Highlights fromEY Strategic Growth Forum™

Unlocking the potential of the Mediterranean region16–17 April 2015 | Rome, Italy

Forum Sponsor

Contents4-5 Maria Elena Boschi6-7 Steve Tzikakis8-9 Jose Manuel Barroso10-11 Alberto Alesina12-13 Kjell Nordstrom14-15 Opportunities for growth session16 Sector focus: Energy17 Sector focus: Life Sciences18 Sector focus: Real Estate and Infrastructure19 Sector focus: Telecommunications, Media and Technology20 Sector focus: Retail and Consumer Products21 Family business session22-23 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Hall of Fame24 Action plan

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Welcome to the first ever Strategic Growth Forum (SGF) Mediterranean highlights brochure. This report covers some of the key findings and proceedings from the latest SGF in the global series of events, which took place in Rome in April 2015. The forum gathered more than 650 business and government leaders from over 30 countries around the Mediterranean to explore economic, business and regulatory issues, and investment opportunities in the region.

This document gives a flavor of some of the SGF sessions, rather than an exhaustive record of events. It demonstrates the range of high-quality speakers and panelists that attended the event and indeed that you can find at any of the forums. If you’d like to attend and experience one for yourself, check out EY’s global SGF program by visiting ey.com/sgf.

Unlocking the potential

BaroMedThe context for discussions in Rome was provided by findings from the BaroMed attractiveness survey. Launched exclusively at the SGF, the report was prepared jointly by Oxford Economics and EY. It surveyed 156 C-suite executives from multinational and midsized companies in 20 countries and 28 sectors, asking them about their views on the current and future attractiveness of the region. To explore the report and its findings, visit www.ey.com/baromed-2015.

iLabsThe SGF saw a series of exclusive CEO-only working lunches that proved a big hit with our C-suite attendees. In these invitation-only ‘iLab’ sessions, attendees shared insight and discussion around some of the hottest topics affecting that region. Such issues as innovation, attractiveness of the Mediterranean region, the power of three: government, entrepreneurs and big corporates, and data analytics were four of those discussed. They provided a unique and inspiring networking environment for our guests.

Contents4-5 Maria Elena Boschi6-7 Steve Tzikakis8-9 Jose Manuel Barroso10-11 Alberto Alesina12-13 Kjell Nordstrom14-15 Opportunities for growth session16 Sector focus: Energy17 Sector focus: Life Sciences18 Sector focus:

Real Estate and Infrastructure19 Sector focus:

Telecommunications, Media and Technology

20 Sector focus: Retail and Consumer Products

21 Family business session22-23 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year

Hall of Fame24 Action plan

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Unlocking the potential

Contents4 Maria Elena Boschi5 Alberto Alesina6 Kjell A. Nordström7 Steve Tzikakis8 José Manuel Barroso12 Opportunities for growth session14 Carving a new path for government and entrepreneurship16 Avoiding a lost generation. Youth unemployment – the real socio-economic crisis in the Mediterranean and Middle East18 Sector focus: Energy20 Sector focus: Real estate and infrastructure22 Sector focus: Life sciences23 Sector focus: Telecommunications, media and technology24 Sector focus: Retail and consumer products28 Family business session30 Accelerating Tech Entrepreneurs32 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year hall of fame

Alberto Alesina Europe set to “muddle through”

Harvard economist Alberto Alesina defended his analysis of the effect of austerity policies, during an interview with João Alves, EY’s Mediterranean Accounts Leader.

Over the past few years, economists from the Keynesian school have attacked Mr. Alesina’s assertion that certain types of austerity programs can generate economic growth.

He cited the contrasting economic fortunes of Ireland and Italy to explain his case. Both countries faced a very large fiscal deficit after the 2008-9 financial crisis.

Ireland reduced its deficit by cutting public spending, and its economy began to recover. Italy sought to cut its deficit by raising taxes, but this produced a deeper recession.

Looking to the future, Mr. Alesina predicted that Europe would muddle through, avoiding crisis, but failing to record substantial GDP growth.

The fall in oil prices, the program of quantitative easing and the devaluation of the euro are all helping Europe to “get its house in order,” he said.

