Key skills and expertise

Bringing over 39 years of experience, the expert specializes in agriculture, agribusiness, and rural development. Key qualifications include project management, capacity building, and technical assistance across international initiatives. The expert has led projects in diverse regions, focusing on EU-funded programs, and has evaluated over 100 SME investment projects. Responsibilities have included leadership roles such as advisor, project manager, and team leader. Career highlights include enhancing trade in traditional food products and improving competitiveness in the agri-food sector through restructuring and modernization efforts.

Project experience and donor exposure

Worked across diverse projects involving international donors such as the EU, UNDP, IFAD, DANIDA, and USAID. Involvement includes project implementation, technical assistance, evaluations, and capacity building across thematic areas like agriculture, food safety, rural development, and SME support. Projects have been regional and national in scope, conducted in locations including Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, South-Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa.

Sectors and geographic focus

With a background in key sectors including agriculture, agribusiness, rural development, food processing and safety, SME development, and fisheries and aquaculture, the expert has held roles such as advisor, consultant, project manager, team leader, and evaluator. The expert possesses interdisciplinary knowledge in areas such as value chain analysis, quality management, and environmental issues. Projects have been both regional and country-specific, focusing on EU-funded initiatives in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Africa, with responsibilities encompassing capacity building, market development, and policy advice. Geographic experience spans Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, South-Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa, with countries of involvement including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Germany, Kosovo, Lebanon, Malawi, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, North Macedonia, Romania, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Ukraine. The expert has demonstrated deep familiarity with regional development issues and local governance, with recurring involvement in EU-funded projects and long-term assignments in countries like Ukraine and Romania, focusing on agriculture, rural development, and SME support.

Languages and education

Background includes fluency in German and English, with proficiency in French and Romanian, and intermediate skills in Russian. These language competences have been effectively utilized in international projects across diverse regions, engaging in multilingual teams and facilitating communication in various professional contexts. The expert holds a Master of Science in Agriculture from the University of Stuttgart, Germany, with studies encompassing plant and animal production, horticulture, fruit growing, agricultural engineering, and farm/rural development. Additional certifications include Business Start-up and Support for Entrepreneurship from BUSYNET-Association, HACCP-Team Leader/Food Safety and Quality Management Auditor from TÜV-SÜD Academy, and EC-Consultant/EU-subsidy consultancy from the Wiso-Manager-Academy at F.A.-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg.