Warsaw Business Journal September 2020 #59

WARSAW

BUSINESS JOURNAL S i n c e 1 9 9 4 Po l a n d ’ s l e a d i n g

SEPTEMBER 2020 ~ No. 9 (59)

business magazine in English

For daily news visit us at wbj.pl

WHAT’S NEXT FOR POLAND?

ELECTRIFIED! E-mobility in Poland | POLE POSITION Warsaw office property market to pop back

SEPTEMBER

6 In The Frame

LGBT+ Demonstrations in Poland

10 In Review

News Ambassadors’ page Countries battling crises

19 In Focus

Covid & the economy Poland fights back Covid & the economy Online shopping Covid & the economy Young people’s jobs

62

28

32 E-mobility in Poland 49

Interview Polish Alternative Fuels Association (PSPA) Interview Mercedes-Benz

36 Opinion Marketing Tools

37 Tech

News Interview Axel Bard Bringéus, EQT Ventures Interview Grzegorz Borowski, Infoshare

46 Talking Points

Interview Anna Kurnatowska, Too Good To Go Interview Prof Andrzej Rychard, IFiS PAN

53 Lokale Immobilia

24

News Feature Warsaw’s office property market Feature Shopping centers

65 Life+Style

Travel diary Kraków Review Nobu Hotel Warsaw

70 Events

Upcoming conferences

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PUBLISHER'S NOTE

Morten Lindholm Editor-in-Chief/Publisher mlindholm@valkea.com

Sankhyayan Datta Managing Editor

sdatta@valkea.com

Krzysztof Maciejewski Business & Web Editor

kmaciejewski@wbj.com

Kevin Demaria Art Director

kdemaria@valkea.com Contributors

A special time

Ewa Boniecka Jerzy Kamecki Konrad Krzysztofik Sergiusz Prokurat Beata Socha Alex Webber Adam Zdrodowski Anna Zhuravleva Sales

MORTEN LINDHOLM

PR & Marketing

Dominik Grudziński dgrudzinski@valkea.com Print & Distribution

Krzysztof Wiliński dystrybucja@valkea.com Event Director, Valkea Events

Magda Gajewska mgajewska@valkea.com Contact: phone: +48 22 257 75 00 fax: +48 22 257 75 99 e-mail: wbj@wbj.pl

WBJ.pl For subscriptions-related enquiries, please email us at wbj@wbj.pl

WarsawBusinessJournal

@wbjpl

All photographs used in this issue are courtesy of partners and companies unless specified otherwise.

Copyright © 2020 by Valkea Media SA All rights reserved. This publication or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permissionof the publisher.

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PORTRAIT BY KEVIN DEMARIA

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU but I had all my plans turned upside down. I ended up spending nearly all my time here in Poland except for a drive to Denmark to see my parents and a trip a week later to pick up my kids. So I haven’t spent much time on the other side of the Polish borders this year. Do I regret it? Not really.

Poland has so much to offer. And I love Poland and Warsaw in the summer: the weather, the “slow-life” attitude that settles over Warsaw as temperatures reach over 30C, the countryside and nature. It has been a good time – time to reflect and appreciate what’s close to us and our core values.

It is strange to think that slightly over five months ago we went into lockdown.

The world, forecasts, warnings and reality seemed so dark and uncertain. And although we can’t ignore the tens of thousands of deaths and disasters that left some countries and families devastated, besides the fact that in Poland the infection rate is rising again, Covid fatalities in this country have been relatively fewer. Plus the optimism is back. Or perhaps the stock markets follow their own path or they are 12 months ahead of the curve for business markets – it is difficult to stay bearish right now. But who am I to declare what to expect and how to forecast (or evaluate) 2020. That’s why I invited several experts as well as my team of journalists to investigate what’s next for Poland.

This issue is dedicated to hope, belief, dreams and (hopefully) the truth that Poland will still be in good shape while moving forward in spite of the internal conflicts. Also, the hope that business is here to turn this country into a regional economic powerhouse it was until the beginning of this year. And I believe the chances of success are bullishly high!

Have a look at our investigation into Poland’s economy, how the nation is faring in e-mobility, retail and e-commerce development and challenges, Warsaw office market and many more interesting insights about the Polish business and economy. Most importantly enjoy the read!

It has been a special time: this summer 2020.

Adam Fogler afogler@valkea.com Magdalena Klimiuk mklimiuk@valkea.com Katarzyna Pomierna kpomierna@valkea.com

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August 7, 2020 Blue-uniformed Polish police officers detained 48 LGBT+ rights supporters in the heart of the Poland capital of Warsaw. The demonstrators were defending a male-born nonbinary activist who’s popularly known as Margot (Małgorzata Szutowicz) and uses female pronouns. She has been accused of draping rainbow flags over statues in Warsaw as well as damaging the van of an anti-abortionist.

Hundreds of protesters packed the Krakowskie Przedmieście street, about 600 meters from the president’s palace and many crouched on the street and pavement, as law enforcement officers cracked down on them.

PHOTOGRAPH BY Robert Kuszyński OKO.press

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W B J SEPTEMBER 2020

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Driving force As more and more people turn to online shopping in light of the social distancing measures due to the ongoing economic and humanitarian crises, Artur Spała, explains how Raben Group, a logistics company, is manoeuvering the change.

INTERVIEW BY SANKHYAYAN DATTA

WBJ: Is e-commerce still the

driving force behind the logistics sector? Why? Artur Spała: E-commerce is a sales chan-

nel that is either already key or is starting to build its share of sales in all areas of the FMCG and retail. A few years ago, some of the dominant players on the market, e.g. cosmetics or food producers, smiled when they heard about e-commerce. Today, everyone sees the need to be online because this is the sales channel with the highest year-on-year growths and these are doubledigit growths. This evolution in sales also affects the evolution of the entire logistics sector which has to follow the demands of the market. The need to develop and invest in the future of e-commerce is the result of the growing competition in this area, the entry of global distributors on the local markets. And here again, the logistics sector is influenced by these large distributors, while learning from them at the same time.

What convinces companies to work with specialists? Is it also a question of cost optimization?

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Artur Spała is a contract logistics director for Raben Logistics Polska, which is a part of Raben Group - logistics giant founded in 1931 in the Netherlands, with the headquarters in Poland.

The aspect of optimization or better utilization of a company’s operating costs is almost always crucial in the decision concerning outsourcing. The possibility to focus on business processes (promotion, sales, purchases) is equally important. A logistics operator has packages of system solutions (IT) which companies ordering

the service may not have. They don’t want to invest in the purchase of IT infrastructure or have no such expertise. E-shop solutions or integrations with all available courier channels are the possibilities offered by cooperation with an operator integrating multiple supply chain channels.

An important reason for outsourcing logis-

ADVERTORIAL

“ Ultra-fast order

processing is one thing but the aftersales service is also indispensable

tics is also the possibility to use a wide, flexible flow management model, process automation or a wide base of integrated courier services.

Why are logistics companies more and more eager to operate online shops?

Just as in the case of “warehousing logistics,” in e-commerce, companies decide to outsource and hand over supply chain management to logistics operators, focusing on processes that are crucial for the operation and development of their businesses. Many customers of the so-called “big logistics,” in addition to traditional sales, operate e-commerce channels.

So, it is natural to expand the service package for these companies. If we already have a customer in our warehouse and our systems are integrated, there are no contraindications against offering the e-commerce service. Both parties can only benefit from it. For logistics companies, it is no longer a question of choice or “whether” to handle online sales. This service is or will be the standard in the service portfolio for all major players in the market.

How do the expectations of both manufacturers and buyers change as the market develops? Basically, the logistics of the past and the present?

What awaits us in the future?

Buyers’ expectations influence the need for constant remodeling of logistics processes. Shorter lead times – same-day

delivery is already standard in big cities.

Ultra-fast order processing is one thing but the after-sales service is also indispensable: handling complaints and returns.

What plans does Raben have on the market? How much and what will it invest in?

Raben supports the development of its customers and actively seeks the most modern solutions in the sector. We invest in state-of-the-art warehouses, develop our IT systems and implement RPA. We talk to many of our customers and partners about long-term cooperation, development of e-commerce and further automation. There are many topics on the table but for now, I don’t want to reveal details.

W B J SEPTEMBER 2020

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NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST MONTH FROM WBJ.PL

There are 10 million of us … who want tolerance, who want guarantees that Poland will change for the better, who want work to be respected, who want no one to divide us, that no one attacks us, that no one raises a hand against anyone.

And difficult times are coming, and therefore, we must be together to defend civil society, to defend local governments, to defend free media, to defend non-governmental organizations and to defend independent institutions” Rafał Trzaskowski, a former MEP and current Warsaw mayor, said in Gdynia, northern Poland, on July 17. He lost by a wafer-thin margin to Andrzej Duda in the second round of the presidential election on July 12. Trzaskowski was Poland’s main opposition Civic Coalition’s (KO) presidential candidate.

Poland expects nearly PLN 110bn deficit Amid a coronavirus epidemic that has dented the economy, the Polish government has adopted plans to amend this year’s budget, with the deficit expected to reach PLN 109.3 billion. “The government is adjusting the budget for 2020 to the situation related to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the Government Information Center (CIR) said. “The spread of the coronavirus has contributed to the biggest economic crisis in recent years, which contributed to a sharp slowdown in economic activity in Poland and other countries affected by the pandemic.”

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

New vehicle sales to fall to 445,000 in 2020: auto body In 2020, sales of passenger cars and delivery trucks with the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of up to 3.5 tonnes will drop to

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445,000 from 625,470 in 2019, the Automotive Market Research Institute (IBRM) SAMAR has said. “According to IBRM Samar forecasts, in 2020, sales in Poland of vehicles with GVWR up to 3.5T will amount to approx. 445,000,” the press statement announced. The estimates indicate 390,000 passenger cars and 55,000 delivery vehicles.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Izera is Poland’s new car brand At the end of July, ElectroMobility Poland (EMP), a state-controlled joint venture established in October 2016 by four Polish power companies – Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE), Energa, Enea and Tauron Polska Energia – presented two models near Warsaw from Izera, Poland’s first all-electric vehicle brand. Named after the Izera mountain range in southwestern Poland, EMP revealed a pair of attractive and affordable all-electric Izera prototypes under the “A million reasons to keep on driving” slogan.

EV start-up Izera’s first two models will be a five-door hatchback with Mazda 3 overtones, plus a crossover SUV, with deliveries forecast to commence in 2023. Although 100 percent Polish, EMP enlisted the help of German engineers from EDAG for their extensive electric car chassis systems experience, plus contracted the vehicle styling expertise of Torino Design, an independent Italian design studio, with long-term Jaguar designer Tadeusz Jelec working as an Izera project consultant.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Poland’s GDP drop to be smallest in EU in 2020: EC The Polish economy will shrink by 4.6 percent in 2020 and will expand by 4.3 percent in 2021, as the HICP inflation declines to 2.7 percent in 2020 and edges up to 2.8 percent in 2021, the European Commission (EC) said in its Spring 2020 Economic Forecast. In May’s forecast, the EC expected

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In Review | NEWS Poland’s GDP decline at 4.3 percent in 2020 and see a 4.1-percent increase in 2021. According to the EC, despite Poland’s government intervention and economic support, consumption in Poland in 2020 will suffer, as consumers will be more likely to save and refrain from shopping due to the uncertainty and threat of the coronavirus epidemic.

“This, combined with broken supply chains and a drop in orders in March and April, and low confidence of entrepreneurs will probably have an impact on investment. The commission expects them to collapse in the second quarter and only a partial rebound is expected,” EC said.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Biedronka fined PLN 115m The head of Poland’s antitrust body UOKiK has imposed a fine of PLN 115 million on Biedronka – one of the largest supermarket chains in the country that’s owned by Portugal-based corporate group Jerónimo Martins. UOKiK explained that this was the result of violating the rights of consumers by incorrectly displaying prices in shops.

“We consider the decision undeserved and unfair,” Jerónimo Martins has stressed. The owner of Biedronka has announced that they will appeal against this decision.

Ryanair were on the list. As much as 80 percent of the country’s electricity is coalpowered currently. And the state-owned Bełchatów Power Station in central Poland is the world’s largest lignite-fired power station. It produces 20 percent of the total power generation in Poland. One of the biggest carbon polluters in the world, the plant burns approximately 45 million tonnes of coal each year and has emitted approximately 1bn tonnes of CO2 over the course of its lifetime. It emitted some 32.7 Megatonnes of CO2 in 2019 (1 Mt = 1 million tonnes).

GEOPOLITICS

Polish government accused of ‘hypocrisy’ Alexander Lukashenko once again accused the Western countries of wanting to interfere in the internal affairs of Belarus, pointing out at the same time that their leaders should deal with their own problems. “They openly declare collecting funds and sending them to Belarus,” the incumbent president of Belarus was quoted as saying by BelTA, a stateowned national news agency. “Polish flags are already being displayed in Grodno [close to Polish-Belarusian border]. This is unacceptable.” Meanwhile, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda informed about his conversation with the Polish ambassador to Belarus, Artur Michalski. According to EU sources, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki talked about the situation in Belarus with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Earlier, Morawiecki asked for the convening of a European Union summit on Belarus. Morawiecki’s critics were quick to point out of the “hypocrisy of saying that outsiders cannot intervene (or even criticize) your domestic affairs while you yourself are potentially doing the same with another country.”

GEOPOLITICS

ENVIRONMENT

‘Poland supports efforts to provide Navalny with best treatment’

Bełchatów power plant has once again bagged the first spot in the ranking of the largest carbon dioxide (CO2) producers in the European Union. There are eight power plants on this list, including two from Poland. The ranking of estimated annual CO2 emissions was prepared by the European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) – Europe’s principal environmental organization – based on official data. In 2019, nine power plants and low-cost airline

Poland supports efforts to provide Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny with the best available treatment, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has tweeted. Navalny, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is in a serious condition after drinking tea on August 20 morning that his allies believe was laced with poison. On August 21 a doctor said his condition had improved a little overnight. On August 22, an ambulance carrying Navalny arrived at Berlin’s Charite hospital.

“I am very concerned with the reports of Alexei Navalny poisoning, his health and

Poland’s coal-fired power plant tops EU polluters’ index

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the refusal to allow him to be transferred out of Russia. We need to be 100% sure that his safety is guaranteed. Poland supports the efforts to provide Mr. Navalny with best available treatment,” Morawiecki wrote on Twitter.

GEOPOLITICS

Poland refuses to accept German ambassador Poland has left the new German ambassador to Warsaw in limbo as he is pilloried in the country’s right-wing jingoistic press for his father’s past as an adjutant to Hitler. Relations between the neighboring countries suffered under a barrage of anti-German rhetoric during the recent Polish presidential election campaign, as well as repeated demands for WWII reparations. At the start of the summer, Germany nominated Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven, a former NATO intelligence chief, well-regarded ambassador to Prague and capable jazz guitarist, to take over the post in Warsaw. Ordinarily, his approval by the host government, known in diplomatic circles as an agrément, would be a formality, but Poland has stalled for more than three months.

GEOPOLITICS

Nord Stream 2: Poland fines Gazprom over PLN 200m Poland’s anti-monopoly watchdog UOKiK has said that it fined Gazprom PLN 213 million over a lack of cooperation in its proceedings with regard to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. Poland sees Nord Stream 2, which would double Russia’s gas export capacity via the Baltic Sea, as a threat to Europe’s energy security, saying it will strengthen Gazprom’s market dominance.

Nord Stream 2 is led by Gazprom, with half of the funding provided by Germany’s Uniper and BASF’s Wintershall unit, AngloDutch company Shell, Austria’s OMV and Engie. UOKiK has been examining the project for years. In 2019 it fined Engie €40 million for failing to provide documents and information relating to the case. Gazprom said it had asked UOKiK to provide justification for that request, which it had not received. The Russian energy giant plans to appeal the fine in court, it has said. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Gazprom have said they plan to complete Nord Stream 2.

