Speakers

President of the National Property Resource (Krajowy Zasób Nieruchomości – KZN). 

A native of Gorlice, legal counsel, and graduate of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. Former Deputy Mayor of the City of Gorlice. Before joining public administration, he gained professional experience by managing entities operating in the healthcare sector and working in a law firm. 

As of 3 January 2024, Acting President of the National Property Resource; since 25 June 2024, President of the National Property Resource.

A distinguished expert in housing policy, the real estate market, and investment financing methods, particularly in the field of housing. Author of books and articles including The Real Estate Market – System and Financing, Financing Housing Investments, Accessible Housing in a Sustainable City, as well as works on urban revitalization and innovation. He has received three awards from the Minister of Construction for his publications. 

From 2000 to 2012, he served as editor-in-chief of the Real Estate publishing series at Poltext. 

In 2001–2003, he was President of the Office for Housing and Urban Development and Deputy Minister of Infrastructure. 

From 1999 to 2023, he was Head of the Department of Real Estate Market and Investment / Innovative City at SGH.

For 25 years, Wioletta Fabrycka has been professionally connected with the broadly understood construction and real estate sector, working as a project manager, marketing specialist, development director, and client relations manager in organizations operating across diverse areas (design office, investor in hotels and retail, substitute investor, facility management, general contractor). This experience has allowed her to gain practical insight into the entire investment process. 

Since January 2019, she has been running her own company, focusing on education in the field of sustainable construction, real estate, and cities—innovative, responsible, aligned with the goals of sustainable development, ESG, the EU taxonomy, and the circular economy. 

She co-creates industry conferences, moderates discussion panels, and is the author of numerous webinars on architecture and urban planning (over 40 online events during a year and a half of the Covid-19 pandemic, featuring around 50 well-recognized experts from the Polish market). 

For many years, she has shared her knowledge with full-time students (“Construction in Practice”) and postgraduate students (“Management in Construction”) at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Warsaw University of Technology, as well as at the postgraduate program “ESG Perspective: Responsible and Sustainable Management” at Kozminski University in Warsaw. 

She is a member of several industry associations and initiatives: expert for the Climate Leadership program led by UNEP/GRID; Polish Green Building Council (PLGBC); Polish Association of Construction Managers (PSMB); Advisory Board to the Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Warsaw University of Technology; Women in Real Estate Poland (WIREP); Top Woman in Real Estate (where she coordinates successive editions of the Mentoring Program for women in the real estate market, involving approx. 75 mentees and 100 mentors annually). 

The overarching goal of her work is broad-scale education and building a community of stakeholders committed to implementing corrective and preventive actions in the construction sector, taking into account the full life cycle of buildings to reduce—or eliminate—their negative impact on users and the environment. 

Education: Master’s degree in Romance Philology; postgraduate studies in “Business Management” at SGH in cooperation with the renowned Parisian business school HEC – Hautes Études Commerciales, and “ESG in Construction” at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology. 

Policy officer, member of Housing Task Force, European Commission 

Grzegorz has been working for nearly 20 years on policy, financial and legal files in the European Commission to streamline a strategic approach on the use of EU funds in the social and security areas. He is keen on combining various policy perspectives and regulatory instruments as well as building bridges between institutional and other stakeholders to achieve greater outcomes and impacts. In the programming, monitoring and assessing endeavours, Grzegorz has been focusing on the issues related to governance and enabling conditions to ensure performant public good ecosystems, with involvement of the private sector, where possible. With his expertise, Grzegorz contributed to shaping political lines.  

Considering the current importance of the EU-wide challenges related to access to social and affordable housing, Grzegorz has been focusing on these matters from social and financial angles. He drafted Social Housing and Beyond with appreciation expressed by the EU Presidency and other stakeholders as an important source of information on impactful interventions and the EU opportunities for investments in social and affordable housing and associated services. Grzegorz is currently detached to the Housing Task Force, a new Commission service to design and implement a first ever European Affordable Housing Plan (Making housing affordable - Housing - European Commission) 

Grzegorz completed the first PhD research degree (Diplôme d’Etudes Approfondies) in EU law and political science. He exercised academic activities at Sciences Po Paris.

