12th edition
October 28th, 2026
InterContinental Athénée Palace Bucharest
Le Diplomate Hall
People Empowering Business Forum & Awards Gala 2026, now in its 12th edition, underlines through its Forum dedicated to Leaders in Business the core principles of work community and the main aspects that lay at the fundamentals of building strong teams and delivery of competitive and performing work results. The Awards Gala dedicated to People Empowering Business celebrates and honors leaders and their teams who have made outstanding contributions and impact to fostering an empowering work environment. This anniversary edition highlights top-tier professionals across various sectors of the Romanian economy through both the Forum and Awards Gala.
This year’s FORUM & AWARDS GALA event will take place on October 28 at InterContinental Athénée Palace Bucharest, Le Diplomate Hall.
• Enable cross-functional collaboration: position developers, tenders, administrators and consultants at the executive leadership table
• Talk Numbers: analyze the ROI of operational practices & convey a data story to your business leaders
• Upgrade your KPIs: the workforce metrics you need to use to meet your workplace KPIs
• Elevate the Customer Experience: the mission critical priority to drive enhanced business results
• Career Development: establish and advance a data-driven and people-centric organizations
• Heads of Workforce Planning and Recruitment, Organizational Development & Capability
• Leaders of the HR industry
• HR solutions & technology providers
• Workplace professionals
15:30 – 16:00
16:00 – 17:00
17:00 – 17:15
17:15 – 17:30
17:30 - 18:30
18:30 - 19:15
19:15 - 20:30
The LEADERS’ TALKS FORUM highlights the core principles of fostering a healthy, evolving, and meaningful approach to work in today’s dynamic and challenging business environment, shaped by advancements in technology. Key topics for 2025 include the rise of AI, inclusivity, workplace communities, wellbeing, ESG, the social mentoring. This year has been defined by a focus on technology, leadership, and communication, all aimed at redefining productivity metrics, enhancing employee engagement, and strengthening employer branding.
In essence, 2025 emphasizes creating a cohesive and engaged employee experience. With a spotlight on inclusive cultures, skill development, and social mentoring, the shift is toward a more human-centered and adaptable approach to work. The Forum offers leaders’ insights from the past year, exploring what sets standard practices apart from exceptional performance.
Session I - Future-Ready Leaders: AI-Driven Talent and Skills Mobility
Future-ready and strategic leaders and companies
In an era defined by rapid technological change and evolving workforce expectations, future-ready organizations rely on leaders who are both strategic and adaptable. Companies that cultivate visionary leadership, foster agility, and prioritize continuous learning not only navigate uncertainty but also shape markets and inspire their people. HR leaders and business executives play a critical role in identifying, developing, and sustaining the next generation of leaders to drive long-term organizational success.
• Identifying and Developing leaders who are both strategic thinkers and adaptable to rapid change
• HR roles in embedding agility and continuous learning into the company culture
• Best practices of organizations to keep the pace and adjust to the changing landscape of the work environment
HR processes are poised to evolve from simply incorporating AI as a supportive tool to being fundamentally designed around AI capabilities. Advanced, agentic AI systems will be able to execute multi-step tasks autonomously, provide sophisticated predictive analytics, and streamline complex HR workflows, leading to substantial improvements in operational efficiency and the quality of decision-making. Organizations that strategically integrate AI into their HR functions will be better positioned to gain a competitive advantage in areas such as talent acquisition, employee retention, upskilling and e-skilling programs, internal mobility of talent and workforce planning, ultimately enabling more data-driven, proactive, and effective management of their workforce.
• The most effective tools or methods to identify internal talent with high mobility potential and matching them to company’s needs
• Safeguards and governance structures needed to ensure autonomous AI-driven decisions in HR
• Upskilling /reskilling programs to support internal mobility while minimizing turnover and maximizing workforce agility
Session II - The Human-Centric Companies: Ethics, Trust and Employee Well-Being
As technologies and AI become increasingly integral to recruitment, performance management, and workforce analytics, establishing robust ethical oversight will be essential to prevent bias, uphold fairness, and ensure regulatory compliance. Transparent and accountable AI practices will not only safeguard employees’ rights but also strengthen trust in HR systems—a factor that will emerge as a crucial differentiator in attracting and retaining top talent, particularly in highly competitive markets. Organizations that proactively address ethical considerations in AI deployment will position themselves as responsible, trustworthy employers, enhancing both their reputation and their ability to build a diverse, high-performing workforce.
• Measures to ensure AI-driven HR decisions are ethical, unbiased, and compliant with relevant regulations?
• Building trust and accountability for employees through transparency in AI and data-driven HR processes
• Ethical oversight of HR technologies as a competitive advantage in attracting, retaining a a diverse, high-performing workforce
Employee experience, encompassing everything from day-to-day engagement to mental health and overall well-being, is becoming a central pillar of modern HR strategy. By placing a deliberate focus on creating a supportive, empowering, and inclusive workplace, organizations can actively shape company culture, foster stronger employee commitment, and drive higher productivity. Companies that prioritize a holistic approach to employee experience consistently achieve improved retention rates, deeper engagement, and superior organizational performance, as employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to contribute at their highest potential.
• Strategies to continuously measure and improve the day-to-day employee experience
• Well-being initiatives embedded in the core of the HR strategy
• Cultural practices and leadership behaviors fostering a supportive environment for employee commitment, retention and performance
PEOPLE EMPOWERING BUSINESS AWARDS GALA acknowledges those who go above and beyond in fostering an environment of growth, inclusivity, and positive change within the organization. It highlights individuals who lead by example, demonstrating innovation, leadership, and a deep commitment to uplifting others. By honoring these outstanding achievements, the awards not only applaud individual efforts but also reinforce the companies’ and leaders’ commitment to building a supportive and empowering work culture.
Awarding people for performing in:
Leading Practices
HR Transformation
Talent Management
Health & Wellbeing
Learning & Development
Internal Communication
Impactful Work Performance
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Career Path
Best Use of Technology
Social Cause Engagement
InterContinental Athénée Palace Bucharest
Le Diplomate Hall
Strada Episcopiei, București 010292