More than 90 percent of the construction has been completed. Gazprom supplies most of the gas consumed in Poland. Polish state-run gas company PGNiG has often

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GEOPOLITICS

Pompeo signs deal to redeploy troops from Germany to Poland US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has signed a new defense agreement with Poland that will see American troops redeployed there from Germany. The deal will see the number of US troops in Poland rise to about 5,500. Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said the number could quickly be increased to 20,000 if a threat justified it. US President Donald Trump has previously accused Germany of not contributing enough to NATO. But the US move has raised concern among NATO allies worried over possible Russian expansionism.

GEOPOLITICS

US State Department slams Poland on Holocaust restitution The US State Department has called out Poland as the only EU member state which has not acted on Holocaust restitution commitments made in 2009. Poland has been listed in the State Department’s annual Act 447 report for not having yet enacted full legislation on domestic property restitution or Holocaust-related confiscation in a 209-page document. Act 447 deals with the restitution of the property of Holocaust victims and obliges the US Secretary of State to report annually on the implementation of the arrangements made in the Terezin Declaration. The declaration, adopted in 2009 by 46 countries at the end of the Prague Conference on Holocaust Property, is a nonbinding list of basic principles to accelerate, facilitate and make transparent procedures for the restitution of works of art and private and communal property seized forcibly, stolen or surrendered under pressure during the Holocaust.

to stoke nationalistic sentiments” that may “rewrite history”, Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland’s prime minister, has promised to establish a so-called “patriotic fund” for “building patriotic attitudes.” The money will go to “historical reenactors, patriotic associations and scientists.” “In the near future we will establish a patriotic fund that will serve to build patriotic attitudes and support history enthusiasts, young scientists as well as foundations and associations,” claimed Morawiecki. There are no more details yet.

It is not known who would be the operator of the fund, from when it would operate, or what pool of money would be given away.

However, according to political analysts, the fund, if created, will be another source of financing for associations close to the country’s ruling PiS party and a way to attract the power of nationalists sympathizing with the far-right and ultra-conservative.

POLITICS

US ambassador slams ruling party politician’s ‘absolute lie’

GEOPOLITICS

Polish rescue mission off to Beirut A team of rescuers with search dogs, medical personnel and humanitarian aid experts set off from Warsaw to Beirut on August 5 evening to aid victims of an explosion on August 4 in the Lebanese capital. Beirut city governor Marwan Abboud was quoted by the al-Marsad Online news website as saying the death toll from the explosion had risen to 220, and that 110 people remained missing. The blasts injured over 4,000 people, left at least 300,000 people homeless and caused damage estimated to be worth up $5 billion.

Lebanon’s president and prime minister have said the explosion was the result of the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been stored for six years without safety measures at Beirut’s port.

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Georgette Mosbacher, the US ambassador to Warsaw, took to Twitter to call out Beata Mazurek for comparing private TVN24 news channel to a Polish institution from the past with shadowy communist interests. Hitting out at Mazurek, an MEP and former spokesperson of the ruling PiS party, Mosbacher wrote “shame on you for perpetuating what you know is an absolute lie by suggesting that TVN is WSI. This is beneath a representative of the Polish people.” Meanwhile, Zbigniew Ziobro, the justice minister, has threatened the media for reporting about a convicted pedophile pardoned by President Andrzej Duda in March. TVN24, critical of the governing party, is a Polish-language 24-hour private news channel launched in August 2001 and has been owned since July 2017 by US-based TV content provider Discovery.

Military Information Services (Wojskowe Służby Informacyjne, or WSI) was a common name for the Polish military intelligence and counter-intelligence agency. The agency was created in 1990 and liquidated in October 2006.

SOCIETY

Most schools to return to regular lessons Most municipalities in Poland have a standard epidemiological situation, which enables school heads to prepare for a return to traditional lessons, Education Minister Dariusz Piontkowski has claimed. The education minister added that only “red” and “yellow” municipalities will have additional restrictions. Addressing a press conference recently, Piontkowski and Deputy Chief Sanitary Inspector Izabela Kucharska outlined the safety rules governing children’s return to school. Piontkowski said the “vast majority” of educational establishments, including schools, preschools and kindergartens, could return to normal lessons with direct contact between teachers and pupils.

POLITICS

POLITICS

Foreign and health ministers anointed

What has been strongly criticized as a “move

Poland has appointed Zbigniew Rau, the chair of the parliamentary foreign affairs

PM announces ‘patriotic fund’

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WBJ

committee, to the post of foreign minister, as Warsaw seeks to play a leading role in the EU response to a political crisis in neighboring Belarus. At a news conference, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also said that economist Adam Niedzielski, the head of the National Health Fund (NFZ), had been appointed health minister. The appointments come at a crucial time for both ministries, as Poland grapples with rising daily coronavirus cases and seeks to push the EU to take an active diplomatic stance towards Belarus, a close Russian ally whose borders with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia are major NATO frontiers. Rau has said in the past he is convinced that “LGBT+ ideology” is linked to euthanasia, pedophilia, zoophilia and cannibalism. He replaces former Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz.

Czaputowicz’s resignation came two days after the departure of Health Minister Lukasz Szumowski. Czaputowicz had signaled in July he may quit, as the governing PiS party announced it plans some personnel changes in the government during a reshuffle in the autumn that could see the number of ministries reduced. Szumowski was the face of the fight against the coronavirus from the beginning of the pandemic. The opinion about the former health minister changed drastically after a number of journalistic publications revealed massive irregularities.

They mainly concern the purchase of equipment to fight Covid-19. Purchase of masks from a ski instructor, expensive respirators that never reached Poland and confusion with the company of Szumowski’s brother are some examples of scandals related to the health ministry.

POLITICS

MPs award themselves salary hike Salaries of Polish MPs will grow nearly 60 percent after a hugely divisive bill raising the pay of public officials was passed by the parliament on August 14. The passing of the bill led to nationwide outrage as people across Poland are seeing their jobs gone or pay reduced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which has pushed CEE’s largest economy to the first recession in 30 years.

The leader of the United Right coalition, the PiS party, tabled the bill, which enjoyed rare cross-party support of 386 votes in favor, with only 33 votes against and 15 abstentions. PiS reportedly struck a deal with most of the opposition saying it would not even table the bill if it did not receive wide support. Most of the opposition MPs complied,

leading to a storm in the media and on platforms like Twitter. PiS said that the bill introduced a transparent system of paying public officials by benchmarking their salaries to that of a Supreme Court judge. The bill also increases state subvention for political parties by a factor of 1.5 and introduced a salary for the wife of the president. Poland’s first lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda is often criticized for engaging in little public activity and shunning media.

SOCIETY

Thousands protest in Poland demanding release of LGBT activist Several thousand people waving rainbow flags protested on August 8 in the center of Warsaw to demand the release of an LGBT activist accused of hanging rainbow banners over statues and damaging an anti-abortion campaigner’s van. Crowds chanted “Give us Margot back!” and “Rainbow does not insult you!” outside Warsaw’s Palace of Culture.

The peaceful gathering applauded activists hanging another rainbow flag on a statue in front of the Palace, while police officers filmed the performance and the protest leaders. On August 7, the police detained 48 people, who were trying to stop the authorities from jailing Margot (Małgorzata Sz.), a male-born nonbinary activist who uses female pronouns.

on social welfare. The party argues that the country’s legislature provided strong reforms on women’s protection and they do not need the convention.

SOCIETY

Poland’s air most polluted in Europe Poland has the most polluted air in Europe, according to a study conducted by the University of Chicago, cited by Euronews. The researchers also found that the life expectancy of the inhabitants of Warsaw and Łódź would increase by 1.2 years if air cleanliness conditions in these cities improved. The university has developed the Air Quality of Life Index (AQLI), which takes air pollution into account and examines its impact on human life expectancy. Airborne pollutant particles may now have a greater impact on human life expectancy around the world than the effects of factors such as heavy smoking and HIV, according to scientists working on AQLI.

SOCIETY

Poland prepares to exit Istanbul Convention Poland has begun its preparation to withdraw from the European treaty, known as the Istanbul Convention – an initiative by the Council of Europe – which ensures protection of women from domestic abuse or violence. The right-wing cabinet says that the treaty states “gender ideology,” violates the rights of parents as it requires the schools to teach children liberally on social policies which is quite “harmful” and against the traditional values of the Polish society.

Zbigniew Ziobro, the justice minister, has said that he will soon submit a request to the labor and family ministry to withdraw from the treaty. The ruling PiS party and its coalitions closely align themselves with the Catholic Church and propagate a conservative social set-up and policies. PiS has long-been hostile towards the Istanbul Convention which was ratified by a centrist and liberal government before October 2015.

On winning the October 2015 parliamentary elections, PiS promised to make reforms

Curated from: aljazeera.com, businessinsider.com.pl, ec.europa.eu, euronews.com, gazeta.pl, goodwood.com, intellinews.com, money.pl, natemat.pl, oko.press, pap.pl, pb.pl, reuters.com, rmf24.pl, thetimes.co.uk, tvn24.pl, wiadomosci.gazeta.pl

SOCIETY

Justice minister to give PLN 250,000 to ‘LGBT-free municipality’ Poland’s communes that have adopted resolutions establishing themselves as homophobic “LGBT-free zones” and have therefore been excluded from the EU’s “Town Twinning” program, will receive support from the Justice Fund, Zbigniew Ziobro has informed. The Justice Fund was established to help victims of crime. However, amid severe criticism, Ziobro claimed the money will be allocated for the commune that “supports the family and rejects an ideology that is contrary to Polish culture and LGBT ideology.” Homophobia has been steadily on the rise in Poland and according to the latest annual Rainbow Map and Index, in terms of LGBT+ equality and rights, Poland is the worst in the EU.

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Ambassadors’ Corner Top diplomats in Warsaw told the WBJ...

how their countries are battling the crisis

?

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Frédéric Billet

French Ambassador

How has your country been fighting the crisis?

As a complement to the system of state-guaranteed loans (“Prêt Garanti par l’État,” or PGE) in the amount of €300bn, a system of repayable advances and loans was created for the preferences of financial support for enterprises affected by the Covid-19 crisis. Many measures were also planned to ease the burden on enterprises, including deferred payment of social and tax contributions and lowering budgetary expenditure.

Also, the government has created a €7bn solidarity fund to provide tax-free aid to small businesses, deposits for self-employed workers, micro-entrepreneurs and newcomers.

What measures should be adopted to make sure that trade continues between economies?

Given the strong integration of economies in the global value chain, a slowdown rather than a complete cessation of trade can be expected. Its evolution will depend first of all on the speed of the reconstruction of the economies of individual countries and the effectiveness of the implemented support systems. The main factor that could harm international trade would be a new wave of infections that could lead to new restrictions and quarantines. As a consequence, they would entail further production interruptions and disruptions in the value chain.

How safe is your country for travelers?

No travel restrictions to mainland France from Europe or EU-approved countries. From other countries, you may be required to show a negative test before travel and quarantine. There are specific rules for overseas territories. Wearing masks is compulsory in closed public places, public transport, taxis, restaurants and bars. It’s obligatory for employees and customers when moving. A government official (“préfet”) for a region may adjust these recommendations locally. A distance of 1m must be maintained under all circumstances.

Meetings of more than 10 people in public places and events for more than 5,000 are prohibited. Nightclubs remain closed until at least September 1.

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Chargés d'affaires ad interim Knut Abraham German Embassy in Warsaw

Francisco Javier Sanabria Valderrama Spanish Ambassador

Germany undertook many unprecedented and substantial measures corresponding to the depth of the current economic downturn, e.g. unbureaucratic stabilization payments to enterprises and self-employed workers (both credits and grants), deferments of tax and social security payments, enhancement of credit guarantee and export insurance programs, a temporary VATreduction, and many more. Also, some rules concerning insolvency of enterprises, as well as credit, rent and mortgage payments have been temporarily suspended.

Many jobs have been safeguarded by wage subsidies (“Kurzarbeitergeld”). Taken altogether, these measures probably amount to the equivalent of almost a third of the German GDP.

On March 14 a state of emergency was declared.

Three days later, the largest mobilization of resources in Spanish history was approved: a fiscal package of €200bn, that’s equivalent to 14% of our GDP. The package includes a furlough scheme for companies affected by the crisis. They can temporarily send their employees home or reduce their working hours, while workers receive unemployment benefits. The package also includes deferral and waivers of social security payments, €100bn for entrepreneurs and freelancers, €10bn for the main State Finance Agency (ICO) to redirect credit to entrepreneurs and a €2bn insurance policy for exporting SMEs.

The prosperity of Germany and other EU members largely depends upon functioning trade. Therefore, communication between neighboring governments and regions is key to making sure that health measures, e.g. wrt transborder movement, do not unnecessarily hamper the free flow of goods and services, and that health protection and trade requirements are synchronized in the best possible way. We should consider the most effective bilateral and multilateral structures and communication channels to ensure that in the future this works even better than early Covid days. Many of the tasks involved in combating this crisis can best be tackled at a European level.

After the 2008 financial crisis, our economy went through a dramatic transformation that boosted competitiveness. Exports increased by 10 percentage points of the GDP. The commercial balance of payments had a surplus since 2012. As a result of this turnaround, our economy grew well above its peers. Free trade is crucial for recovery. The EC is closely monitoring the correct functioning of the European market to ensure that no trade obstacles emerge. In Spain, we have taken specific measures to facilitate industrial imports such as the €2bn insurance policy for Spanish exporting SMEs and the streamlining of customs procedures.

German government adopted a hygiene concept, which may differ in the federal states regarding, for example, the obligation of wearing masks or restrictions concerning cultural events. Therefore, it is recommended to visit webpages of the local authorities and get information about the current restrictions before starting any journey. Hotels, restaurants and other public places observe the usual hygiene measures.

Germany has much to offer to travelers. But in the end, our safety lies in our own hands. So wherever you are, keep your distance, wear a mask when necessary and comply with local regulations.

Spain has taken measures in order to make sure that we remain a safe destination. Our government has issued 21 guidelines with technical and health recommendations for different tourist branches. Public transportation has implemented all international health and safety standards. We are well-prepared to welcome visitors. Our tourism sector has made a huge effort to adapt to the new situation and has implemented effective actions. The Canary Islands have signed an agreement with an insurance company in order to cover all related medical expenses, repatriation and extension of the stay of visitors if they were to get infected during their stay in Spain.

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POLAND IS FACING A RECESSION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS!

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IN FOCUS

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COVID & THE ECONOMY

As various governments across the world have scrambled to fight the severe repercussions felt by economies swept by the Covid-19 disease, Poland’s response has largely been lauded. According to a recent report, the Polish economy is set to be the least affected in the EU by the Covid-19 pandemic, despite the virus bringing an end to around three decades of uninterrupted economic growth in the EU member state.

This section of the magazine showcases the measures adopted by Poland. The next few pages discuss whether the country’s allegedly stoic stance is worth a pat on the back or is it just a display of chest-thumping triumphalism as the Eastern European nation seems to be failing its young people.

>>>

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ECONOMIC RESILIENCE Prof Marcin Piątkowski shares his insights on how Poland has battled the coronavirus pandemic-induced economic crisis so far and how to alleviate hardships in the face of growing uncertainties.

INTERVIEW BY MORTEN LINDHOLM

WBJ: You have said before that “Poland will get through the crises bet-

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ter than most other countries in the EU.” Do you still hold the same opinion?

Marcin Piątkowski: I do. Poland is indeed doing well. According to the European Commission’s and the EBRD’s projections, Poland will have the lowest drop in GDP this year among all large EU economies. The most recent economic data support these projections.

That’s quite an achievement and a testament to Poland’s high competitiveness, anti-fragility and good economic policy.

In your book about Poland “Europe’s Growth Champion,” you describe and provide the documentation for how Poland has made the right decisions and prepared the proper institutions and regulations for success. Are these regulations still in place and will they be continued efficiently?

In my book, I try to explain why Poland has been economically underdeveloped for 1,000 years of its history and why it suddenly became the continent’s growth champion over the last 30 years, during which it tripled its GDP per capita (PPP), more than anyone else. I mention five key reasons for this economic miracle. First, a positive legacy of the old communist system, which despite its

fundamental failings, has nonetheless made the Polish society inclusive, egalitarian, welleducated and socially mobile for the first time in its history. Communism demolished the old, feudal and oligarchic social structures, which kept the economy backward for centuries. This newly-emerged sociallyinclusive society was not visible until 1989, buried under the distortions, dysfunctions and absurdities of a planned economy, but when communism collapsed, it established the foundations for the subsequent economic miracle. Second, a strong social consensus after 1989 to become “European” and join the European Union was critical.