Deputy Mayor of Bytom. Magdalena Górak has been involved in local government since 2015. She began her career at Bytomskie Mieszkania (Bytom Housing Authority), where she managed one of the most complex departments, responsible, among other things, for compensation related to the failure to provide social housing following eviction orders, allocation of social housing units for homeless and disabled persons, and the recovery of paid compensation. 

In July 2022, she was appointed Director of Bytomskie Mieszkania, and on 1 July 2024 she became the Third Deputy Mayor of Bytom. She is responsible, among other areas, for social and housing policy, municipal waste management, and heritage protection. 

A lifelong resident of Bytom, Magdalena Górak graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Silesia. She describes herself as a local patriot, a devoted sports fan, and an enthusiast of volleyball and football.

City of Dąbrowa Górnicza, Head of the Housing Policy Department – Dąbrowa Górnicza City Hall. 

Since 2019, he has overseen the implementation of the Municipal Housing Policy of Dąbrowa Górnicza for 2018–2027. He supervises the activities of the municipal budget unit responsible for managing the city’s housing stock. He effectively designs, develops, and implements housing projects aimed at meeting the housing needs of the local community. 

He holds a degree from the Faculty of Social Policy at the University of Silesia in Katowice and an MBA. 

Krzysztof Hołyński has extensive experience in supporting civil society and advisory organizations. He has in-depth knowledge of local NGO challenges gained both as the head of the Non-Governmental Organization Centre in Katowice—home to over 100 NGOs—and as an active member and expert within the sector. 

As a trainer and advisor for NGOs, he has delivered over 220 days of training, primarily in areas such as fundraising, financial management, strategy development, and the use of new technologies. In parallel, he has provided more than 3,000 hours of consulting on legal and organizational issues, cross-sector cooperation, community animation, and funding acquisition. 

He brings over 20 years of experience in civic engagement, NGO support, and intersectoral collaboration. His public roles include membership in numerous dialogue and advisory bodies, such as: County Public Benefit Council of Katowice (2015–2017, 2020–present), National Public Benefit Council, Ministerial Group on Participation and Civic Dialogue, Steering and Monitoring Committee of the Government Program for the Development of Civil Organizations, Monitoring Committee of the “European Funds for Silesia 2021–2027” program (including Vice-Chair of the Partnership Group). 

He is also President of the MOST Association, Vice-President of the National Federation of Non-Governmental Organizations (OFOP), President of the Silesian Forum of NGOs KAFOS, and a Board Member of the Silesian Third Sector Network.

Senior Strategy Advisor, Housing Sector, JLL 

Kazimierz Kirejczyk is one of Poland’s leading housing market experts, supporting the development of the sector since the early 1990s. He is the co-founder and long-time President of the advisory firm REAS, which became part of JLL in December 2018. As part of JLL’s Residential Market Research Team, he contributes to key advisory projects carried out for developers and investors active in the Polish housing market. 

Kazimierz Kirejczyk is also the author of dozens of articles in specialist media and numerous professional publications analyzing Poland’s residential market. He is a frequent speaker and panelist at real estate conferences and has, for many years, conducted lectures and training sessions dedicated to the residential sector.

She has been involved in the NGO sector for over a dozen years; currently a staff member of Stowarzyszenie Egala, an activist with the Grupa Granica network, and a volunteer with Chlebem i Solą. In her daily work, she promotes human rights as a communications specialist. 

A journalist by education. A nature enthusiast, constantly seeking ways to minimise the negative impact on the environment around us. 

National Programme Officer [Humanitarian Response and Recovery Unit] for IOM Poland. 

