOTE SPEECHIf SMEs Grow, The Economy GrowsMr Antonio Tajani, Vice President and Commissioner responsible for Enterprise, will talk about the crucial

role SMEs have to play in getting Europe growing again, what the Commission is doing to help SMEs and

entrepreneurs and what more needs to be done to kick start growth.

Antonio TajaniAntonio Tajani is European Commission Vice-President and Commissioner for Industry andEntrepreneurship, a position held since February 2010. Prior to this, from May 2008, he wasCommissioner in charge of Transport. His early career began as an offi cer and radar controller in theItalian Air Force. Aer the Air Force he began a career in journalism, both broadcast and print, whichculminated in him running the Rome editorial offi ce of the Italian daily Il Giornale.In 1994 he was one of the founders, along with Silvio Berlusconi, of the Forza Italia party, who herepresented in the European Parliament from 1994 to 2008 and headed its delegation from 1999 to2008. During his 15 years as an MEP, he sat on the Foreign Affairs, Constitutional Affairs and TransportCommittees. He was also a member of the Convention which draed the European Constitution thatbecame the Lisbon Treaty. Antonio Tajani was born in Rome on 4 August 1953. He is married with 2

children and holds a degree in Law from Sapienza University.

10.10 hrs Networking coffee break

ProgrammeThursday, 15th November 2012

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10.30 hrsTHE BIG DEBATEThis debate is about means not ends. We all agree about the importance of helping SMEsand their key role in producing growth, employment and tax revenues. But what is thebest way of going about it? Laissez faire or pro-active government intervention? Our twoteams of experts will debate the motion that:

This assembly believes that the best way to help Europes

SMEs grow is to remove the obstacles in their path.

At the end of the debate delegates will be asked to vote as to whether or not they are foror against the motion.

The Big Debate will be moderated by Michalis Persianis.

The debating team who thinks the best way of helping is to remove obstacles will be:

Gunilla AlmgrenGunilla Almgren was appointed as President of UEAPME on 28 November 2011. She is an

entrepreneur in the sanitary fittings industry, with business contacts all over Europe. She served as

First Vice-President of the Board of Fretagarna, the Swedish Federation of Private Enterprises.She also sits on the Board of several Swedish business-related organisations as well as private

companies. On top of her professional engagements, Ms Almgren has also actively participated in

several committees and working groups set up by the European Commission in past years on issues

including better regulation. Ms Almgren holds a Diploma in Business Administration from the IHM

Business School and speaks five offi cial EU languages (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish)

in addition to her mother tongue.

Jan BarnesJan Barnes is Senior Manager, Government Relations EU for eBay Inc. Jans expertise includes trade,

SMEs and consumer-related policy. Prior to joining eBay, Jan was the Europe Director for the

European-American Business Council, focusing on international and transatlantic issues affecting every

major business sector. Before that, Jan was a consultant managing the EU-related activities of severalclients, including the European Small Business Alliance. Jan holds a Master of Science from the London

School of Economics and a BA from University College London.

Hugh Morgan-WilliamsHugh Morgan Williams was Founder and Chairman of the award winning Canford Group plc for over

30 years and he remains a consultant to the business. He has been a director of ten successful private

sector businesses with a media and technology focus.

He was formerly Chairman of the CBI SME Council and The Northern Way and board member of the

North East Regional Development Agency. He is a board member of Durham University. He is currently

Chairman of BusinessEuropes Entrepreneurship & SME Committee.

Hugh has developed a Europe-wide expertise in Access to Finance. He was founding Chairman of North

East Access to Finance, a JEREMIE funded vehicle for SME investment. He participated in a high level

European working party on Access to Finance in 2009.

He is an ardent exponent of language learning and in 2008 was awarded an OBE for services to business

in H.M. the Queens Birthday Honours.

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The debating team who thinks removing obstacles is necessary but not suffi cient will be:

Arnaldo AbruzziniMr Abruzzini joined EUROCHAMBRES in 1999 as Secretary General.

EUROCHAMBRES is the Brussels-based European Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry,

representing over 2,000 regional and local Chambers of Commerce and Industry with more than 20

million member companies in 45 countries.

In 1996 Mr Abruzzini founded Interactive Media and served as a Board member until 2010. Before that

he was a Board member of Mediacamere, a communication company owned by the Italian Chamber of

Commerce, shareholder and managing partner of the Consir group and managing director of the Bavaria

Assicurazioni.A native of Italy, Mr Abruzzini is a graduate in Economics with a major in Finance from La Sapienza

University.

Daniel Calleja

Mr Calleja has been Director General of DG Enterprise and Industry since February 2012, he is also the

EU SME Envoy.

Daniel Calleja was previously Deputy Director General of DG Enterprise and Director for Air Transport at

the European Commission, where he successfully negotiated, on behalf of the EU, the EU-US Open Skies

Agreement.

Between 1999 and 2004, he was Head of Cabinet for the Vice-President of the European Commission,

Mrs Loyola de Palacio, responsible for Transport, Energy and Relations with the European Parliament.

