On the shores of Lake Como stands a villa that, every September, becomes the crossroads of major international strategy.
From September 4 to 6, 2026, Villa d'Este in Cernobbio hosts the 52nd edition of the Forum organized by The European House – Ambrosetti (TEHA), titled "Today's and Tomorrow's Scenario for Competitive Strategies." Three days of dialogue that, since 1975, have symbolically opened the autumn season of the Italian and European economic and political agenda, in a setting that combines institutional prestige with the beauty of the Lake Como landscape.
Cernobbio is accessible from Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate airports, as well as from Lugano airport, with road connections that see a significant increase in traffic toward Lake Como during the Forum. For those staying in the villas and hotels overlooking the lake, a dedicated Balsamo lake-mobility team also coordinates boat transfers between the various lakeside towns: an elegant and discreet way to move between one Forum engagement and the next. It's in contexts like this that the value of truly 360-degree support emerges: from planning airport arrivals, to managing daily transfers by land and by lake, to continuous client assistance throughout the event — the same organizational capability we provide, with the same care, in every corner of the world.
The Forum brings together heads of state, ministers, Nobel laureates, CEOs and top executives from leading international industrial and financial groups. The first day is devoted to major global economic, geopolitical and technological themes; the second focuses on Europe, with the participation of authorities and representatives from the continent's key institutions, in a dialogue that over the years has become a benchmark for the continent's political and economic agenda.
Unlike many major international gatherings, the Cernobbio Forum retains a strongly private character: attendance is by invitation only, in a setting that favors direct dialogue between the leaders of institutions and the business world, away from the most intrusive media spotlight. This format, largely unchanged over time, is an integral part of the prestige and authority the Forum has built over the decades.
The Forum was born in 1975 from an idea by Alfredo Ambrosetti, who wanted to condense economics, research and politics into a single intensive session capable of anticipating the scenarios of the months ahead. The very first edition, held in early July, saw poor North American attendance due to the Independence Day holiday: ever since, the event has been held steadily on the first weekend of September.