Helena Horska is an acknowledged expert in the field of monetary policy and its practical implication. She is the author of publications in the field of monetary policy. As a part of her Ph.D. study at the University of Economics in Prague and Advanced Studies Program at Kiel Institute of World Economics, she published research papers on inflation targeting. She received the award for “The Young Economist in 2001”.

Her public or professional presentations are dynamic and engaging. She possesses a quick sense of humor and a flair for detecting the signals in the noise. Her strong suit is to explain complex topics in a simple, concise manner.

These days Helena holds the position of Chief economist and Supervisory Board Member of Raiffeisenbank in Prague. Besides this, she actively contributes to the think-thank project “Ministr Zdraví” and gives the lectures of economics at universities. She is involved in professional discussions and writes for periodicals. All new and unknown in the field of monetary policy is exciting for her. Helena’s purpose is to stimulate the discussion and search for the simple answers to unanswered questions.

During COVID shock she was a member of the independent advisory team KoroNERV-20.

Graduated from the University of Economics in Prague with the specialization in the International Trade and European integration 2005. She interrupted her studies for a Joint European Studies Programme at Staffordshire University in the UK and University of Antwerp in Belgium. Completed with a MA EITEI in 2004.

Her professional career started with Mafra a.s.(2000), where she worked for the TV news department TVD, with the specialization in economics and politics. Since 2002 she worked as the PR Director for the National Trade Promotion Agency - CzechTrade. During the floods in 2002 she led the CzechTrade and Radio Impuls Diluvial Centre. Since 2005 she worked 15 years for the public service TV Czech Television at different positions as reporteur, moderator or editor and moderated various events and debates. Now she focuses on moderating specialised debates and events in English and Czech. Cooperates with EC`s DGs, Aspen Institute CE or Mastercard Fintech Engage. Michala is also an entrepreneur herself; she is the co-owner of Beachklub Ládví, the largest facility of its kind in the CEE region. Furthermore, together with her husband, she operates in Austria, where they co-own hotels in Bad Gastein.

Steffen Dyck is a Senior Vice President in Moody’s Sovereign Risk Group.

Based in Frankfurt, he is the lead analyst for a portfolio of European sovereigns including Italy and, until recently, Germany.

Steffen is also co-heading the Sovereign group’s ESG work.

Up until early 2018, Steffen was the lead analyst for number of sovereigns and multilaterals in the Middle East, including Egypt and most of the Gulf Cooperation Council members.

Before relocating to Frankfurt in June 2015, Steffen was based in Moody’s Singapore office, where he covered sovereigns in the Asia-Pacific region as well as in the Middle East.

Prior to joining Moody’s in 2012, Steffen worked for more than six years with Deutsche Bank’s Risk Analysis team in Frankfurt and Singapore, covering macroeconomic and sovereign risk analysis across Asia (ex-Japan), Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. He also helped manage the bank’s sovereign rating processes.

Olivier Chemla is a Vice President in Moody’s Credit Strategy and Standards Group. Based in Frankfurt, he works with the EMEA Chief Credit Officer on ensuring rating consistency across different asset classes. He was a lead analyst for a portfolio of European sovereigns and multilateral institutions between 2018 and 2025. Prior to joining Moody’s in 2018, Olivier served as Chief economist in the French business association for large companies (Afep) for six years. Olivier started his career in the French public administration, holding various positions in the ministries for Labour, Health and Economics. He was appointed Special Adviser to the Minister for the Budget, Public accounts and the State reform in the summer of 2011.

Sebastien’s responsibilities as Head of EMEA Leveraged Finance include:

•Leading Moody’s EMEA Leveraged Finance franchise, providing strategic and analytical leadership to ensure high standards of ratings quality, consistency, and timeliness.

•Overseeing team development and cross-regional collaboration, strengthening coordination across Leveraged Finance, Private Credit, Structured Credit, Credit Estimates, and Recoveries.

•Representing Moody’s in the market, building relationships with issuers, investors, sponsors, and other key market participants across EMEA.

Prior to his leadership appointment, Sebastien was a senior lead analyst for over 15 years based in London and most recently in Warsaw covering portfolios of European-based investment and speculative grade corporate issuers operating across varied sectors. Coverage sectors included investment holding,chemicals,telecom, payment solutions, business and consumer services, equipment and transportation rental, and retail.

Prior to re-joining Moody’s in 2011, Sebastien was an analyst within the credit team at LGT Capital Partners (fund of hedge funds based in Switzerland), where he monitored a portfolio of investments in distressed credit/special situations hedge funds.

Sebastien holds a Master’s Degree from AudenciaBusiness School in Nantes (France) and a post-graduate diploma from the College of Europe in Warsaw (Poland).

Katja Reise is a Vice President and lead analyst in the Europe, Middle East and Africa banking team, based in Frankfurt. In this capacity, she provides rating analysis for a range of financial institutions in several Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) countries. 

Katja enjoys more than 20 years of work experience in the banking industry, with an emphasis on bank credit analysis and European debt capital markets. Prior to joining Moody’s, Katja was a Senior Credit Analyst with leading analytical responsibility for banks in CEE, Turkey and the Middle East at Capital Intelligence Ratings, a rating agency specialized on emerging markets. Her career further spans positions as credit analyst and debt capital market expert for financial institutions, European corporates and public sector authorities at UniCredit Bank AG and Rentenbank, a German development agency.

Katja is a German-certified banker and holds a degree in Business Administration from the Academy of Administration and Economy (Verwaltungs- undWirtschaftsakademie), Munich

Irena is an Assistant Vice President in Moody’s Sub-Sovereign Group and is based in the Prague office. She holds lead analytical responsibilities for ratings on a diverse portfolio of regional and local governments in Europe and Asia.  

Before joining the Sub-Sovereign Group in 2021, Irena was a corporate analyst in the banking sector covering portfolio of large corporates. Irena holds a Master’s Degree from the Masaryk University Brno.

Gjorgji Josifov joined Moody’s in 2011 as Assistant Vice President within the Sub-Sovereign Group, covering a comprehensive portfolio of regional and local governments as well as government related issuers in various countries of Central and Eastern Europe including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.

Prior to joining Moody’s, Gjorgji served as Chief of Party of the USAID-funded Macedonia Local Government Project (2007-2011). Along with the Chief of Party position he managed the Capital Budgeting and Municipal Credit project components. He has more than 15 years of experience in public policy reform and financial management, with 10 years working on improving local government finance and municipal service delivery in South-East Europe. 

Gjorgji holds a Master Degree in European Integration and Regionalism from Karl Franzens University of Graz and a Certificate in Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations and Financial Management from Central European University of Budapest. He earned a BS in economics from University of “Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje.

Igor Ovcacik is Country Manager for the Czech Republic and Vice President /Relationship Manager for selected Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) countries, located in Prague, the Czech Republic. He is responsible for business development, acquiring new customers and managing relationship in the region.

Igor has extensive banking experience, having worked in Czech and international banks for more than 25 years. His track record covers corporate relationship management, structured finance, syndications, acquisition finance, real estatefinance, public sector finance, renewable energy finance and export finance.

Igor holds an Ing of economics diploma from Prague School of Economics /University, Finance and Credit.