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One Weekend, Five Different Worlds and Countless Reasons to Attend

The Weekend Media Festival, the main meeting place for the media, communication, and business scene in the region, is celebrating its 18th birthday this year – and in grand style! From September 18 to 21, Rovinj will once again become the epicenter of creativity, knowledge, and networking, and the adult edition brings two new festivals: Investment.Weekend and Finance.Weekend.

– This year we celebrate the coming of age of the Weekend and are excited to announce the most ambitious edition of the festival to date. Weekend.18 brings five simultaneous festivals, including two completely new ones, further expanding the content to meet the growing market needs and provide space for the latest investment and financial trends. All of this, of course, is rounded off with top-notch entertainment – just as expected from the Weekend – said Tomo Ricov, director of the Weekend Media Festival.

In today’s world of global chaos, Weekend.18 could not have a more relevant speaker for economic and other challenges than Lara Boro, the Chief Executive Officer of The Economist Group. Boro will lead a dynamic discussion on power, perception, and responsibility in an era of constant crises. Her experience in leading global companies such as the Financial Times and Mastercard International guarantees a unique perspective on changes in the media landscape.

James Taylor, an award-winning speaker and world authority on creativity, innovation, and artificial intelligence, is also coming to Rovinj. Taylor is the founder of the SuperCreativityU platform and host of The SuperCreativity Podcast and TV Show, through which he has shared his knowledge with audiences in over 120 countries. The BBC has even produced a documentary about his fascinating professional development, and Taylor is also a member of the prestigious Royal Society of Arts, a visionary club that has included figures such as Nelson Mandela, Stephen Hawking, and Benjamin Franklin.

New Festivals: Investment.Weekend and Finance.Weekend

In addition to the third edition of HR.Weekend and the second edition of AI.Weekend, Weekend.18 will also host two new festivals – Investment.Weekend and Finance.Weekend – which will provide concrete insights into the latest financial and investment trends.

Investment.Weekend is designed in collaboration with the Zagreb School of Economics and Management (ZŠEM) and will focus on topics such as innovative fundraising models, M&A (mergers and acquisitions), market analysis and risk management, sustainable growth, and investment strategies. One of the main speakers at Investment.Weekend will be George Yeo, a visionary in geopolitics and business and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore. In addition to leading one of the largest Asian logistics companies, Kerry Logistics, Yeo has an impressive political career during which he shaped key economic and social policies in Singapore. His experience in leadership positions across multiple ministries and membership in the Vatican Council for Economic Affairs make him a speaker with a unique perspective on the intersection of geopolitics and business.

After being part of the Weekend program last year, Finance.Weekend is becoming an independent festival and an essential event for all those shaping the world of finance. The focus remains on the future of finance and practical solutions for the world of corporate finance. One of the most prominent speakers at Finance.Weekend is Luis Seco, a mathematics professor at the University of Toronto and director of the RiskLab research center. His work focuses on sustainability and climate risk, and he leads projects that use artificial intelligence to analyze CO₂ emissions and develop solutions for the green transition. As a leading expert at the intersection of finance, technology, and sustainability, he collaborates with international funds and institutes to shape innovative models for the future.

At this year’s HR.Weekend, Bogdan Radaković, Vice President for Human Resources, Global Transformation, and Organizational Change at the Swedish company Essity, will speak about innovative approaches to leadership development. Boris Vukić, partner and one of the founders of Adizes Southeast Europe (ASEE) and Senior Associate at Adizes Institute USA, will also share his thoughts on organizational development with a focus on family businesses.

Weekend.18 also brings the second edition of AI.Weekend, which has already established itself as the leading regional festival on artificial intelligence in its first year.

The Biggest Excitement is Yet to Come

So don’t miss the opportunity – reserve your spot and be part of the jubilee Weekend.18, which connects education, inspiration, and unforgettable socializing in the heart of Rovinj. Follow all information and the latest news on the official website and through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok channels — because we still have a lot more to reveal.