We’re living through a time of accelerating change and mounting pressure. The world feels polarized, uncertain, and increasingly complex. In this landscape, creative professionals are no longer just expected to adapt. They’re being called to lead.

ARBE 2025 is more than a creative gathering. It’s a strategic workspace. A live lab where leadership is reimagined at the intersection of AI, human creativity, and systemic transformation.

This year, we’re convening bold thinkers, designers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policy-makers to co-create Romania’s first Future Skills Playbook for business. We’re turning insight into action, connecting tech with emotion, and bridging creativity with innovation.

Rooted in Academic Research and Business Education, ARBE is not about passive inspiration, it’s an open call for collaboration across the private, public, and academic sectors. Together, we’ll explore how creative thinking, emerging technologies, and human insight can fuel the next chapter of economic development — from personal branding in a globalized market to the soft skills and digital fluency that define professional survival today.

Join us to co-author Romania’s Future Skills Playbook — and help shape the conversation about what comes next.

What is it?

ARBE 2025 is a half-day summit hosted by Bucharest Business School (BBS-ASE), designed as a dynamic meeting point for creative professionals, business innovators, and academic researchers. This inaugural edition marks the beginning of an annual series dedicated to rethinking creative leadership at the intersection of technology, strategy, and human insight.

Who is it for?

• Creative Entrepreneurs looking to scale ideas with strategic clarity and AI tools
• Academic Researchers exploring the intersection of creativity, business, and emerging technologies
• NGO Leaders driving cultural and social impact through innovative project design
• Cultural and Creative Project Managers navigating funding, audiences, and digital transformation
• Public Policy Designers developing frameworks that support the creative economy and future skills

How many participants?

We expect a number of 120 – 150 participants for this first edition.

What can participants expect to gain from attending?

• Explore the history of commerce through the art world and unpack the tensions between artistic value and commercial success

• Discover key trends in cultural consumption and what they mean for your work and audiences

• Take part in a focused session tackling the real needs of creative future-facing businesses

• Learn about the real costs of using generative AI in creative work – from licensing models to human-AI collaboration – through a session grounded in hands-on experience with cutting-edge projects.

• Meet a cross-sector community of professionals, thinkers, and doers who are shaping the future of creative leadership

Key performance indicators

• The amount and quality of media attention the conference receives
• Sponsors and partners involved in the conference
• Participation and engagement

What Comes Next: Romania’s Future Skills Playbook

Following ARBE 2025, we will begin co-creating Romania’s Future Skills Playbook – a practical, research-based toolkit designed to support creative professionals, educators, policymakers, and business leaders in navigating the next economy.

This playbook will map out the essential skills, tools, and mindsets needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape shaped by technology, creativity, and human insight.

We’re actively seeking partners and contributors from across all sectors to help shape this initiative. If you’re interested in joining our working group or supporting this project, we’d love to hear from you.

Contact us to be part of the call for co-creation.