ASBL Summit 2024: Transform to Thrive took place on 3-5 June at the ICE Krakow Congress Center. Over three dynamic days, ABSL Poland welcomed a record-breaking 1,500 participants and 150 speakers, hosting over 60 debates, case studies, and workshops. Guests had the opportunity to hear from Rt. Hon. Dame Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and activist for climate action and cybersecurity; Leszek Balcerowicz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in Poland's first non-communist government; and Ana Birchall, former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, and Minister of European Affairs of Romania. In an inspiring speech and discussion with Piotr Kraśko, Dame Jacinda shared her journey as an empathetic leader and pragmatic optimist, redefining leadership in times of uncertainty and crisis.

A highlight of the event was the release of ABSL Poland’s annual report “Business Services Sector in Poland 2024”. This comprehensive report defines trends in key areas such as investment, development perspectives, processes, languages used, sector-friendly cities, and employment figures. Data confirms that productivity in the modern business services sector is increasing, charting a new course for its long-term growth. In 2023, the sector contributed an estimated 5.3% to Poland's GDP, with exports valued at $36.8 billion and employment exceeding 457,000 in the first quarter of this year.

Janusz Dziurzyński, President of ABSL, remarked: "We must actively participate in the transformation we've discussed for years. The time is now, as the window of opportunity is rapidly closing. We must swiftly adapt our successful 20-year-old business model, recruit future-ready talent, harness evolving technology, and importantly, attract roles that manage entire process chains to drive greater value and innovation to Poland."

(WBJ)