For over 400 years the Hansa States traded with each other in what could loosely be described as an early version of the European Union, without a common currency. In the UK As the future European financial landscape looks increasingly fragmented, does the Hanseatic league offer any lessons for a future world order.
This is the scene setter for the first panel of the day at tomorrow's Mondo Visione Exchange Forum. The first panel, "Towards a new Economic Union – A Twenty First Century Hanseatic League" - is chaired by Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli, Executive Chairman, Z/Yen. Professor Mainelli is also chairing the Exchange Forum.
On the panel are:
- Judith Hardt, Manging Director, Swiss Finance Council
- Prof. Dr. Hans-Jörg Schmidt-Trenz, CEO, Hamburg Chamber of Commerce
- Robert McDowall, Chairman, Policy and Finance Committe, States of Alderney
- Bepi Pezzulli, President, Select Milan
Click bere to read an interview of Bepi Pezzuli, by Sky's City Editor Mark Kleinman. In the interviiew Sky News reveals that Select Milano, which has backing from Italy's finance ministry, is accelerating efforts to create a "financial citadel" in Milan which would become "twinned" with the City of London.
Tomorrow's conference which will be opened by Sir Michael Bear, the 683rd Lord Mayor of London, is being held in London at The Dutch Church.