A humanitarian aid worker with 15 years of experience in the sector as a manager, and project coordinator. She graduated in political science from the University of Warsaw and then MBA in 2021, associated with the Polish Humanitarian Action for 11 years in different missions: South Sudan, Somalia, Palestine, Iraq, Ukraine, and Syria. Since 2022 she has been cooperating with IOM Poland as the National Programme Officer of the Humanitarian Response and Recovery Unit responsible for Shelter, NFIs, WASH, SMS and CBI interventions.

A graduate of the Warsaw University of Technology. Since 2024, he has served as the President of the Polish Gypsum Association. He actively participates in consultations on new legislation, particularly in the areas of building energy efficiency and sustainable construction. He conducts numerous training sessions and frequently appears at conferences as a speaker and panelist. He is an active advocate for promoting sustainable development in Polish architecture and construction. 

He collaborates with several universities in Poland and is a member of multiple Polish Committee for Standardization (PKN) technical committees. He is the author and co-author of over 70 professional guides and publications dedicated to improving the quality of construction in Poland. 

Economist at the Institute for Structural Research (IBS), PhD in economics. Her research focuses on the economic and social aspects of the energy transition, with particular emphasis on energy poverty, support for vulnerable groups, and reducing social inequalities in the shift toward a low-carbon economy. She has carried out research projects funded by the European Commission, the National Science Centre (NCN), the World Bank, the European Climate Foundation, and the European Climate Initiative, as well as initiatives supporting the activities of local governments.

An expert in advocacy and public policy, specializing in human rights, non-discrimination, and housing. She is currently professionally affiliated with the Institute for Urban and Regional Development. Previously, she worked on affordable housing at Habitat for Humanity Poland, where she was responsible for the organization’s advocacy efforts. She also led the advocacy team at the Campaign Against Homophobia – the largest Polish organization supporting LGBT+ people.

She represents the non-governmental sector in the area of fundamental rights on the Partnership Agreement Committee overseeing the implementation of EU funds in Poland. She is also a member of the Subcommittee on the Application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. In addition, she serves on the board of her local housing community.

Secretary of State in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. In the years 2023–2025, she served as the Minister for Senior Policy. She holds a master’s degree and a doctoral degree from the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, as well as a postgraduate diploma in social assistance organization from the Higher School of Commerce in Kielce. 

From 1998 to 2007, she was Deputy Director of the Municipal Social Assistance Centre in Skarżysko-Kamienna. In the past, she was a member of the local structures of the Society of Friends of Children, as well as a lecturer at the College of Social Services Workers and a teacher at the Vocational Development Centre. She is the founder of one of the first consultation and intervention points for victims of domestic violence. 

In 2006–2007 she served as a councillor in the Świętokrzyskie Regional Assembly, and from 2007 to 2024 she was a Member of the Polish Parliament (Sejm). Throughout her parliamentary work, she was involved in social policy issues, with particular focus on the needs of older people and senior policy. She served as Deputy Chair of the Senior Policy Committee and Deputy Chair of the Social Policy and Family Committee. 

On 13 December 2023, she was appointed Minister for Senior Policy. She is the author and co-author of numerous programmes and legislative initiatives, including on support for dependent persons and the amendment to the Act on Senior Councils.

Director of the Department of Infrastructure Programmes at the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, which serves as the Managing Authority for the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, and Environment Programme. 

He graduated with distinction from the Faculty of Journalism and Political Science at the University of Warsaw (2000). His entire professional career has been devoted to working in central public administration. 

Since 2000, he has been involved in the preparation and implementation of strategic and programming documents for regional and cohesion policy across four consecutive EU financial perspectives. From 2006, he served as Deputy Director in the Managing Authority for the Infrastructure and Environment Programme, where he was responsible for programming and the use of EU funds in the fields of energy, culture, healthcare, and higher education. 

Since 2016, he has been the Director of the Department acting as the Managing Authority for the Infrastructure and Environment Programme 2014–2020 and the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, and Environment Programme. He is responsible for the programming and implementation of the entire operational programme, as well as the Connecting Europe Facility and the Social Climate Fund. 