Between 1995 and 1999, Mr Calleja was the Head of Cabinet for Commissioner Marcelino Oreja,

responsible for institutional affairs and for the Amsterdam Treaty negotiations.

Mr Calleja is the author of several publications and has lectured in European Law at universities of

various Member States. He has a degree in Law and Business Administration from the University of

Comillas, Madrid.

Christiana Iacovidou ConstantinidouChristiana was born in 1975 in Nicosia, Cyprus. She has a BSc (Hons) degree in Hotel and Catering

Management from the University of Surrey, England and an MBA degree in Marketing and Finance from

Indiana University, USA. She worked at Stakis Hotels in Scotland and at Brown & Williamson Tobacco

Company in Kentucky, USA. She is currently the Manager of the Cleopatra Hotel in Nicosia which has

been her familys business for three generations.

She is a member of the Board of the Cyprus Hotel Association and President for the Nicosia District. She

is also member of the Nicosia Tourism Board.


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11.40 hrsGROWING THROUGH FINANCEWithout an easy route to finance when needed, the promise of enterprise can be strangledat birth. It is vital that we come up with ways of providing that access. This session willprovide answers to the question:

What action should be taken to get finance to SMEs to help

them grow?SpeakersJames BurnhamJames joined the European Venture Capital Association (EVCA) in 2010 and is responsible forpolitical advocacy. Prior to joining EVCA James was Head of Marketing and Communications atClimate Change Capital, a London based asset management company with a focus on thelow-carbon economy. Before this he held a number of positions in Communications andInvestor Relations for financial services and alternative energy clients.

Anthony ClarkeAnthony Clarke is the co-founder and CEO of Angel Capital Group which includes London Business Angels

where he has the role of Managing Director.

Since 1995 he has been a business angel investor/non-executive director in over 20 start-up/early stage

businesses. Between 2002 and 2009 Anthony was Managing Director of GLE Growth Capital and also sat

on the main Board of GLE.

Anthony has been involved with London Business Angels for 17 years and took on the role of MD when

it became part of GLE Growth Capital in 2002. He is also a co-founder and currently sits on the advisory

Board of the UKs first 30 Enterprise Capital Venture Fund, Seraphim Capital. He was Chairman of the

British Business Angels Association (BBAA) from 2004 to 2012 and remains on its Board.

He is President Emeritus of European Business Angels Network (EBAN) having been its President from

2004-2009. Anthony also sits on the Venture Capital Committee of the BVCA.Anthony qualified as a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Secretary with Deloitte Haskins & Sells

(now PWC).

Hubert CottogniHubert Cottogni is Head of the Regional Business Development Department, as well as a Deputy Director

for the European Investment Fund (EIF). He is responsible for developing and implementing Fund of

Funds and the JEREMIE initiative throughout Europe. Prior to this position, he was a Director of Telekom

Austria in Vienna, where he spent over 6 years as Head of Strategy and Business Development, then

becoming Director of Mergers and Acquisitions. He also spent more than 12 years working as a Senior

Banker in institutions such as EIB and Creditanstalt AG.

Mr Cottogni holds a degree in Business and Administration from the University of Innsbruck. He also

holds an MBA from the University of Innsbruck as well as an executive degree from INSEAD.


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Philippe De Backer MEPPhilippe De Backer is a Member of the European Parliament where he is a full member of the Transport

and Tourism Committee. He is a substitute Member on the Economy and Monetary Affairs Committee,

as well as the Employment and Social Affairs Committee. His main interests lie in the field of transport

infrastructure and functioning of logistics markets, the regulation of financial institutions and innovation

policy.

Before joining the European Parliament he worked as Technology Transfer Offi cer at CRP-Sant

and as an analyst at Vesalius Biocapital, a Luxembourg based venture capital firm specialising in the

life-sciences. He has expertise in the valorisation of IP developed by public research institutes and

setting-up early ventures in the life-sciences.

He holds a PhD in biotechnology from Ghent University and an MBA from Solvay Business School.

Stelios StavridisStelios Stavridis has had a long and successful career as CEO of several leading Greek companies

including Lavipharm, Aegeon Textile Industry, Heracles-Lafarge Cement Industry, Hellenic Petroleum

Corporation and Hellenic Aspropyrgos Refinery. He managed the privatisation of the Aget Heracles

Cement Company (today the Lafarge Group) and he also participated in the privatisation of the Hellenic

Aspropyrgos Refinery.

In 1991 he founded and is still CEO of the Ideales Group, which is the recipient of many awards for

its business ethics, its working environment (European Best Workplace 2009) and CSR practices.

Stelios Stavridis is also Chairman of the Social Dialogue Committee of EuroCommerce, an employers

organization representing six million retail and wholesale businesses employing 30 million people,

Chairman of the CSR Committee of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the

Antibureaucracy movement, which fights bureaucracy and corruption in Greece.Stelios Stavridis holds a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering and postgraduate studies in Business

Administration & Economics.

ModeratorJoanna DrakeJoanna Drake has been the Director, SMEs and Entrepreneurship, DG Enterprise and Industry at

the European Commission since 2010. Previously she was Head of the European Commission

Representation in Malta where she was born and before that she was Company Secretary and Head of

the Legal & Regulatory Department of Vodafone Malta Limited.

