KCGF International Conference

Iraj Hashi is Emeritus Professor of Economics at Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent, United Kingdom where he has been working since 1978. Since the early 1990s, his research has been focused on various aspects of the development of a market system in Central and East European transition economies. He has worked with universities and research institutions in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Kosovo, Macedonia, Poland, Romania and Russia on a range of research papers and projects dealing with economic challenges of transition in these countries. He has been working with Universities and research institutions in Kosovo since 1999. He was the Coordinator of a scholarship programme funded by Staffordshire University, Open Society Foundation and the British Government’s Chevening Programme, through which some 50 young scholars from Kosovo completed their Masters and PhDs in Economics, thus contributing significantly to the development of human capital in Kosovo. His work has been published in journals such as Research Policy, Small Business Economics, International Business Review, Economic Systems, Technovation and others. https://www.staffs.ac.uk/staff/profiles/ih1.jsp

Deyan Ivanov has over 25 years of experience in banking and risk management across Bulgaria, Austria, and Kosovo. He currently serves as Chief Risk Officer and Member of the Management Board at Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo, and is a Supervisory Board Member at Raiffeisen Leasing Kosovo. He previously held senior risk leadership roles at Raiffeisen Bank International. Mr. Ivanov holds an MSc in Finance from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia.

Katrin has worked in Brussels since 2001 and joined AECM in 2013. She previously held roles with BDA, DSGV, ZDH, and served as EU Representative of VDB. A law graduate of the University of Passau, she also studied in Angers, qualified in Potsdam, and earned an LL.M. from Aberdeen. She speaks several languages and is Honorary Consultant to Taiwan SMEG, supporting SME access to finance.

Adrian Alo is an executive with extensive experience in microfinance and banking in Kosovo. As CEO of KEP Trust since July 2025, he has driven strategic growth, risk management, and digital transformation. Formerly Deputy CEO of Banka Ekonomike, he brings strong expertise in operations and finance. He holds a Master of Accountancy from Arizona State University and is active in promoting financial inclusion through AMIK.

Efimija Dimovska is Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Development Bank of North Macedonia, with over 27 years of professional experience in senior roles across the Ministry of Finance, development banking, energy sector, and academia. For more than 18 years, she has worked in development finance and international projects. She holds a PhD in Finance, focusing on access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Martha Martinez Licetti is Practice Manager of the Prosperity Practice Group, Europe and Central Asia, at the World Bank Group since July 2024. With over 20 years of experience in competition policy, economic regulation, and private sector reforms, she has led global initiatives across 60+ countries. Previously, she served as Lead Economist, Global Lead for Markets and Competition, and held senior roles in Peru’s competition authority and telecom regulator.

Agan Azemi is Chairperson of the Board of KCGF and a banking professional with nearly 19 years of experience in financial sector development, SME finance, and credit risk management. He has held senior leadership roles across the Western Balkans, supporting institutions in lending frameworks, guarantees, green finance, and fintech initiatives.

Mr. Maloku completed his secondary education at RJR Reynolds in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA, and his university studies in Pristina. He is a Fellow of ACCA and a certified auditor, and holds an Executive MBA from IEDC Bled School of Management. He began career in 2001 at KPMG-Barents and Deloitte, joined NLB Banka in 2008, becoming Chief Risk Officer, Board Member, and appointed Chairman in May 2025.

Mauri Kotamäki is Chief Economist at Finnvera, Finland’s state-owned financing institution, focusing on export performance, internationalisation, investment dynamics, and corporate financing gaps. He previously held senior roles at the Finland Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of Finance, and Bank of Finland. An expert in public economics and applied research, he analyses geopolitical, financial, and demographic impacts on growth. He holds a PhD from the University of Turku.

Dr. Ahmet Ismaili is Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo (CBK) and chairs its Executive Board. With over 20 years in banking and finance, he has held senior management roles in local and international financial institutions. He has also lectured at the Public University of Prishtina, trained for the Banking Association, led the State Treasury, and represents Kosovo on the IMF and World Bank Boards.

Gertjana is Executive Director of the Albanian Development Guarantee Foundation (ADGF), a role she has held since 2025. She brings over 15 years of experience in the banking sector, with strong expertise in SME development and human resources management. Throughout her career, she has further strengthened her skills through participation in numerous international development and professional training programs.