He criticized deals between the public and private sector that give privileges to big corporations, make it difficult for new market entrants and impede competition. Mr. Alesina said he believed in the market and free enterprise, but not protectionist capitalism.

He also described western Europe’s “obsession” with developing physical infrastructure as “misplaced,” saying that these countries have bigger priorities, such as reforming poorly functioning welfare states and labor markets.

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Maria Elena BoschiMinister to Mediterranean: we’re in this together

Italy’s minister for constitutional reforms Maria Elena Boschi ignited the SGF with an impassioned plea for the Mediterranean region to come together to overcome the economic and social challenges that it faces.

Speaking two days after a boat carrying 550 migrants to Italy capsized in the Mediterranean Sea about 80 miles off the Libyan coast, the minister called for the European Union (EU) and the international community to work together to save lives and crack down on those who traffic migrants to Europe.

The tragedy was a stark reminder of the importance of governments and businesses in the region to work together to foster the conditions that will create jobs and opportunities for people in unstable countries, as well as at home.

While acknowledging that the Mediterranean is one of the world’s most turbulent regions, she was quick to make it clear that

businesses and policymakers should not overlook its potential for growth.

She said that cultural cooperation is a fundamental asset in the Mediterranean, and one of the keys that can unlock the region’s potential.

Turning to the EU, the minister advocated a more positive idea of European cooperation, explaining that Europe should unite to overcome its problems.

Challenges such as providing job opportunities for young people should be seen as a pan-European issue, not one that pits the north of the continent against the south.

Steve Tzikakis, SAP’s Senior Vice President & General Manager South Europe, Middle East and Africa, explored how businesses must change to survive the digital revolution, and discussed the importance of real-time systems, such as SAP HANA.

Starting with a short survey of the huge trends affecting businesses in the region — including social, big data, 3D printing and mass customization — Mr. Tzikakis said that although some businesses had been surprised by the speed of change, others had managed to take advantage.

Revealing just what it takes to remain competitive in the digital world, he described the scale of the changes made by his own organization.

He said that two-thirds of what SAP sells today was not available five years ago. And, despite SAP

being famous for its enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, surprisingly, two-thirds of the products it sells in the Mediterranean region were now not focused on ERP, but on innovation.

With many of the region’s people now having 24-hour connectivity through their mobile devices, Mr. Tzikakis went on to explain how they expect to be able to access all the information they need immediately.

He said that this expectation now extended to business. And with customers now able to make decisions based on real-time information, they expect businesses to act in the same way.

Summing up, he said that for the Mediterranean region to progress, it was down to the business leaders at the SGF to take the next step by bringing real time into their businesses.

Steve TzikakisHow to “run simple” in the digital economy

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Despite the impression we may get from the media, the transformation of our world is bringing humankind to a better state than ever before, with longer life expectancy, more democracy and less war.

This was one of the messages from the Swedish economist and business author Kjell Nordström, as he took the SGF on a tour of the trends shaping the world of today, and looked ahead to where they are taking us tomorrow.

Focusing on two of the big themes that are transforming our world – urbanization and digital technology – he explored just how much the world is changing, and how we all must change to keep up.

As the author of Funky Business made clear, tomorrow’s world will definitely be different, with more people living in cities, more women than men in those cities, and people increasingly living alone in a state of “sequential monogamy.”

For businesses, his lessons were stark. The easy access to knowledge offered by digital means that everyone now knows how to deliver good products and services.

This has led to the rise of what he termed “karaoke businesses” – different businesses providing nearly indistinguishable products. For Mr. Nordström, this means that the successful businesses of tomorrow will be those that can “create originality.”

In a presentation that ranged widely, from 15th-century printing pioneer Johannes Gutenberg to fictional spy hero James Bond, Mr. Nordström dazzled the audience with an inspiring, if unsettling, message.

Kjell A. Nordström A tour of the future

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José Manuel Barroso Mediterranean region has opportunity within its grasp

Former President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso called for greater integration across the region.

