Mark Sommer

Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung GmbH (ZEW) is an independent investment research firm headquartered in Mannheim, Germany. Founded in 1990, the firm conducts research in the field of applied and policy-oriented economics and provides national and international research with important data sets via its research data center. They support politicians, companies and administrations at national and European level in overcoming economic policy challenges through in-depth advice. ZEW pursues the economic analysis of functioning markets and institutions in Europe as an overarching research guiding principle. Their main research interests are in the areas of competition and regulation. Methodologically, research at ZEW is based in particular on microeconomic and micro econometric approaches.

ifo Institut – Leibniz Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung e.V. is an independent research firm headquartered in Munich, Germany. Founded in 1949, the firm focuses on five areas of activity: policy advisory work, provision of information/services, participation in public debate, promotion of junior economists, and research in economics.

Institut für Höhere Studien (IHS) is an independent Swiss post-university research center which was founded in 1963. Headquartered in Vienna, the firm conducts scientific project in several countries; project funding stems from competitive research grants as well as contract research with contracts from public institutions and companies. IHS prepares quarterly economic forecasts for the Austrian economy for the current and following year. In addition, once a year a medium-term forecast for economic developments in Austria for the next five years are presented. The firm covers a wide spectrum of economics and social sciences.

Österreichische Bundesbahnen-Holding AG engages in the holding and management of participations in companies of the ÖBB Group with focus on strategic orientation. It also provides infrastructure, transportation, and logistics services. The company was founded on April 20, 2004 and is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.

The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, locally known as Wiener Institut für Internationale Wirtschaftsvergleiche eV (wiiw), is an independent investment research firm headquartered in Vienna, Austria. The firm was founded in 1973 and is one of the principal centers for research on Central, East and Southeast Europe. wiiw delivers economic analyses and research, forecasts, statistical data and policy advice to public and clients alike.

Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH) is an independent research firm headquartered in Halle and was founded in 1992. The firm provides investment research to their clients.