Mr. Suat Bakkal was born in 1980, Trabzon-Turkey. He completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at BoÄŸaziçi University and holds a Master's Degree in Economics and Finance. He has also capital market licenses in the areas of Derivative Financial Instruments, Corporate Governance, Credit Assessment, Real Estate Assessment, and CFA3. Throughout his career, Mr. Suat Bakkal served as Corporate Marketing Leader at Aktif Bank, Member of the Executive Committee of IFM Istanbul Financial Center JSC, Member of the Board of the Mukafat Asset & Portfolio Management Co, Member of the Board of Inovaban Innovation Consulting J.S.C, and also Chairman of several SPV energy and investment companies.
In April 2018, Mr. Bakkal was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Banka Kombetare Tregtare J.S.C.
Mr. Visar Paçarada has been the Chief Executive Officer at ProCredit Bank in Kosovo since June 2024, after serving as Interim CEO from July 2023. He has been a Member of the Management Board since May 2019. Mr. Paçarada began his banking career at ProCredit Bank Kosovo in 2007, where he has developed extensive expertise in management and leadership. Throughout his journey at ProCredit Bank, he has held various leadership positions, significantly contributing to SME business development, credit risk management, and sustainable finance, particularly in renewable energy and energy efficiency. These roles have been pivotal in the bank’s growth and success. Currently, Mr. Paçarada oversees several key departments, including Business and Private Clients, Human Resources, Treasury, Sustainability, Information Security, Risk Model Validation, and Procurement. His comprehensive oversight ensures these departments function smoothly and align with the bank’s strategic goals. Mr. Paçarada holds a degree in International Business Management from the University of Westminster in London. In 2016, he further enhanced his expertise and leadership skills by graduating from the ProCredit Management Academy in Fürth, Germany.
CEO of KBA
Mr. Petrit Balija is the CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of the Kosovo Banking Association -KBA. He holds a Master of Business Administration, an Executive Master in International Association Management and a Doctorate in Finance.
Before his engagement at KBA he gained valuable professional experience in different prominent banking institutions such as Bank of America and Wachovia Bank. He has also contributed as a professor in academia locally and internationally in different subjects such as capital markets, organizational management, and leadership. His professional focus in his role as the CEO of KBA centers on financial inclusion, digital transformation of financial services and sustainable banking and finance.
Chief Executive Officer at Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo
Mrs. Anita Kovacic has been a Chief Executive Officer at Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo since November 2021 and a Supervisory Board member of Raiffeisen Leasing Kosovo since 2019. Mrs. Kovacic has joined Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo in 2018 as a Chief Risk Officer. Prior to coming to Kosovo, she was a Senior Director in Risk Management at Raiffeisen Bank International in Vienna (RBI Group). Since 2008 when she has joined the RBI Group, Mrs. Kovacic has held several positions and assignments in Risk Management, including a ten months project lead assignment in Raiffeisen China and Hong Kong (2016/2017) as well as a supervisory role in RBI subsidiary in Austria (POSO Bank, 2015-2018). Mrs. Kovacic has gained broad international banking experiences in a range of diverse cultures and different environments. Prior to joining the RBI Group, Mrs. Kovacic has been working in banking and finance in Slovenia (NLB and Volksbank) and in Hungary (IBM). Mrs. Kovacic has a bachelor's degree from the University of Economics in Slovenia and holds an MBA from Robert Kennedy College in Switzerland.
Chief Executive Officer at PriBank
Mr. Fatos Krasniqi has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of PriBank in December 2021. Mr. Krasniqi comes from banking industry with over 18 years of experience, where he developed an enriched career in various fields of management and leadership with special emphasis on business development, project management, branch management and human resources management. Previously he led a private business for 9 years and then worked as Logistics Leader for IOM (International Organization for Migration) for nearly 5 years, which further enriched his diversity of experience. During his career at Raiffeisen Bank, he held various leadership positions in the branch such as : Prishtina Regional Manager Prizren Regional Manager and SME Credit Manager for the Prishtina Region, as well as in the central office as: Head of the Department of SMEs and the Department for Micro Businesses. Mr. Krasniqi worked as the Chief Executive Officer at the Economic Bank and led this institution with great success during the years 2018-2020 Mr. Krasniqi studied Electronic Engineering and Economics, whilst holding a Master's degree in Management and Finance, Mr. Krasniqi is currently finishing his Doctoral Dissertation at "St Klement Ohridski" University in Manastir, Macedonia.
Country manager - Kosovo Branch - Ziraat Bankasi
Mr. Kenan Bozkurt was born in Turkiye and graduated from the Ankara University. He has more than 30 years banking experience starting his career in Ziraat Bank in Turkiye. He had various management positions within Ziraat Bank as Branch and Regional Manager in different cities. He had also leading position in Financial Institutions (FI) in Ziraat Bank Head Office. Furthermore, Mr. Bozkurt has experience also with managing of foreign Ziraat Branches and Subsidiaries. He started with Ziraat Bank in London, then he was appointed as president of Executive Board of Ziraat Bank in Bosnia for 4 years. From June 2015 Mr.Bozkurt has been president of Executive Board of Halkbank in Serbia and has overseen the successful implementation of comprehensive strategic plans, fostering sustainable growth and profitability.