Russia, Ukraine or Belarus, for instance, lacked such a consensus. Third, Poland had high-quality policymaking elites, who, unlike many of their peers in the region, knew exactly where they were going from the very beginning. It also helped that almost every single economic policymaker in Poland after 1989 studied in the West and learned modern economics. In contrast, until 2002, no Bulgarian finance minister even spoke English. Fourth, the success was supported by the emergence of a nascent middle class and new business elite, which helped support a democratic system and open markets.

Finally, the accession to the EU and the adoption of Western institutions, rules and ways of doing things were key. Without the

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IN FOCUS COVID & THE ECONOMY

There have been discussions about how the crises and supply chain disruption may benefit Poland in the medium term – as a European hub for production and assembling. What are your thoughts on this?

I believe that Poland is likely to be one of the key beneficiaries of the gradual restructuring of the global value chains. For economic and political reasons, global and European companies will increasingly move their production closer to the final customers.

Poland and its neighboring countries will continue to be an ideal place to absorb this extra production.

You live in China – one of the most dynamic economies in the world – with a

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high focus on technology development.

What do you think Poland can learn and potentially adopt solutions that have been successfully implemented in China?

There are many lessons from China, although many of them are not easily replicable in the European context. One key lesson is the importance of public investment.

China has increased its GDP per capita by almost 30 times over the last 40 years, a historical record that will likely never be surpassed, partly because over the years it has built one of the most modern physical and digital infrastructures in the world.

Poland’s public investment in proportion to GDP is only a third of that of China and the accumulated level of public capital stock per capita is only around half of that in Germany. Given the historically low-interest rates and the ongoing Covid crisis, it would make great sense for Poland to double its public investment. This would directly support economic growth and well-being but also spur lagging private investment.

A faster build-up of highways, railways, metro lines, rapid tramways, 5G hotspots, increased investment in education, science and healthcare, and a big push for green investments would help sustain Poland’s economic miracle.

What is your opinion about the politically divided Poland – witnessed clearly at the recent presidential election where both candidates raced neck-and-neck.

Is it sustainable for Poland if a more

pragmatic and less commercial party of Poland still has power over the development of the country and its people?

Political polarization is worrying, although Poland is not an exception. It seems to have happened in most democracies across the world. The growing disillusionment of the large part of societies, which did not benefit from globalization in the same ways as the elites did, is one of the key reasons for this polarization. Poland’s economic growth has lifted more boats than elsewhere – all 100 percent of the society has substantially increased its incomes over the past 30 years, while in the US, for instance, the median incomes stagnated. But still millions of Poles feel they have been “left behind.” The PiS government’s policy to increase redistribution has helped to share prosperity with more people than before, reduce inequality and decrease poverty. I support this policy, although it was meant to buy votes too.

Overall though, the economic policy of the PiS government, including during the current crisis, has been quite pragmatic. Since economic performance is one of the key pillars of the government’s political legitimacy, I believe that pragmatic economic policymaking making may continue.

No one knows how long this pandemic will continue to influence people’s lives and livelihood. What are your perspectives for Poland to recover in 2021?

Poland’s economy is like Bayern Munich in soccer. It has a DNA of an economic champion, proven over the last 30 years and it will

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EU, Poland’s miracle wouldn’t have happened. The EU institutional “straitjacket” has also helped prevent bad economic policymaking since the accession.

That said, the recent weakening of rule of law reflected in the emaciation of the Constitutional Tribunal [Poland’s highest constitutional court] and in the changes to the judicial system is worrying. The courts in Poland are far from perfect – I think everyone would agree with it – but the government’s “reforms” have failed to improve them. The rule of law will be a critical area to watch in the future. Polish economy and society can’t afford a situation where lawyers would start wondering about the political affiliation of their opponents in court. This is not happening yet, but it is a big warning.

continue to do well. While no one knows when exactly the crisis will end, I believe that Poland will outperform economically other countries in the EU and retain the title of Europe’s growth champion since 1989. In my book, I project that Poland will continue to grow at a fast pace until at least 2030 and reach about 80 percent of the “old” EU member states’ level of income.

This would be the highest relative level ever in Poland’s history and a testament to the country’s golden age.

How has Poland helped its poor people and the most vulnerable during these dire times?

I think that the government has done a pretty good job of protecting the economy and society from the impact of the pandemic. It introduced the largest stimulus package in the region and one of the largest in the EU to help support companies and safeguard employment. And it continued to finance 500+, the public transfer program for children, which is a great instrument to support consumer confidence and spending during the crisis. While I think that the additional, “13th pension” for pensioners is a waste of public resources, it nonetheless also had a short-term positive impact. At the end of the crisis, poverty will, unfortunately, be higher than before the crisis, but lower than one could expect.

Poland experienced phenomenal growth in less than three decades right up until the crises. In your article for

the LSE blog, you stated that in 1991, the average income of a Pole was “less than the citizens of Gabon, Ukraine or Suriname.” What should the country do to continue its economic success through the current economic and humanitarian crises?

Past success isn’t a guarantee of future success. Poland needs to continue to reform to maintain the growth momentum and the fast catching up with the West. In my book, I propose a new growth model called “the Warsaw Consensus,” which is based on 10 policy pillars. It, for example, calls for higher domestic investment to improve infrastructure, increased spending on education and innovation to sustain fast growth in labor productivity, and opening the country to immigration from other countries besides Ukraine to mitigate the negative impacts of fast population aging. As to the latter, Poland could attract millions of brilliant young people from poorer countries around the world to study at Polish universities and then encourage them to stay. This would be a win-win-win for Poland, these young people and their home countries.

In the short-term, the government should leverage the lowest cost of debt financing in Poland’s 1,000-year-old history and the remaining fiscal space to double public investment, including in green and digital economy, double salaries of scientists and double the number of foreign students in the country, studying offline and online.

Could Poland’s response to the crises

have been better? If yes, how?

As Yogi Berra said, “if the world were perfect, it wouldn't be.” So it goes with crises: there is never a perfect response to an unexpected shock. I think that overall Poland did pretty well by imposing the lockdown earlier than many others, by introducing a larger fiscal stimulus than elsewhere, and by maintaining the confidence of firms and citizens. That said, the crisis is far from over and the ongoing increase in infections may undermine Poland’s initial success. Fighting an epidemic is a marathon, not a sprint, and much more needs to be done to insulate the economy and the society from the crisis.

Keeping the epidemic under control will be the most important.

Marcin Piątkowski is an Associate Professor at Kozminski University in Warsaw and author of the international bestseller “Europe’s Growth Champion. Insights from the Economic Rise of Poland” published by Oxford University Press. He tweets at @mmpiatkowski.

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ROARING ORDERS, SMELLING SUCCESS 24

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ith consumers shifting to online shopping, the brickand-mortar retail environment faces a hard time due to competition from e-commerce giants such as Amazon and Alibaba. The former saw online grocery sales triple year-on-year during the second quarter as people stayed indoors due to lockdown.

And the latter announced a new air route that aims to shorten delivery times to some parts of Europe by 30 percent. In Europe, as many as 40 percent of respondents said that they purchased more items online, including supplies and groceries, since the pandemic began, Comscore, an American media measurement and analytics firm, has reported.

Major retailers, operating in Poland, such as Biedronka, Auchan and Carrefour, quickly reacted to the spike in online orders. All of them started cooperation with Spanish startup Glovo, offering online delivery in less than an hour. The Barcelona-based business, which operates in more than 20 countries globally, came to Poland in July 2019. With the Glovo app, the users can order groceries, food from restaurants, coffee, medicines and other items. “Anything you want.

Delivered in minutes” – states the slogan of the firm now present in over 15 Polish cities.

Biedronka offers free delivery for orders from PLN 199. Shoppers buying for more than PLN 149.99 get the delivery for PLN 5.99 and for smaller orders the delivery price goes up. “The average delivery time after placing an order is currently 45 minutes. Almost all orders are completed in less than an hour,” Paweł Włodarczyk, Biedronka operations director, claimed. He added that the online store is also open on non-trading Sundays. After the Sunday trade ban came into effect in Poland in 2018, the number of Sundays, when stores are open, were reduced to seven this year. >>>

Safety concerns and long queues in supermarkets during the coronavirus pandemic have accelerated online shopping growth. As people stockpile essential goods and medical supplies, major retailers are adjusting their delivery services to satisfy rising demand and retain customers, who are reluctant to buy far from home. BY ANNA ZHURAVLEVA W B J SEPTEMBER 2020

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PARCEL LOCKERS AHEAD OF COURIERS The largest logistics operator in Poland InPost, a subsidiary of global private equity firm Advent International, recorded a boom in orders since the beginning of the pandemic. They expanded the customer base to as much as 23 percent in the last seven months, InPost CEO Rafał Brzoska informed.

They noticed an increase in online shopping for essential items such as groceries and cleaning products.

“Due to the growing demand for Paczkomaty [package locker], we have also sped up the launch of our free solution called Multiskrytka – thanks to which our clients can pick up several packages just from one locker,” Brzoska said.

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“ In Poland,

the number of internet users, who buy online grew to over 70 percent this year

In 2020, the popularity of parcel lockers for the first time outperformed courier services in Poland.

As many as 61 percent of online buyers chose package lockers compared to 55 percent for the courier.

Deliveries through parcel lockers are more ecological compared to those by courier, InPost announced.

In addition, parcel lockers allow contactless delivery, which is quickly gaining popularity due to risks related to Covid-19.

Poland-focused food delivery firm Pyszne.pl also introduced contactless service. The couriers are instructed to leave an order without physical contact with clients. Its parent organization Takeaway.com, with its main office in the Netherlands, launched this solution in all European countries, where it operates.

CONSUMER-CENTRIC BUSINESS Businesses getting their online direct to consumers (d2c) strategies right could be an opportunity to build growth, market share and profitability, analysts from EY, a global professional services network, wrote. “The crisis has accelerated the long-running trend toward e-commerce, with 44 percent of consumers expecting to do more grocery shopping online and 39 percent expecting to do more durables shopping online over the next one to two years,” they said.

In Poland, the number of internet users, who buy online grew to over 70 percent this year, according to Gemius, an international research and technology company. A need for physical contact with a product is among the main

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Despite the trade ban, Biedronka, Poland’s biggest food retailer that is owned by Portugalheadquartered Jerónimo Martins, showed a 10.9 percent increase in revenue year-on-year in the first half of 2020, when calculated in Polish currency and gained over 2 percentage points in market share.

French Auchan first tested deliveries with Glovo in the Ukrainian market and then agreed on cooperation in Poland, Spain and Portugal. In July, the retailer also launched click&collect service in Poland, initially available in six hypermarkets of the chain.

Customers can select items online and pay after they pick them up in a store. “This is a response to the constantly changing preferences of our customers, especially in the recent period, when security issues have become particularly important,” Małgorzata Piekarska, brand director at Auchan Retail Polska, said. More than 60 percent of Poles believe that the habit of buying online will stay after the pandemic, a report published by Warsaw-based market researcher IRCenter, shows.

reasons for those who prefer traditional stores. However, the lockdown restrictions have temporarily turned online shopping the only option in categories such as apparel or personal care. Consumers, reluctant to buy online, admitted that lower prices of products and deliveries as well as safer payment options may induce them to turn to e-tailers in the future, Gemius’s research shows.

In the new environment, there is a growing recognition that business should become more consumercentric. With a shift in shopping behavior, retailers are buttressing their e-commerce and mobile presence to deliver on customer needs through digital-only channels.

While Poland cut the delivery time to one hour, a London startup

Weezy has launched a 15-minute grocery delivery service. After customers place an order through the app, it is packed at Weezy’s own fulfillment center and then delivered on electric scooters or bicycles. The company founders think they’ve spotted a gap in the market for an online grocery service that targets “time-poor professionals and parents,” TechCrunch, an American online publisher, reported. For a fee of £2.95 (about PLN 15), customers can get groceries not only from wholesalers but also from local stores and markets.

Many customers turned to online delivery during lockdowns, but even after the stores reopened, there are still fewer people due to social distancing rules and

concerns about the spread of the virus. In the new reality, consumers want to shop safely, fast and close to home or without leaving their place at all. Online channels have become a saving grace for retailers that face extra coronavirus related costs. However, chains are challenged to fulfill their promise.

During the first months of the pandemic, Glovo peaked in orders, causing customers to wait. “We are very sorry. Due to high demand, we are currently not able to receive new orders,” their apologetic note read. Dealing with extended delivery times and technical issues, fulfilling stocks and adjusting logistics are some of the challenges players face when learning to satisfy the roaring needs of customers – old and new.

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Future’s future

The majority of young people infected by the coronavirus tend to have mild symptoms of the Covid-19 disease if they have them at all. However, they are suffering from a Covid-provoked disaster in the labor market. BY SERGIUSZ PROKURAT

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BIGGEST VICTIMS The Polish economy, as we know from figures, will shrink by 5.4 percent this year and unemployment will rise sharply by the end of the year. The crisis in the labor market will not affect all the people equally, though. It is noticeable that because of restrictions on economic activity, people working on the basis of various forms of employment have been hit by the crisis in different ways. Those employed under civil law contracts were significantly more affected by the crisis than those who are employed full-time (and regulated by the Polish labor law). Similarly, young people up to 25 years of age, taking their first steps on the labor market, and people up to 29 years of age, who often work under civil law contracts, were disproportionately more affected by the crisis in the labor market. They are, in fact, the biggest victims.

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Covid-19 pandemic is having a devastating impact on youth employment worldwide. According to a report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) entitled “Covid-19 and the world of work” the pandemic has provoked a sharp rise in youth unemployment. It particularly affects young women. One in six young people was forced to stop working early in the times of pandemic. Also, more than four out of ten young workers were employed in the tourism, gastronomy, wholesale and retail sectors – the sectors most affected by the crisis. In Poland, almost 400,000 people enter the labor market each year. At the moment under 25s face hardships not only because of the education process – in schools and universities, remote learning is associated with, among others, the challenges of checking knowledge, presence and activity – but because of the blow the training and education industry has dealt with due to the coronavirus. Also, a smaller pool of funds for training is available to employers. Young people might feel intangible barriers to entering the labor market during the epidemic: virtually no one wants to hire young people right away to work remotely.

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hen the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, many governments, including Poland’s, decided to launch special programs to prevent layoffs of employees working under employment contracts.

The so-called “anti-crisis shields” (in Polish: tarcze antykryzysowe) in Poland guaranteed that companies that received help from the government will say “thank you” to their full-time employees and the employment of all working staff will be secured. Unfortunately, this isn’t how economics works. In such situations, some jobs are kept alive but at the same time, they are already “dead” – almost like zombies – just waiting for the money drip flowing from the government to be disconnected. That’s why they’re called “zombie jobs.”

In Europe, such jobs might constitute as many as 6 percent of the total employment (9 million jobs – data based on an Allianz study). It is difficult to assess how many “zombie jobs” exist in Poland, as the state of the labor market is perceived mainly through the prism of registered unemployment. The decrease in employment is not visible in unemployment statistics because employees in companies that are using governmental “anti-crisis shields” are covered by a protection period included in their employment contracts (e.g. 1-3 months). When it ends, unemployment will grow faster than before. Besides, the demand for labor will also decrease due to the reduced economic activity in the world.

“It seems that it is a really bad time to be young”

‘CORONIALS’ There are many concerns that the economic shock caused by the pandemic would have a profound effect on the whole generation of young people (born between 1995-2000). Those who are starting their professional careers now are frequently named “lockdown generation,” “Covidials,” “Coronials,” “Quarantines” (terms referring to the virus), or “Zoom generation” (from the videocall-making app). It is a fact that, among others, this year’s university graduates lost the opportunity to build their position in the labor market, something that previous generations had. Statistically, on the basis of surveys of people starting their professional careers during the 2008-2009 crisis, we can say that people entering the labor market in 2020 will do lower-paid jobs for a longer period of time than their peers from the generations in the recent past and it will take them more time to get a promotion. Moreover, as compared to pre-Covid times, they will take a loan to buy a flat later and decide to have children later.

