Speakers

Paulina Dejmek Hack is Director for General Affairs at the European Commission’s DG FISMA. Paulina has worked on financial services matters in the European Commission in different positions since she joined in 2004, including in the private office of then Commissioner Michel Barnier, subsequently Vice-President of the European Commission, between 2010 and 2014 and as Financial Adviser in the private office of the then European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, between 2014 and 2019. In 2019/20, Paulina was Director of the Commission’s Task Force for relations with the United Kingdom and was directly involved in the negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Sirpa Pietikäinen is a member of the European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament.  She is a former Minister of the Environment in Finland (1991-1995), and a Member of the Finnish parliament from 1983 to 2003.

At the European Parliament, Ms Pietikäinen is a member of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee and of the Women’s Right and Gender Equality Committee, as well as a substitute member of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee. Within her work, she seeks to combine her two specialties, that of environment and economics. Ms Pietikäinen is a strong advocate of a transition to a circular economy and sustainable finance, and served as the lead negotiator on behalf of European Parliament and the EPP group on the first Sustainable Finances legislative initiatives. She is active in several organizations, her positions of trust including Chairmanship of the Globe EU.

Tatyana Panova is the Head of the Capital Markets Union Unit in DG FISMA. Prior to this, Tatyana headed another unit in DG FISMA and served in the private office of Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis where she was responsible for Capital Markets Union, securities markets, asset management, insurance, free movement of capital and competition. Before joining the Cabinet, Tatyana was a Deputy Head of the Securities Unit in DG FISMA. In her previous jobs, Tatyana coordinated the preparation of ECOFIN, COREPER II and Economic and Financial Committee in DG MARKT and managed aviation anti-trust cases in DG COMP. Tatyana is a trained economist with specialisation in financial services.

Jakub Michalik joined the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) in 2014 an he is currently Acting Head of Department – Governance and External Affairs.

Previously he was Team Leader – International and Institutional Affairs, where Mr. Michalik provided strategic counsel on ESMA’s relations with Brussels-based EU Institutions and with non-EU securities regulators as well as in relation to ESMA’s activities within IOSCO.

From 2011 to 2014, Mr. Michalik served as a parliamentary assistant to MEP Wolf Klinz on the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) of the European Parliament. Prior to joining the European Parliament, Mr. Michalik worked extensively on compliance and implementation matters, including both wholesale and retail business areas, within private sector.

Mr. Michalik earned his PhD in Law from University of Vienna and his Magister in Law from University of Graz. Mr. Michalik holds the professional qualification as a solicitor and is an author and a contributor to a number of articles in the area of banking and capital markets regulation.

Johanna Fager Wettergren is Head of Sustainable Finance at Finansinspektionen, the Swedish financial supervisory authority. In this capacity, she has taken an active role in the supervisory authority’s work on sustainable finance and stewardship. At the global level, she is a member of the steering committee of the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS), and also actively involved in the work carried out by the Task Force on Sustainable Finance within the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). Johanna was previously Head of Department at the National Debt Office, responsible for Financial Stability and Consumer Protection. She joined the Swedish Central Bank in 2006 and held, during a period of about 10 years, several different managerial positions within the field of Financial Stability and Asset Management. Johanna started her career in Nordea Bank Market Department as an analyst.

Bjørn Sibbern is President, European Market Services. In his role, he works closely across all of Nasdaq’s European Markets teams to deepen the relationships between Nasdaq and institutional and main street investors, broker dealers and regulators in the region.

With over a decade of experience at Nasdaq, Bjørn has emerged as an influential leader within Nasdaq and the broader industry. Prior to his current role as President, European Market Services, he was Executive Vice President for Global Information Services (GIS), based in New York City. He has also previously led Nasdaq’s Global Commodities business, while also serving as President of the Nasdaq Copenhagen Exchange.

In an earlier role, Bjørn managed the company’s Nordic Cash Equities and Derivatives Markets. Bjørn’s proven track record in business-building and his ability to foster and grow valuable client relationships positions Nasdaq to further evolve its European business through best-in-class industry partnership and collaboration, product development, and geographic expansion to deliver greater value for all clients.