Despite the doom and gloom that continues to surround the continent, Europe should remember the great progress it has made over recent decades and since the financial crisis, he said during an interview with EY’s Julie Teigland, Managing Partner EMEIA Accounts. He urged Europe to shake off its culture of pessimism and embrace a future that offers growth and renewed prosperity.

Mr. Barroso welcomed the fact that, but for Greece, there was recovery across the Eurozone periphery. But, warning that “there are no miracles,” he called on Europe to take measures that promote productivity and competitiveness.

Turning his attention to Greece, he said that the country’s Government should face up to its

responsibilities, but urged the rest of Europe to show solidarity, given the suffering that the Greek people have endured in recent years.

Looking to the southern Mediterranean, Mr. Barroso called for greater integration, pointing to “political issues” that had kept inter-country trade in North Africa at a “negligible level.”

He said that the region should work to make sure that countries such as Jordan, Tunisia and Morocco do not suffer from the effects of the Israel-Palestine conflict, but he cast doubt that the conflict itself would be resolved any time soon.

Asked about the future, he said that he hoped that freedom of trade in goods, services and ideas would increase in the region, and that the Mediterranean Sea would come to symbolize unity by being seen as an “internal lake” rather than “an ocean.”

“Europe should shake off its culture of pessimism and embrace a future that offers growth and prosperity.”

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Unlocking the growth

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Unlocking potentialBusiness leaders argue that to secure growth, the region must be open to foreign investment.

PANEL MEMBERS

Moderator: Alessandro Plateroti, Il Sole 24 Ore

Isabel Aguilera, BMN, Indra and Playa Hotels & Resorts

Franco Bassanini, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti

Silvano Cassano, Alitalia

Michele Mario Elia, Ferrovie dello Stato

Francisco Riberas, Gestamp

Opportunities for growth session Integration, digitalization and openness to foreign investment were all on the agenda, as a cross-industry panel explored what it will take to unlock potential in Italy and across the Mediterranean region.

One of the panelists who focused on digital was Isabel Aguilera, Independent Director, BMN, Indra and Playa Hotels & Resorts. She welcomed the opportunities that digital offered for greater teamwork across the region, but she stressed that it will require companies to make tough decisions and to renew their focus on ethics, given the increased temptation to misuse data.

Talking about foreign investment, Ms. Aguilera, former president of General Electric for Spain and Portugal, said that to unleash their potential,

businesses in the region needed to be unafraid of FDI in order to get the size and scale that they needed to compete.

One man who knows all about the importance of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) into Italy is Alitalia CEO Silvano Cassano. Discussing the importance of Etihad’s investment in Alitalia, he said that Italian businesses needed to add technology and discipline to the passion they already had.

Stressing the greater scale that foreign investment could bring to a business, Mr. He also talked about the role that foreign investment can play in helping businesses achieve greater scale, which is especially vital in the aviation industry.

Francisco Riberas, President, Gestamp, advocated

the importance of R&D as a way for European firms to achieve competitive differentiation. And Michele Mario Elia, CEO, Ferrovie dello Stato, talked about the need for greater integration in the European rail system as a whole, and within Italy’s railways in particular.

Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Chairman Franco Bassanini also highlighted the importance of foreign investment. He said that Italy needed to build a culture open to globalization, because it offers Italian companies the opportunity to internationalize and access new markets.

Echoing the sentiments of many in the panel, Mr. Bassanini, former Italian public administration and regional affairs minister, warned that provincialism was something that Italy could ill afford.

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Carving a new path for government and entrepreneurship

Panel plenary session said, Italy should take advantage of its strong lifestyle and cultural industries. Government should concentrate resources on promoting entrepreneurship in sectors such as cuisine, fashion, tourism and cosmetics.

Abdulaziz Al-Khalifa, CEO of the Qatar Development Bank, said enterprise usually comes from need. But, in Qatar, where there are plenty of safer alternative career paths, such as well-paid government jobs, that need is not strong. So therefore, the country has to generate a passion for entrepreneurship instead. He said that government should

help entrepreneurs to access information, knowledge, training, local markets and venture capital.