Due to the specific structure of the social security

system and social privileges of people working full-time, government programs for maintaining employment in companies in the time of Covid-19 are a ball and chain for young people who are looking for jobs. In this way, the pandemic and government actions aggravate intergenerational inequalities. The report “Covid-19 and social mobility,” published by the Center for Economic Performance, a research institute at the storied London School of Economics, indicates that before the crisis, younger generations were already struggling with falling wages and lower employability in the labor market or undertaking work illegally. What is worse, according to the OECD report “Youth and Covid-19,” the forecasts for the next two years in terms of improving the situation of young people on the labor market are disastrous. Employers may prefer hiring new employees for short contracts, civil law contracts and internships, and understandably, they will be reluctant to offer full-time employment contracts.

The state paid a lot to educate Poland’s youth but so far it could only offer them low-grade work. In reality, before the pandemic started, they were happy to emigrate. Unfortunately, this is not an option currently, as most countries in the world have imposed partial or complete border closures. There are travel restrictions.

The youth face a situation without work for them. We should be careful. Leaving young people outside the labor market for a long period reduces their chances of finding a better job in the future. It seems that it is a really bad time to be young.

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INTERVIEW

Electrifying performance

As more and more e-vehicles are rolled out on Polish roads, Aleksander Rajch, director of external affairs at the Polish Alternative Fuels Association (PSPA), explains the dynamics of the popularity of electromobility in Poland.

INTERVIEW BY SANKHYAYAN DATTA

Aleksander Rajch: The “E-mobility meter” (in Polish: Licznik Elektromobilności) operated by the Polish Alternative Fuels Association (PSPA) and the Polish Automotive Industry Association (PZPM) shows that there were 13,057 personal electric vehicles registered in Poland at the end of July 2020. Fully electric BEV’s constituted 55 percent of this amount (7,231 vehicles), while the rest were plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV’s – 5,826 vehicles). At the same time, the number of utility and freight vehicles was recorded at 621, while there were 335 electric buses. The fleet of electric mopeds and motorcycles comprised of 7,748 vehicles in July 2020. The Polish BEV and PHEV vehicle park is steadily growing: a 78 percent increase year-

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to-year was recorded in the first seven months of 2020 in regard to personal vehicles. However, this growth rate is much smaller than amongst European emobility leaders. In terms of comparison, in 2019, 108,839 EV’s were registered in Germany, 79,640 in Norway, 72,834 in the UK, 61,419 in France and 40,406 in Sweden. One must note, however, that the leading e-mobility markets are supported by developed financial and incentive instruments for EV buyers.

According to PSPA assessments entailed in the “Polish EV Outlook 2020”, the development of e-mobility in Poland will gain dynamic in the coming years. A pessimistic scenario which assumes the lack of necessary financing and subsidy mechanisms, the Polish EV park in 2025 would reach approx. 130,000 vehicles.

A realistic scenario, which entails some inventive mechanisms to be introduced

in the years 2012-2023, including policies such as a 100 percent VAT deduction for EV buyers and users or direct subsidies – the BEV park will reach approx. 280,000 vehicles.

How does the future of e-cars look in Poland in light of charging stations?

There were 1,224 publicly available EV charging stations in Poland at the end of July 2020 which translates to 2,319 charging points. As many as 33 percent of these were fast-charging stations (DC-type), while 67 percent were slow charging AC stations with a power lower or equal to 22kW. Compared to most EU countries Poland has a large share of DC charging stations. Moreover, there are six fully electric BEV’s for every publiclyavailable charging station, which is also an impressive ratio. Despite these good signs, the robust development of the EV

PRESS MATERIAL

WBJ: How does Poland’s journey so far with e-vehicles look?

implementations of the recommendations brought forth.

How does Izera’s future fare as compared to e-vehicle heavyweights such as Tesla?

The commercial success of the Polish EV project will be very difficult to achieve.

Presently, the market was only shown a prototype at a very early development phase, without providing the information as to what platform the vehicle will be developed on, what entity will be tasked with supplying batteries, as well as where and when a potential production facility would be launched. This facility will have to be launched from “scratch.”

Izera will not fill the market void already covered by Tesla. The Polish brand intends to offer vehicles in popular segments, which must stand out in terms of quality and accessories, and above all, a rational and attractive price. The competition in these areas is already very intense and it will be incomparably larger in 2023. EV models were introduced by practically all significant automotive producers, which boast a superior technological base and brand recognition amongst potential consumers. charging infrastructure is a priority if the forecast rise in EV’s on Polish roads is to take place.

Does the e-car industry face any hardships in Poland, e.g. legal barriers?

Unfortunately there are many such barriers at this time. PSPA initiated the “White Book on E-Mobility” project with the intention of working out a very clear and precise recommendation for legal changes that will support the development of zero-emission transport.

As part of this work, amongst the many proposals, we recommended introducing an “E-tariff ” to reduce the fixed costs (OPEX) for EV charging infrastructure operators, regulations facilitating the installations of household or private chargers and a 100 percent VAT deduction inventive for the acquisition and expiration of EV’s. We brought forth 50

recommendations which are necessary for the dynamic development of Polish e-mobility, in our view.

To our satisfaction, PSPA’s recommendations inspire fruitful changes. The crucial proposal of the “White Book on E-Mobility” regarding the “E-tariff ” is being processed. On August 20, Poland’s climate ministry announced an amendment to the resolution on the detailed rules of shaping and calculating tariffs and electric energy trade settlements. The amendment introduces a special tariff group dedicated explicitly to publicly available charging stations. The implementation of this amendment will eliminate one of the most significant barriers in the development of e-mobility in Poland.

Most importantly, the Polish government announced its plans to amend the Polish law on e-mobility and alternative fuels – so we look forward to furthering

Currently, around 80 percent of Poland’s electricity comes from coal-fired plants. How eco-friendly are e-vehicles in the country?

EV drivers in Poland already use publiclyavailable chargers fueled with electricity from RES. Such chargers were installed already by leading operators in Poland.

All of the charging stations installed as of 2020 use electricity from hydroelectricity and windfarms. RES-fueled charging stations are already functioning amongst operators such as GreenWay Polska, Energa and PGE Nowa Energia.

According to data provided by the Transport & Environment campaign group, the carbon footprint of EV’s in Poland in their entire life-cycle (production phase, exploitations, recycling) is 29 percent lower than ICE vehicles. In the coming year, this disparity will increase in favor of the EV’s.

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INTERVIEW

Mercedes-Benz’s Green Deal

Electric vehicles and shared mobility as priorities in the post-virus world – an interview with the head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Central Europe.

WBJ: The coronavirus has had a very negative impact on the automo-

tive industry. Is Mercedes, therefore, planning changes in its strategy? Will you abandon the difficult topic of e-mobility in favor of expensive and high-income combustion engine cars?

Wolfgang Bremm von Kleinsorgen: Absolutely not! The foundations of our strategy remain the same: CASE (Connected/Autonomous/Shared/ Electric) and Ambition 2039 – a strategy that foresees that by the end of 2039 we will offer exclusively non-emission cars.

Which fits harmoniously into the EU Green Deal. Of course, the pandemic has had an impact on the whole industry, but in terms of electromobility, paradoxically it can help.

How come?

Analyses show that the electric car market will be relatively less affected by the pandemic than the combustion car market. For example, Frost & Sullivan [a Texas-headquartered market research company] forecasts that car production in Europe this year will fall by as much as 33.9 percent compared to plans before the pandemic. The forecast predicts that at the same time, sales of electric cars will fall by at most a dozen or so percent in comparison with plans. But it will be still a rise compared to 2019. It means that the percentage of electric cars on European streets will increase.

Nevertheless, electric car users still have many barriers in Poland…

We’re aware of that. When talking about electromobility the first advantage you think of would probably be ecology. But it also stands for modernity and fun of driving. Once you have experienced the silent driving with, parallel, extreme boost when accelerating, you know what

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I mean. And of course, cost efficiency: driving 100km with an EQC [MercedesBenz’s first fully electric vehicle] costs about PLN 14. For that much, we will buy less than three liters of fuel, even at today’s prices. But we also know the drawback, for example, insufficient charging infrastructure or a higher price.

Fortunately, this is changing and we support our customers by overcoming these barriers during the transition period. An example is the mobility packages with FREE NOW that we have just introduced.

What is your cooperation with FREE NOW about?

Every customer who orders EQC by the end of the year will receive an inclusive taxi package from our sister company, FREE NOW. The logic is very simple.

For example, the customer drives from Wrocław to Kraków (271km). Returning on the same day requires recharging the vehicle (EQC has a range of 414km WLTP). Therefore, the driver can charge the car in a parking lot and meanwhile do their business in the city by taking free taxis. By the way, the traffic in the city center will fall by one car. [The WLTP procedure (world harmonized light-duty vehicles test procedure) determines the range of fully electric vehicles.]

But you are not limiting your strategy to the promotion of EQC? Absolutely not. This year we launch the electric van EQV and early next year we will present our compact models: EQA and EQB. At the end of the year, we will also offer several dozen plug-in hybrid models. And let’s not forget about our urban baby, smart EQ. Did you know that this is the first car brand that has completely abandoned combustion engines in favor of electric ones?

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Opinion MARKETING Today, as mobile phone companies include superb cameras, microphones and production tool apps in their devices as standard, it has never been easier and “cheaper” to produce content. But not all content is relevant, inspiring or quality. And this is where the important question mark is and where smart brands or businesses have a chance to make a difference and get the attention of their “potential clients.” I am not talking about making content for all but focusing on die-hard fans that really are interested in the brand and also on new prospective users for whom the relationship with the brand can be built through regular and consistent delivery of insight, information and news that is interesting for them, just like media channels have been doing for decades. In B2B marketing, for example, lead generation is a critical tactic that, executed with the help of proper content, can create interactions of attention and trust and build long-term relationships.

MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF MARKETING: INFLUENCER MARKETING Influencer marketing is another crucial and still developing tool marketers have been experimenting with and adapting to the mix of marketing tools.

Influencer marketing is many things and has different purposes. Let’s look at the good old word of mouth: the most effective way of marketing. Influencers have followers whom they influence. So if the brands can rely on access to follower bases and if stories about the brands are told authentically by influencers to their tribes, then there are chances for brands to e live in an “attention economy”: a term effectively reach groups of audiences where adveradopted by business strategists such as tising and content overload may no longer reach.

Thomas H. Davenport or Michael H. Influencer marketing is also storytelling and “kind of Goldhaber. And an average person in product approval.” So when the audience follows a the western world is exposed daily to person and sees them in a video recommending and 4,000-5,000 advertising messages a day. showing how a product or service can make a differNo wonder it’s difficult for businesses ence to their lives, it’s much easier to believe, than if to clear the clutter and grab the attention a brand seeks. a brand blew its own trumpet and directly promoted its products. However, influencers are often working FASTEST-GROWING COMMUNICATION TOOL: by themselves. They are often not a politically-correct CONTENT MARKETING bunch with structure, policies or proper agreements.

Let’s begin by defining content. Content is messages of Just keep that in mind when you enter into business communication that are produced to reach a defined with them. target audience. Content is nothing new. People have These are the two fast-developing lines in the been telling stories by word of mouth for hundreds marketing budgets because without a strong content of years, sometimes by engraving or painting stones. strategy it would be difficult to implement influencer Media and entertainment houses have been producing marketing with desired effects. content to read, listen to, watch and consume among others. Good content:

Get attention: two fastest growing effective solutions

W • • • • •

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informs inspires entertains helps or supports develops or educates

Morten Lindholm is the publisher and editor-in-chief of the

WBJ. He advises companies on communication and marketing.

He has over 25 years of experience in marketing, sales and business management. He is curious and constantly develops his skills in the fast-changing and disruptive digital marketing world in order to deliver the best solutions to his partners.

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TECH i n s i g h t s

TECH NEWS

>>>

Cloud computing in Poland

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Cloud computing is an indispensable element of digital transformation, says Anna Wujec, digitization director, ABB Industrial Automation business in Poland. She is a panelist on the European Economic Congress, which is scheduled to start on September 2 in Katowice in southern Poland.

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TECH

GAMING

Bloober Team signs contract with Epic Games Kraków-headquartered Bloober Team has signed an agreement with Epic Games, under which two games of the Polish company, The Medium and Observer: System Redux, will be sold at the Epic Games Store. In the opinion of Bloober Team, the sale of games may have a significant impact on the financial results for 2020 and subsequent periods. In May, Bloober Team signed an agreement with Microsoft to release The Medium for PC and Xbox Series X. The premiere is scheduled for the end of 2020. The debut of Observer: System Redux is also set to take place this year.

GAMING

Polish games industry is worth nearly €500m A new report on Poland’s games industry shows that developers in the region generated a combined revenue of over €470 million last year. The report was compiled by the organizers of the local event Game Industry Conference, with the help of the nation’s Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP), development ministry, and culture and national heritage ministry. It shows the market has been growing since 2016, with a 32 percent boost between 2018 and 2019, bringing developer revenues up from €364 million to €479 million.

selves the goal of giving everyone the opportunity to use the knowledge about the predispositions stored in their DNA. To achieve it, they created the “Health and Life Assistant” service – the world’s first solution that combines the results of a full DNA test, presented in a mobile application, with a system for the exchange of information, tips and recommendations telling the user what to look for in order to effectively take care of their health. Thanks to this, the experts believe, it will be possible to minimize the risk of many diseases.

PROGRAMMING

PLN 15m awaits programmers at e-Pionier GovTech The call for applications for the 3rd e-Pionier GovTech competition will start on September 25, Poland’s National Center for Research and Development (NCBR) announced on August 24.

Programmers will get support for the implementation of ideas solving significant social and economic problems.

This year’s budget for the competition is PLN 15 million. Through the competition, NCBR connects scientists and entrepreneurs with local government units and public institutions, so that they jointly respond to previously identified problems, important for local communities or selected social groups.

INNOVATION

INNOVATION

Technology saves Polish companies Digitization has allowed millions of workers and consumers to adapt to new realities. As many as 83 percent of consumers say that information and communication technologies (ICT) have helped them deal with the effects of the pandemic a lot. Career-developing millennials feel most supported, according to a recent study by Ericsson. The respondents expect pro-social actions from the operators, including providing free services to employees, the socalled first line (e.g. in health care) and no interest on late payment.

APPS, PHONES AND NETWORKS

Play acquires Virgin Mobile Polska P4, the operator of the Play network, has finalized the acquisition of 100 percent shares of Virgin Mobile Polska (VMP). The ownership of shares of VMP was transferred on August 9. The acquisition was financed with own funds and based on external financing, informed P4. P4, the operator of the Play brand, is a subsidiary of Play Communications, the parent company of the Play Group.

APPS, PHONES AND NETWORKS

T-Mobile Polska: rise in revenues and number of customers

INNOVATION

Polish firm develops vehicle positioning system

Polish scientists from IMAGENE.ME have created a service that may revolutionize the current approach of people taking care of their own health. It is the world’s first solution based on a complete DNA analysis of all 22,000 genes with the results presented in a mobile app, combined with a system supporting the user in making good health-related decisions.

Specialists from IMAGENE.ME set them-

A Gdańsk-based engineering consultant Blue Dot Solutions has developed a real-time vehicle positioning system, the company has declared. It allows, for example, to determine how a bus or a tram moves in the city space. As explained in the press release by Dr Krzysztof Kanawka from Blue Dot Solutions, the IoT solution allows, among others, to see exactly how the vehicle moves on the side of the street, how it turns, how it uses bays and other road features.

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Curated from: engadget.com, gamesindustry.biz, pap.pl, pb.pl, spidersweb.pl, technologia.dziennik.pl, telepolis.pl,

Polish scientists create DNAbased service

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In the second quarter, T-Mobile’s revenues amounted to PLN 1.6 billion, or 3.4 percent more than in the same period last year. The number of customers also increased by about 152,000 – according to the Polish arm of the Germany-headquartered mobile phone network operator. T-Mobile Polska recorded PLN 435 million in EBITDA AL (profit before tax with interest and depreciation) in the second quarter of 2020, an increase of 1.9 percent yearon-year, the operator said.

