22. BRAND GLOBAL SUMMIT: THE POWER OF BRANDS

October 20 - 21, 2026

The European Brand Institute (EBI) — Europe’s leading institution for brand and IP valuation — will host the 22nd Brand Global Summit during its 30th anniversary year on 20 October at Palais Niederösterreich, and on 21 October at Deloitte HQ and Vienna City Hall. Held under this year’s guiding theme “The Power of Brands – Leading in a New Economic Reality,” the Brand Global Summit 2026 is the premier global platform where brands, leadership, finance, and responsibility converge—shaping the future of sustainable growth in an AI-driven economy.

PROGRAM coming soon!

Day 1: Regional Leadership Day: Lower Austria positions itself as a bridge to China

When international decision-makers gather at Palais Niederösterreich on 20 October, the focus will extend far beyond brand management. The 22nd Brand Global Summit, organized by the European Brand Institute in cooperation with UNIDO, the State of Lower Austria, and leading business stakeholders, will spotlight a topic that is redefining the rules of the global economy: co-innovation instead of competition.

Marking the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Austria and China, the China–Lower Austria Day will be dedicated to strategic partnerships. The Regional Brand Leadership Day China – Lower Austria will demonstrate the direction of future development: regions are evolving into active innovation platforms, while brands are becoming anchors of trust within international ecosystems.

Particular attention will be given to the partnership between Lower Austria and China’s Zhejiang Province — a prime example of how regional cooperation is increasingly generating global innovation momentum. While China has long established itself as a high-speed innovation hub, Europe is searching for new answers. Lower Austria intends to be one of them. With strengths in industry, environmental technology, life sciences, digitalization, and logistics, Lower Austria is positioning itself as a strategic gateway between Europe and Asia — not as a competitor, but as a partner in collaborative innovation processes.

Day 2: The Value of Brands 

For three decades, the European Brand Institute has demonstrated how brand value drives competitiveness, investment, and sustainable growth. In 2026, the summit looks ahead to the next decade — exploring how brands, artificial intelligence, finance, and sustainability will shape resilient and responsible economies.

“At Brand Global Summit 2026, we focus on one essential question: how brands remain human, become more intelligent, and create lasting impact. In a world shaped by AI, global finance, and increasing regulation, brands are no longer only marketing assets — they are legal, financial, and strategic assets,” said Prof. Dr. Gerhard Hrebicek, President of the European Brand Institute. 
 

The summit’s guiding perspective — Human First. Brand Always. — places human experience, trust, and responsibility at the center of brand strategy, while recognizing the transformative role of AI, digital technologies, and capital markets in shaping future growth. Brand is the decisive factor.