What Does It Take to Bring the Right People Into the Same Room — and Make Them Speak Honestly?
It takes trust — not only in the people, but in the purposebehind the gathering. At Adria Future Summit, we build thattrust by treating our speakers and participants as partners, notguests. Many return each year because they feel connected tothe process. The presence of strong global and European voicesalso helps shift the tone and push us out of our regional comfortzone. When people feel that something real is at stake, and thattheir voice matters, they show up and speak honestly. We alsodesign the agenda as more than a collection of panels; there isa thread that carries through. Even with diverse topics, we wantevery conversation to feel part of a broader journey. That coherenceis what our partners value most.
What’s One Rule You’ve Had to Break to Make Your Event Truly Meaningful?
Probably the rule of not upsetting anyone. The tendency to aim for the lowest common denominator can dilute everything. At Adria Future Summit, we have stepped away from the idea that you need to be neutral to be accepted. We take a stand for what matters — giving visibility to women’s leadership, the next generation, and sustainability. It’s not about pushing an agenda but about ensuring these themes are not treated as afterthoughts. WOBA and Next Gen Adria were born out of that commitment. Each year, we pick up where we left off, which brings a certain pressure — not just to deliver a good event, but to do the work between summits. When we make commitments on stage, we have to live by them.
How Do You Balance Neutrality With the Urge to Drive Change?
You don’t need to choose between them. The key is creating a space where different perspectives feel safe, yet underpinned by clarity of values. At Sustineri Partners, we focus on ESG because we believe sustainability is not optional — it is central to the survival of our societies.
The Summit reflects that belief. We listen deeply, we bring people together, and then we act. Change doesn’t require taking sides; it requires courage and care at the same time.
What Moment Made You Realise That Convening Is Leadership?
It was when WOBA — our Women on Boards Adria initiative — moved from an idea into a real platform within months of being mentioned on stage. It didn’t happen because of a big announcement, but because of alignment: people met, connected and committed to building something together. Next Gen Adria and, later, the Adria Future Foundation followed the same path.
That’s when I understood that the true power of convening lies in what happens after the lights go down, when people start creating something new.
If Dialogue Is Power, How Can Our Region Learn to Use It Better?
By genuinely wanting to hear the other side. We often talk past each other — across borders, institutions and even generations. And it’s not just a regional issue; globally, we are losing the ability to disagree without division. At Adria Future Summit, we try to challenge ‘panel fatigue’ by pushing for genuine exchange rather than prepared remarks. Every now and then, something said on stage shifts the conversation — not only in the room, but in the media and beyond. That’s when you know dialogue has power. It stops being performance and becomes something you can build upon.