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Keep your social distance!

O

bserving the market changes that have already been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, it seems that it will leave a permanent mark on the business processes of organizations. This applies especially to companies whose business model is based on the provision of services in B2B and B2C models.

The need to maintain social distancing has resulted not only in the desertion of offices but most importantly the points of contact between the client and the company have also been dematerialized. More and more often customers are replacing direct contact with contact via electronic means of communication.

Thanks to IT systems such as S3DOC, ordering and receiving works does not require a physical meeting. The exchange and signing of relevant documents are carried out remotely with social distancing and in accordance with applicable legal regulations.

The S3DOC system is a complete ecosystem of IT services enabling the handling of documents with the use of durable medium

features. Our customers now have at their disposal a durable medium and tools for e-signatures and declarations of will. At the same time there is one place in the S3DOC website available for the consumer where all the documents intended for them are located. An important function is also the possibility to access documents using the dedicated S3DOC mobile app.

Although S3DOC focuses on providing features of a durable medium fully compliant with EU regulations, other valuable functions are built around it. One of them is the S3DOC eSign e-signature module. The module allows declarations of intent to be made in electronic form in accordance with the EU eIDAS Regulation. A person making an e-signature can be a registered user of the S3DOC system, or a person identified only by their mobile phone number or email address.

The declaration of will may be confirmed by a single authorization code sent by SMS or email. In the S3DOC system two most frequently used types of signatures supported are SES and AES.

One of the important elements of the S3DOC system is blockchain technology. Although durability features have been ensured in a different way than through blockchain technology, this technology also plays a very important role in ensuring that S3DOC’s durable medium complies with legal regulations. Events such as these are undeniably recorded on the blockchain platform: • l ogging of the consumer into the system • a dding a document to a durable medium repository • t ransmission of the document to the consumer’s account in a durable medium • o pening/downloading the document by the consumer • s ending a document to confirm the declaration of intent • s ubmission of declaration of intent (acknowledgement of receipt, electronic signature, vote cast) As part of the abovementioned events, a timestamp and block number in blockchain, within which the event occurred, are recorded. This is an undeniable log of events allowing for the audit of compliance with legal regulations.

What are the benefits of using the S3DOC system?

• s ignificantly reducing operating costs by eliminating paper correspondence • r educing handling and signing time • s implifying the process of collecting document signatures • maintaining social distancing by eliminating direct contact with customers • complying with regulations More information on www.s3doc.com.

Robert Pardela CEO BCHAIN PARTNER Sp. z o.o.

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TECH

HOW TO GROW FROM SIX MARKETS TO A GLOBAL PRESENCE IN A FEW YEARS? WBJ CAUGHT UP WITH AXEL BARD BRINGÉUS, WHO TOOK SPOTIFY FROM A PROVEN EUROPEAN STARTUP TO THE INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR STREAMING SERVICES WORLDWIDE, TO TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF GROWING A TECH BUSINESS AT LIGHTNING SPEED. BRINGÉUS IS SET TO SPEAK AT THE 2020 INFOSHARE ONLINE CONFERENCE IN SEPTEMBER. INTERVIEW BY BEATA SOCHA

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WBJ:

Where was Spotify when you joined its team? How many markets was it present in at the time?

Axel Bard Bringéus: Spotify was a promising European startup that had just raised a huge Series D round in order to embark on further expansion. We were about 200 FTEs and present in six markets.

The business model was far from proven and those markets had just been turned on without much thought or investment behind them.

What was your road map for expansion? Why did you choose this route?

We didn’t just expand for the sake of growth. The expansion was strategic as it was important to reach scale in order for

the underlying business model to work and stave off competition. Hence, our ambition was to launch the whole world in a few years. We stack ranked markets in terms of opportunity and slated them out across a timeline, our roadmap, in terms of feasibility, choosing and learning from easier markets first and strategic importance. We fast-tracked markets due to reasons of competition or otherwise.

How quickly were you launching your services in new countries? Would you do anything differently if you were to do it again?

When we had our machinery up and running, which took a few years, we launched on average two markets a month. This

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FROM SIX TO 60

S TA R T U P S

CENTRALIZATION EARLY ON IS GOOD BUT AS COMPANIES AND PEOPLE GROW, IT’S IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENCE

markets we launched, we didn’t do much planning. We just threw spaghetti against the wall to see what stuck. For the later launches, we used those earlier learnings and so on. Centralization early on is good but as companies and people grow, it’s important to provide independence.

If you don’t understand your processes and have a lot to learn, you’ll create chaos with too much autonomy in new, unknown markets.

was in 2013 and 2014. I would pay more attention to the organization structure we built in the different markets and think about how to operate the company in an “end game” scenario. We were too focused on just launching markets and realized too late that we’d built a complex multinational organization, which had become quite slow.

What is your philosophy for running a rapidly expanding start-up? Which is more important during rapid growth: independence of individual teams or perfect coordination?

You need to be action-biased and not too theoretical but also learn from your mistakes and experiences. For the first

In markets such as streaming services, how difficult is it for start-ups to compete against tech giants? What are the biggest threats?

Competition should obviously be taken seriously and is both a great motivator and benchmark. But it should also not be overestimated. Large companies have different agendas, internal politics and structural difficulties competing against startups. Spotify succeeded in the light of Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google all wanting to get into and succeed in streaming. You need to be tactical and play the game to your advantage and, for example, not get into a money race with large, well-capitalized companies. If you do this, you’ll lose.

Growing a company requires a lot of communication and exchange between country teams. Do you think that current global travel restrictions are a big challenge for companies that are expanding into new markets?

It doesn’t have to be. In this day and age, there are so many tools and best practices for communicating with remote teams and younger employees are less dependent on having to work from and continuously touch base with a headquarters. This is a big opportunity for companies to learn how to launch and operate remote markets in a leaner and faster way.

INFOSHARE 2020 ONLINE – A VIRTUAL FESTIVAL POWERED

BY TECHNOLOGY!

The latest technological trends, startups, innovations, business challenges in times of a pandemic.

All this during Infoshare 2020. The biggest online tech conference in Central and Eastern Europe, broadcast worldwide from Gdańsk, will last six days and will be held on September 23-25 and 28-30 and will feature nine thematic scenes with live lectures and plenty of networking opportunities.

EQT Ventures’ in-house international expansion expert, Axel Bard Bringéus’s joined Spotify as director of international growth in 2011. In this role, Bringéus built and managed the international expansion team, taking on the responsibility for strategy and execution of Spotify’s expansion into new markets across the world. Going from six to 60 markets over the course of six years, he oversaw Spotify’s transition into the global powerhouse that it is today.

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’ALLO ’ALLO!

GRZEGORZ BOROWSKI, CEO OF INFOSHARE – THE LARGEST TECH CONFERENCE IN THIS PART OF EUROPE – SHARES HIS INSIGHTS ABOUT SWITCHING TO AN ENTIRELY VIRTUAL EVENT AND THE CHALLENGES THAT GO WITH IT. INTERVIEW BY BEATA SOCHA

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WBJ: As we all well know, this year, most conferences and indus-

try meetups have been moved to the virtual space. What was your biggest fear initially when you decided that Infoshare will be hosted online?

Grzegorz Borowski: Well, before that decision was made, we spent a few weeks observing how the pandemic situation unfolded and therefore what would be its further impact on the event industry. So, we knew that going online was one and only option to run Infoshare this year and be sure that the event will be full of great speakers (who otherwise wouldn’t be able to come), partners and attendees (who also wanted to feel safe). So, after making

a decision I felt great satisfaction that the uncertainty of what to do is over, but on the flip side, I feared how we would manage to make such a complex, innovative and demanding project live. But right now, looking at our agenda with over a hundred global speakers from the biggest tech giants (like Microsoft, Google, Twitter, Stripe, Spotify, Tinder and more), the unique system we’ve built, and having an experience of running smaller events (series of Tech3Camp meetups) online, I’m much more relaxed knowing that we’ll deliver very good quality.

There are already some accounts from conference organizers saying that one

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TECH

INFOSHARE

WE’VE GOT A LOT OF SOCIAL NEEDS THAT CANNOT BE FULLY REPLACED BY VIRTUAL CONTACT

of the biggest challenges is keeping attendees’ attention span, which is even shorter online than in a physical setting. They say that when a presentation at a virtual conference is not much different from a YouTube video. How do you think this will play out at Infoshare? Will presentations be shorter than they used to be?

Yes. They will be shorter, and going even further, they will be followed by obligatory Q&A sessions with speakers. We’ll be gathering questions during a presentation via a chat tool, and after the presentation, the speaker will answer them in the interactive mode (discussion with the session host). We know that this opportunity will be much more engaging than just pure presentation and will allow each attendee to ask questions to global experts like Neil Patel (top 10 global digital marketers according to Forbes), John Romero (legendary creator of Doom and Quake video games) or Brad Feld (US investor, co-founder of Techstars, widely known from many books about the startup ecosystem and entrepreneurship) and many more. There are over 130 speakers on our agenda.

How can a trade fair, with hundreds of stands be transferred into a virtual conference? After all, one of the biggest selling points for a company taking part in a trade fair is a chance to showcase their company and get together with potential investors. What is the feedback you’re getting from your exhibitors? Are they going to have virtual booths? How will attendees get to see them?

We’ve decided to create a virtual partner, media and startup expos, where each attendee can meet a company or a media representative, get to know their offer and ask for contact. We put a lot of effort to be sure that virtual booths will bring our

partners the value they’re looking for.

Our virtual expo utilizes numerous tools that enable us to, e.g. gather attendee data or even CVs for those companies that come to us for employer branding reasons. Moreover, our partners can arrange their own webinars, workshops and quizzes. All these activities will be visible on a dedicated agenda track and website section to attract even more interest. Our partners are asking us a lot of questions about that. It’s fully understandable because it’s a new approach they’re not familiar with. But after our explanations, they are very interested in unleashing the potential hidden behind that.

Many conference-goers say that the highlight of any conference is the informal meetings: afterparties, cocktail hour, etc. where people can just talk casually, share their stories and find likeminded individuals. How can this be simulated in a virtual space?

Actually, it’s the biggest difference between in-person and virtual events.

It’s difficult to map it because people participating in virtual ones are in a completely different context, spanning their attention between different online activities, not being fully immersed in the event and people around them. So, we’ve decided to build the value here on expanding our matchmaking tool. You can look for people of the same interests, or potential customers, or investors, and invite them to meet one-on-one virtually.

Besides that, we’re preparing a few surprise activities to make people feel more comfortable in this environment. So, if you like surprises, you’re welcome.

We are all still learning when it comes to working and meeting online. Do you think that when the dust settles and we’ve grown accustomed to attending virtual conferences, more

industry events will be moved online, even after the pandemic?

No. I’ve talked to many event organizers, partners and participants, and from what I’ve heard, they really miss these casual talks, surprise meetings, afterparties, and even traveling. As humans, we’ve got a lot of social needs that cannot be fully replaced by virtual contact. However, on the flip side, the development of many useful online tools increasing the value of an event also won’t be wasted after the pandemic. Thus, I think we’ll be arranging hybrid events with in-person presence enhanced by many online tools developed right now.

GRZEGORZ BOROWSKI is the co-founder and CEO of Infoshare – a cyclical annual tech and startups conference – the biggest event of its kind in the Central Eastern European (CEE) region.

The one held in May 2018 was attended by 6,000 participants.

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EXTREME WORKING WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A LENOVO MASTERPIECE? 44

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PRESS MATERIAL

TECH

COMPUTERS

M

ost of us have had the misfortune to destroy our device, rendering it useless long before we expected and planned to replace it with a new one. There are so many ways to destroy a laptop: either by dropping it, spilling liquid on it or accidentally sitting on it.

With the increase in popularity of remote working, many of us have taken our laptops to distant locations to enjoy nature and work in peace and quiet at the same time. But the fear of damaging our equipment is always there in the back of our mind.

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon was created specifically for extreme conditions. It can withstand both extremely cold and hot environments, it is impervious to liquid spills and sand, and extra hardened to protect from mechanical damage. This militarygrade piece of equipment has been tested against all typical and unusual extreme conditions to make sure your device can keep up with your needs wherever you choose to work.

On top of that, it has a remarkably durable battery that allows you to work for up to 19 hours without charging. Carbon’s 8th generation model is also very convenient for making and receiving frequent video calls, thanks to additional functions of the F9-F11 keys. Finally, this 14’’ heavy-duty device weighs only a little over 1 kg, making it one of the lightest laptops available, to ensure you can take it literally anywhere you go.

TOP SECURITY FEATURES ThinkShutter – instead of a sticker on your camera to physically block it from being remotely used by a hacker, you now have a built-in shutter that is easy to open and close Match-on-Chip – the safest fingerprint sensor currently available, easy to unlock with just one touch.

PrivacyGuard – an electronic filter that limits the angle at which the screen is visible, making sure you are the only one watching it.

PrivacyAlert – an integrated solution for models equipped with an infrared camera that alerts you if someone is looking over your shoulder.

TECH SPECS Processor: Intel® Core™ i7 gen 10, up to 6 cores Memory: up to 16 GB LPDDR3 Hard drive: up to 2 TB PCIe SSD Graphics: Intel® UHD Graphics 620 Operating system: Windows 10 Pro

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Talking Points

FOOD-WASTE FIGHTERS Over 43 million meals saved. More than 24 million downloads. At least 100,000 tonnes of CO2 saved.

650+ “waste warriors” in 15 countries, 21 (and counting) in Poland. One mobile app: Too Good To Go. Anna Kurnatowska, country manager Poland, gives the WBJ a whiff of the app’s success story in our country and beyond. INTERVIEW BY KONRAD KRZYSZTOFIK work? What makes a typical app user? And how do you reach new users?

Anna Kurnatowska: It takes a few minutes to join Too Good To Go as a business partner. Our dedicated team members remain at disposal for technical and financial matters. We help set prices of the unsold food and only a fraction of that cost stays with us. A business owner needs to provide a daily assessment of the number of meals that will be available and the collection time. A user then makes their selection, pays for the meal and collects it from their selected store.

A typical user is someone who’s aware of the environmental impact of unconsumed food. It is also someone who feels the urge to contribute to the reduction of waste and makes quick orders. The vast majority of our partners’ products sell like hotcakes.

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New users are reached either by word of mouth or social media: regular users are quick to share their experience with Too Good To Go these days. Additionally, expansion of our network of partners and partnering cities draws media attention and this is how locals hear about us. We are simply too good to go unnoticed. We are proud to rank at the top in the food and drink app category for the number of downloads in the App Store.

How many app users are there in Poland?

There are at least 267,000 users in Poland alone. However, the number is growing rapidly. We’re in Warsaw, Kraków, Tricity, Poznań and Szczecin already. We have recently introduced Łódź into our family of partnering cities. Wrocław is coming up next. Our priority is to be wherever food is wasted. We want to be both in a small town and in a big city in

Poland and abroad. Worldwide there are more than 24 million users. We are already active in 14 European countries and are currently entering the US market.

Do business circumstances differ from one country to another? Do Poles waste food differently compared to people in other countries?

Absolutely! There are countries where chain stores and restaurants constitute the majority of our partners. In Italy though, it’s the small local restaurants and cafes that use Too Good To Go much more often. In the Netherlands, quite on the contrary, we primarily work with grocery stores.

Regretfully Poland is one of the leaders in terms of the amount of food wasted – we take fifth place in the EU and annually waste nearly 250 kilograms of food per person. Unclear food labeling is to be blamed to an extent. Most people can’t

tell the difference between a use-by date and the bestbefore date. And so they end up throwing away products that may still be safe to consume. Fortunately, on the other hand, we all share the dislike of food being wasted whether in Poland or elsewhere. That’s why we are here to help make the change.

PRESS MATERIAL

WBJ: How does the app

Bulk-buying was commonplace in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. How did it contribute to food waste numbers? Did the lockdown impact your business?