He is the author of numerous articles and publications on structural and Cohesion Fund issues related to transport, energy, and urban regeneration infrastructure.

Social Projects Manager, professionally involved in the NGO sector since 2008. An experienced Project Manager of initiatives funded by public sources – both local government and EU – focused on building sustainable social services and strengthening the capacity of non-governmental organizations. She specializes in project planning, implementation and reporting, team management, and grant compliance. 

As Regional Director at the Foundation for Initiating Social Development, she oversees and develops the Wrocław Social Rental Agency (SAN), where she is responsible for building the social rental market, including acquiring apartments, standardizing processes for landlords and tenants, financial performance, and partnerships with local authorities and the private sector. Her expertise in shaping a socially responsible and rational long-term rental market stems from years of implementing projects related to creating and managing training apartments for socially excluded groups, as well as – since January 2025 – from hands-on experience in establishing, developing, and managing SAN in Wrocław. 

Certified Project Manager under PRINCE2® Foundation, and a graduate of Political Science at the University of Wrocław and postgraduate studies in Project Management at the Wrocław University of Economics.

CEO of ESGRE, where she fulfills her passion for connecting people, topics, and ideas to advance ESG agendas, including building and implementing holistic sustainability strategies for her clients. 

Elżbieta works with commercial real estate developers as well as third-sector organizations, advising on environmental issues (including waste prevention) and social impact, while supporting the execution of sustainability strategies. Previously, she worked with the office development division of Skanska, where she was responsible for educational programs, implementing circular economy solutions, and collaborating with business partners on ESG topics. She also led the Body & Mind employee network, supporting the physical and mental well-being of employees. Earlier, at JLL, she contributed to real estate consulting tenders and served as the Leader of the Charity and Sustainability Committee. 

Driven by a desire to deepen her practical knowledge in the social dimension of sustainability, Elżbieta is also actively involved with the Integration Foundation, where she helps businesses better understand architectural accessibility and inclusiveness. 

Before entering the real estate sector, she worked with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Compact Network Poland. 

While living in Wales, she studied sustainable development and worked on the “Transition Towns” and “Changing Times” projects, focused on improving energy efficiency in non-commercial buildings, reducing energy poverty, and analyzing consumer energy behaviors. 

She serves as a Circularity Expert in the UNEP/GRID Warsaw Climate Leadership program. 

Elżbieta is a former Board Member of the Polish Green Building Council (PLGBC), where she developed one of the organization’s first ethical codes and promoted circular economy initiatives. 

She also previously served on the Executive Committee of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) for Poland and the Czech Republic, and chaired the ESG Product Council within the organization. 

In 2023, she was awarded the Top Woman in Real Estate title in the Green Building, Sustainability, Innovation & Technology category for her work advancing circularity in the built environment.

Assistant Professor and head of postgraduate studies at SGH Warsaw School of Economics; researcher, trainer, lecturer, and expert in housing and sustainable development; mentor in programmes for young women. She collaborates on an ongoing basis with organisations and institutions such as UNEP/GRID, PFRN, Habitat for Humanity, the Veolia Foundation, WIB, IRMiR, MRiT, PZFD, UNHCR, IFC, and the EIB. 

She conducts numerous studies—also internationally—on housing, housing affordability, and housing needs. 

She collaborates on the development of affordable housing programmes. She is the author/co-author and organiser of conferences on the real estate market and housing. She also leads projects focused on holistic approaches to sustainable development (ESG), including quality of life and local development.

On 4 January 2024, she was appointed Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy of the Republic of Poland. 

From 2019 to 2023, she served as an advisor in the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg, where she worked with the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality. In 2022, she was awarded the title of Best Accredited Assistant in the European Parliament. 

In 2017–2018, she worked in the Press Department at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in London, and between 2013–2017 she was employed at the consulting firm Landmark Public Affairs in Brussels. 

