SEPTEMBER 25, 2024
BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
Overview
The U.S. Commercial Service and the U.S. Embassy in Romania invite you to participate in a half-day trade and investment conference designed to highlight Romania’s pivotal role in Ukraine’s recovery. For U.S. companies, this is a prime opportunity to directly engage with influential decision-makers and key stakeholders across vital sectors such as:
- Infrastructure
- Energy
- Safety and Security
- Information Communication Technology
Program
| 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM | Conference Registration and Refreshments Crowne Ballroom Lobby |
| 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM | Welcome Remarks and Conference Opening Crowne Ballroom Speakers:
Moderator – Ricardo Pelaez, Regional Senior Commercial Counselor for Southeast Europe and Counselor for Commercial Affairs, U.S. Embassy to Romania |
| 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM | Panel Discussion: “Financing Ukraine Recovery” Crowne Ballroom Speakers:
Moderator – Daniela Nemoianu, Vice President, American Chamber of Commerce in Romania |
| 3:15 PM – 4:00 PM | Coffee Break Crowne Ballroom Lobby |
| 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM | Panel Discussion: “Safeguarding the Future of Ukrainian Infrastructure” Crowne Ballroom Speakers:
Moderator – Dinu Bumbacea, Vice President, American Chamber of Commerce in Romania and Country Managing Partner PwC |
| 5:15 PM – 5:45 PM | Fireside Chat: “State of Play in Ukraine’s Recovery” Crowne Ballroom Speaker:
Moderator – H.E. Kathleen Kavalec, U.S. Ambassador to Romania |
| 5:45 PM – 6:00 PM | Wrap Up and Closing Crowne Ballroom Speaker:
|
| 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM | Networking Reception hosted by AmCham Romania Pine Garden |
Speakers
Kathleen Kavalec
Kathleen Kavalec was sworn in as Ambassador to Romania on December 20, 2022. Previously, Ambassador Kavalec served as the Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2019-2022. Prior to that, she was Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (EUR) at the Department of State.
A career U.S. diplomat, Ambassador Kavalec has held a variety of diplomatic assignments, including Director for Russian Affairs, Deputy Permanent Delegate and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Mission to the UNESCO in Paris, Deputy Coordinator for U.S. Assistance to Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia, and Director of Conflict Prevention in the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization. Her overseas assignments have included service as the Political Counselor in Ukraine, two tours in Russia covering political issues, as well as tours in Romania and Brazil. In Romania, she served as Cultural Attache between 2005 and 2008. She is the recipient of numerous State Department awards, as well as a Presidential Rank Award.
Ambassador Kavalec holds an A.B. in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master’s in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. Her foreign languages include Romanian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian. She is married and has three children.
Radu Oprea
Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism Romania
Radu Oprea is the current Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism in Romania. He was appointed to this position in June 2023. Prior to this, he served as a senator for the Social Democratic Party (PSD).
As the Minister of Economy, he aims to expand Romania’s trade, encourage foreign investment, and tackle inflation. He has been vocal about Romania’s risks of losing funds from the European Union if it does not meet the deficit target.
Nicolae Comănescu
Nicolae Comănescu was appointed on June 19, 2023 as State Councilor for foreign policy and strategic affairs within the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of the Government of Romania. He is a career diplomat and has been working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania since 2002.
During his diplomatic service he has completed responsibilities within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and overseas. The activity in the foreign service includes the following missions: between 2016–2021 he served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; he was a diplomatic councilor in New York at the Permanent Mission of Romania to the UN (2015-2016); in South Sudan within the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on the Referenda in Sudan/UNMIS he was in charge with Political Affairs (P4) in Warrap State (2010-2011); in Washington DC at the Department of State/Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization he was diplomatic strategy adviser with the Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellowship (2008-2009). In the period 2012-2014 he was the chief of staff of the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Romanian Parliament, completing also the role of adviser for foreign relations.
Ricardo J. Peláez – MODERATOR
Counselor for Commercial Affairs
Regional Senior Commercial Officer for Southeast Europe U.S. Embassy in Romania
Ricardo J. Peláez is a distinguished career member of the Senior Foreign Service. Starting in August 2024, he will assume the role of Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Romania, concurrently serving as the Regional Senior Commercial Officer for Southeast Europe.
