Key skills and expertise

Bringing over 23 years of experience, the expert is an innovation economist with a robust background in business consulting, enterprise facilitation, and internationalization. She has led projects that focus on sustainability, innovation, and SME competitiveness across various countries. Her career highlights include roles such as principal consultant, co-founder of startups, and university lecturer. She has successfully directed revenue growth, expanded client bases, and developed strategic partnerships. Additionally, she has designed accelerator programs and provided systemic consultancy to integrate innovative practices, achieving significant impact in both local and international initiatives. Her leadership extends to guiding interdisciplinary teams and mentoring startups globally.

Project experience and donor exposure

With extensive experience working with international donors, the expert has collaborated with organizations such as UNIDO ITPO Italy, the European Union, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and Swiss Cooperation. Her involvement includes project implementation, technical assistance, and capacity building in areas like SME competitiveness, export readiness, and sustainability. She has worked on regional and national projects in locations including Albania, Kosovo, Moldova, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Cuba. The projects have been centered around sectors such as cleantech innovation, business development, and international trade.

Sectors and geographic focus

The expert has worked across multiple sectors including energy, environment, SME development, international trade, and corporate social responsibility. Previously held roles such as principal consultant, project manager, and co-founder have focused on sustainability, innovation, and business development. Her interdisciplinary expertise includes digitalization in SME competitiveness and cleantech innovation. The geographic scope of her work spans Europe, Africa, and Asia, with a strong emphasis on regional development and economic empowerment in countries like Austria, Albania, and Kenya. Her responsibilities have included strategic direction, capacity building, and cross-cultural team leadership. She has extensive geographic experience across Europe, Africa, and Asia, with significant assignments in countries such as Austria, Albania, Moldova, Turkey, and Kenya. She possesses deep familiarity with local governance and cultural dynamics in the Western Balkans and has been involved in regional development initiatives in countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Kosovo. Her work often focuses on SME competitiveness, sustainability, and international trade, reflecting a strong understanding of regional development issues and economic empowerment across diverse cultural contexts.

Languages and education

With a background in multilingual environments, the expert is fluent in Albanian, English, German, and Italian, with native proficiency in Albanian. She has utilized these language skills extensively in international work environments across various countries, collaborating with multilingual teams and engaging in cross-cultural communication. Her proficiency in these languages has supported her roles in international consulting, project management, and training, enabling effective communication and collaboration in diverse professional settings. The expert holds a Master of Science in International Business Administration from the University of Vienna, Austria, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Tirana, Albania. Additionally, she pursued a PhD in International Economic Relations at the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland, Austria, and a Master of Science in Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences Eisenstadt, Austria. She also obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations from the Albanian Diplomatic Academy.