Hard to tell but surely people tended to buy more than they needed or were able to consume. Bulk-buying is instinctive behavior: the fear of the unknown pushes some

of us to panic. I remember seeing empty shelves of pasta and rice in grocery stores. The owners couldn’t keep up with such high and sudden demand. I am pretty sure that a stack of food ended up in the trash.

The lockdown did affect our business. It came along just before I joined Too Good To Go but I know we did all

we could to maintain our relationship with the partners during such a challenging time. A few months ago we launched #WeCare which was a temporary in-app feature allowing people to order food online at a regular price and with no extra charges. The aim was to show our support to the businesses and help them sell during the lock-

down. Even though the lockdown has been lifted, some places still struggle with managing an irregular or unpredictable interest from customers. People continue to be wary of the coronavirus lurking in shared public places and avoid eating out.

Unfortunately, we lost a few of our partners who didn’t make it through.

>>>

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Talking Points Poland is one of the leaders in terms of the amount of food wasted

Poland introduced a new law that obliges stores to donate unsold food products to charity organizations. Doesn’t it solve the issue?

The law applies just to stores larger than 250 square meters. It doesn’t

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reach all the places, unfortunately. What about smaller stores or restaurants then?

We fill the gaps by reaching out to anyone who’s willing to become our partner – no matter how big or small.

Do you plan to introduce body, animal or household care products in your war on waste? And do you have competitors?

At the moment we want to focus on reducing food waste. There is still a lot to do in this sector. Having said that, we realize that all FMCG waste is harmful to our planet.

Yes, we do have competitors. It’s called a trash bin and you can find it in every store and restaurant. More seriously, we can only be happy to hear about initiatives that resonate with our mission. After all, we all want the same thing: to reduce food waste and increase awareness of its

impact on the environment.

What are the main challenges you face as a business? What is the issue with wasting food?

I’d say it is business owners’ willingness to admit that their unsold food becomes waste. Waste at the current scale is a huge problem. It’s about understanding that our individual efforts can change it. Again those challenges apply to Poles and probably every other nation.

All that while, statistically, every ninth person on this planet starves or suffers from hunger. How many meals have you managed to save in Poland? And what are your plans for the rest of 2020?

So far we’ve saved 232,833 meals in Poland. It equals the carbon footprint produced by flying from Warsaw to London 1,681 times.

In 2020, we will mark our presence in other towns and cities, expand our network of partners and work with supermarkets. Stay tuned for more information! I am excited about all that we do and look forward to the future!

Too Good To Go is a mobile app that aims to reduce food waste. Anna Kurnatowska was appointed as the country manager of the app’s Polish business in July 2020.

PRESS MATERIAL

How about addressing the culprit of surplus food production?

We do try to reduce food waste at possibly all stages of the process. In France, we work with producers to improve food labeling in order to avoid unnecessary waste caused by misleading consumption instructions.

What we can’t do is tell our partners to scale down since customers expect to get fresh products even right before the place closes for the day. It is virtually impossible to predict precisely how much food will be sold or when will the last customer clear out the shelves.

The issues [with wasting food] are, firstly, we squander natural resources, soil and water used for breeding or cultivation, secondly, it is the carbon footprint during production and transportation, and thirdly, it’s the money that we burn. Talking of scale, one-third of all produced food goes to waste.

Imagine leaving a grocery store with three full bags of food and dumping one of them on the way home.

A DIFFICULT AUTUMN In Poland’s slimmest presidential election victory since the fall of communism in 1989, Andrzej Duda, a loyal ally of the country’s governing conservative Law and Justice party (PiS) has been reelected. Professor Andrzej Rychard, a reputable humanities researcher, reflects on what to expect.

SHUTTERSTOCK

INTERVIEW BY EWA BONIECKA

WBJ: After running neck-and-neck, Duda won a narrow victory in an election runoff on July 12, with slightly over 51 percent of votes. He was up against liberal Rafał Trzaskowski, Warsaw’s mayor. The results show that Poland is deeply divided. Do you think that this division, which splits our country into two halves, will lead to changes in PiS and the opposition?

And how will the political life of our country look like now?

Andrzej Rychard: This division of our society is not only a political one but has

a civilizational character.

The election was a choice between two models of civilization – on the one hand, a model similar to the West, with its basic values such as democracy, law and order, European rules, strong self-government, respect for the Constitution and independence of the judiciary, including that of judges, and on the other hand, of a Poland staying in a not fully defined place, lying somewhere east of the West. This is not to say that Poland is located in the East but at the same time, it has not fully embraced the basic

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Talking Points In modern-day Poland, when PiS politicians talk about the ‘Polish soul’ what comes to my mind is a picture of a Polish hussar driving an electric car

values of the West.

In modern-day Poland, when PiS politicians talk about the “Polish soul” what comes to my mind is a picture of a Polish hussar driving an electric car. [On July 10, in an all-out campaign, Jarosław Kaczyński, Poland’s pint-sized irascible de facto leader and strongman who has been accused of ruling the country autocratically, told Radio Maryja, an ultra-conservative Catholic broadcaster, that “Trzaskowski didn’t have a Polish soul, heart and mind.”]

Our society is deeply divided, however, many Poles are changing and modernizing in all aspects of life. In the last presidential election, Duda’s win over the democratic opposition’s progressive candidate was partly due to the fact that PiS succeeded in drumming up nationalistic and hostile rhetoric. The opposition failed to create a strong common language that would fit the Polish society, with civilization based on law and freedom, open to the West, far less conservative and much more liberal.

Duda claimed his second presidency would be differ-

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ent from the first one and that he would be “answerable only to God, history and the nation.” How do you react to this?

To my mind, the possibility of such a change is very low because I do not see any reason why his second term should be any different than his first. I fail to see any personal or structural reason for this. During his campaign, Duda was so strongly linked with the PiS government that distancing himself from it now would be difficult to understand by PiS voters.

Kaczyński has announced government reshuffle.

What is it all about?

In my view, those changes are seen by PiS as a tool to control the country even more and to act in a totally authoritarian style. The internal divisions between PiS and its junior coalition partners will not be important. Kaczyński – and not only him but other senior PiS politicians close to him – have stressed that they are using this mechanism to fully fulfill their political aims without any problems and internal divisions.

The truth is that Kaczyński

has an outdated knowledge of how to govern in the 21st century. He still lives in the past. There are no professional experts close to him with objective knowledge about the functioning of modern state institutions. So I think that the government reshuffle will not end with any bigger success. It is all going on at the time of the coronavirus pandemic that has a harmful influence on our economy and budget, European Union trade and global investment. The political and economic situation will be difficult for PiS. Over 10 million Poles who voted for Trzaskowski hope that after the parliamentary elections that will be held in 2023 the political situation in our country will change for the better. What are your thoughts on his democratic movement?

There is a chance that Trzaskowski will achieve this. He is an open-minded politician, his personality and behavior are different from the cynical and primitive acts followed by many political figures. He is projecting his own image as the capital’s mayor. He has close connections with local governments in big cities as well as those in medium and small ones.

He is close to the masses, understands the importance of respecting the rule of law and the common values of the European Union. He has personal experience and deep knowledge of how the European Union institutions function and how Poland can cooperate with them in the best way. He wants to

encourage Poles from all parts of our country to link our economic modernization, climate actions and our cultural and ethical views to changes happening in Europe and also in the rest of the world. He understands our historical and present links with Western Europe and has the ability to mature and grow as a politician.

[Trzaskowski is 48 years old whereas Kaczyński is 71.]

I would like to point out that in this process of learning politics Trzaskowski resembles Donald Tusk, who from being a local politician at the time of Poland’s transformation from communism changed to a modern well-known politician. As a sociologist, I would like to point out that 15 years ago Tusk had a different level of understanding of the people and the world than he has now. Outdated ideas and remarks about Poles being “ignorant people who will buy everything in politics’’ as one of PiS’s politicians put it, cannot be assumed by our leaders. Trzaskowski understands that Poles have different expectations and want to make progress so as to meet our economic, technological, communication, social and climate challenges.

He is determined to build a modern model election policy and find a modus vivendi with the Civic Platform (PO) party [Poland’s largest opposition]. He must take from PO what is best in that party – it’s liberal, modern, close to the West and the EU – and not be affected by some of PO’s mistakes in

election policy. The worry is that in the time that is left before the parliamentary election Trzaskowski might lose his virtue of novelty and that the young people who voted for him will be older and will expect from the social movement created by him and from the reformed PO concrete steps of making changes in Poland. So the upcoming months will be very demanding for him. [On July 17 in Gdynia in northern Poland, addressing a crowd of hundreds, Trzaskowski announced the creation of a new civic movement “New Solidarity.”]

PM Mateusz Morawiecki has lied that disbursement of funds to Poland from the EU budget for the years 2021-2027 won’t be linked to compliance with rule-oflaw. How does the situation look like?

It will be a difficult game. In the conclusion of that summit all member states, including Hungary and Poland, agreed that a mechanism must be created linking the delivery of funds to the respect of law and order by all the states. The leaders of governments left themselves a certain emergency

brake to discuss these agreements in detail. This requires time and goodwill on the part of all EU institutions. At present Morawiecki can say whatever he wants.

So he claimed in Warsaw that it will not affect Poland.

But in Brussels, he signed an agreement that was joined in by the whole European Council, including the leaders of the most powerful EU countries – Germany and France. The Polish PM wants to play the game of organizing longer debates about linking the transfer of funds to lawfulness. Upon returning from Brussels he declared his success but Poles are worried whether we will receive money from the EU. How will it end?

Maybe the answer will come with the fall of PiS and early parliamentary elections or from the Polish open veto in the course of the battle in the EU. Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán wanted to use the veto in Brussels but finally gave up this idea and the agreement was ratified. Nobody in the EU wants to repeat Brexit, so the game is on.

Autumn will be difficult.

Professor Andrzej Rychard is a Polish sociologist and academic and director of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFiS PAN), a Warsaw-based research institute.

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LEGAL

ADVERTORIAL

turn, supports investment processes and transactions, while the B2B and B2C receivables management department supports clients in recovering their receivables.

RECEIVABLES MANAGEMENT: A NON-OBVIOUS DIRECTION FOR LAWYERS

‘Legal services must be viewed through the prism of the client’s business needs’

When in 2006 two colleagues from an apprenticeship set up a law firm, despite their ambition and determination, neither of them expected that within a decade they would be able to build a company that employs over 120 people and cooperates with the largest brands on the Polish market.

A

ttorneys Michał Rączkowski and Michał Kwieciński, founders of RK Legal, were looking for market niches and ways to combine legal knowledge with the business goals of their clients from the very beginning. Today, they manage a group of companies supporting entrepreneurs in legal matters, managing portfolios of receivables, protecting personal data and investing, and they still have an appetite for more.

LAWYER AS A BUSINESS ADVISOR

Rączkowski points out that one of the market advantages of the law firm turned out to be its non-standard approach to the client. “When we started our business, nearly 15 years ago, the profession of a lawyer was still associated with a noble, elderly man who produced complex, multipage opinions. We wanted to get away from

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it from the beginning. We focused on servicing enterprises but implemented in a partnership manner, taking into account the business goals of entrepreneurs.

“We always start by getting to know our client’s company, the market and legislative environment in which it operates. Our lawyers work with the team on many levels of the organization and, above all, communicate clearly. Thanks to this, many clients have been cooperating with us continuously for several years,” he adds.

A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES

The first direction of the law firm’s development was building a trusted, proven team and developing the legal services that a business needs the most. The business support and litigation department has extensive experience in commercial law, company law as well as M&A and a strong labor law team. The real estate department, in

RK Legal has been associated with the receivables industry since 2010. Why did it decide to engage in this market segment? Kwieciński emphasizes that “we decided that gathering all services related to the recovery process under one roof will be a great help for customers. We combine legal knowledge with an appropriately trained call center department, analytical and court-enforcement team. When a client comes to us, they know that they would receive a comprehensive service in accordance with the highest industry standards. We also attach great importance to developing our own ICT tools, thanks to which reporting, handling cases and contact with the client is much easier.”

RK RODO

When the new European regulations related to the protection of personal data entered into force, the company’s owners decided that they had a potential that could be successfully used in this area.

Rączkowski sums up by saying that “as one of the few entities on the market, we provide comprehensive services in the field of personal data protection. Today, the subject of data protection goes far beyond purely legal issues. In addition to specialized lawyers, RK Legal has for years had an IT department that takes care of the protection of clients’ data. Using our competencies, we decided to launch a number of complementary services in the field of data protection and focus them under the new RK RODO brand.”

“We are constantly looking for new business ideas and services that we could add to our offer based on legal services. We want clients to be able to find such multifaceted support in RK Legal, which will translate into increased efficiency in running their businesses,” he adds.

NEWS PRESS MATERIAL

Poland’s first PRIMARK in capital Warsaw Dublin-headquartered discount clothing retailer Primark after throwing the door of its first Polish store open on August 20 at 10am in the Galeria Młociny shopping center, northern Warsaw, plans to launch another equally large facility in Poznań, western Poland, next year. The store claims to have created over 250 jobs and that numerous security measures have been put in place to protect employees and customers. Sprawled out over 3,600 sq m of retail space on two floors, the store states that it includes 30 cash desks, 35 fitting rooms and free Wi-Fi access. An Irish Times article from June 2019 points out that “Primark has been criticized in Germany over poor conditions of Sri Lankan suppliers,” adding that all workers interviewed for a German report said that “during auditor visits, they [the workers] were instructed to work less and treated better.”

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LOKALE IMMOBILIA | NEWS

scheduled. The Group has expanded its sales potential by another 800 premises, finalizing the purchase contract for Wrocławskie Przedsiębiorstwo Budowlane, which has been conducting development activities in Wrocław for many decades. Robyg is a developer implementing investments in Warsaw, Gdańsk and Wrocław. It was listed on the main market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange from 2010 to 2018. In 2019, Robyg contracted approximately 2,570 premises.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the DHL Supply Chain team … I am also very excited to bring more diversity to the DHL Supply Chain Poland organization and I look forward to being able to contribute actively and creatively to the further development of DSC while leading the company through its next phase of growth”

HOUSING BRIEFS

RONSON’S PANORAMIKA VI GETS BUILDING PERMIT

One of the best-liked projects among Ronson Development’s clients has entered its final phase. The developer has obtained a legally-valid building permit for stage VI of the Panoramika property development in Szczecin, northwest Poland.

The general contractor,

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Mozostal Warszawa, started the construction work immediately after obtaining this permit. Apartment sales in Panoramika VI were expected to commence on July 20. Overall 76 units are available in the final stage of this property development with prices starting at PLN 193,000. From its inception, the Panoramika property development has enjoyed enormously successful sales. “This is our first investment in Szczecin, and its superb results have convinced us that this city offers enormous potential.

We have nearly sold all of the residential units offered in the five stages to date – we currently have less than 10 percent of the offering,”

says Andrzej Gutowski, VP of Ronson Development, responsible for sales and marketing.

ROBYG CONTRACTS NEARLY 800 PREMISES

Robyg Group contracted 795 net premises in Warsaw, Gdańsk and Wrocław and signed 1,028 development contracts in the first half of 2020, the company has said. Currently, the company’s offer includes over 1,500 premises and the land resources to enable the construction of approximately 17,500 apartments.

The Robyg Group currently has more than 5,000 apartments under construction – all works are carried out as

BIG DEBUT ON WROCŁAW’S PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT MARKET

Eiffage Immobilier Polska – a developer belonging to one of Europe’s largest construction groups – is starting its operations in Wrocław, western Poland.

Its debut residential development project will be Atmo in Kępa Mieszczańska. The pre-sale of apartments has begun. Eiffage Immobilier Polska is part of Eiffage – a construction group of French origin. Its achievements include worldrenowned buildings such as the glass pyramid of the Louvre, the Sydney Opera House and the Louis Vuitton building in Paris. In Poland, the Group has completed almost 700 construction projects in more than 30 years.

In Wroclaw, Eiffage is known as the general contractor of projects such as OVO, Thespian and Angel Care, and currently, Rezydencja na Dyrekcyjnej. Now, the company is making its debut in the city as a developer.

