Agnes Pawelkowska is an International Trade Specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) Office of Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia. For over 15 years prior to joining DOC, Agnes has has worked on numerous trade and business development projects. In 2009, she founded Green Gate Consulting, LLC of Alexandria, VA, to assist European companies in entering the U.S. market and U.S. companies in finding trade partners in Europe.  She previously worked on a USAID/USDOC EcoLinks trade assistance and export promotion program involving matchmaking, as well as development, management and implementation of international programs, study tours and conferences in Europe and the United States.  Among her business development projects have been organizing and accompanying representatives of the Greater Richmond Partnership on a trade mission to Poland, and representing the Virginia Economic Development Partnership on a trade and business development trip to eight Polish cities where she held seminars on the U.S. market and on Virginia business opportunities.  She has authored a number of articles in Poland on business opportunities for European companies in the United States, and performed market research for her company’s clients and the Polish Government through EU-funded contracts.  Agnes holds a Master’s degree in International Commerce & Policy from George Mason University, as well as a Master’s degree in International Trade and Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Gdansk University in Poland.

Country Managing Partner, Kyiv, Ukraine

Alan Merbaum, is a Senior Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, supporting business development and subject matter requirements in the areas of security cooperation, air and missile defense, and international partnerships. Prior to joining Booz Allen, Mr. Merbaum worked for Lockheed Martin for over 34 years in engineering development, international business development and foreign military sales. He participated on the development of large DoD programs, to include the Trident II Fleet Ballistic Missile, THAAD and co-development programs with foreign partners. Alan is a member of the US Delegation to the NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG), and is the deputy chairman of the International Division of the National Defense Industry Association (NDIA). He regularly supports the US-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) on defense industry matters.

Director for External Affairs
DTEK, Kyiv, Ukraine

Born on April 14, 1977 in Moscow.

In 1999, Mr. Tolkach graduated from Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of the MFA of Russia, majoring in International Relations.

In 1999-2004, he worked in the NATO, EAPC and WEU Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and later as an Attache at the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to OSCE (Vienna, Austria).

From 2004 he was employed by Russian company Mechel, where he grew from a PR Manager to the Director of External Relations Department.

In September 2010, Mr. Tolkach joined DTEK as Director for External Affairs.

Aleksandra Vukosavljevic is a Director for Financial Institutions covering Western Balkans and Eastern Europe at EBRD. Aleksandra has over 20 years of relevant financial industry experience in the areas of development and commercial banking, financial advisory, M&A, capital markets and audit.

At EBRD she was responsible for origination, structuring, execution, implementation and monitoring of a number of complex projects within the financial institutions sector. In addition, she actively contributed to a delivery of a number of important policy dialogue objectives (i.e. local currency issues, deposit insurance & bank resolution, NPL resolution, Consensual Financial Restructuring, etc.) leading towards development of advanced financial sectors and capital markets in the Western Balkans and beyond. Currently she manages a banking team that delivers EUR 1bn of new lending annually through 70+ new projects and monitors EUR 4bn portfolio across eight countries of the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe, including Ukraine.

Prior to joining EBRD, she worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she was involved in a number of benchmark M&A, audit and forensic audit transactions in the financial sector in the Western Balkans and also headed Investment Banking and Research at Raiffeisen banka a.d. Beograd, where she was actively involved in the asset allocation decision process of the bank’s dealer operations and asset management of subsidiaries (member of investment committees in voluntary pension and investment funds).

Ms Vukosavljevic is a Serbian national, graduated from the Belgrade University (Faculty of Organisational Science). She is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, UK and a licenced Portfolio Manager by Serbian SEC. She completed Management Development Program at the Austrian Raiffeisen Banking Group.

Executive Director; Chicago, Illinois

Executive Director; Washington, D.C.

An international Merchant Banking and Risk Management professional with over 25 years of experience providing services in the areas of cross-border project finance, risk mitigation, business advisory and business exit planning, and capital markets transaction development. Clients have ranged from US-based and foreign SMEs, foreign governments, and state-owned enterprises, to select Fortune 500 cos.

Transaction and negotiations experience in over 30 countries. Extensive business development skills, risk management and project finance experience in aerospace, food security, wireless communications, alternative & conventional energy generation, spent nuclear fuel storage, specialized construction, hospitality, healthcare and franchising industries. Advised on financing, M&A and restructuring transactions ranging from $1.5 Million to $444 million. Led the firm, which developed and co-brokered a breach of Contract insurance transaction where the premium exceeded $42 million.

Experience in successfully managing public and private corporations. Proven track record managing cross-border acquisitions and high-level negotiations. Global professional network.

Managing Director; New York, New York

Founder; Gaithersburg, MD