In his previous role, Ricardo served as the Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium. There, he provided strategic advice to U.S. executives on a wide array of Transatlantic trade policy issues with the EU, while supporting the programs and operations of 28 Commerce offices and 200 personnel across Europe. With over 27 years of dedicated service in the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service, Ricardo brings a wealth of experience and expertise.
Ricardo honed his EU expertise as the Deputy Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, Spain (2017-2020). Prior to his tenure in Spain, he served as the Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru (2013-2017), and as a Commercial Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai, China (2011-2013). His Foreign Service journey began with an intensive one-year Mandarin language training course at the Foreign Service Institute, followed by a three-year assignment as a Commercial Officer at the American Institute in Taiwan in Taipei (2008-2011).
Ricardo embarked on his career with the U.S. Commercial Service in 1997, spending a decade in the Akron and Cleveland, Ohio offices. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kent State University and a Master’s in Business Administration degree from Cleveland State University.
Taras Kachka
Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine – Trade Representative of Ukraine
Mr. Taras Kachka was appointed as the Deputy Minister for Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture – Trade Representative of Ukraine on 6 September 2019.
Mr. Kachka is an expert in international law with extensive experience in the private sector, international environment and government. He was a member of Ukrainian negotiating team for Ukraine – EU Association Agreement.
Previously, he worked as a Deputy Executive Director and a Strategic Advisor at the International Renaissance Foundation (2016-2019).
In 2014-2015, he was Vice President for Strategic Development at the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine.
He started his career as a public servant in 2001 at the Ministry of Justice taking office of the First Deputy Director of the State Department for Legal Approximation. He also served as Director for Foreign Economic Relations at the Ministry of Agricultural Policy and Food.
Mr. Kachka is a lawyer; he graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv with a Master’s degree in International Law and the National School of Public Administration in Warsaw (Poland).
John F. Moran
John F. Moran is DFC’s Senior Advisor to the Chief Operating Officer, focusing on Ukraine Investment Initiatives, and was Senior Advisor to the Special Representative for Ukraine’s Economic Recovery, Penny Pritzker, until she finished that role in late August. He has been with DFC and its predecessor, Overseas Private Investment Corporations (OPIC) since 2000, serving in a broad range of senior management positions, including Vice President for Political Risk Initiatives, Chief of Staff, and, from 2000-03 as Regional Director for SE Europe, based in Zagreb Croatia.
With the U.S. Government since 1993, he has led innovative development finance and capital mobilization initiatives at DFC/OPIC, Treasury, USAID, and Commerce for critical sectors (climate finance, health security, water/infrastructure, SME/microfinance) and regions (Balkans/Eurasia, Sub-Saharan Africa, SE Asia, MENA) and was an attorney in private practice in Washington DC earlier in his career.
Radu Cracan
Since 2020, Radu Cracan has been the country economist for several EU countries focusing on the Southeastern region. Besides covering the countries from a macro perspective, Radu provides strategic and policy input to regional and country management, helping prioritize EBRD’s activity in the region. Radu holds a bachelor’s degree in business and economics and a master’s degree in international management from the Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Alexander „Alex” McWhorter
Managing Director
Chairman of the Management Board
On 17.08.2018 Alex McWhorter was approved by the National bank of
Ukraine as Chairman of the Board of Directors, JSC „Citibank”. Alex McWhorter is the Citi Country Officer (CCO) and Corporate Bank Head for Ukraine. He is responsible for Citi’s franchise in Ukraine including leading the business and protecting the franchise.
Alex joined Citi in New York in 2003 in Market Risk Management, before moving to Corporate and Investment Banking in 2007 covering the Power sector. He served as a Director in the Risk CAO office for over three years where his responsibilities included leading coordination of Citi’s CCAR efforts. Most recently before Ukraine, he served as UK Chief Risk Officer, and was responsible for the risk management of Citi’s UK legal entities as well as supporting the EMEA CRO on regional support and crisis management. Alex holds a Masters of Business Arts in Management from New York University, Stern School of Business, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Psychology from Williams College, Massachusetts, United States. Vice-Chair of the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine. Chairman of the Board of Junior Achievement Ukraine
Daniela Nemoianu – MODERATOR
Vicepresident, AmCham Romania
With 27 years of business and management advisory experience within the financial services sector and Big4 in Romania and Central and Eastern Europe, Daniela Nemoianu is a highly experienced top executive and attorney at law, having participated in hundreds of transactions and large projects, including greenfield investments, major privatization deals and governmental projects. Daniela is also a member of the Supervisory Board of Erste BCR Group since 2019. Her academic background includes a Doctorate in Financial and Tax Law, as well as a Master’s degree in European Law.