PRESS MATERIAL

DHL Supply Chain has appointed Monika Duda as the company’s first female managing director in Poland. She is set to assume her role on September 1.

OFFICE BRIEFS

NEW UNITS OF WARSAW UNIVERSITY

CPI Property Group (CPIPG), the largest owner of commercial real estate in the Czech Republic, Berlin and Central and Eastern Europe, has strengthened cooperation with the University of Warsaw, by extending the lease agreement and increasing the rented space in the Prosta 69 office building three times. “The interest of such an outstanding ten-

ant, which is the University of Warsaw, the Prosta 69 building confirms its advantages – easy adaptability of available space for various activities and excellent location. Thanks to the proximity to the second metro line, students can be on the university’s main campus on Krakowskie Przedmieście within a few minutes. They can also quickly get to other parts of the city and stations,” comments Marcin Mędrzycki, P/O head of asset management, CPIPG Polska.

Warsaw University is the largest and one of the oldest universities in Poland and the longest-running (over 200 years) university in

the capital. Currently, over 40,500 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate studies. The university covers an area of 1,205 sqm.

NEW TENANT AT DIAMOND BUSINESS PARK URSUS IN WARSAW An international company specializing in providing modern data center services has joined the group of tenants at Diamond Business Park Ursus. The tenant has rented a total of over 7,500 sqm warehouse and office space. The tenant, whose name has not been disclosed, was looking for a space that would allow its flexible adaptation to the company’s expanding

activity on the one hand and easy access and proximity to the main transport hubs and arteries of the city on the other. Diamond Business Park Ursus perfectly met the tenant’s expectations due to both its location and modern space, which allows for easy arrangement, tailored to individual needs. The tenant was represented by the CBRE agency in the lease process. “Thank you to the tenant for the trust. Operational cooperation, mutual understanding of needs and commitment to developing appropriate solutions during contract negotiations have resulted in the tenant’s positive decision to join Diamond Business Park Ursus,” says Urszula Rasmussen, head of industrial leasing, White Star Real Estate (owner of Diamond Business Park Ursus).

196.4

m

LOGISTICS

Panattoni completes construction for KION Panattoni, the market leader in industrial real estate in Europe, has completed the construction of a forklift assembly plant for KION Group, one of the largest providers of intralogistics solutions and warehouse technologies worldwide comprising renowned brands like Linde, STILL and Dematic. The facility, offering more than 44,000 sqm in Kołbaskowo near Szczecin, northwestern Poland, has been delivered in compliance with the most stringent environmental protection guidelines. The ultra-modern building, apart from manufacturing space, also houses an R&D center and an administration office. Ultimately, 150 people will be employed there and production will be fully operational by spring 2021. As Michał Samborski, the head of development at Panattoni, explains, the project in Kołbaskowo was very challenging, having had to comply with demanding standards in terms of environmental protection and sustainable development.

Works on the reinforced concrete structure of the Warsaw UNIT office building have finished and a symbolic topping has been hung at its top, Ghelamco said. Thus, the skyscraper in the center of the Polish capital reached 196.4 meters. Founded in 1985, Belgium-based Ghelamco carries out investments in Poland, Russia and Ukraine, in addition to Belgium.

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WAITING FOR A REBOUND

The coronavirus pandemic has temporarily ended the amazing boom in Warsaw’s office property market. A return to a fast-growth track is very likely in the near future, experts say. BY ADAM ZDRODOWSKI 56

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PRESS MATERIAL

LOKALE IMMOBILIA | OFFICE

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his has been a good year for the Polish real estate market, with both the residential and the commercial property sectors having seen solid supply and demand levels.

Developers have remained active, working on and planning a number of new spectacular projects.

Experts predict that the market will continue to grow steadily in 2020. Even if it is still too early to forecast exact sales and take-up levels, there are no signs that the performance of any of the sectors could be seriously threatened in the coming months.

SPECTACULAR OFFICES More than 320,000 sqm of new space was completed in the office sector in the first half of 2019, while H1 take-up reached over 710,000 sqm (Q3 data for the whole of Poland was not yet available as we went to press). In Warsaw, this has been a year of records. Q3 tenant activity in the city (284,000 sqm) represents the highest quarterly volume in history, while the Q3 vacancy rate (8.2%) hit the lowest level in many years. In July, the biggest office lease deal to have ever been signed in Poland (45,600 sqm) was finalized in the Polish capital.

Almost 1.6 million sqm of new office space is currently under construction, including approximately 780,000 sqm in Warsaw and around 800,000 sqm outside the city, said Łukasz Dziedzic, a senior market analyst at JLL. Some 750,000 sqm of new office area is scheduled to be completed in Poland’s main office markets next year. Several very large schemes are set to open for business in the Polish capital in the coming months, including Mennica Legacy Tower and The Warsaw HUB.

Dziedzic noted that the Polish office property market is the most mature market in Central and Eastern Europe and as such it is defined by its growing differentiation. On the one hand, there has been demand for big developments that allow tenants to expand within one location.

On the other hand, the changing nature of office work has been generating growing interest in flexible office space, including from large companies. The latter trend will continue next year, with more locations expected to

(opposite page) HB Reavis's Varso (above) Skanska's Generation Park

be open by operators such as WeWork, Spaces and New Work.

CHANGING RETAIL

The retail property market has witnessed stable growth in recent months, with a total of more than 290,000 sqm of new space having been completed across Poland in the Q1-Q3 period. The largest cities account for as much as 69 percent of the newly delivered shopping center space. In 2020, the supply of new retail space should be similar to this year’s supply and should

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LOKALE IMMOBILIA | OFFICE

The office sector’s fundamentals are strong and solid

amount to some 300,000-350,000 sqm. However, the structure of the supply will change, said Katarzyna Michnikowska, director, research and consultancy, at Colliers International.

No shopping center sized more than 30,000 sqm will be completed in Poland next year. The new supply will be dominated by small and medium-sized convenience centers located in cities with populations of less than 100,000. The different supply structure will correspond with the current trends in demand, which is now mainly driven by discount retailers. Retail will also grow within larger mixed-

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(above) Golub GetHouse's Mennica Legacy Tower (opposite page) Ghelamco Poland's Warsaw UNIT

use projects, which will be predominantly located in large cities.

Potential risks in the sector are associated with the anticipated global economic slowdown and the legal changes in Poland. 2020 will be the first year with a total ban on Sunday trade and could also see the introduction of the socalled hypermarket tax on retail sales. However, Michnikowska pointed out that retail is a rather flexible and innovative industry that adapts relatively easily to external changes. “We can expect changes on many levels, but the general condition of retail will remain good,” she claimed.

Unwavering demand for new apartments has defined the situation in the housing sector in recent quarters. JLL data shows that developers active in the six largest markets – Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, the Tri-City, Poznań and Łódź – sold a total of 16,100 units in Q3. This represents a 6.3 percent increase q/q. The sales results for the last four quarters (64,200 apartments) were admittedly down 4.5 percent compared to Q3 2018, but developers’ margins have remained attractive as apartments prices continue to go up.“The value of the market is not going down,” said Katarzyna Kuniewicz, head of residential research at JLL. By and large, buyers seem to have accepted the growth in prices and developers do not expect a serious deterioration of the market situation in the next two years. Development activity is still intense – the number of units put up for sale in the last four quarters stands at 65,700 (down 1.4 percent q/q, up 3.8 percent y/y) and the figure for the whole of 2019 is expected to look similar.

Potential risk factors in Poland’s residential property market include a possible global economic slowdown that would negatively affect the labor market and dampen demand for rental apartments, and planned regulations aimed at restricting short-term rentals. JLL experts point out that buy-to-let purchases now account for some 30 percent of all transactions in the market.

However, they stress that the market remains resilient, which is evidenced by both the high sales levels and the low level of developers’ indebtedness to banks.

PRESS MATERIAL

STABLE RESIDENTIAL

SAFE LOGISTICS

The warehouse and industrial market has been growing at a fast but sustainable pace this year. According to Savills data, the existing stock of modern space increased by almost 1.1 million sqm in H1, with the total supply of new space in 2019 likely to reach a record 2.5 million sqm. Gross take-up amounted to over 1.8 million sqm and approximately 60 percent of the space that was under construction at the end of June had already been leased out. While a mild decline in leasing activity could be recorded in H2, the overall outlook remains positive.

“In respect of supply, we expect a trend for more speculative space being built within the leading city borders and a focus on smaller last mile space that is currently lacking in the market,” said John Palmer, head of industrial investment at Savills Poland. “Landlords will also be looking to build out further phases on existing parks that have expansion land as the market has a limited risk element at present with low vacancy and strong demand,” Palmer added.

When asked whether he can now see any major risk factors that could negatively impact Poland’s logistics property market next year, Palmer pointed out that the market is, to a large extent, driven by increasing domestic demand, rather than just foreign direct investment. “When the European slowdown does come, Poland will be affected but also in some way protected as internal consumer demand is growing and likely to do so in the next few years,” he argued.

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PA RT N E R H I G H L I G H T

How to effectively adapt to the new conditions and why will offices now operate in the “hub and club” model? These and other questions are answered by Danuta Barańska, creative director, Tétris Poland.

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C

PRESS MATERIAL

‘HUB AND CLUB’

urrently, despite restrictive safety rules, each office can be arranged so that it can be used up to 90 percent.

At JLL’s Madrid headquarters, it was possible thanks to “Pivot Spaces.”

“Pivot” means a fixed point that supports something that rotates or balances to change direction. In the real estate and fit-out industry, it is a model of designing multifunctional and easyto-reorganize spaces. “We suggest our clients take a closer look at their offices and efficiently adapt them to the standards and expectations that Covid-19 has left in its wake. ‘(Re)imagine’ is a philosophy of wise and agile adaptation of the available space so that the workplace is safe, efficient, flexible, modern and aesthetic.

Offices will take on the role of a ‘hub and club,’ which means work environment that favors cooperation, business and social meetings, and interactions necessary to be productive and

creative in business,” explains Barańska.

JLL’s research shows that 58 percent of respondents miss their offices. While remote work is said to be a new trend set by the coronavirus, the reactivation of office spaces is inevitable and is gaining momentum. “It’s a natural turn of events. During the lockdown, accommodating to remote work system was a priority. It showed that the effectiveness of such work seems satisfactory. However, after a few months of operating from home, employees simply miss the opportunity to meet and work in a professional office space,” says Barańska. “The rearrangement of the office in Madrid is a great success and an example of the efficient organization of cooperation spaces. The basis is a professional analysis and planning, as well as design with the use of modular furniture. The ‘remote’ work style can be a convenient complement to

the cooperation model but it will never replace ‘face to face’ interaction.”

JLL’s research shows that 58 percent of respondents miss their offices

Above left: Practical booths by the walls take minimum space, creating comfortable secluded spaces within an open area.

Above right: Tables, chairs and sofas can be arranged in various ways for different purposes.

“Pivot Spaces” rotate around furniture such as: • single seats with high backs • modular desks and tables • modular armchairs and sofas • barriers separating different work zones in the form of plants, curtains, etc.

• non-standard furniture adjusted to the selected space “‘Pivot Spaces’ work well in the current conditions of office rearrangement with a focus on safety. There are also modern technologies and design trends that should serve the purpose. This way of perceiving reality and the workplace will stay with us for longer,” emphasizes Barańska.

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LOKALE IMMOBILIA | RETAIL

Following the accelerated move to online shopping, some shopping centers are going to default on their loans and may even cease to exist. How might others continue to thrive? One way might be for mall operators to become modern partially-digital department stores. To do that, they would have to leverage personalized omnichannel communications to sell online while providing unmatched personalized offline services and attractions to generate loyalty and grow footfall.

BY JERZY KAMECKI

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T

SHUTTERSTOCK

REBIRTH OF MALLS

he ongoing move to online shopping further catalyzed by the Covid-19 pandemic has already doomed some shopping complexes in America, where, as reported by The New York Times daily on August 24, so far in 2020 “16 percent of all retail industry loans are delinquent, according to statistics tracked by the data firm Trepp.” One of the first projects to close in Poland was Łódź’s Galeria Sukcesja. Others, in the shoprich cities of Poznań, the Tri-City agglomeration, or even Warsaw, maybe looking for buyers, refinancing or both.

One way shopping galleries may maintain value for customers is to think of themselves as department stores – both online and offline. While it may sound crazy given the recent bankruptcies of iconic brands such as Neiman Marcus and J.C. Penney, and other anchors, such as Nordstrom, closing many locations, and while there may be no way to recover all of the footfall lost in the enduring march toward digital shopping, there are ways malls (and their brickand-mortar tenants) can better capitalize on the digital shopping trend.

MALLS ONLINE

Shopping centers are uniquely positioned to place tenants’ offers online – we might say become digital marketplaces.

Doing so would have to either give shopping complexes a cut of the profit for products sold online or payment for driving traffic. In another model, more akin to the current leasing of physical space, tenants could pay “rent” for their presence in this digital department store. Whatever the ultimate model, such a move would allow smaller retailers or niche brands to enter the retail space (which they usually now do through social media channels), and gain access to new customers and expertise of the mall operator’s digital team.

It seems that Fashion House Shopping Center Klif in Warsaw made an inchoate attempt at this during the pandemic, by placing links to tenant’s online stores on its webpage. It would be interesting to see the experiment unfold on a larger scale to include tenant inventory

available directly from the establishment’s page for purchase and rapid delivery or click-andcollect.

DIGITAL GOES PHYSICAL

In addition to offering retailers’ stock online, shopping galleries can allow online-only retailers and make them available at physical stores. Proper curation would make niche brands, currently available only through social media or online, available to consumers at physical locations. Little-known brands would benefit from offline exposure by increasing their credibility while consumers would get the benefit of viewing new brands and hence be encouraged to visit Proper curathe shopping center again. The tion would advantages of physical departmake niche ment stores include the presbrands, ence of many brands in a small currently easily accessible space along available with the opportunity to touch and only through try on products. While shopping social media complex owners or operators or online, available to are likely to be wary of becoming consumers at retailers, mini spaces at these physical locamulti-brand stores could be tions leased in a way similar to mall kiosks today, mitigating some of the risks. Further, their local styling and marketing experts could be well-positioned to curate which brands feature in the new multi-brand concept.

PERSONALIZED RETAIL

By thinking and acting like online-offline department stores, shopping galleries can increasingly personalize their offerings.

Currently, mall operators already “increasingly often combine platforms and interconnected databases allowing for unification or personalization. By combining them with loyalty programs,

appropriate customer management systems, followed by experience and proper service offered after the purchase, we build emotional marketing and a greater bond between the customer and the brand,” writes Daniel Tomasz Stańczuk, marketing & PR senior communications specialist, asset services, Cushman & Wakefield, for Retailnet.pl. It seems that putting the tenants’ offer online would allow shopping centers to gather even more data, link it properly to loyalty cards, and build even better omnichannel personalized experiences.

In such a scenario, a customer coming in for click-and-collect could have an AI bot or a personal shopping assistant (or both) prepare an additional offer of complementary goods for them to be ready to view at the pickup point in the shopping complex. This experience could be complemented by giveaways, e.g. free t-shirts, discounts or payment cards for use in the physical location and special services such as tailoring to custom-fit with next-day delivery, to enhance the experience.

SHOPPING DESTINATION AND EXPERIENCE

None of what I’ve recommended above should be taken to mean that malls should stop working to become destinations and experiences or stop integrating more with their surroundings and local ecosystems in as many ways as possible. While customers are digital, they still love local shopping experiences: a phrase nicely coined by Emplate.it. And to be successful, malls may well have to become more of everything for everybody on every channel.

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strategia strategy/ /kreacja creation / social / social media media / digital / digital / custom / custom publishing publishing / events / events / PR / PR

Life + Style Fashion Alert

Colorful details, a color-matched belt and contrasting seams are the main features of the less formal version of the ECCO ASTIR footwear.