Domenico Arcuri, CEO of Invitalia, an Italian government agency that promotes inward investment and enterprise, said that government alone cannot force a shift toward an entrepreneurial culture. He pointed to Italy’s “smart start” scheme, which provides loans and grants to start-up ventures, as an example of what government can do. But he called on the financial sector to give entrepreneurs better access to funds.

Yasmine Shihata, founder and CEO of Venus Media and PR, said governments need to stop favoring big business. The close relationship between governments in the region and big business skews the market and makes life more difficult for entrepreneurs. Currently, entrepreneurs are also hampered by the lack of access to capital, which is making them more risk averse. Banks and governments should be clearer in how much support they can give entrepreneurs when they are starting a business.

EY’s Maria Pinelli, Global Vice Chair, Strategic Growth Markets, hosted a session on how government, the business community and entrepreneurs could work together to create a better environment for entrepreneurs in the region.

Here are some of the key highlights:

Andrea Illy, CEO of illycaffè, said that Italy needed to concentrate on being a cultural superpower. The country had suffered from the financial crisis and its aftermath. Its GDP is still below 1999 levels, and youth unemployment is 44% – rising to 60% in the poorer south. To boost economic activity, he

PANEL MEMBERS

Moderator: Maria Pinelli, Global Vice Chair, Strategic Growth Markets, EY

Andrea Illy, CEO of illycaffè

Abdulaziz Al-Khalifa, CEO, Qatar Development Bank

Domenico Arcuri, CEO, Invitalia

Yasmine Shihata, Founder, CEO, Venus Media and PR

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Youth unemployment – the real socio-economic crisis in the Mediterranean and Middle East

Panel plenary session minister, Zied Ladhari, acknowledged the scale of the problem. He said that one of the new Tunisian Government’s top priorities was consulting with business to develop a vocational training program that helps young people to learn the skills that employers demand. The minister also said that the Government would help universities to work more closely with business, so that academic institutions could better understand the skills that employers require.

But, in the Mediterranean and around the world, government alone cannot solve the youth

unemployment crisis. Mostafa Al Sagheer said that recruits to his Egyptian family business are almost exclusively aged 28 or younger. This policy is good for his business, he said, because young people are more creative, innovative and adaptable.

Advertising leader Kate Robertson, from One Young World, said that governments no longer have the money to create jobs, and that the solution to the youth unemployment crisis lies in the hands of businesses. But, she says, governments must do more to implement policies that help businesses to create jobs.

Şeyma Sarıkök, Strategist at Youtholding, a marketing company that employs young people in Turkey, said that there are lots of opportunities for young people. But they need better targeted support to help them find these opportunities. Governments need to listen to young people and act on their opinions, she said.

The pain of widespread youth unemployment is felt particularly acutely in the Mediterranean. The region’s youth unemployment rate is 31%, compared with the global figure of 12%. So what should be done about it? This was the question facing a panel of business and government leaders during a session at the SGF, hosted by EY’s Uschi Schreiber, Global Vice Chair for Markets.

Four years on from the revolution in Tunisia, its people are waiting to see the dividend of democracy. Yet, half of its young people are without jobs. The country’s employment

PANEL MEMBERS

Moderator: Uschi Schreiber, Global Vice Chair for Markets, EY

Zied Ladhari, Tunisian Minister for Employment & Vocational Training

Mostafa Al Sagheer, Vice Chairman, Al Sagheer Group

Kate Robertson, Founder, One Young World

Şeyma Sarıkök, Strategist, Youthholding

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The energy breakouts explored the role of renewables in achieving energy security across the region, and how energy efficiency measures can generate significant cost and energy savings for cities.Empowering the Mediterranean

• Europe is wasting billions of euros on energy because of the mismatch between resource allocation and demand. Both off-grid generation and greater interconnection across and between countries therefore becomes a focal point for a more efficient and cost-effective allocation of resources.

• In some southern Mediterranean countries, energy is key for politicians to stay in power. Keeping the lights on is almost synonymous with maintaining social equilibrium, no matter who is in government.

Energy

• Subsidized power prices have reduced gas production in North Africa while domestic demand is increasing, making the current gas export model unsustainable. Investment in renewable energy will free up conventional energy sources for export to Europe.