Before venturing into the telecommunications sector, Joannas professional career centered entirely

around European Union matters, with an emphasis on law, which she taught and researched full-time

for five years at the University of Malta. Aer obtaining her post-graduate qualifications in law from the

College of Europe in Bruges, where she specialised in EU competition and Internal Market law, Joanna

spent five years as Senior Legal Offi cer at the EU Directorate of the Foreign Offi ce in Malta and a further

year as Legal Research Offi cer at the Maltese Embassy in Brussels. As a core group member of MEUSAC

(Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee) she was closely involved in the pre-accession negotiations

between Malta and the European Union.

Family photos of all national winners of the EuropeanEnterprise Promotion Awards and the SME Envoy Networkwill be taken immediately aer the morning session closes.

12.45 NETWORKING LUNCHA buffet lunch will be provided in the Halkos and Pentadaktylos restaurantswhere there will be ample opportunities for networking.

All refreshments are provided courtesy of the Cyprus Presidency.


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IN BREAKOUT POLICY SESSIONS

14.15 hrs POLICY SESSION 1GROWING THROUGH GREEN INNOVATIONThe greening of economies is a major opportunity for new growth in world markets. Weneed to ensure that our SMEs increase their market share. The specialists in this sessionare tasked with answering the question:

What needs to be done to give EU businesses acompetitive advantage in global green markets?

SpeakersLuciano BrandoniLuciano Brandoni is a member of the Confindustria SME Central Board and President of Confindustria

Marche SME Committee. His other posts include Vice President of Federexport (the Italian Federation

of Export Consortia), Member of the Board of the Chamber of Commerce of Ancona, President of the

Consorzio Italiano Arredobagno (the consortium of the Italian bath furniture industries) and President of

the Piccola Industria di Confindustria Marche. He is the Founder and CEO of the following manufacturing

companies: Brandoni srl (a company specialising in the production of design radiators), Brandoni

Engineering srl (which develops systems using alternative energy sources like photovoltaic-solar) and

Brandoni Solare S.p.a. (which produces photovoltaic modules). He is also active in export trading with C.B.

srl and real estate with B&B srl and M&M srl. He is the holder of a degree in Technology.

Kyriakos ParpounasIn 2005 Kyriakos Parpounas was chosen by the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry to set up

and become General Manager of the first Collective Waste Packaging System in Cyprus, Green Dot

Cyprus. Under his management the System was accredited and now covers 85% of the islands

population, representing 850 companies. Since 2010 the System has exceeded its recycling targets and

its work has been instrumental in Cyprus improving its overall recycling performance. Mr Parpounas

also managed the development and accreditation of a Collective System for the Management of Waste

Electrical and Electronic Waste and a Collective System for the Management of Household Batteries.

Mr Parpounas is an elected Member of the Latsia Municipal Council and has served as a Member of

the Labour Court. He is the holder of a Degree in Civil Engineering and an MBA in Finance & Real Estate

Finance.

This session will be moderated by Michalis Persianis.

14.15 hrs POLICY SESSION 2HOW REGIONS AND CITIES HELP SMEs GROW

Public funding is vital both to building an enterprise culture and to supporting SMEgrowth. But how should it be delivered? And by whom? And how can we ensure that itreaches those it is intended to help? Our expert speakers will provide answers to thequestion:

Are regions and cities best placed to help SMEs grow?


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SpeakersArto BryggareArto Bryggare is Executive Secretary of the European Entrepreneurial Region 2012 project, a member

of Helsinki City Council and former President of the Uusima region. He has also served two terms as a

member of the Finnish Parliament and is a member of its Economy, Finance and Education Committees.

He studied international relations and areal planning at the University of Southern California and the

Helsinki School of Business Administration respectively. He is an Olympic bronze medallist in the 110m

hurdles at the 1984 LA Games.

Marc SansMarc Sans is currently Senior In-City Promotion Offi cer of Barcelona Activa, Local Development Agency

of the City Council of Barcelona. Prior to this he was Institutional Co-operation Offi cer of Barcelona

Activa, supervising the visits of high profile representatives of public authorities, business incubators &

tech parks, chambers of commerce and higher education centres from around the globe. He was also

responsible for the design and implementation of international co-operation projects, providing technical

assistance in the transfer of work methodologies & digital tools to support entrepreneurship & SMEs in

worldwide environments.

From 2003 to 2006 he was a member of the team of entrepreneurship experts of the Barcelona Activa

Entrepreneurship Centre, coaching entrepreneurs, assessing the feasibility of their business projects and

guiding them towards funding. He was also responsible for the creation of learning materials and reports

for the entrepreneurship training programme and taught many of the training seminars and createddigital contents for Barcelona Activas web based platform to support entrepreneurs.

Nick SmallCouncillor Nick Small is the Chair of the Economic Development Forum of EUROCITIES and Cabinet

Member (Vice Mayor) for Employment, Enterprise & Skills in Liverpool, UK.

He is also a Director of Liverpool Vision, the citys economic development agency and Liverpool Science

Park and a governor of Liverpool Hope University and Liverpool Community College.

Nick was born and grew up in Liverpool. He graduated with an MA in Politics from the University of

Edinburgh and has an MBA in Business Finance and Management from the University of Liverpool. Nick

worked as a management consultant for 11 years for Grant Thornton and KPMG, specialising in the

financial sector.

Moderator:Stephen AlambritisBetween 1985 and 2010 Stephen was the voice of small firms in the UK where he held senior positions

at both the Association of Independent Businesses (AIB) and latterly at the Federation of Small

Businesses (FSB).

Having le the FSB to go into a representative role in local government, Stephen set up his own small

business in property and promptly re-joined the FSB, but this time as a member.

Stephen Alambritis is now the Leader of the Council at the London Borough of Merton and a

Commissioner at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), recognised as the primary equality

body for the UK by the European Commission.

Stephen was born in Aradippou in Larnaca, but le Cyprus in the 1960s when his parents decided to join

relatives in England.

Stephen was educated at the London School of Economics and holds an MSc (Econ) and an MA (BusinessLaw).


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14.15 hrs POLICY SESSION 3SIMPLIFYING EU RULES TO HELP SMEs GROWWe constantly hear from SME owners the claim that burdensome regulations hampertheir growth. But how far can we go in simplifying life for European businesses? Whattype of regulations need to be removed? And will reform really make a difference?This session will concern itself with answering the question:

How will simplifying EU rules help SMEs grow?

SpeakersJussi JrventausJussi Arvi Jrventaus is Managing Director of the Federation of Finnish Enterprises which he joined

on 1996, and from which he took leave for a year to become Minister of Justice from 1998 to 1999.

Prior to that he has held several top management posts in Finland including Managing Director of the

Federation of Finnish Insurance Companies and Deputy Managing Director of the Confederation of

Finnish Entrepreneurs.

He started his career as a legal adviser to the Federation of Finnish Insurance Companies, as Legislative

Counsellor to the Ministry of Justice and Legal Director to the life insurance company, Nova.

Jussi has held several positions of trust including Chairman of the Consumer Complaint Board and

Chairman of the National Board of Patents and Registration and he is currently Member of the State

Court.He is an LL.M trained on the bench and Licentiate of Laws. He was born on 7 June 1951.

Boena Lubliska-KasprzakBoena Lubliska-Kasprzak was appointed President of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development

in March 2009. Earlier in her career, Mrs Lubliska-Kasprzak held various managerial posts in public

funds programming and the management branch of public administration. She specialised in funds

ear-marked for development of agriculture and rural areas, as well as entrepreneurship and innovation.

Mrs Lubliska-Kasprzak graduated from Maria Curie-Skadowska University of Lublin in Economics

and from the University of Warsaw in European Integration and was admitted into a PhD programme.

She completed a number of research and professional fellowships in the USA, UK, Ireland and at the

European Commission. She was an expert for the Parliamentary Group for EU Funds Absorption and

for other international consulting projects. She is a certified Prince2 manager. In 2011 she received an

Administration Manager of the Year award and was placed 10th in the ranking of Tiaras of Managementin the Polish Market magazine which praises the 50 best Polish women managers. She is currently the

chairman of the jury for the Polish Product of the Future contest. Since 2010 she has been a member of

the board of The European Network of Innovation Agencies (TAFTIE).

Mats PerssonMats has been the Director of Open Europe since 2010 and sits on the advisory board of Open Europe

Berlin GmbH. A frequent contributor to broadcast and print media, he has written extensively on EU

regulation and regulatory reform. In 2011, Mats was named one of 99 influential international leaders

under 33 by the Diplomatic Courier and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy.

Before joining Open Europe, he worked for a political consulting firm in Washington DC. Mats was

educated in San Diego, Virginia and at the London School of Economics.


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Jonathon StoodleyJonathon has a Bachelors degree in English law and both a Masters and Doctorate in public international

law. Prior to taking up his post at the European Commission, he worked for the UK Parliament and the

then UK Department of Trade and Industry.

His career at the Commission has included posts in the Internal Market Directorate General, the European

Delegation to the International Organisations in Geneva and the Secretariat General where he was Head

of Unit in charge of the application of EU law. He is now in charge of evaluation and simplification of

regulation.

ModeratorTyphaine BeauprinTyphaine Beauprin has worked for EUROCHAMBRES since 2004. As a senior adviser in the EU

Affairs department, she leads on enterprise policy and smart regulation. She is responsible for the

EUROCHAMBRES SME Test Benchmark and manages the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Support Offi ce

team. Typhaine studied international business at the universities of La Rochelle (France) and Plymouth

(UK) and obtained a Masters degree in European studies at the Institut Suprieur de Management Public

et Politique (Ismapp) in Brussels.

