What is the good we are seeking, and how do economic policies and financial instruments facilitate or hinder the strengthening of a prosperous and just society?
The seminar is developed in partnership with the Aspen Institute US – Executive Leadership Seminars, organized under the framework of the Aspen New Economy & Society Program.
The Seminar will be conducted in English and will take place in a picturesque location in Giurgiu County, close to Bucharest.
The program will begin on Wednesday afternoon and conclude on Saturday afternoon, following a closing lunch.

The Seminar will challenge 20 – 25 leaders from the public, private, academic, and non-governmental sectors, with background in business, finance, banking, insurance, and capital markets to explore the leadership and values questions which bear on economic opportunity.

Relying upon the classic 75-year-old Aspen Method of moderated, Socratic dialogue, we will use classic and contemporary texts to explore the moral contours of economic growth.

For more than seventy years, this approach to discussing some of the most important issues of our times has challenged participants to think more deeply about timeless ideas and their implications for organizational leadership and meaningful lives.

The themes of the Seminar include the relationship between economics, politics, and the common good (especially in the quest for a new economic model of growth and shared prosperity), the ethical dimensions of market-based economies, the prospect of a new social contract with a focus on greater equity, the roles of government and of individual initiative (especially innovation and entrepreneurship), and resilience and the texture of human relationships in a changing economy.

By engaging in extended inquiry and dialogue with accomplished peers, leaders in the industry will have an important opportunity to reflect on how to make both effective and wise decisions at this inflection point of political, economic, and social-cultural policy.

Participants will leave the Seminar with a greater clarity about their own belief systems, greater understanding of the complexities of the moral-technical challenges we face, and firmer confidence in being able to engage in creative decision-making at the crossroads of economics, finance, and a good society.

The participation to the seminar will be by invitation only. In the case of the participants from the private sector, who are not Aspen Members or Aspen New Economy & Society Program Partners, the registration to the Seminar is based on a participation fee, covering the costs of curriculum design, moderation, seminar management, seminar materials, accommodation, meals and group transfer between Bucharest and the location of the seminar.

For more information, please contact Ms. Ioana Antonescu, Leadership Programs Senior Manager, at ioana.antonescu@aspeninstitute.ro and Ms. Ștefania Plotogea, Leadership Programs Officer, at [email protected].

Moderators of the Seminar:

ROXANA VOICU -DOROBANȚU

Roxana Voicu-Dorobanțu is currently an Associate Professor in the Bucharest University of Economic Studies in Bucharest, while being involved in other business projects as well, mostly in an advisory position. Roxana holds a Ph.D. in International Business and Economics and has taught international business and finance and risk management in United Kingdom and Poland, as well as Romania. While involving companies in various corporate social responsibility programmes, she is also interested in finding means and methods for increasing efficiency in multicultural teams.

ANA BOBIRCA

Ana Bobirca is a seasoned investment professional with over 20 years of experience in the investment fund industry. She has extensive board-level expertise across various sectors including energy, logistics, transportation, international forwarding, financial services, commercial real estate, construction materials, agribusiness, distribution, and consumer goods. Currently, she serves on the Supervisory Board of Hidroelectrica and is a board member of Transport Trade Services, both listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BSE).

In addition to her professional pursuits, Ana is an associate professor at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, specializing in International Business and Economics. She brings significant academic experience in international business, international services trade, and the intangible economy. Ana also teaches Advanced Finance in the Romanian-French INDE MBA program. She has authored four books and has been published in international peer-reviewed academic journals. Ana holds a PhD in International Business and Economics from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies.

Ana is also an active member of several professional organizations. She serves on the board of the Bucharest Business School, the Businessmen’s Association of Romania, and the Steering Committee of Coalitia pentru Dezvoltarea României, where she chairs the Strategic Group on Financial Resources Allocation for Recovery and Resilience. She is also a member of the Competition Council Consultative Board.