• We will witness Darwinian selection in the renewables sector over the coming years as it matures and consolidates, with project developers and energy providers forced to drive down costs and develop new business models to survive.

• Development banks supporting energy projects in emerging markets are just setting the foundations for the private sector to take over. Their ultimate goal is to make themselves redundant as the investment climate becomes more competitive and sustainable.

Illuminating the road to energy efficiency

• Lighting can represent 30%–50% of a city’s total energy bill, therefore smart street lighting is one of the most simple and cost-effective ways to generate both energy and cost savings.

• The co-benefits of smart lighting need to be better highlighted, including for example, hosting cell boosters, wifi, internet-enabled cameras, sound detectors or sensors to help with congestion management.

• The main barrier to energy efficiency investment isn’t lack of capital but lack of resources, particularly in the public sector, to translate a technical case into a business case.

• We need to create more of a market for energy efficiency that turns it into an asset class with which debt and equity providers can really engage.

Key insightsOur BaroMed report on the region’s attractiveness to investors found that opportunities are particularly pronounced in five sectors: Energy; Life sciences; Real estate and infrastructure; Telecommunications, media and technology; Retail and consumer products. The forum covered sessions that tackled leading topics in these sectors. Here are some of the key insights:

Smart, sustainable cities

Cities must respond better to the needs of their inhabitants in terms of quality of life. The smart citizen is the key to smart cities, when combined with smart government, smart financing and innovative technology.

One of the region’s largest problems is youth unemployment, which can reach 50%. Smart cities, requiring partnerships between government and the private sector, can give jobs back to young people.

Innovation is crucial to the development of smart cities. For example, using data in construction to better align the needs of the users and providers of infrastructure. Information technology must lead the way.

A smart city is about more than connectivity, technology and communication. It encompasses smart government, for example, the use of cultural history to provide new revenue streams. Such developments benefit citizens, improve a city’s profile abroad, and help to attract investment.

Street lighting is a great example of making cities smart. LED lighting saves significant energy expenses for communities.

Who knows what technologies will be invented in the future? When building infrastructure – such as underground tunnels – leave space for new technologies, rather than having to dig up the streets to lay new tunnels.

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Real estate and infrastructure

Public-private partnerships

Infrastructure spending for the next 25 years could reach nearly US$50 trillion, with a funding gap that equals at least 50% of the total spend. Public-private partnerships (PPP) are one viable solution to help bridge that gap.

PPP has moved from financing and modeling to building destinations – if you do not build the social infrastructure, why do you need a toll road going there.

Infrastructure is not the goal but a means to develop cities and countries, which requires an integrated approach and a long-term master plan from government. Any joint venture between public and private sector needs stable rules of play that governments cannot change once under way.

There is not a “one size fits all” solution – each PPP is unique – and we continuously need to find ways to combine knowledge and expertise. A global infrastructure hub is necessary in order to combine all knowledge about projects, expertise, financing and regulatory framework.

As concerns financing, the banking part of a PPP is not complicated. Money is there when you add all the available means together.

Ultimately, the job at hand is to transform the infrastructure gap into infrastructure business.

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• By 2020, one-third of the EU population will be aged 60 or over. One in six EU citizens has a disability. The number of annual global deaths from non-communicable diseases is set to double to more than 80 million by 2060.

• In the US, it is estimated that the most common chronic conditions are costing more than US$1t per year. This is set to increase to US$6t by the middle of the century. In the UK, the cost of chronic conditions such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and dementia account for more than half of total health care expenditure. Around the world, the increased demand for health care means that we have to look for new ways of supplying it.

• Prevention strategies are becoming increasingly important. Citizens, all of whom will be patients at some point in their lives, must become co-partners in their care programs.

• The patient pathway is currently lacking continuity. The time spent at hospitals should be minimized and better integrated with social care. We should maximize prevention as a way of acheiving this.

• The focus for patients is no longer if they will live and for how long, but what their quality of life will be. The value is created around the patient, but patient centricity is not only about the patient. It is also about the entire stakeholder ecosystem.

• We should not keep fragmented health care systems as they are now. To be sustainable, we need better collaboration.

