Danube Business Talks 2026

Peter Hanke serves as Federal Minister for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure in the Austrian federal government since March 2025. Before entering the federal government, Hanke enjoyed a long career in public administration and economic management. He was an Executive City Councillor in the City of Vienna, responsible for finance, the economy, labour, international affairs, and oversight of the Vienna Public Utilities. Previously, he spent many years in the private sector, serving as Managing Director of Wien Holding GmbH from 2002 to 2018. Earlier in his career, he also held board and management positions in several other firms. Hanke studied business administration at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. His work in government focuses on strengthening innovation, improving mobility and infrastructure, and fostering economic development in Austria.

Hans-Peter Hasenbichler graduated from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna. After completing his studies, he worked as a Project Manager at Autobahnen- und Schnellstraßen AG (ÖSAG), focusing on traffic planning and construction. In 2004, he joined the government infrastructure holding ASFINAG as Head of Internal Audit and subsequently assumed the role of Head of Financial Controlling. On 1 November 2008, Mr. Hasenbichler was appointed Managing Director of via donau – Austrian Waterway Company.

Antonio Stoean brings over 30 years of experience in the Danube–Black Sea region. He has worked extensively in river shipping and port operations, contributing to numerous port-related projects as well as to the development and investment of the inland river fleet. Since 2021, he has been actively involved in facilitating the Danube Solidarity Lanes in cooperation with the Danube Commission. As of January 2026, he joined Pro Danube as Senior Policy Officer, where he continues to support strategic policy development and the strengthening of inland waterway transport in Europe.

Benjamin Friedhoff studied ship technology at the University of Duisburg-Essen, where he subsequently worked for three years as a research associate. In 2008, he joined the Development Center for Ship Technology and Transport Systems (DST), where he worked on a wide range of research topics in the fields of hydrodynamics and renewable energy. Since 2014, he has served as Head of the Hydrodynamics Department, managing and coordinating numerous national and international projects, particularly in the areas of energy transition and emission reduction. As part of a restructuring of DST in January 2020, his department was renamed “Experiments, Fleet Modernisation and Emissions.” This new designation reflects the organization’s response to current societal challenges and its growing involvement in numerous national and international projects within this expanded field of expertise, including the Innovation Action SYNERGETICS, which he coordinates.

Leonie Morsch is the Sustainability Manager at Rhenus Port Logistics, where she drives strategic environmental initiatives with a strong focus on emission measurement, reporting, and reduction in inland waterway and rail transport as well as terminal operations. Her professional path spans management systems, process development, and sustainability transformation within the Rhenus Group, enabling her to combine operational expertise with forward‑looking environmental strategy. Her work centers on advancing transparent emission assessment to support greener decision-making across the European inland waterway network. Prior to her current role, Leonie completed her Master’s degree in Logistics Engineering and Management in Bremerhaven, conducting research on hydrogen supply chains for future aviation energy systems in collaboration with Airbus and Bremen Airport.

Martin Quispel graduated at the Technical University Delft in 1999 and holds a master’s degree in Systems engineering, Policy Analysis and Management specialised in transport and logistic systems. He has 25 years of experience in research and consultancy in freight transport and infrastructure, with a focus on inland waterways transport (IWT). Recent projects which he carried out concern policy support on European level for policy on IWT and support on national level for policies and research on the energy transition and emission reduction in IWT.

David Bachmann is an Austrian trade diplomat and business expert. He holds an MBA in Economics and International Business Administration from the Vienna University of Economics and Business. Since September 2025, he has been serving as Commercial Counsellor for Ukraine at ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA in Kyiv. Previously, he held the same position in Singapore and Tripoli. He also served as Chief Marketing Officer and Member of the Executive Board of ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA in Vienna. Prior postings as a trade diplomat included Mexico city, Lisbon and Stockholm. He speaks several languages, including German, Spanish, English, Portuguese, French and Swedish, with basic knowledge of Arabic. Bachmann has been awarded the Knight of the Royal Order of the Northern Star by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and the Golden Medal of Merit of the Republic of Austria.

Daniel Jarnea is currently the Head of Marketing Department of the Constanta Port Administration. Mr. Jarnea has a background in Foreign Affairs and a degree from the Romanian-American University in Bucharest. His practical experience in the port sector started in 2003, as a marketing specialist. Over the years, Mr. Jarnea organised and participated in transport dedicated events and has been an experienced speaker, representing the Port of Constanta in multiple conferences, exhibitions and panels.

Birgit Kobierski is policy officer in the Infrastructure Financing and Economic Affairs Department at the Austrian Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure. At the EU level, she represents the Republic of Austria within the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) transport programme, both in ongoing programme management as a member of the CEF transport comitology committee and in the EU legislative process as a national expert.

Ines Poppinger holds a degree in Logistics and Transport Management and is currently completing a Master’s programme focused on EU project management and EU policy. Since 2023, she has been working at viadonau – the Austrian Waterway Management Company – in the Transport Development team. She acts as the internal coordinator for military mobility and specialises in EU military mobility, with a particular focus on its integration into inland waterway transport systems

Claudiu Staicu is a senior public sector professional specialising in transport infrastructure strategy, EU funding programmes, and large-scale investment management. He currently serves as Coordinator of the CEF (Connecing Europe Facility) Department at the Romanian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. In his role, he focuses on developing and implementing major transport infrastructure programmes, including highways, rail modernization, port development, and sustainable mobility initiatives. He works closely with European institutions and international partners to strengthen cross-border connectivity and support Romania’s integration into key European transport corridors. His work includes managing EU funding mechanisms, promoting green and digital transport solutions, and advancing projects that contribute to regional connectivity between the Danube, the Black Sea, and the wider European transport network.

Dimo Dimov is an international transport and mobility expert with a strong focus on waterborne transport, bringing experience across government, consultancy, non‑governmental organizations, and international organizations in Bulgaria, the Western Balkans, Türkiye, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. He holds an MSc in Business Administration from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and has worked extensively on major EU‑funded transport and infrastructure initiatives including TEN‑T, CEF, Horizon 2020, IPA, and NDICI, alongside UN‑related work on digital and multimodal freight transport. His background includes performing financial‑control responsibilities within the public sector and preparing transport policy analyses, funding applications, and financial evaluations such as Cost‑Benefit Analyses (CBA) and Cost‑Effectiveness Analyses (CEA). In his current role as Waterborne Transport and Green Mobility Desk Officer at the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community, he leads work on maritime and inland waterway transport, supporting EU acquis alignment and strategic sector development in Moldova, Ukraine, and Georgia.