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Her address will examine leadership, regulation and competition in the global AI economy.
Vestager served as the European Commission’s executive vice president for “A Europe Fit for the Digital Age” from 2019 to 2024 and as EU competition commissioner from 2014 to 2024. She was named one of the Financial Times’ 25 Most Influential Women in 2024.
For a decade, she stood at the center of debates on digital markets, competition and the governance of emerging technologies, helping shape how businesses innovate within complex regulatory frameworks.
In Budapest, Vestager will deliver a keynote titled “Dare to compete. Drive fairness. Deliver trust. Leadership in the global AI economy.”
She will offer an insider perspective on how regulatory power is reshaping the global business landscape, from AI governance and rising tariff pressures to new economic alliances such as the expanding EU-India corridor. Her keynote will go beyond policy, focusing on what regulation means in practice: who wins, who scales and who gains access to future markets.
As a policymaker involved in landmark regulations such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA), and a key figure in major antitrust decisions, Vestager helped redefine the balance of power in the digital economy.
Her core message is straightforward: there is no sustainable scale without trust, and no trust without fair, enforceable rules. For business leaders, regulation increasingly influences investment decisions, operating models and international expansion strategies.
“The ABSL Forum in Budapest brings together policymakers, business leaders, and innovators to discuss the opportunities and challenges arising from this transformation. At a time when technology, regulation, and geopolitics are becoming ever more intertwined, this year’s keynote speaker, Margrethe Vestager, will share her perspective on how Europe and global markets can foster innovation, competitiveness, and trust in an increasingly complex digital economy,” said Jacek Levernes, chairman of ABSL.
According to ABSL, the business services industry generates more than EUR 3.5 tln in GDP, accounts for more than 20% of EU output and employs nearly 40 million professionals. The sector is rapidly evolving from an operational backbone into a strategic driver of transformation.
Its growing importance is reflected in its ability to shape competitiveness, influence investment flows and increasingly determine how countries and companies navigate technological disruption. As an adopter and accelerator of AI, the sector plays a pivotal role in the future of economic growth and resilience.
Through its 3T framework — Talent, Technology, Transformation — the industry aims to absorb global shocks while strengthening the competitiveness of sectors such as automotive, energy and pharmaceuticals.
The ABSL Forum brings together senior executives, policymakers and investors shaping global business and foreign direct investment strategies. Speakers at previous editions, held in Porto and Riga, have included José Manuel Barroso and Thierry Breton.
This year’s Budapest event will follow the theme “Transform to Lead. Dare. Drive. Deliver.” As companies reassess global strategies and investment decisions, the forum will provide a platform to exchange perspectives on technology, regulation and competitiveness.
The Association of Business Service Leaders (ABSL) represents more than 600 global blue-chip companies. Its mission is to promote cross-border cooperation and the exchange of expertise while advancing the sector as a growth engine of the European economy.
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