Economic experts discuss European competitiveness and private equity

Discussions at the EFNI 2026 forum highlighted challenges and opportunities regarding investment and economic competitiveness in Poland and Europe. Experts addressed the role of private assets and the need for structural improvements to boost growth.

Regarding private equity, Tomasz Korab, President of Eques Investment TFI, noted that while private equity offers the potential for higher long-term returns than traditional stock markets, it requires significant liquidity management due to capital being frozen for up to ten years. He suggested that alternative investments are suitable for those with assets of at least 500,000 PLN, recommending a maximum 20% allocation for those with 1 million PLN in wealth.

On a broader scale, participants discussed European competitiveness. Michał Jaros, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Development and Technology, emphasized the need for Europe to specialize in key sectors like semiconductors and advanced electronics to ensure economic security. Alice Wells of ExxonMobil noted that Europe currently struggles to compete with North America and China, citing a decline in ExxonMobil's annual investments in the region. Additionally, Jacek Jastrzębski, Chairman of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority, pointed to the low popularity of capital markets in Europe, suggesting that regulatory warnings may have inadvertently associated market investment with risk rather than opportunity.