Life sciences

The launch of new digital services is a major challenge for the future and represents a huge change (not only for TMT but for all sectors). It will have a significant impact on four main aspects of a company’s business:• Business model• Revenue model• Operative model• Customer relationship model

• The media sector in the region is disrupted. Revenues for traditional services are significantly decreasing, so companies must look to new revenue streams. Consider partnering with start-ups, for example, in order to allow consumers to trade data for value.

• Three priorities for TMT companies in the region are: to become more international; to launch new products and services; and to build

partnerships and synergies with other players in order to exploit business opportunities.

• Regulation should facilitate growth in the Mediterranean region. In some of the region’s countries, over-regulation deters investment. But in others, regulation is required to establish a fair and stable investment environment.

• Companies must not be focused only on infrastructure. They should pay attention to the customer experience, and think about how technology can help customers in their day-to-day lives.

• To promote growth in the Mediterranean region in the TMT sector, companies must see IT not as a cost but as an investment, and promote trust in technology among customers.

Telecommunications, media and technology (TMT)

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Retail and consumer products

The sessions investigated the opportunities and challenges to growth that require companies to adapt their innovation approach and deliver a seamless and consistent experience across digital and traditional channels.

Delivering to the omnichannel consumer:

• Consumer centricity is paramount. The Mediterranean consumer is rapidly evolving, and companies must stay close to the region to understand how they make their purchases. Many companies say the consumer is a focus but this must become more than a statement.

• Omnichannel will be the only way to create and maintain customer loyalty in the future. It is simply what you do if you start a business in the sector today.

• The rise of smartphones means there is no longer a distinction between online and offline. It provides an interface with the consumer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. By understanding the interactions along the value chain, companies can reinvent their products and develop the services that are most wanted.

• Established companies are struggling with the pace of change. Innovation and marketing are undergoing a paradigm shift driven by digital but few companies are investing a sufficient proportion of their time on this.

Overcoming barriers to growth:

• The rise of consumers from the energy markets is a key growth driver. They now have the financial power to afford branded products. Additionally, there is now a greater talent pool available.

• When entering new markets, many companies fail to localize their portfolio. To be relevant to the consumer, companies must adapt their products and approach to local needs.

• Market expansion should be export led to gain an understanding of which markets are most promising. Then build scale by identifying local partners who can take the business to the next level.

• Companies should not underestimate local competitors who understand the local value chain and consumer preferences. Smaller companies are also much more agile, flexible and quicker to market because they lack the “internal barriers” that slow down the larger firms.

• Companies must embrace sustainability and not view it as a cost. It should be a profit driver as it forces companies to work differently and to innovate.

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Unlocking the innovation26 27

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Eataly, one of Italy’s most exciting fast-growth family companies, hosted an exclusive family business panel discussion and tour. Here are some key highlights:

The aim of the discussion was to draw on the personal experiences of panelists and explore what it takes to ensure that innovation and entrepreneurship run through the generations.

PANEL MEMBERS

Moderator: Guido Corbetta AIdAF-EY Professor for Strategic Management in Family Business, Bocconi University, Italy

Lamberto Frescobaldi, President of Marchesi de Frescobaldi, Italy, a winemaker

Tony Haddad, CEO of Technica, Lebanon, a drinks company

Ayman Ismail, CEO of DMG, Egypt, a luxury real estate developer

Tom Willemen, MD, Willemen Groep, Belgium, a construction and real estate group

Highlights

• Lamberto Frescobaldi said that military-style discipline was a key factor in the 700 years of success for the family and business. Leaders need to be courageous and ready to put the business needs ahead of those of the family, even if this makes them unpopular, he said. These kinds of decisions might not make the family happy in the short term, but they benefit the family and the business in the long term.

• Tony Haddad discussed his succession plan, and how he is preparing for his children to take over the business when he retires in 2016. He highlighted how vital it is that there is a long-term plan, but also an emergency one in place, because life can be unpredictable. His advice was to identify your future leaders. They should be passionate and charismatic. Other competencies and skills can be bought in by hiring external managers.

• Tom Willemen, whose father was also in the audience, stressed how his father’s relentless drive for “the new” has inspired him to put innovation at the core of the business.