Daniela has played an active role in the AmCham Board of Directors during 2013-2024. She acted as the President of AmCham Romania in 2015/16 and Chair of some of the most participative AmCham barricades: Macroeconomics & Strategy, EU Funds, Taxation, Real Estate and Environmental Committees.
Yulia Klymenko
Yulia Klymenko is a Ukrainian politician, Member of Verhovna Rada, Vice chair of Infrastructure and Transport Committee, Deputy head of Golos party faction, Secretary of the Ukrainian-Indian friendship group and Co-chair of the parliamentary maritime group.
Coming to Ukrainian politics after her tenure in the Government of Ukraine as Deputy Minister-State Secretary of Economic Development and Trade (2015-2016) where Yulia Klymenko was responsible for the small and medium business development, economic deregulation, implementation of the public administration reform in the Ministry, subordinated agencies and state owned enterprises reform.
Yulia Klymenko is the author or co-author of over 220 draft bills in the economic and national security sectors, over 50 of which were successfully voted by the Parliament. Her main focus is on national security, economic and infrastructure development particularly in the maritime sector.
Prior to politics Yulia was a Vice-President of the Kyiv School of Economics responsible for the business education and a Board member in several NGOs and SOE e.g. @Transparency International Ukraine, @Centre for Economic Strategy/Ukraine and @Ukrainian Sea Port Authority.
Before 2014 Yulia Klymenko was the successful CEO of a leading property development company.
Married, happy mother of 6 kids.
Catalin Dragoi
Catalin is the Head of Business Development, Strategic Accounts and Growth Strategy for Honeywell Central and Eastern Europe.
He is responsible for the alignment of the strategic business groups towards a One Honeywell approach, enabling sustainable business growth in the region, in line with Honeywell’s megatrends, Future of Aviation, Energy Transition and Automation.
In the current role, Catalin leads the development and execution of strategic growth programs, coordinates strategic accounts engagement and growth across Honeywell’s business groups, fostering innovation and strengthening Honeywell’s competitive position in the regional markets.
Catalin joined Honeywell in 2013 and held roles of increasing responsibilities as Global Program Manager, Operations Leader for the Europe Connected Services Center and General Manager for the Building Automation – Services business in Central and Eastern Europe.
Catalin studied Engineering and Intellectual Property Law and graduated the Executive MBA program at WU (Vienna University of Business and Economics).
Nancy Pallares
Nancy Pallares is a French National and based in the UK/London for the last 28 years. She has been working in the Defence industry for the past 21 years mainly in CBRN ( Chemical, Biological , Radiation and Nuclear ) environment.
She has been with Teledyne FLIR for 5 years now and has been heavily involved in Border Surveillance and CBRN with unmanned/manned platforms.
Olekseyi Tkachenko
Olekseyi Tkachenko has more than 15 years of experience in cyber security and the sector of defence of Ukraine.
Background on The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine:
is the coordinating body in matters pertaining to national security and defense under the President of Ukraine. The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine coordinates and supervises the activities of executive authorities active in national security and defense.
Dinu Bumbacea – MODERATOR
Dinu is a graduate of the Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications of the University Politehnica of Bucharest, holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology US and a Specialisation Diploma in Digital Image Processing from Supélec France.
He is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants UK and of the Chamber of Financial Auditors of Romania.
Dinu has spent the past 30 years in professional services, of which the last 22 years as a partner, coordinating a wide range of consulting projects in Romania and CEE in various industries.
He is the Country Managing Partner and Advisory Leader of PwC in Romania and Moldova.
He also contributes to the wider community being the founder of the PwC Foundation and member of the Board of Trustees of the Romanian American Foundation. Dinu is married and is the happy father of 4 children.
Participants
- U.S. , Ukrainian, and Romanian Government Officials and Agency Representatives
- Leading Regional Private Sector Entities
- U.S. Companies
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