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Panel Discussion: The Future of Trade and Investment System and the Value of Deals and Treaties in a Word with Eroded Trust

Thursday October 1, 2026 09:45 - 10:10 CEST HILTON GRAND PLACE BRUSSELS

Speakers: Fergal OBrien, MARIA MARTIN-PRAT
Moderator: Penelope Naas

As global trade systems become less predictable, companies must rethink how they approach cross-border investment and partnerships. This session explores how executives are adapting to shifting rules, weakening multilateral frameworks, and increasing political uncertainty, and what this means for long-term investment decisions.

Lecturers

Fergal OBrien Speaker

Executive Director, Policy, Lobbying and Global Affairs
Ibec

MARIA MARTIN-PRAT Speaker

AMBASSADOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
EUROPEAN UNION PERMANENT MISSION TO THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

Penelope Naas Moderator

Senior VP and Director of the Brussels Office
The German Marshall Fund of the United States