• Ayman Ismail, who worked for many years in the corporate world before joining the family business, highlighted the benefits that outside experience can bring. Discipline and enhanced decision-making processes, and a more balanced understanding of risk, are all examples of this.

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Accelerating Tech Entrepreneurs

Our judging panel was made up of experts in innovation, technology and venture capital: • Andrea Di Camillo,

Founder and Managing Partner, P101;

• Alexander Galisky, Managing Partner, Almaz Capital Partners;

• Didier Lombard, Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board,

STMicroelectronics and Chairman of the Board, Technicolor;

• Tamer Rashad, Founder & CEO, Humtap;

• Javier Ulecia, President, ASCRI (Spanish Venture Capital Association) and Co-Founder, Bullnet Capital.

“A really great opportunity to showcase our products, share our time with other entrepreneurs, and network.” Carlos Ruiz-Tapiador – Exaccta, Spain

“An initiative that supports young companies, and recognizes the opportunity and contribution we will make in the future.” Maggie Sanchez – myCircle, UK

The champion: Stéphanie Delestre, Qapa, France

Seven tech start-ups. Five judges. Two rounds. One Champion.Seven start-ups took the opportunity to sharpen their pitches and showcase their businesses as part of our Accelerating Tech Entrepreneurs program. A two-round pitching challenge, first to a panel of expert judges, and then in front of the 600-strong audience of the event, culminated in the winner being invited to World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ in Monaco in June.

Seven tech start-ups from the Mediterranean region: • Ahmed Albadawy, NabdaCare, Egypt

An IT company building a patient-centric medical platform that empowers the patient and enables them to take control of their health.

• Davide d’Atri, Soundreef, Italy Soundreef licenses businesses to use music, and administers royalties on behalf of music rights holders.

• Stéphanie Delestre, Qapa, France Qapa is the first job-matching marketplace. It connects job seekers’ skills with recruiters’ needs.

• Doruk Mutlu, EVAM Streaming Analytics, Turkey A next generation Streaming Analytics platform that allows enterprises to act on data in real time in order to generate the maximum amount of value.

• Luca Rossettini, D-Orbit, Italy D‐-Orbit is a company operating in the space field, specializing in decommissioning solutions.

• Maggie Sanchez, myCircle myCircle is reinventing point‐ of‐ sale for retailers. It is a mobile app, software ‐as ‐a service and data company, providing retailers with a reimagined point‐-of‐-sale software platform.

• Carlos Ruiz-Tapiador, Exaccta, Spain Exaccta TAX is a unique and innovative mobile solution available throughout the world for SMEs and self‐-employed workers.

Ten EY Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) winners and alumni were inducted into the Entrepreneur Of The Year hall of fame at the Mediterranean SGF. These people made outstanding contributions that created jobs and services, which are so important for economic growth.

The following winners (pictured left) were inducted into the EOY hall of fame by EY’s Maria Pinelli (Global Vice Chair of Strategic Growth Markets), Uschi Schreiber (Global Vice Chair, Markets and Chair, Global Accounts Committee) and Donato Iacovone (Mediterranean Regional Managing Partner):

Antonio Baldaccini, of Umbra Cuscinetti, the Italy-based business that designs and manufactures precision-movement products

Michael Modugno, of Groupe PGS, a French pallet-making company

Boris Saragaglia, founder of French company Spartoo, Europe’s leading online shoe store

François Bieber, creator of the Kwanko Group, an e-marketing business from France

Antoine Franqueville-Roy, from GB & Smith, a French security administration company

Johan and Tom Willemen, of the Willemen Group, a Belgian family-owned construction business

Mircea Tudor, from Romania’s MB Telecom, the radioactive-scanning technologies developer

Alexander Galitsky, of Almaz Capital Partners, one of Russia’s first venture capital funds

Mazen Darwazah, from Jordan-based Hikma Pharmaceuticals (not pictured).

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Top entrepreneurs inducted to hall of fame

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Unlocking entrepreneurshipJoin the exclusive invitation-only LinkedIn group to keep those connections growing:“EY Strategic Growth Forum Mediterranean region.” See you next year!

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