15.30 hrsNetworking coffee break


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16.00 hrs POLICY SESSION 4SMALL BUSINESS BIG WORLD:GROWING THROUGH INTERNATIONAL TRADE

One of the most daunting prospects facing SMEs is breaking into new markets, which iswhy so few SMEs export beyond the borders of the EU. What deters them from testingnew markets? Is it the hoops that governments make SMEs jump through in order to selltheir wares? Is it too expensive to investigate new markets? Or do they lack the skillsnecessary to compete in foreign markets. Just how important are languages, market

intelligence, acquiring local knowledge and developing partnerships? And is this enoughto be successful?This session will aim to identify the urgent actions that government and SMEs need totake in order to boost growth through international trade, by discussing the question:

What needs to be done to help SMEs grow through trade,which skills do they need to export and how should they

acquire them?

SpeakersStefanie HollandStefanie Holland is the Director for International Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. With 70

professionals on staff, the International Division is Washingtons most influential team of trade policy

experts and advocates. Since joining the Chamber in 2007, Stefanie has worked on successful campaigns

to win congressional passage of trade agreements with several nations including Colombia, Panama

and South Korea. She plays a key role in the Chambers international business priorities and promoting

the Chambers international trade agenda. She is also responsible for building grassroots support for

international trade through the TradeRoots programme, a national trade programme dedicated to

building public and political understanding of the importance of international economic engagement to

local communities. Prior to joining the Chamber, she worked at Barbour Griffi th & Rogers International,

a lobbying firm in Washington, DC. Stefanie Holland holds a Masters in International Commerce & Policy

and a Bachelors degree in Business Administration.

Gerwin HoogendoornGerwin is the co-founder, CEO and creative brain of the senz family. Frustrated in his student room, aer

three broken umbrellas in one week, he decided to solve the umbrella frustrations once and for all.

Together with two study friends they wrote a business plan, using Gerwins graduation prototype and

launched it on the market in just 13 months.

The umbrellas were a runaway success with the initial stock of 10.000 senz umbrellas sold in just 10

days! In the following 18 months senz expanded its distribution to throughout Europe, Japan & the USA.

In the six years since market introduction they learned a lot as a team and as individuals. Of course not

everything fitted the original dream and Gerwin is looking forward to sharing his experiences about his

stormy access to markets!


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Heinz WernerHeinz Werner is founder and partner of HEINZ WERNER GmbH, a textiles company trading internationally

with subsidiaries and offi ces in China, Singapore, South-America and USA. He is a member of the

International Trade Committee of EuroCommerce and Chairman of its Trade Defence Measures group;

he is also a member of its Enlargement and SME Policy committees EU-Enlargement as well as a

member of Asia-Pacif-Association of German industry. In May 2010 he became Vice President of the

Board of trustees of the Federation of German Wholesale and Foreign Trade (BGA) in Berlin.

Mr Werner lived in the Far East, Asia for many years, establishing and building up the foreign-trade

division of his company. He studied Economics and World-Trade in Frankfurt and Marketing in Wiesbaden

and England.

He travels extensively worldwide and lectures at German and European universities and Fachhochschulen

(Universities of applied sciences) on EU-social policy, international trade and management, globalizationand related subjects.

Moderator:Simon CheethamSimon Cheetham is the Team Leader of the China IPR SME Helpdesk. He is a China IPR Enforcement

expert with over 30 years experience in commercial investigations, due diligence and IPR enforcement

in China and internationally. He has lived and worked in China and South-East Asia for over 17 years.

He is also the Managing Director of ERINYES INTERNATIONAL LTD, a firm he founded to capitalise on his

extensive experience of international investigations, loss prevention and enforcement work. He manages

and directs the operations of the Company from Europe to the Far East.Simon began his career with

the Hong Kong Police, where he was responsible for the detection and prosecution of a wide variety of

crimes, including fraud and homicide. While in South-East Asia Simon was Chairman of the AmericanChamber of Commerce Intellectual Property Committee and acted as an advisor to the International

Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force on China. He has lectured frequently around the world on security

issues and IPR and has written articles and papers on a variety of related topics, including a chapter

in Intellectual Property Law and Practice in the Peoples Republic of China published by Kluwer Law

International B.V. He is fluent in English and Cantonese.


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16.00 hrs POLICY SESSION 5GROWING THROUGH PUBLIC PROCUREMENTThe EUs public procurement market offers huge opportunities for SME growth. But howmany SMEs understand its importance for their business? How many are prevented fromaccessing EU markets by red tape or discrimination? And what skills do they need totake advantage of its potential? We need to help SMEs understand and exploit this vitalmarket and we need government to make it easier for them to do so.

So, What should we be doing to unlock the EUs publicprocurement markets for SMEs?

SpeakersAndrea MarconiAndrea Marconi is a past-President of the European Builders Confederation, the European association of

construction SMEs. He is the Vice-President of Anaepa, the Italian association of construction cras and

SMEs and a founding member of the EBC.

As an entrepreneur, he is the founder and co-owner of a construction SME in Grosseto, Tuscany.

Originally specialising in wells, aqueduct and irrigation systems, their activities now include conservation,

restoration and maintenance of Italys architectural heritage.

He has long-standing experience in public procurement markets at local, regional and national

level, averaging as many as 200 tenders per year. For this reason he appeared before the EuropeanParliaments Internal Market Committee in May 2011, where he provided insights on how to improve

SMEs access to public procurement.

