MidV4est Investment Forum

The Visegrad Group countries - Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary - make up the fastest growing region in the European Union in terms of GDP growth. With their strategic location in the heart of Europe, V4 states boast major transportation routes connecting western and eastern parts of the Old Continent. The region has its own ports and provides access to other major ports in Europe and around the world, and its well-developed airport system serves over 100 mln passengers a year.

MidV4est Investment Forum is a great opportunity for American investors and entrepreneurs to share knowledge and best practices with their European counterparts. In addition, the Forum aims to strengthen cooperation between the V4 countries and the United States, and above all, to familiarize the US business community with the achievements of and opportunities for cooperation with Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia.

The decision to organize the Mid4Vest Investment Forum in Chicago is not a random choice. Chicago is a sister city to two capitals of the Visegrad Group - Warsaw and Prague. All three share a common culture and vision of the future, and due to our event, these ties will be strengthened by a business component.
 
During the event, participants will:

• Hear about history, accomplishments, and initiatives of the Visegrad Group countries
• Learn about the business and investment incentives in the V4 region as well as the Midwest
• Familiarize themselves with technology and innovation ecosystems of the US and V4
• Discover the possibilities for cooperation with:
  
  • Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH), CzechInvest, and Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO)
  • SelectUSA / U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Multiple economic development organizations and chambers of commerce from the Midwest and many more
• Have an opportunity to meet with potential business partners during the presentations and the following networking session
   

The event is organized jointly by Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) and the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago in cooperation with:

• the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Washington, DC
• the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago
• the Consulate General of Hungary in Chicago
• the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO)
• CzechInvest
• SelectUSA / U.S. Department of Commerce

The speakers list includes:

• Michał Rzeźnik - Head of Foreign Trade Office in Chicago, Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH)
• Małgorzata Bąk-Guzik - Consul, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago
• Tamas Kovacs - Consul General, Consulate General of Hungary in Chicago
• Jaroslav Kantůrek - Consul General, Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago
• Matej Saloň - Deputy Consul General, Consulate General of the Slovak Republic in New York
• Ryan Wallace - Senior International Investment Specialist, SelectUSA / US Department of Commerce
• Andras Juhasz - Trade Commissioner, Consulate General of Hungary in Chicago
• Tomáš Trnka - Head of Trade and Economic Section, Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago
• Monika Sopkovičová - Economic Counselor, Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Washington DC
• Agnieszka Szweda - Expert, Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH)
• Matej Zahradnik - Director of East Coast Operations, CzechInvest
• Simona Jurkovičová - Consultant, Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO)

Special guests of the event will include representatives of Chicago Sister Cities International (CSCI) and LOT Polish Airlines.

This online event will be held on June 17th at 9:00 AM CST (4:00 PM CET) and will be conducted in English.

Our Experts

Michał J. Rzeznik

PAIH Foreign Trade Office in Chicago

Michal J. Rzeznik is the Head of the Polish Investment & Trade Agency’s Foreign Trade Office in Chicago. The Agency is engaged in the promotion of the Polish economy on the global markets. The Chicago Office is responsible for the entire Midwest region and is one of the Agency’s 6 American offices and nearly 70 worldwide.

Michal is a manager with 12 years of work experience gained on American and Polish markets. Prior to joining the government sector, he served in the consulting and public accounting fields (mainly Big 4) as he managed numerous teams for large and medium clients. He conducted audits and reviews of standalone and consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with US GAAP, IFRS/IAS and Polish Accounting Standards.

In addition to his public accounting career, Michal has significant experience in commercial property management and leadership as he organized and co-organized a number of business and professional events. Michal graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where he studied accounting and economics, and served as President of the UIC Economics Club.

Agnieszka Szweda

Centre for Strategic Investments at PAIH

Agnieszka helps foreign and domestic investors by providing market counselling and guidance at the Centre for Strategic Investments of the Polish Investment & Trade Agency (PAIH). She has been attached to PAIH since 2016 when she was deployed to Singapore to establish and manage the first Foreign Trade Office of the agency, thus becoming the pioneer of the agency’s global network. Based in Singapore, Agnieszka actively promoted the high tech potential of Poland paving the way for many Polish innovative companies in South East Asia.

She has over 20 years of experience in international trade and investments supporting business development between Poland and other countries on behalf of the government sector. Before her mission at PAIH, she was engaged in bilateral trade and investment projects carried out with Poland by the government of UK (British Embassy – UKTI), Malaysia (Embassy of Malaysia) and the Philippines (Embassy of the Philippines).

Agnieszka’s career in the public sector started in 1999 in her home region of Silesia where she organised and managed Investor Information Centre at the Marshal Office, the first department of this kind operating within the regional administration office in Poland. Since then, she has been continuously involved in global business development projects linking Poland and Polish business with the entire world.