INVEST Summit

Cristian Popa

Member of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania (NBR)

Philippe Bijaoui

Chief Development Officer Europe & North Africa Premium, Midscale, Economy, Accor

Joining Accor in January 2023 as Chief Development Officer Europe & North Africa for Premium, Midscale & Economy Brands, Philippe Bijaoui is responsible for defining the growth strategy in the region; leading the development teams in charge of identifying, negotiating and signing of hotel conversion and development projects, as well as contract retention; leading strategic hotel development projects.

Philippe has a solid experience of nearly 30 years in the business development and hotel industry, and had held several general development management positions in international hotel groups, such as "IHG" from 2012 to 2016 as Head of Development Europe, "Wyndham Hotel Group" as Chief Development officer EMEA until 2018. He then worked for "Butterfly Hospitality Development" and "Christie & Co", leader in hotel sales in Europe, where he was until now General Manager France.

Philippe holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology, from Tel Aviv University (Israel) and an MBA in Hotel Management from IMHI Cornell University Essec Business School (1992).

In 2020, he was awarded the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyor (RICS) qualification (UK), which acknowledges his professional competence in recognized standards in the property, construction and infrastructure markets.

Simona Nijnic

Sales Director, TP-Link Romania

With over 17 years of experience in the technology and telecommunications sectors, Simona Nijnic has a proven track record of driving strategic growth and unlocking multimillion-euro business opportunities. As the Sales Director of TP-Link Romania, she has built and led high-performance teams across both B2B and B2C environments, establishing strong channel ecosystems and delivering consistent commercial success.

Throughout her career, she has developed and executed national sales strategies, negotiated complex commercial agreements, and fostered long-term partnerships across retail, telco, and distribution networks. Recognized for her strategic vision and hands-on leadership, Simona Nijnic combines market insight with operational excellence to translate business goals into measurable, profitable outcomes.

Pankaj Birla

Regional Vice President, Eastern Europe Marriott International

Pankaj Birla is the Regional Vice President for Eastern Europe, overseeing the managed and franchised operations across 24 countries in the region.

With a distinguished career spanning over 30 years at Marriott International, Pankaj brings a wealth of experience in operations, finance, corporate support, above-property roles, and as a General Manager. His extensive international experience includes assignments in the United States, Asia, and Europe.

Since March 2017, he has excelled as the Area Vice President for Eastern Europe for managed operations. Most recently, he held the position of Area Vice President for managed operations for DACH and Eastern Europe.

Pankaj is a graduate of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.

Pankaj resides in the picturesque town of Oberursel, Germany, a charming suburb of Frankfurt, with his wife Manisha. They are proud parents of two accomplished grown-up children: their son Mayank, who lives in New York, and their daughter Kanika, who resides in Berlin.

Vlad Drăgoescu

Partner, CEE Head of Portfolio Management, Revetas Capital

Vlad Dragoescu is Partner – CEE Head of Portfolio Management at Revetas, that he joined in 2014.

With over 21 years of experience in asset and property management, as well as real estate development and investment, Vlad brings a wealth of expertise to his role.

In his current capacity, Vlad oversees the Portfolio Management team for the entire CEE region, continuously optimizing the operations of the Revetas portfolio. He is actively involved both operationally and strategically in all phases of the real estate investment cycle.

Prior to joining Revetas, Vlad served as the senior asset manager of a private equity group focused on investments across Central and Eastern Europe. During his tenure, he managed nearly all acquisitions, financings, greenfield investments, and asset management operations of the group. From 2011 to 2014, Vlad worked as the Romanian local partner for the same London-based private equity fund, coordinating their property and asset management departments and directly managing several projects.

Vlad holds a master’s degree in Financial Management and a bachelor’s degree in Finance, Banking, and Stock Exchange, both from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies.

Farhan Shubailat

Corporate Director of Development, Rotana Hotel Management Corporation PJSC

Farhan Shubailat is the Corporate Director of Development at Rotana Hotel Management Corporation, where he is responsible for identifying strategic market opportunities, driving growth and expanding the company’s portfolio. A graduate of EHL Hospitality Business School, he gained early experience with Intercontinental and Starwood groups. At Rotana, he has held several senior leadership roles, including Financial Controller, Director of Finance, and Director of Research and Development.

Anja Graf

CEO, Founder and Chairwoman, Visionapartments

Anja Graf, the founder, Group CEO, and Chairwoman of VISIONAPARTMENTS, is a dynamic business leader with a strong educational foundation. She received her education at Switzerland’s Seminar Unterstrasse and has consistently sought to enhance her practical business knowledge through various courses and seminars.

Under Anja's visionary leadership, VISIONAPARTMENTS has become a market leader in furnished apartment and commercial accommodation in Switzerland. Starting with just 4 apartments in 1999, the company now boasts over 2’500 properties across Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Romania and more. It has expanded into several European countries, becoming a multinational corporation with over 20 “Satellite” Sales Offices across Europe, solidifying its presence in European markets.

Anja's ultimate goal is to achieve global dominance in the industry, emphasizing a practical and action-oriented approach. Her multilingual proficiency and dedication to business are noteworthy, and she enjoys reading, sports, and cultural adventures.

VISIONAPARTMENTS has diversified into complementary sectors, including Jar Food Production – YAJAR – a health orientated eco-friendly solution for busy individuals. The company further ventured into water production, along with the establishment of the La Lup bistro & bar brand.

In addition to her achievements with VISIONAPARTMENTS, Anja Graf recently acquired and continues to maintain Acomodeo.com, a leading B2B platform for booking serviced apartments. Acomodeo.com connects travelers with a curated selection of over 8 million high-quality serviced apartments worldwide. With this acquisition, Anja is further expanding her influence in the corporate travel industry, ensuring Acomodeo.com's continued success under her strategic guidance.

Apart from her successful business life, Anja is a devoted mother of four children, finding joy in family life and sharing it with her partner. She balances her dynamic, international perspective by residing in Bucharest, Romania, and frequently travelling to Switzerland, enjoying the best of both worlds and rich cultural experiences.