Sibbern brings experience from both sides of the transaction business as he has held leading positions at Nordic broker firms and covered diverse leading positions at the Nordic exchanges.

Before joining the company, Sibbern was Head of Trading at Stocknet Norway and CEO at E*TRADE Bank Denmark. While President of the Nasdaq Copenhagen exchange, Sibbern also served on the board of the Committee for Corporate Governance under the Danish Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs.

Sibbern holds an Executive MBA, a Diploma in Business Administration and an MSc in Economics & Business Administration and Law from Copenhagen Business School.

Atle Vereide is since April 2022 Chair of the Norwegian Dealers Association. He is also Chair of the Nordic Securities Association and Deputy Head of Investment Banking at SEB Norway. Since 2011, he has held various managing roles at SEB.

Prior to that, he started as equity analyst at Orkla Finans Fondsmegling/SEB Enskilda in 1997 and reached CEO position by march 2011.

At his early career, he held several positions as equity analyst at various Securities organizations.

Mr. Vereide holds an M.B.A. in Finance by the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH).

Peter Andersen is currently Senior Director and Head of Markets at Jyske Bank. He is also Chair of the Nordic Securities Association and Member of the Board of Representatives at Norlys.

With a career spanning over 40 years Peter Andersen has carved an exceptional career path in the financial world. Commencing as a Board Member at Værdipapircentralen, he rapidly ascended the ranks. For 26 years, he served as a Board Member at Capital Market Denmark, championing industry standards and advocacy. His expertise in interest rates, fixed income trading, and risk management was refined during his tenure as Head of Department.

As Executive Vice Chairman, Edward Knight manages global government relations and serves as a senior advisor on public policy and litigation.

During his time as Nasdaq’s General Counsel (2001-2019), he advocated for initiatives benefiting investors and public companies, including proxy reform, corporate governance modernization, and regulatory and immigration reforms. He played a pivotal role in maintaining Nasdaq’s status as a premier global capital market.

Beyond Nasdaq, Knight serves on Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs Advisory Board, holds memberships in legal bars, and is part of the Council on Foreign Relations. He chairs the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and U.S.-India Business Council, and leads TechNet’s Executive Council. Knight’s extensive involvement spans Nasdaq Dubai Board, World Federation of Exchanges Board, and the Obama Transition Team at the U.S. Treasury Department.

Before these roles, he served as the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (1994-1999), receiving high honors for his contributions. Knight also worked at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld law firm. He holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas School of Law.

Sindre Støer is currently the managing director of the Norwegian Securities Dealers Association. He is also an Executive in Residence at the BI Norwegian Business School since February 2021.

Prior to that, he worked at Swedbank where he was Global Head of Investment Banking for 4 years, and before that he was head of Equities at DnB NOR Asset Management.

At his early career, he held various posts as financial analyst mainly covering industrials.

Mr. Støer also guest lectures at the University of Utah in Financial Markets & Institutions, Portfolio Management and Financial Research since 2014.

Arno Ahosniemi is Chief Executive Officer of Finance Finland (FFI).

He was previously executive editor-in-chief of Kauppalehti and director responsible for editorial work at Alma Talent, also working as the Brussels correspondent for Kauppalehti.

Ahosniemi has master’s degrees in social sciences and business administration.

Håvard Gulbrandsen is the Managing Director of KLP Asset Management since September 1, 2009. He joined KLP from the position of Head of Asset Strategies Equities/Head of Core Corporate Governance in Bank of Norway Investment Management, and has before that e.g. been a portfolio manager/fixed income in Storebrand Asset Management and Director of Investments in DNB Investor AS.

Håvard Gulbrandsen has a MSc in Management Sciences from the University of Warwick (1988) and a Master in Finance & Investments (1989) and is also an authorized financial analyst since 1992.

Henrik Johansson is Chief Executive Officer of Unga Aktiesparare (the Swedish association for young investors), an association founded in 1990 that has 10 000 members.

Henrik Johansson has a background from working with non-profit organizations concerning topics as retail investors and financial literacy. Henrik also has experience from investor relations and capital raising within the crowdfunding community.

Henrik Johansson has a Master’s Degree in management from Linnaeus University, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Linnaeus University.