On the first day of the annual CEOs convening, after attendees settled at the recently refurbished Crowne Plaza Bratislava, they toured Bratislava with the help of master moderator and born-and-bred Bratislava local, Juraj Holub. They explored the Art Nouveau facades of the old town and retraced the coronation path taken since 1563. Later, they enjoyed a deserved set of cocktails at the world’s 25th-best bar, the Mirror Bar, prepared by the masterful in-house mixologists. Finally, the participants headed to the city’s genius loci, the legendary UFO Restaurant. Recently, Red Bull and Estonian slackliner Jaan Roose suspended a slackline 100 metres above ground from the UFO Restaurant to Bratislava Castle, setting a Guinness World Record after a 12-hour walk. Attendees could hear insights about the daring stunt whilst enjoying a fine dining experience and savouring mouth-watering bites paired with delectable Slovakian wine.
The second day focused on talks highlighting industry trends and BEIC innovations, and setting a strategy for 2027. Speakers included Mary Kirillova, CEO of BEIC, who laid out the association’s future strategy, and Cristian Hossu, the Lead of Innovations, who unveiled a new BEIC communications app. Knut Amund Gulsvik from Qondor also took part, discussing AI, automation and agency operations. BEIC also welcomed Jure Čad, who will curate the association’s social media platforms going forward.
Other speakers included Jens O. Mayer from Jack Morton, Renata Krajačić from Komunikacijski laboratorij, Thomas Kenyeri from KESCH, Gonçalo Oliveira from Desafio Global, Maris Altsoo from ALL-SET, and Erlend Syltevik from Appetite for Production. The speakers candidly shared insights on AI, sales, and clients, and openly discussed agency business models, while looking ahead to future growth and collaboration.
In the afternoon, after group work and a deep dive into industry trends and pressing challenges at BEIC, attendees took on a challenge. At the initiative of the Bratislava Convention Bureau, they co-created a one-off pitch for the future Coronation Days in Bratislava, sharing ideas and contributing to the event.
After the conference, attendees were whisked away to the National Wine Collection, where they could savour Slovakian sparkling wines, led by a master sommelier. In the evening, the programme continued with the so-called Fu*kup night and dinner at FACH Restaurant, where attendees tasted authentic local cuisine and exchanged views in an informal setting.
On the final day, attendees enjoyed a one-off Bratislava Castle experience by old-timer train and uncovered the castle’s secrets. Key takeaways were the shared experiences, local hospitality, and a memorable final-day visit. The annual BEIC CEOs Meeting advances BEIC, brings members closer, and strengthens brand culture. This year’s edition in Bratislava drew 50 C-suite executives who shared outlooks and discussed the coalition’s future trajectory.
BEIC organised the BEIC CEOs Meeting 2026 in close partnership with the Bratislava Convention Bureau, Crowne Plaza Bratislava and local partners. Learn more about the association here.