From 2021 to 2023, she served as a board member of the Institute for Democratic Thought Foundation. 

In 2022–2023, she represented Poland in the Marshall Memorial Fellowship, a transatlantic leadership development program organized by the German Marshall Fund of the United States. 

She holds degrees from the London School of Economics, the College of Europe in Bruges, and the Polish Institute of International Affairs’ Postgraduate School of Foreign Policy. 

She speaks English, French, and Spanish, and comes from Katowice.

He is the Lead Economist for the EU region at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, formerly an economist at CASE – Centre for Social and Economic Analysis. He develops economic analyses and strategic recommendations and co-shapes policies that foster sustainable economic development, supported by the Bank through policy engagement, investment and private sector mobilisation. He graduated from the University of Göttingen and the Warsaw School of Economics.

A public affairs specialist with extensive experience in EU policies and regulations, as well as in both EU and national decision-making processes. She currently serves as Public Affairs Manager at Knauf Insulation. Previously, she worked for many years in the Polish public administration (UKIE, MFA, Chancellery of the Prime Minister), coordinating Poland’s EU policy, and later in the private sector in the area of new technologies. 

Her professional interests include sustainable development and energy efficiency. She represents Knauf Insulation in Fala Renowacji (the Renovation Wave), a cross-sector expert group focused on energy efficiency in buildings and the promotion of comprehensive building renovation in Poland.

Co-founder and president of the Polish National Federation for Solving the Problem of Homelessness, representative of Poland and former vice-president of the European Federation of National Organisations Working with Homeless People (FEANTSA), co-chair of the Expert Committee on Combating Homelessness of the Ombudsman for Human Rights, member of the Workgroup for Reform of the Social Assistance System at the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, member of the Council for Public Benefit Activities. For 20 years involved in combating homelessness in Poland, originally as an employee of the St. Brother Albert Aid Society in Zabrze and Wrocław, also a long-standing member of the association's governing bodies. Coordinator of projects aimed at supporting people in crisis in overcoming homelessness and advocating for their rights, as well as promoting the issue of homelessness and good practices in solving it. Animator of cooperation in the non-governmental sector.

Senior Programme Coordinator for IOM Poland.  

He has over 12 years of experience in humanitarian and recovery operations in natural disaster and conflict contexts around the world, with a particular interest in shelter and housing. 

Colin is a graduate of the University of St Andrews (International Relations) and the University of Oxford (International Development).

Editor-in-Chief of the magazine Senior Policy, Director of Senior_Hub – Institute for Senior Policy, and member of the team at the Zaczyn Foundation.

Co-founder of the Association of Parents and Friends of Blind and Partially Sighted Children “Tęcza” (1990), and herself a parent with experience raising a child with a disability. For the past 12 years, she has served as the Association’s President and as Director of the network of institutions it comprises: an early-childhood counseling center, a non-public special kindergarten and a rehabilitation-education center, a daytime support center for adults with multiple disabilities, and the Tęcza Non-Public Health Care Facility. Each year, 250 individuals with visual impairments and multiple disabilities receive specialized care through these services.

Community organizer, participation practitioner, educator, researcher, and urban activist. A graduate of Sociology at the University of Warsaw. 

She has worked for many years in local civil society organizations and municipal institutions. She is affiliated with the Global Network of Young Cooperators. 

President and founder of the Splot Społeczny Foundation. Co-creator of the initiatives Obieg Rzeczy and Obieg Twórczy.

Director of the Lena Grochowska Foundation and founder of “toMy” artistic handicraft workshop, which employs people with disabilities. At the Foundation, she also develops a supported housing program for socially excluded individuals. With over 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector, she has developed and led numerous social and cultural initiatives. She specializes in designing impactful projects and securing both national and EU funding for their implementation. She is actively involved in national policy development as a member of expert teams on Social Inclusion Strategy and the Social Integration Programme at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland.