“Financial education is essential for the development of the Romanian economy in the future.” The opening statement spoken by Valentin Ionescu, president of ISF, at the opening of the third edition of Business Smart Education (BSE) can very easily also serve as the conclusion of the event, which brought together 70 entrepreneurs and businesspeople with representatives of elite financial institutions, consultants, and specialists.
Under the title THE IMPACT OF FINANCIAL EDUCATION ON THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT – OPPORTUNITIES FOR A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS, this year’s event took place in Cluj and featured speakers from the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB), the Romanian Commercial Bank (BCR), the North-West Regional Development Agency (ADR Nord-Vest), as well as education and leadership specialists Eusebiu Burcaș, Founder @ BurCASH, Senior Consultant, Trainer & Financial Coach, and Zoltan Vereș, an expert in emotional intelligence development.
The opening speech was delivered by Valentin Ionescu, president of ISF: “We live in a dynamic economic context, marked by rapid transformations – accelerated digitalization, climate change, geopolitical crises, and an increasingly urgent need for sustainability. In this complex landscape, financial education is no longer a luxury or an option, but a strategic necessity. Why? Because a healthy business environment begins with informed financial decisions. From entrepreneurs launching their first ideas to corporations navigating international markets – understanding financial mechanisms is key to resilience, growth, and adaptation. At ISF, our mission is clear: to contribute to the formation of a solid financial culture, both among professionals in the field and in society as a whole. And it’s not just about numbers or indicators. It’s about responsibility, transparency, and long-term vision. A sustainable business is not just profitable. It is one that understands risks, anticipates challenges, and creates value for all stakeholders – employees, clients, investors, and the community,” said Valentin Ionescu.
Cristian Pascu, member of the BVB Council, spoke to Cluj entrepreneurs about the extended role of a stock exchange within the economy, from company financing to financial and entrepreneurial education, digitalization, and technologization within the ecosystem it manages, as well as regional market interconnection.
The BVB representative highlighted the advantages of financing through stock exchange mechanisms and attempted to address the myths and fears of entrepreneurs regarding losing control of family businesses, high listing costs, and the complexity of financing through public or private offerings.
Meanwhile, Petru Ciurtin, BCR regional director for the Cluj area, described Business Smart Education as “an educational and impactful event for the entrepreneurial environment due to its thematic approach, interactivity, and the pragmatism of its speakers.”
Sorin Peligrad, president of the ProAfaceri România association, continued by stating that “ProAfaceri Romania believes in financial education and supports pragmatic initiatives in this regard. From the first edition of BSE in which it was a partner (the Brașov 2024 edition), ProAfaceri contributed to informing the business environment in this direction. We are happy and honored to be partners in this national tour and to participate in ISF’s vision. The Cluj Napoca edition gave us the opportunity not only to co-organize but also to engage in quality networking, learn about novelties in various financial fields, and even share all these elements with our community. Undoubtedly, Arena Urșilor – business pre-acceleration is our program that continues financial education in partnership with ISF. Without financial education, we cannot have shared prosperity! We consider BSE an excellent framework for gaining practical information about financial instruments, business opportunities, financial development solutions, and valuable networking with financial institutions and entrepreneurs.”
The topics covered at the event spanned a wide range of interests for an entrepreneur. Discussions included the BVB as an opportunity for business development, the strategic importance of European projects in business environment growth, entrepreneurs’ relationships with banks, as well as elements of psychology and organizational leadership.
The partners of this edition were:
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Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF);
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Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB);
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North-West Regional Development Agency (ADR Nord-Vest);
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Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania (CECCAR) Cluj Branch;
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Romanian Commercial Bank (BCR);
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Pro Afaceri România;
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National Confederation for Female Entrepreneurship (CONAF);
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Mela Education & Training;
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EVENTOS re-eventing.