Erik NooteboomErik Nooteboom is acting Director of the Public Procurement Directorate within DG Markt at the European

Commission. He oversees the Commissions work to reform public procurement in the classical and

utility sectors, concession contracts, access to EU procurement markets by third countries and the

promotion of electronic procurement. As Head of the International Procurement Unit from 2007 to

2011, he represented the Commission in WTO negotiations on Government procurement which were

successfully concluded in December 2011. Before joining the Commission in 1987, Erik worked as a

legal advisor for industrial property matters at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Erik holds a degree in civil law from the University of Amsterdam, where he specialised in copyright,industrial property law and media law. His mother tongue is Dutch and he is also fluent in English,

German and French.

Gina QuinGina is the Chief Executive Offi cer of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

The Dublin Chamber of Commerce speaks on behalf of Business in the Greater Dublin Region promoting

a competitive and internationalised business environment and providing extensive networks for

Business Development. The Chamber is a leader in the development of a strong vision for a successful

and sustainable Dublin Region. Gina started her working career with Lansdowne Market Research as

a qualitative researcher then working closely with marketing professionals in the fmcg sector. She

then joined the Irish Trade Board where she worked with a variety of companies on export market

development, in Europe and USA. Having completed her MBA, Gina joined the Rehab Group (1989),

working in marketing and sales management before taking on the role of CEO of Gandon Enterprises,

the Commercial division of the Rehab Group. Gina is a Board member of ESB Networks, the Investor

Compensation Company Limited and a past recipient of the Alumni of the year award UCD Michael

Smurfit Business School. She has recently joined the Advisory Board of the CRANN Institute and has

successfully completed the Institute of Directors (IOD) Chartered Director Certificate and Diploma.


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Moderator:Bambos CharalambousBambos Charalambous is Director of Trade and Industry and Head of EU Affairs at the Cyprus Ministry

of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. Bambos joined the Ministry in 1985 where he played a key role in

negotiating the Cyprus customs union agreement with the EEC and the accession negotiations of Cyprus

to the EU. He was also instrumental in preparing Cyprus Industrial Strategy in the late eighties.

Bambos has a BSc and M Phil in Economics from Bradford University where he was Assistant Professor

in World Trade Modelling.

16.00 hrs POLICY SESSION 6BIG BUSINESS HELPS SMALL BUSINESSIncreasingly big businesses are creating new programmes that are designed to give ahelping hand to SMEs. Do they really work? And if so, should they be rolled out morewidely? Our speakers will discuss their experience of this growing area of corporateresponsibility:

How can big business help small business grow?

Speakers

Sofia KalomenidesSofia Kalomenides is a partner at Ernst & Young. She is currently the Markets and Accounts Industries and BusinessDevelopment Leader for the Central and Southeast Europe (CSE) sub area and a Partner within the Assurance serviceline. Having over 27 years of professional experience in the audit and advisory practice, Sofia has provided a widerange of services to clients both in CSE and New York and has extensive experience in auditing multinational groupsof companies, preparing financial statements under IFRS, local and US GAAP, in cross-border capital markets debt andequity transactions in Europe and the US. She has lead and advised on initial public offering transactions in Greeceand the US and has served as the Capital Markets Offering Reviewer for cross border transactions, including Eurobond and equity offerings, as well as the Central and Southeast Europe Capital Markets Leader. In recent years, Sofiasmajor clients have included: Dryships Inc., Starbulk Inc., McDonalds, Fourlis Group, itan Cement Co., W.S. Karoulias andInternet Q. She is a Certified Auditor in Greece and New York State and holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting andInternational Business from New York University as well as an MBA in International Finance from Baruch College.

Stefanos LoukakosStefanos Loukakos is the General Manager of Google Greece, a position held since January 2010. In the

past he was CEO of broadband operator Hellas Online and a senior executive at HSBC Investment Bankin Paris and London. Stefanos has an MBA from INSEAD in Paris as well as Masters degrees in Economics

and Engineering from Stanford University and U. C. Berkeley in the US.

Moderator:Marcelo CrescentiMarcelo Crescenti is a native of Brazil, but has many years experience working as a senior journalist and

editor in Germany, both for the editorial departments of important German newspapers and in televisionwith the BBC and the German television company ZDF. Since 2000 he has been employed by Deutscher

Fachverlag in Frankfurt am Main. He became Editor-in-chief for the economic periodical Der Handel in

2006 and Editor-in-chief for Lebensmittel Zeitung Direct in 2009.


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The European Enterprise PromotionAwards Ceremony & Gala DinnerTonight sees the culmination of the 2012 programme when the winners in each of the five categories

and the winner of the Jurys Grand Prize will receive their Awards at a Gala Dinner.

The European Enterprise Promotion Awards reward excellence in promoting entrepreneurship and small

business at a national, regional and local level. In 2012, 402 projects competed in national competitions

for a chance to enter the awards. Competing countries included all 27 EU Member States as well as

acceding country Croatia and two associate countries, Serbia & Turkey, in the Competitiveness and

Innovation Framework Programme (CIP). 57 national winners were entered in the European competition.

The Jury established a shortlist of 14 nominees.

