BUILDING TRUST IN THE WESTERN BALKANS FINANCIAL MARKETS

Elena Pici

Chairperson of the Board and Business Development Manager at BP Albania

Ms. Elena Pici is Chairperson of the Board and Business Development
Manager at BP Albania, with experience across public and private sectors.
She previously served as Secretary General of the Ministry of Interiors in
Albania, becoming both the first woman and youngest to hold the position.
She also worked in the Prime Minister’s Office, the Central Bank of Albania,
and international organizations. Ms. Pici is a Chevening Scholar, holding an
MSc from the London School of Economics, and has completed executive
education at Harvard Kennedy School. She is committed to inclusive
leadership, governance, and advancing development through strategic
initiatives.

Alban Hashani

Executive Director of the Riinvest Institute and a lecturer in Economics

Mr. Alban Hashani is Executive Director of the Riinvest Institute and a
lecturer in Economics. He holds a degree from the University of Prishtina and
completed postgraduate and doctoral studies at Staffordshire University in the
United Kingdom. His research focuses on transition economics and industrial
development. Mr. Hashani leads multiple research and development projects,
contributing to evidence-based policymaking and economic analysis in
Kosovo and the region. He is actively engaged in advancing economic
dialogue and institutional development.

Kristina Kanapinskaitė

Head of Division for Lending in the Western Balkans and Türkiye at the European Investment Bank

Ms. Kristina Kanapinskaitė is Head of Division for Lending in the Western
Balkans and Türkiye at the European Investment Bank, within the EIB Global
Directorate. She leads a team overseeing infrastructure and private sector
financing, alongside technical assistance initiatives. With over 20 years of
experience, she has held senior roles across regions, including North Africa
and the Middle East. Her expertise spans structured finance, corporate
monitoring, and advisory work. She previously served at the EBRD Board and

worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Ms. Kanapinskaitė holds an Executive
MBA from London Business School and a Master’s degree in Finance from
Ecole Supérieure des Affaires.

Tim Judah

Journalist and author covering the Balkans and other regions as a correspondent for The Economist.

Mr. Tim Judah is a journalist and author covering the Balkans and other
regions as a correspondent for The Economist. He has reported extensively
on conflicts from Afghanistan to Ukraine, contributing to major international
publications including the The New York Review of Books. He is the author of
two books on Kosovo and serves as President of the Board of the Balkan
Investigative Reporting Network and the Kosovar Stability Initiative. In recent
years, he has focused on demographic trends, publishing Life and Fate in
2025.

Sebastian Sosa

IMF Regional Resident Representative for the Western Balkans at the International Monetary Fund,

Mr. Sebastian Sosa is the IMF Regional Resident Representative for the
Western Balkans at the International Monetary Fund, based in Vienna. Since
joining the IMF in 2006, he has held several senior roles, including Mission
Chief for Kosovo and leadership positions in strategy and concessional
lending policy. He previously served as Resident Representative for Serbia
and North Macedonia and worked on country assignments across Europe and
Latin America. His expertise lies in international macroeconomics and finance,
with numerous academic and policy publications. Mr. Sosa holds a PhD in
Economics from University of California, Los Angeles and contributes to
global dialogue.

Moritz Remé

Director of KfW Development Bank for Kosovo and North Macedonia.

Mr. Moritz Remé is Director of KfW Development Bank for Kosovo and North
Macedonia. With 18 years at KfW, he has extensive experience as a Senior
Portfolio Manager across North Africa, the Middle East, South and Southeast
Asia. His work has focused on financing projects in urban infrastructure,
energy, agriculture and biodiversity. Mr Remé has led diverse, cross-regional
portfolios, contributing to sustainable development and investment initiatives.
He holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from Leipzig University and
continues to support strategic development efforts in the Western Balkans.

Charlotte Ruhe

Managing Director for Central and South Eastern Europe - EBRD

Charlotte Ruhe is EBRD’s Managing Director for Central and South Eastern Europe,
overseeing business and policy reform across 18 countries, including the Western
Balkans and EU member states, representing over a third of the Bank’s business. She
previously served as Director for SME Finance and Development, supporting SMEs in
26 countries, and was Director for Croatia (2005–2010). Earlier roles include leading the
EU-EBRD SME Finance Facility and advising the US Director. She began her career at
the US Treasury as an international economist. Charlotte holds an MA in International
Economics from Johns Hopkins SAIS and a BA in Journalism and Political Science from
Indiana University.

Marcelo Castellanos

Senior Regional Manager for Southeastern Europe International Finance Corporation

Marcelo Castellanos is IFC’s Senior Regional Manager for Southeastern Europe,
based in Bucharest, overseeing strategy, business, and client relationships across
Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, and
Serbia. He drives private sector growth and investment in infrastructure, manufacturing,
agribusiness, services, and financial sectors. Previously, he co-managed IFC’s
Financial Institutions Group in Europe and led new business in Latin America & the
Caribbean with a US$3 billion annual program. With 27+ years in finance, he held
senior roles at BCP Bolivia, Grupo Financiero Bisa, and Corp Banca Argentina. He
holds a BS in Industrial Engineering and an MBA from Harvard.