Mentor Hyseni is a senior executive with over 20 years of experience in the fields of internal audit, governance, public financial management and academic training. Throughout his career, he has held important leadership roles, including the positions of Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Privatization Agency of Kosovo and the Regional Water Company JSC Prishtina. In these roles, he has led institutional governance, strategic oversight and stakeholder engagement at the highest level. In August 2025, Mr. Hyseni was appointed Director General of the Tax Administration of Kosovo, with a clear mission to strengthen institutional integrity, increase efficiency and advance the digital transformation process of TAK.

Albulena is an applied economist with a PhD in Economics from a UK university and many years of professional experience. She specializes in evaluation methodologies, econometric modelling, and data analysis, with interests spanning labour economics, the financial sector, gender economics, and education.

Guy Selbherr is CEO of MBG Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg and Board member of Bürgschaftsbank Baden-Württemberg. With a background in banking and business administration, he joined the guarantee bank in 1992 and became Board member in 2004. He has served on AECM’s Board since 2007 and has been its President since 2021. He also served as President of the German guarantee banks association (VDB).

Michael Gold is Managing Director of Crimson Capital with 50 years of experience in finance, development, and technology across 20+ countries. Specializing in privatization, investment, entrepreneurship, and regulatory reform, he facilitated over $8 billion in loans, PPPs, and investments. In Kosovo, he helped establish the Kosovo Credit Guarantee Fund, STIKK, and Innovation Centre Kosovo. He holds degrees from Kalamazoo College and UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Besnik Krasniqi is Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Chair of the Management Department at the University of Prishtina, with over 25 years of experience. He is Director of the Business Support Centre Kosovo and member of the Kosovo Academy of Sciences and Arts, with extensive experience in research, international collaboration, and policy-oriented development projects.

Hasan Basri Kurt holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in International Relations. He has held senior roles in Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and worked as an entrepreneur in IT, food, and construction. A former Member of Parliament for Samsun, he served on the Foreign Affairs Commission. He later held senior roles at the Ministry of Industry and Technology and now serves as General Manager of Türkiye’s Credit Guarantee Fund.

Nora has over 20 years of experience in Kosovo’s banking sector, holding managerial roles including Head of Product Management, Head of Small Businesses and Agriculture, and Branch Manager. She contributed to business strategy, credit risk policies, environmental initiatives, and staff development. She lectured at ProCredit Training Centers and has been Senior Portfolio Manager at the Kosovo Credit Guarantee Fund since 2015.

Blerim Terziqi is an experienced banking supervision professional at the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo, with extensive expertise in financial regulation and supervisory policy. He currently serves as Director of the Banking Supervision Department, where he plays a key role in safeguarding financial stability and strengthening regulatory oversight. Over the years, he has held several senior positions within the institution, including Acting Director and Senior Bank Examiner. Mr. Terziqi has contributed to high-level international dialogue through participation in IMF and World Bank meetings, and is actively engaged in advancing supervisory standards, institutional resilience, and sustainable finance initiatives in Kosovo.

Hille Henebry has led the Division for Sustainable Economic Development covering South East Europe, Türkiye, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia since 2022. She began her career at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, followed by roles at GIZ and the World Bank. Since joining KfW in 2017, she has managed projects in education, finance, and energy across regions.

Visar Paçarada has been CEO of ProCredit Bank Kosovo since July 2023 and a Management Board member since 2019. Having joined the Bank in 2007, he focuses on SME development, credit risk, and sustainable finance, overseeing SME and Retail Banking, HR, ALM, and compliance functions. He serves on the Kosovo Banking Association Board and as Vice Chair of the European Investors Council. He holds degrees from the University of Westminster and ProCredit Academy.

Joined Kora Credit Guarantee Fund (KODIT) in November 1999. Early career (2008) focused on corporate credit analysis across multiple branch offices. Earned an MBA from Tsinghua University, Beijing, in June 2011. At Head Office (2023), led strategic initiatives for credit guarantee services. Since January 2026, appointed to lead the European Business Support Center, leveraging extensive expertise in field-based corporate analysis and corporate finance.