Since its creation in 2006, over 2,000 projects have entered and together they have helped

support the creation of over 10,000 new companies.

Tonights programme:

19.30 Reception and entertainment

20.45 Dinner

22.15 Awards ceremony23.30 Buses depart for hotels

The following Awardswill be presented:

Category 1 - Promoting the Entrepreneurial Spirit

Category 2 - Investing in Skills

Category 3 - Improving the Business Environment

Category 4 - Supporting the Internationalisation of Business

Category 5 - Responsible & Inclusive Entrepreneurship

Grand Jury Prize


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IN PLENARY SESSION

10.00 hrsINTRODUCTION

Michalis Persianis, Assembly ChairMichalis Persianis is chief editor, Economy and Finance, at Kathimerini, the leading Cyprus newspaper.

He also works as the Wall Street Journals correspondent in Cyprus. Before returning to Cyprus, Michalis

worked from 2006 to 2009 as an assistant in the European Parliament to Ioannis Kasoulides MEP

(EPP, CY); having previously served as chief of research in the Kasoulides presidential campaign.

Michalis is a native of Cyprus, completing his education in the US at Rutgers (MA in Political Science)and later at Johns Hopkins SAIS (MA in International Economics). Michalis has in the past acted as a

debating coach.

10.10 hrsKEYNOTE SPEECHWHAT CYPRUS DOES FOR SMEsMr Neoklis Sylikiotis, Cyprus Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, will welcomethe first ever SME Assembly on behalf of the Government of Cyprus. As a seniorrepresentative of the Cyprus Presidency, he will talk about the great importance thatCyprus and the Presidency attach to enterprise, what has been achieved over the past sixmonths and the immediate prospects for SME growth.

Neoklis SylikiotisNeoklis Sylikiotis was appointed Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism in March 2012. Prior to that

he served as Minister of Interior from September 2006. As Minister of Interior,

Mr Sylikiotis spearheaded a wide range of reforms including the radical reform of local

self-government, new town planning and housing policy, the modernisation and simplification of public

administration, as well as institutional reforms to strengthen the principles of transparency, good

administration and participatory democracy. Mr Sylikiotis was elected as a member of the Political

Bureau of the Central Committee of the AKEL political party. Other posts held in the AKEL party include

member of the Central Committee, head of the party Educational Bureau and member of the Cyprus

Education Council. He started his career in the United Democratic Youth Organisation (EDON), initially as

head of its Student and International Relations Department and subsequently as its Central Organising

Secretary and then as General Secretary of the Pancyprian Federation of Student Unions (POFEN). Mr

Sylikiotis studied Mechanical Engineering at Aachen Polytechnic in Germany. He was born in Lemesos

(Limassol) on 24 January 1959. He is married to Adoula Ioannou and they have one son.

Friday,16th November 2012

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10.30 hrsPRINCIPLES INTO ACTIONOthmar Karas, Vice President of the European Parliament, and Luc Van den Brande, Vice

President of the Committee of the Regions, will talk about the work they do to promoteenterprise and what specific policy actions they believe will make a difference to SMEsprospects for growth.

Othmar Karas MEPOthmar Karas is Vice President of the European Parliament.

A graduate of the Universities of Vienna and St. Gallen, he has been a member of the European

Parliament since 1999. Previously he was Secretary General of the Austrian Peoples Party (VP) and a

member of the Austrian Parliament.

He is currently Head of the VP-Delegation, Rapporteur on Basel III and the revision of the Capital

Requirements Directive (CRD 4), President of the Kangaroo Group and President of the SME Intergroup.

Many other important posts he holds include President of the Austrian Aid Organisation (Hilfswerk

sterreich), President of the Robert Schuman Institute Budapest & Vice-President of the Robert SchumanFoundation, Chair of the OVP Europe Club, and Speaker and Initiator of the Brgerforum Europa 2020.

Luc Van den BrandeMr Van den Brande is Vice President of the Committee of the Regions, Special Adviser to Commissioner

Hahn and President of the Flemish EU-Liaison offi ce.

He is a Belgian politician representing the Flemish Christian Democrat party. With a PhD in law from the

University of Leuven, Mr Van den Brande practised for 18 years before commencing his political career

in 1988, when he was elected as a Flemish Christian Democrat member of Parliament. He was a Federal

Minister for Labour & Employment and later Minister-President of the Flemish Government for seven

years (1992-1999). He was elected President of the Committee of the Regions in 2008 for two years

aer holding the Vice Presidency from 2006-2008.

10.50 hrsQUESTION TIMEThis session is an opportunity for delegates to ask questions of the keynote speakers, having been

joined by Daniel Calleja, Director General, DG Enterprise and EU SME Envoy who will answer on

behalf of President Barroso. The session will be moderated by Michalis Persianis.


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11.30 hrsCHALLENGES FOR 2013Much of the Assembly has been devoted to generating new ideas to help SMEs grow,or adapting existing ideas to the diffi cult economic times in which many SMEs currentlyoperate. This session is an opportunity to discuss how to put those ideas into practiceand therefore make a real difference to the prosperity of the businesses the Commissionseeks to help.The SME Envoys from the Troika of Presidencies will open the session with a presentationon their ambitions for enterprise and SME growth and the key challenges they believeGovernment must meet in 2013. The session will be moderated by Daniel Calleja, EUSME Envoy, who will invite questions from the floor and then summarise the conclusions,learning and action points arising from the Assemblys deliberations.