PRESS MATERIAL

Smart and confident

Raised on sneakers, young urban professionals now require a more formal aesthetic for work. They can continue to feel unrestricted in their comfort and style in the ECCO ST.1 HYBRID LITE collection for AW20, a new, aspirational range of radical office hybrids. Meanwhile, men who are yet to embrace the trend of mixing premium sneakers with formal clothes will be encouraged to “cross over� with the new ECCO ASTIR, crafted by a brand they associate with quality and timeless style.

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Life+Style

Krak It Up

With Kraków experiencing its quietest summer for years, never before has there been a better time to visit the ancient home of Poland’s kings… BY ALEX WEBBER

Bed & Board

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There are times you suspect that Kraków has more hotels than the rest of the world put together: frankly, the choice is immense and covers every angle. With Covid-19 keeping the usual waves of tourists at bay, it’s become a buyer’s market with deals easily found. For something truly special, the Hotel Stary deceives with a low-key façade only to reveal itself as the very image of chic sophistication. Decorated with frescoes and friezes from the 15th century, the juxtaposition between old and new becomes even sharper in the spa and swimming pool found in the vaulted, basement cellars. For wallets that are a little lighter, the new Puro Kazimierz is a chic, design-forward spot that’s become an ambassador of sorts for the trendiest hotel group in the country.

Sightseeing Essentials

Usually, given the crowds they attract, you’d be advised to save Wawel Royal Castle & Cathedral for a quieter off-peak time – but guess what, the whole city is currently off-peak. The ancient home of Poland’s monarchs, this magisterial complex is as spellbinding inside as it is out.

Having chalked off the Old Town, visitors gravitate towards Kazimierz, the atmospheric former Jewish district which was at the center of the city’s postcommunist creative resurgence. Riddled with independent galleries, antique stores and cafes, it represents the very essence of Kraków’s arty soul. Illuminated at night to showstopping effect, the Father Bernatek Footbridge connects Kazimierz to Podgórze, an upcoming area that’s best-known as the one-time home of the Jewish Ghetto. Here, life under the Nazis is remembered at the Pharmacy Under the Eagle and the Schindler Factory – if the former is something of an old school tourist experience, the latter is an immersive multimedia museum that lays bare the cruelties visited upon the city by the occupying Nazi Germans.

The Art Front

There’s said to be around 2.5 million

SHUTTERSTOCK (5)

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ts beauty is beyond question, but for many foreigners and visitors alike, Kraków’s tourist takeover has made it a no-go zone, not least in summer when stag groups and backpackers battle for numerical superiority: a Polish accent heard on the spectacular Rynek isn’t a rarity, it’s a miracle. Or so that was the case. The postlockdown reality has sent the city’s visitor figures into a tailspin meaning that a visit now isn’t just recommended – it’s essential.

works of art in the city, with the most famous found in the Czartoryski Museum: with only five other cities in the world touting their own Leonardo da Vinci, it’s no surprise to learn that the museum’s Lady with an Ermine is regarded as one Kraków’s biggest boasts. A complete departure from traditional forms, MOCAK is by far the most captivating contemporary gallery in the country: even those with an aversion to art are thrilled by its utterly madcap exhibitions.

Blast To The Past

Built on the instruction of Stalin, Nowa Huta became one of only two cities in the world constructed entirely from scratch.

Using the socialist realist style sanctioned at the time, the results were more dystopian than utopian. Now absorbed into Kraków, a walk through its colonnaded boulevards teleports you to the times Big Brother meant something even worse than reality TV. At its heart, the Nowa Huta Museum does a cracking job of capturing the paranoia of the time by presenting relics of the age within a network of nuclear proof basements.

Hey Big Spender

If you’re a bookworm, it’s worth head-

ing to Kraków for no other reason than to browse the shelves of Massolit, an English-language bookstore whose shelves creak under the weight of over 20,000 news and used tomes. For upscale fashion, Kraków’s version of Vitkac is Pasaż 13 (it’s owned by the same family, in fact), a stunning department store set in a restored tenement featuring uncovered frescoes and excavated finds.

As for something alcoholic? Head to Szambelan, an enchanting little shop selling homemade elixirs inside a space that looks like Dumbledore’s workshop.

The Food Front

The Old Town is still heavily mined with restaurants aimed with one-time visitors in mind, but there are diamonds in the rough: for example, the Irish-run Milkbar Tomasza which serves hearty, budget Polish classics (and a British breakfast to be reckoned with!) with ingredients sourced daily from the local farmers’ market. Elsewhere, Kazimierz has a wealth of neo-hipster inspired spots such as Zazie Bistro and Zenit Miodowa 19, not to mention the city’s first Michelinstarred restaurant, Bottiglieria 1881.

Serving modern Polish cuisine, it warrants the plaudits.

At Night

Despite its ongoing gentrification, the former Jewish district of Kazimierz is honeycombed with great evening options. Some are superior to others, and while Singer, Eszeweria and Alchemia have been well and truly outed by the guidebooks, they retain a creaky, cobwebbed charisma that’s representative of the area’s Bohemian heyday.

A riverfront legend, Forum Przestrzenie is noted for long summer parties and a quirky location inside an abandoned Soviet-era hotel, while the inter-war styled speakeasy known as Mercy Brown frequently features in polls that rank the country’s best cocktails.

Where Is Everyone?

Tytano. Housed in a derelict cigar factory complex, find a maze of bars, restaurants, clubs and hangouts that operate way into the night. Hallmarked by its good-natured pandemonium, let an evening here include a trip to Veganic for fab vegan dishes, craft beer at the 25-tap Weźże Krafta and cocktails at Lastriko – but that’s the tip of the iceberg. Seeing is believing, the place is simply the heart and soul of modern Kraków.

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The waiting is over!

With its opening originally pushed back due to the challenges presented by the coronavirus, the Nobu Hotel Warsaw finally opened its doors to receive guests at the front end of August.

BY ALEX WEBBER

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oining two distinct sections – one a hyper-modern, black, Vshaped structure, and the other the pristine white tenement that once housed the Hotel Rialto – the luxury brand presents 117 guest rooms whose fundamental design attains a sense of elegant luxury whilst never straying into the vulgar: simplicity, say the designers, was key.

Having been awed by the fusion of chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s Japanese-Peruvian flavors in an LA restaurant in the 1980s, the brand was born after Robert De Niro befriended the chef and asked him to consider joining in business to open in New

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York. The actor’s perseverance eventually paid off and, together with film producer Meir Teper, the trio launched the first Nobu restaurant in NYC’s trendy Tribeca district.

Proving a firm hit with both the glitterati and general public, more restaurants were born and their success prompted De Niro to rethink the group’s strategy – rather than continuing to open restaurants in hotels, why not launch their own hotel brand, one that would be truly in tune with the ethos of the restaurant. Again, his idea prevailed, and as indirectly as it might seem, the Nobu Hotel Warsaw is the result of one Oscar winner’s ultimate ambitions.

Joining the firm’s eleven other interna-

tional hotels and 42 other global eateries, the team’s first Polish venture has kept much in line with the overall aesthetic of their previous projects: notable for its chic and swank design, it’s a look that places an emphasis on raw materials and natural light with the two wings purposefully bridging the past with the present.

Breaking from the overriding Nobu mantra, importance was placed on keeping the pre-war character of the first wing undisturbed, something apportioned to Teper.

Of Polish ancestry himself, it was allegedly on his insistence that the building was preserved as a nod of respect to Warsaw’s history and heritage. As such, what was once the Rialto Hotel – the city’s first boutique hotel – has retained many of its Art Deco flourishes thanks to a concept coined by the De Novo studio.

The other section, meanwhile, was the result of an international collaboration between Poland’s Medusa Group (also credited with the award-winning design of Warsaw’s Akademeia High School) and California’s Studio PCH. Decorated throughout by artwork from the likes of Anna Bimer, Piotr Uklański and Mikołaj Moskal, the hotel is set to become a darling

PRESS MATERIAL

Life+Style

of both the travel press and lovers of the good life with its intentions signaled straight off the bat by a lobby featuring a wood-carved spiral stairwell, sensual aromas and black-clad staff that could belong in a Bond film.

Progressing to the rooms, guests are met by a choice of suites equipped with carefully selected vinyl sounds, hardwood floors, luxurious gowns and an underlying feeling of space. Higher up the end, facilities in-room include stunning bathtubs that you may not wish to leave.

Sustainable and rich in eco-friendly features such as “a green wall,” the hotel has already been awarded gold-level certification by LEED, with other internal boons including a water wastage control system and a heavy reliance on locally-sourced components. Looking to showcase “elegant but modest” solutions, the design teams were also keen to implement a style that kept faithful to Nobu’s Japanese inspirations. “While overall there is a noticeable post-industrial feel, the design is accessible,” they say, “this is a modern hotel for modern people.”

Neither is it inaccessibly priced. With published prices set at €199 per room, the bottom line costs are highly competitive when benchmarked against the capital’s other top bracket hotels. However, should the price be balked at then do, at least, visit the restaurant … if you can.

Already recognized by foodies as the hottest opening of Warsaw’s gastronomic year, find Nobu’s signatures dishes such as Black Cod Miso and Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno served as well as tasting menus that reveal the full-depth of the culinary team’s talent. Accompanied by an in-house DJ, it’s a meal that will see you revaluate your thoughts about Japanese cuisine – here, something brilliant has been made even better.

Naturally, the stars have flocked here (spotted: Joanna Krupa!) and while the majority of Warsaw’s restaurants look on shaky ground, Nobu is booked solid for the next two months – even so, wangling a table isn’t impossible should you deploy the right techniques. And if not, content yourself in Jassmine: slated to open in mid-September, Nobu’s on-site jazz/cocktail bar promises to elevate the city’s live music scene to new levels of previously unseen sophistication.

Nobu Hotel Warsaw Wilcza 73, warsaw.nobuhotels.com

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EVENTS

The Warsaw Business Journal relives or looks forward to the most important events from the world of business and economy

upcoming events REAL ESTATE FIRE Real Estate Marketing Forum 2020 September 9-10 The Westin Warsaw “Everything you always wanted to know about property marketing (but weren’t sure who to ask),” claim organizers. So they’ve checked, and on the FIRE stage you will meet, among others, Joanna Heidtman (psychologist, sociologist and business coach), Iza and Wojtek Ławniczak (one of the Polish pioneers of process design, Millennial/Z experts), Zuza Skalska (fearless business, design and technology trends analyst) and Wojtek Walczak (strategist, Polish and European agencies consultant, the winner of Effie, Golden Arrow, KTR, Kreatura). “There will be someone to learn from, there will be someone to have a smart talk with,” event planners say. www.firemarketing.pl

TECHNOLOGY Infoshare 2020 Online Conference – the biggest tech conference in CEE September 23-25 and 28-30 Streamed from the city of Gdańsk In 2019, almost 6,000 people came to Gdańsk to take part in Infoshare – “a place where you can share,” organizers inform. The conference brings together developers, IT professionals, marketers and fans of new technologies. You will also meet here international investors, young entrepreneurs and startups. The event planners state they share what is worthy. www.infoshare.pl

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FINTECH FinTech & InsurTech Digital Congress September 28-29 Sheraton Grand Warsaw An elite forum for exchanging ideas and establishing strategic partnerships, bringing international experience, emphasize organizers.

Previous successful editions of the congress have attracted wide interest in presenting current trends concerning opportunities and threats of the digital world, blockchain technology, chatbot applications, AI, machine learning, regulations or transaction methods. The upcoming event will be a hybrid meeting, combining online and offline activities in compliance with all current safety standards. www.intechdigitalcongress.com

MEDIA & TELECOMMUNICATIONS PIKE 2020 Conference “New world – new challenges” September 30 - October 2 DoubleTree by Hilton, Łódź Details: It is the largest meeting of the media and telecommunications industry in Poland, claim event planners, organized by the Polish Chamber of Electronic Communication (PIKE) together with the Polish Foundation for the Development of Electronic Communication PIKSEL. Participants can take part in the event onsite or online after purchasing the appropriate accreditations. The purpose of this year’s meeting is to debate the most important issues in the media and telecommunications sector and the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic. www.konferencjepike.pl

FAMILY BUSINESS 5th Next Generation Congress – FUTURE of NEXTgen October 5-6 Poznań The FUTURE of NEXTgen Congress is for those who see that in their family business there is a need for an intergenerational challenge – and want to face it! It is a unique platform, say organizers, dedicated only to the next generation of family businesses and business families

– who want to meet with the best practitioners and experts to develop their competencies and exchange experiences. The Next Generation Congress is organized by the Family Business Institute and as a part of the Hybrid Virtual Experience. There is an option to join online. www.visit nextg.pl

BUSINESS & ECONOMY 6th edition of National Economy Summit OSG 2020 October 5-6 Lubelski International Fair, Lublin For the sixth time, the European Business Center invites the key representatives of politics, economy, science and business to the summit, event planners state. The main theme of the summit is “State-EconomySecurity: Main Keystones of Future Economy.”

During this edition, they intend to focus on the keystones of the Polish future economy – the sectors, companies and institutions which, in their operations and determination, contribute to the development of the Polish economy.

They intend to hold a number of discussions focused on the risks resulting from investment uncertainty, international situation, security and also from infrastructure and innovation potential. During the summit, there will be a gala to award “Polish Economy Ambers 2020” statuettes. www.osg2020.pl

BANKING & INSURANCE 20th Warsaw International Banking Summit and 16th Insurance Forum October 19-20 The Westin Warsaw Several conferences are included in the Meeting of Banking and Insurance World Leaders – a cyclical event gathering representatives of the banking, insurance, payments and new technologies sectors in the financial industry, organizers claim. During each meeting, key representatives of the most important financial institutions try to answer the most important questions facing the banking and insurance industries. The upcoming meeting will be a hybrid event combining online and offline activities in compliance with all safety standards. www.bankowosciubezpieczenia.pl

Knickerbocker glory

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SUMMER HOLIDAYS. What image do those two words conjure up in your head? What thought do they evoke? Several health studies have shown that holidays can improve sleep quality. They can reduce blood pressure and stress levels in addition to diminishing the risk of heart disease in both men and women. When I think of holidays, albeit not even remotely synonymous, unwinding springs to my mind. The ways I wind down to replenish my rechargeable batteries are largely binary: more active than lazy.

Back in the not so dim yet distant past, besides (at least) a-two-week family vacation, school recess almost invariably, and inarguably, began with an ear-numbing cacophony of alarms – always raucous and never melodic – due to summer camps. Table tennis, swimming or using oil pastels to draw landscapes, animals and still life, warts and all.

In another year, trying to train my then deadpan voice after a not so little afternoon kip. Plosive and propulsive. And oh, reading copious amounts of fiction deep into the night. I would burn the candle at both ends quite literally for over two months to feel reinvigorated.

Not an awful lot has changed since. In the relatively recent past, holidays meant rubbing elbows with the art world cognoscenti for over 12 hours a day in some French museum admiring oeuvres of Italian megaliths, attempting to stay afloat in turquoise waters when not stuffing my face at an allinclusive resort to get the loudest bang for my buck or peering into blue ice on a guided glacier hike. In 2015, my feet throbbed with pain for over a week after my 88-day summer sojourn during which I walked at least half a dozen miles a day every day often lugging around my 65:85 backpack big enough to fit a toddler.

This year’s summer break was different. I had a diurnal socially-distanced staycation – my first ever – that included, not in any particular order, Netflix series, 10k trots, patting other people’s pets, listening with nearly equal enthusiasm to Ludovico Eunadi and riffs on racism, politics and economy, pertaining to an incorrigibly digressive linchpin, reading about a shibboleth of the Polish anti-LGBT+ discourse, unwittingly drinking almost 2L of a Czech drink at an urban riverside beach while motorboats whirred past, and last but not least, tactically eating (but not gobbling down) Far Eastern delicacies at an all-youcan-eat restaurant. And although my break was much lazier than before and axiomatically less healthy, I think I would still like to top my “new normal” holiday off with a knickerbocker glory…

Notwithstanding the difference, my “new normal” days off work were similar to what I had pictured them to be. And in line with my two questions toward the top of this page, I hope you enjoyed your time off and that it was closer to what you had wished it to be – whether you had a staycation or splurged on a private luxury yacht on the other side of the world - SD

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

LAST WORD