The programme for Weekend.19 has been announced, with this year’s edition set to be the biggest and most ambitious to date. For the first time in Weekend’s history, the programme will begin on Thursday morning, September 24th, at Grand Park Hotel Rovinj. More than 7,500 visitors and over 200 speakers from the region and around the world are expected to attend across eight festival programmes: Weekend.19, HR.Weekend, Tech.Weekend powered by Telemach, Finance.Weekend, Energy.Weekend powered up by E.ON, Investment.Weekend, Health.Weekend and Education.Weekend powered by KONČAR.
From communications and creative industries, technology, human resources and finance to investment, energy, healthcare and education, this year’s programme brings the broadest range of topics, speakers and formats so far. Discover more.
Even More Reasons to Visit Rovinj
More programmes, more space and even more reasons to visit Rovinj – Weekend.19 is growing on all fronts this year. Health.Weekend and Education.Weekend are being introduced as standalone festival programmes for the first time; Tech.Weekend is expanding to two days, and the programme will take place across 11 halls at two locations – the former Rovinj Tobacco Factory and Grand Park Hotel. A new venue, the Dome, is also being introduced, where leading figures from well-known Croatian and global companies will use short pitches to reveal what really lies behind businesses we all think we know.
“Weekend’s success can actually be summed up by a very simple formula: interesting people having informal conversations about important things. That relaxed atmosphere is our secret ingredient. People don’t come to Weekend just to listen to talks; they come to meet, exchange ideas, start collaborations and be part of an atmosphere that is difficult to recreate outside Rovinj. Weekend is growing and opening up new topics, but the most important things remain the same – openness, curiosity and an informal atmosphere,” said Tomo Ricov, Programme Director of Weekend.19.
Weekend.19 on a Changing World
At the heart of the event remains Weekend.19, which once again brings together people and topics that explore the rapidly changing world from different perspectives. Fredrik Haren, known as The Creativity Explorer, will discuss creativity and generating new ideas in the age of artificial intelligence, while British journalist and author James Bloodworth will address modern male identity, the manosphere, and digital communities.
Laura Bermudez, CTO of DrumWave, will arrive from Silicon Valley to discuss the value of data and the future relationship between people, companies and digital platforms. Among the many names on the programme is Ulrik Haagerup, founder of the Constructive Institute and one of the best-known advocates of constructive journalism, while the team behind the film “Svadba” will add an unexpected element to the programme. The full Weekend.19 programme is available on the festival’s official website.
HR.Weekend Steps Outside the Comfort Zone
The fourth edition of HR.Weekend brings a programme that moves beyond traditional HR topics and addresses questions that are increasingly becoming business issues: what management expects from HR, how technology is changing work, and how people, culture and leadership influence a company’s success.
Joining previously announced speakers Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor at University College London and Columbia University, and Dr. Asmus Komm, Partner at McKinsey & Company in Hamburg, are Aneta Godzwon, HR & Capability Development Director of Orbico Group, who will discuss the transformation of learning and development, and Marina Morić, Head of Human Resources at Croatia Control, who will offer insights into attracting talent in a system where precision and responsibility are essential.
The programme will take place across two halls: HR.Weekend and Bar Talk, offering different formats and rhythms of conversation, from large panel discussions to more relaxed meetings and exchanges of experience. The full HR.Weekend programme and list of speakers are available on the official website.
Finance.Weekend – From the Music Industry to Space Technology
From the global music industry and space technology to telecommunications infrastructure, Finance.Weekend brings financial perspectives from entirely different business worlds. Stuart Mauchline, Senior Vice President of Finance at Virgin Music, will draw on his experience in one of the most dynamic creative industries, while Léa Raiche-Marsden, VP of Finance at Leanspace, will offer insights into financial management in the space technology sector.
They will be joined by Jacek Popielewicz, EMEA & South America Finance Director at Nexteer Automotive, with experience in financial management across international markets, and Marina Balenović Lacković, Head of Group Controlling at EuroTeleSites AG, who will openly address AI in finance and which decisions can genuinely be entrusted to artificial intelligence. The full programme is available on the official Finance.Weekend website.
Technology Without Boring Lectures
Tech.Weekend powered by Telemach brings a mix of topics ranging from startup chaos and engineering decisions to AI agents, fintech, hardware and robotics. Among the new names joining this year’s programme is Snježana Miliša, co-founder of Merlin Hat, who, following her work at Rimac Automobili and on the Nevera, is now focused on developing deep-tech products. Together with Jelena Jurišić, Chief Technology Officer at ENT Group, she will explore whether corporations can keep pace with startups.
Also joining the programme is Tomislav Maras, IT Director at Maistra, who will discuss how technology is changing tourism.
Nenad Mandić, Head of AI at Abysalto, will take audiences into the future of robotics, while Ervin Jagatić, Senior Business Unit Director at Infobip, Aleks Buvač, CEO of Own Solutions, and Mislav Galler, Member of the Management Board at Telemach Croatia, will discuss whether technology can finally eliminate frustrations from the customer experience.
Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of Rimac Group, will also come to Rovinj, alongside previously announced speakers Ivan Burazin, Tomislav Car, Hrvoje Ćosić and Ivan Bešlić. In short, two days, one stage, and enough topics for some seriously good conversations. All programme details, speakers, and topics featured at Tech.Weekend are available on the official website.
From Bricks to Smartphones – Investing Is No Longer Just for Finance Professionals
Investment.Weekend will explore investing from a range of perspectives, from real estate and fintech to artificial intelligence, pensions and new business models. One of the names attracting particular attention is Igor Čanadi, a member of OpenAI’s technical team, who will discuss the line between AI’s real value and investment hype.
The programme also brings well-known but very different investment perspectives. Boro Vujović, owner and director of Opereta Real Estate, and Andrej Erjavec, Member of the Management Board at InterCapital Real Estate, will compare two investment options – the familiar approach of buying an apartment and investing in a commercial real estate fund.
Roko Živković, Management Advisor at Metamorfoza and founder of the Museum of Illusions, and Slaven Kordić, Managing Partner and Founder of Invera Equity Partners, will combine entrepreneurial and investment perspectives, while Marko Bogdan, Growth Strategist at Genius and host of the YouTube channel “O novcu”, will open the discussion on pensions and personal finance.
Ivana Drlje, Branimir Petrušić, and Ana Zovko will discuss how fintech is changing the way we use financial services, exploring how attitudes towards money, investing, and financial services are evolving.
The complete programme and all announced speakers are available on the official Investment.Weekend website.
New Energy, New Rules of the Game
Energy is no longer simply a technical issue, but a question of stability, competitiveness and business development. For the second year in a row, Energy.Weekend powered up by E.ON is therefore bringing together leading figures from the energy and business sectors, including representatives of some of Croatia’s largest companies, such as KONČAR, INA and HEP. The focus will be on the energy transition, security of supply, and challenges that are already changing the way businesses operate.
Nikša Sviličić, a triple PhD holder and full professor, will open the second edition with a presentation on decision-making under uncertainty and the gap between knowing what needs to be done and being ready to actually initiate change.
Iva Rogović Lekić, CEO of GrECo Specialty, will share how energy has become part of business strategy and which specific decisions and figures have driven that change. Diego Cucurachi, CEO of AMARC DHP, will present how cogeneration plants turn waste heat into a strategic asset while improving the stability and economics of industrial facilities.
The full programme and list of Energy.Weekend speakers are available on the official Energy.Weekend website.
Health Under New Rules at the First Health.Weekend
The inaugural Health.Weekend will explore topics that are changing the way we think about health – from new trends and technologies to prevention and the increasingly active role of patients.
Victoria Loomes, Senior Trend Analyst at TrendWatching, will open the programme with an overview of global trends shaping the future of health and wellbeing.
Prim. Dr. Borka Pezo Nikolić, a cardiologist at University Hospital Centre Zagreb, will speak with Mario Ravić, Business Owner Services at Ericsson Nikola Tesla, about how home diagnostics, self-monitoring and telemedicine are moving healthcare from the doctor’s office into everyday life.
The full Health.Weekend programme is available on the official Health.Weekend website.
The First Education.Weekend – Children Have Changed. What About School?
The first edition of Education.Weekend brings together speakers who turn knowledge into curiosity, inspiration and tangible change.
Educator and astronomer Korado Korlević will discuss education that encourages critical thinking and the discovery of talent, while astrophysicist Gregor Čavlović, winner of a prestigious Webby Award and a member of the team behind the world-renowned science YouTube channel Veritasium, will demonstrate how even the most complex scientific topics can be made accessible to a broad audience, with his videos receiving more than 30 million views.
They will be joined by university professor, author, and transformational speaker Kenan Crnkić, who will address personal development, motivation, and success, and Ranko Rajović, creator of the NTC Learning System, who will explain how technology is changing children’s brains and childhood, and why education needs to keep pace with the way new generations think and learn.
When the Panels End, Weekend Changes Its Rhythm
Eight festival programmes mean eight different worlds coming together in one place over several days, but Weekend has never been only about what happens on stage. Conversations continue in a much more informal atmosphere, while networking, spontaneous meetings and parties have been an essential part of Weekend for almost two decades.
This year, Thursday and Friday will feature the traditional parties and social gatherings, while a major closing spectacle is being prepared for Saturday, with more information to be revealed soon.
From September 24th to 27th, Rovinj will once again become a meeting place for people, ideas and industries shaping what comes next.
All information about the programme, speakers and tickets is available on the festival’s official website and social media channels.
Text and Photos: Weekend.19
Cover Photo: Weekend.18 by Ines Novković
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