Yiannis KontosYiannis Kontos is the Cyprus SME Envoy and Acting Director of the Cyprus Industrial Development

Service of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism where he has worked since 1974. The main

competencies and responsibilities of his Service are the development of the manufacturing sector, the

industrial zones and areas, the SMEs, the Entrepreneurship and the foreign investments. Amongst others,

the Industrial Development Service is the intermediary body of the Ministry of Commerce Industry and

Tourism for the structural funds and the agricultural fund of E.U. In addition, his Service is responsible

for the implementation of the Council Decision of 16/12/2009 for the upgrading and expansion of theOne-Stop-Shop, in order to operate as Point of Single Contact. Yiannis Kontos was born in Cyprus on

3rd August 1950. He studied economics at the Economic University of Athens.

Mindaugas DanysMindaugas Danys is currently Director of the Small and Medium Business Department at the Ministry of

Economy of Lithuania and the national SME Envoy. Throughout his professional career of over 15 years,

he has occupied managerial positions promoting economic and regional development at municipal and

national level. Prior to joining the Ministry of Economy in January 2012, Mindaugas was managing his

own private consulting company and actively engaged in social enterprise providing co-working services

to start-ups and social innovators. He is a Certified Management Consultant (certified by the Dutch

Management Consulting Association) and holds a Masters degree in Public Administration. His areas of

interest include social entrepreneurship, social innovation, start-ups and tactical urbanism.

John Perry TDIn 2011 John Perry TD was appointed Minister of State in the Republic of Ireland Government at the

Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation with responsibility for Small Business.

John, a full-time Public Representative, was first elected to the Dil in 1997 representing Sligo/North

Leitrim and was spokesperson on Science, Technology, Small Business & Enterprise and the Border

Counties from 1997 to 2002. From 2002 to 2004 he was Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee

and he then served as spokesperson for the Marine from 2004 to 2007. On his re-election to the Dil in

2007 John served as spokesperson on Small Business.

This session will be chaired by Daniel Calleja.


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12.20 hrsCONCLUSIONSDaniel Calleja will provide conclusions from the meeting.

12.30 hrsNETWORKING LUNCH

Return coach transport to the hotels and Larnaca Airport will beprovided between 1230 hrs - 1500 hrs.


The 1st SME Assembly and European Enterprise Promotion Awards Ceremony will be filmed and photographed

for consultation and promotional purposes. Delegates accepting to participate will be deemed to have given their

consent to the resulting images appearing in printed and digital media aer the event where individuals are notspecifically identified.

This European Commission/Cyprus Presidency conference programme has been jointly developed by the SME

Assembly & European Enterprise Promotion Awards Secretariat formed by Low Associates (International Policy

Events Specialists) & Hanover (International Communications Consultancy): two SMEs proud to be helping other

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General Information

TransportBus transport will be provided for all delegates from the conference centre to Limassol hotels

from 17.15 on Thursday 15th November.

On the evening of Thursday 15th November bus transport will be provided from 19.00 hrs from

Limassol hotels to the European Enterprise Promotion Awards Gala Dinner at the Carob Mill.

On Friday 16th November bus transport will be provided to Larnaca airport and Limassol hotels

from 12.30. Delegates departing from Larnaca immediately aer the conference on Friday 16th may use

the le luggage storage at the entrance to the Filoxenia Centre.

RefreshmentsCoffee and lunch are provided by the Cyprus Presidency in the Pentadaktilos (Ground Floor) and

Halkos (Lower Ground floor) restaurants at the Filoxenia Centre.

LanguageSimultaneous interpretation for the 1st SME Assembly and the European Enterprise Promotion Awards

Ceremony will be provided by the European Commissions Directorate General for Interpretation.

Interpretation for the plenary sessions will be provided in English, Greek, French, German, Italian and

Spanish. For the policy sessions interpretation will be provided in English and Greek with the exception

of sessions 1 and 5 which will also be interpreted in Italian. Interpretation for the European Enterprise

Promotion Awards ceremony will be in English and Greek.

WIFI is available throughout the conference centre. The access code is:

CY-7AD82

The 1st SME Assembly takes place at:Filoxenia Conference Centre

Thrakis Street

1311, Aglantzia, Lefkosia

Tel: +35722395000

The European Enterprise Promotion Awards Gala Dinner takes place at:Lanitis Carob Mill Complex,

Vasilissis Street,Lemesos

Join the discussion and talk about the SME Assembly

Enter: #GoEnterPRIZE

Or connect with us

Twitter.com

@eepa_de (German)

@eepa_en (English)

@eepa_es (Spanish)

@eepa_fr (French)

@eepa_it (Italian)

Facebook.com/European.Enterprise.Promotion.Awards

YouTube.com/PromotingEnterprise

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We look forward to welcoming you to the

full programme: 1st sme assembly "helping smes go for growth"

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