MGI members gather in Athens for a memorable European Conference
Last month, MGI members came together in historic Athens for the 2026 European Conference, bringing with them the energy, openness and sense of community that make our network so special.
Hosted at the elegant Divani Caravel Hotel, the event was a valuable mix of plenary sessions, table discussions, keynote insight, social activities, and time to reconnect with colleagues from across Europe and beyond.
A warm welcome in Athens
Caisa Westin, MGI Europe Chair, opened the meeting by welcoming delegates and introducing our host firms, atc Certified Public Accountants and MGI Sofakis Partners, setting the tone for a conference full of connection, conversation and warm Greek hospitality.
Welcome was also extended to new members GPRM – Contabilidade e Consultoria, Lda from Portugal, as well as colleagues who had travelled from further afield, including the UK, China, Korea, and North America, bringing a valued international perspective to the meeting.
New perspectives
In addition to the focused plenary sessions, delegates had opportunity to share experiences from their own firms and markets during round-table discussions — open conversations where the real value of these MGI events came to life, as delegates shared insights, new ideas, and learnt directly from one another.
A programme highlight was keynote speaker Yanis Varoufakis, (Greece’s finance minister in 2015 during the height of the Greek debt crisis), who explored how big tech, data ownership, and shifting economic power structures are reshaping markets, sparking plenty of conversation among delegates.
Hearing from our members
Special thanks go to: Cathy Zhang, from Cathy Accounting Firm, China, for sharing thoughts on business collaboration between China and Europe; Robert Hoberman and Madeline Shands (new Shadow IC representative for North America), for their talk on 'Understanding the U.S. tax system', and Roger Isaac for his unique approach to collaboration.
Delegates also received an update from MGI Europe NextGen group leader Anna Ebner, who continues to bring fresh thinking and future-focused perspectives into the European network.
Experiencing Athens together
It would have been a shame to go to Athens and not get to see some of the breathtaking sights, so on the Friday delegates took to the streets, some visited the stunning Acropolis Museum, while others joined 'Aristophanes Games', a lively outdoor team-playing adventure!
The day ended with a wonderful dinner at the Divani Acropolis rooftop restaurant, with stunning views of the Acropolis as the backdrop. It was a memorable setting for members to relax, reconnect and continue the conversations from the day.
Thank you to everyone who joined us
A big thank you to European Regional Director Zoltan Paksy and the European Board for organising such a thoughtful and well-run event.
Be sure to check out all the event photos on the MGI flickr account HERE
MGI Worldwide is a leading global accounting network and association with over 8,800 professionals, accountants and tax experts in some 440 locations in almost 100 countries