KPMG in Romania and the New Strategy Center are pleased to invite you to the Conference: Central and Eastern Europe – A Growing Opportunity for Multinational Defence & Security Investments. The conference is an expert-level event dedicated to the launch of the KPMG Thought Leadership Report that evaluates how the current strategic realignment is reshaping Central and Eastern Europe as a defence and security investment hub. It outlines the region’s key advantages – frontline proximity, scalable industrial capacity, and strong engineering and IT talent – while addressing persistent constraints such as infrastructure gaps, administrative and procurement inefficiencies, specialised skills shortages, and tighter export controls on dual‑use technologies.
The report also examines how Europe’s evolving funding landscape, including traditional cohesion instruments and the expanding EU defence toolbox, interacts with national incentives and procurement needs to accelerate projects from R&D into full-scale production. Finally, it highlights how KPMG can support the ongoing transformation of the defence and security sector across the CEE region.
The conference will take place on Tuesday, 21 April, in person at The Grand Hotel Bucharest, Fortuna Conference Room, 4, Nicolae Bălcescu Blvd., Sector 1, 010051 Bucharest, and will be broadcast live on Ziarul Financiar's website.
Discussion Themes:
Building on the findings of the Thought Leadership Report, the event will explore:
- The current international security environment
- Common opportunities for defence investment across Central and Eastern Europe
- Romania’s strategic role in the Black Sea region and the wider CEE landscape
- How KPMG supports defence and security transformation across the region
The event will bring together government officials and policymakers, defence and security industry leaders, parliamentarians and political representatives, banking and financial sector executives, diplomatic missions’ representatives, think-tank and academic community members, journalists and media representatives.
Event Agenda:
09:30 – 10:00 | Welcome Coffee & Registration
10:00 – 10:20 | Opening Remarks & Keynote Address
- Marius Gabriel Lazurcă, Presidential Counsellor for National Security;
- Lieutenant-General Iulian Berdilă, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff for Operations and Training;
- Ramona Jurubiță, Country Managing Partner, KPMG in Romania & Moldova;
- George Scutaru, CEO New Strategy Center
10:20 – 11:20 | Panel 1
CEE – A Growing Opportunity for Multinational Defence & Security Investments
A high-level discussion on regional trends, capability needs, and investment potential.
Moderator: Sorin Pâslaru, Ziarul Financiar; Tudor-Alexandru Grecu, Partner, Head of Defence of KPMG in Central and Eastern Europe
- Mihai Jurca, Head of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, Coordinator of the SAFE programme (tbc)
- Nicoleta Pauliuc, President of the Commission for Defence, Public Order and National Security, Romanian Senate
- Sorin Moldovan, Secretary of State, Ministry of National Defence
- Hans Christian Pretorius, Partner, Cybersecurity Advisory, KPMG Norway (tbc)
- Air Flotilla General (r) Adrian Duță, Senior Advisor, Defence & Security, KPMG in Romania
11:25 – 12:25 | Panel 2
Romania’s strategic role in the Black Sea area and the wider CEE region
Insights on regional security dynamics, deterrence posture, and Romania’s evolving role.
Moderator: Sorin Pâslaru, Ziarul Financiar; Rear Admiral (r) Iuri Covaleov, Associated Senior Expert, New Strategy Center
- George Scutaru, CEO, New Strategy Center
- Lieutenant-General Iulian Berdilă, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff for Operations and Training
- Cristian Sfichi, Managing Director, Thales România
- Viorel Manole, Director, PATROMIL
Discussions
12:25 – 12:30 | Closing Remarks: Tudor-Alexandru Grecu, Partner, Head of Defence of KPMG in Central and Eastern Europe
12:30 onwards | Networking Reception