Download PDF or read online: May (II) 2023 Issue | Business Review Magazine

The May (II) 2023 issue of Business Review Magazine is now available in digital format, featuring the main cover story titled “Mastercard: Building An Inclusive And Sustainable Digital Economy.” Read it online by clicking here. To download the magazine in PDF format fill out this form and we’ll make sure to send you a PDF copy.

Editorial: A multi-stakeholder approach to expanding digital payments

By Anda Sebesi, Editor-in-Chief, Business Review Magazine

“The last two years have represented a reset period, which sparked a recalibration of priorities, values, and behaviours. This was followed by a period of rewiring, during which we’ve witnessed an acceleration of technology adoption and enhanced innovation, including in terms of purchasing whatever we want, whenever and however we choose to, from wherever we are. Even with digitalization accelerating in most sectors, Romania ranked last among the 27 EU member states in the 2022 edition of the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), an annual report released by the European Commission. The country is lagging behind on several indicators in the human capital dimension, with a very low level of basic digital skills compared to the EU average, but maintains its high rankings in the share of female ICT specialists in employment (ranking 2nd) and ICT graduates (ranking 4th).

This is why we’ve dedicated this month’s cover story to new payment methods by interviewing Bartosz Ciołkowski, General Manager for Southeast Europe at Mastercard Europe, a company that aims to build a sustainable digital economy for consumers everywhere.

In 2021, Romania scored 54 out of 100 points in the Digital Payments Index, a measurement methodology developed by Mastercard to assess the dynamics and maturity of the payments ecosystem in different countries. The growth of digital payments in Romania is a mission that must bring together several partners—card operators, banks, retailers, and authorities— and the value of this synergy could be seen in the year-to-year evolution of the adoption of digital payments.”

In this issue:

• Prof. Alon Chen, Weizmann Institute of Science: Academic freedom is essential for good research
• Mastercard: Building An Inclusive And Sustainable Digital Economy
• Arctic consolidates commitment to sustainable manufacturing
• Vodafone Innovation Hub: the first centre of excellence at Politehnica University of Bucharest
• Andrei Ghiorghiu, BlueTweak: AI is revolutionising the way people work
• The good, the bad, and the ugly of private equity in Romania
• Romanian edtech in 2023: new players struggling to get investments
• New developments in the Romanian healthtech ecosystem
• How inflation influences new investments in Romania
• Local property companies going big on tech solutions
• How co-creation manifests in commerce in 2023
• Your complete guide to this summer’s live concerts in Bucharest
• Sibiu International Theatre Festival: Staging miracles since 1993

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Anda Sebesi | JOURNALISTS: Aurel Constantin, Mihai Cristea, Deniza Cristian, Miruna Macsim, Romanita Oprea, Oana Vasiliu

CONTRIBUTORS: Ovidiu Posirca, Claudiu Vrinceanu

COPY EDITOR: Anca Alexe | PHOTO EDITOR: Mihai Constantineanu | PHOTOS: Dreamstime.com | ART DIRECTOR: Raluca Dumitru

PUBLISHER: Bloc-Notes Media Network ADDRESS: 82-98 Calea Grivitei, 1st floor, Hotspot Workhub, District 1, Bucharest, Romania

SALES MANAGER: Roxana Suhan | SALES & MARKETING MANAGER: Luiza Luca

PRODUCTION: Dan Mitroi | DISTRIBUTION: Eugen Musat

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: George Moise | GENERAL MANAGER: Catalin Alistari | USA MANAGER: Oana Molodoi | FOUNDING EDITOR: Bill Avery

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