Mr.Kenan Bozkurt has been appointed as Country Director of Ziraat Bank- Kosova Branch from December of 2023.
Mimoza Godanci-Aliu has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of BPB in December 2022.Godanci-Aliu started her career working for international organizations, to continue in the banking sector where over the years she has accumulated a wide experience in various roles and positions at the ProCredit group.Among others, she has held the position of Deputy Executive Director at ProCredit Bank Albania, Deputy Executive Director at Procredit Bank Kosovo, Executive Director of the ProCredit Academy for Eastern Europe in Macedonia and Deputy Executive Director at Procredit Bank Macedonia. Starting from 2020, she worked as a Project Manager for two years at OneFor, a financial institution that provides money transfer and payment services. Mimoza Godanci-Aliu is an economist graduated in the master's level at Staffordshire University, in Great Britain.
Country Manager for Kosovo - IS Bank
Mr. Onur Kütük was born in 1976 in Eskiehir, Turkey. He graduated from Middle East Technical University in field of Statistics in 1998. Mr. Kütük started his carrier in banking sector 23 year ago as a specialist in Training Department of TÜRKIYE IS BANKASI in Istanbul, Turkey. In July 2006 he joined TÜRKIYE BANKASI A.Bahrain Branch, where he worked for more than 8 years and held different positions such as Senior Specialist in Credit Underwriting Department and Head of Treasury Department. Later on, in 2014 Mr. Kütük returned back to ISBANK in Istanbul, Turkey and worked for several years in Cross-Border Banking Unit, responsible for overseeing all foreign branches of ISBANK in other countries. While working in Cross-Border Banking Unit, Mr. Kütük was appointed as well as a member of Board of Directors for JSC ISBANK Russia & JSC ISBANK Georgia.
Starting from January 2023, Mr. Kütük continued his carrier path as the Country Manager of TURKIYE IS BANKASI A.S. in Kosovo.
Managing director and board member at TEB A.S.
Born in Eskisehir, Turkey in 1977, Orcun Ozdemir graduated from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Anadolu. He started his banking career at Garanti Bankasi in 2003 where he held several positions related to sales. In 2007 he joined TEB AS as a commercial portfolio manager, in 2008 he was appointed as Branch Manager of Gazimagusa of Cyprus. He joined TEB Sh.A. in January 2011 as head of SME business. From January 2011 to 2013, he served as head of the SME and Card business division. In January 2013, he has been appointed Deputy General manager responsible for individual banking and card business.
Chief Executive Officer at Credins Bank
Mr. Lamaj has a 26-year career in the field of economics. He became part of Credins Bank Albania in 2005 where he initially held the position of Director of Tirana 2 Branch, Director of Tirana Region, and then Director of Business Development Division which is one of the largest structures of the bank. During his career, Mr. Lamaj has held several important positions as Economist in the Board of Directors for the establishment of the University of Vlora, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce at the Technological University "Ismail Qemal Vlora", Certified Public Accountant at the Institute of Authorized Accountants, Director of the Licensing and Monitoring Department in the Securities and Exchange Commission. His career also extends to the academic field where for 12 years he has held the position of Lecturer of the course "Investment" at the Faculty of Economics, University of Tirana. Mr. Lamaj completed his higher studies during the years 1990-1994 at the Faculty of Economics, University of Tirana, major in Finance - Banking. During the years 1995-1996, he completed University Studies through the program.ERASMUS at Libera Universita degli Studi Sociali (L.U.I.S.S) and then during the years 1998-1999 he completed postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tirana. Since 2004, Mr. Lamaj holds the title of Doctor of Science in Economics. Mr. Selman Lamaj has conducted a series of training in the field of banking management, finance and accounting, information systems, management of Small and Medium Businesses, stock exchange, and securities trading.
Chief Executive Officer at Banka Ekonomike
Mr. Luzha joined Banka Ekonomike in May of 2015 as a member of the Board of Directors. Since 2015 he has served also as a chairman of the Board and various Board-level committees. Starting from October 2020, Mr. Luzha was pointed as acting CEO of Banka Ekonomike. Previously he worked for almost seven years for Raiffeisen Kosovo, where lastly he served as Managing Director of Raiffeisen Leasing and Raiffeisen Insurance Broker Kosovo. At the beginning of his career, based in New York, Mr. Luzha spent nearly four years in the securities lending business including Merill Lynch (now part of Bank of America) and Deutsche Bank. Mr. Luzha holds a degree in BBA from Baruch College, part of CUNY, with a focus on Finance and Investments.
Gem Maloku started his early career at Deloitte and moved on becoming a senior Auditor. In 2008 he became Director of Risk Department in NLB Banka Pristina and was promoted in 2014 as Assistant to President of the Management Board for Risk. In 2020 Gem was appointed to the Management Board and served as CFO of the bank. He was re-appointed in 2024 as CFO and took over additionally CMO function for Retail Business and by this contributed significantly to the success of the bank. He holds a EMBA degree from the School of Management in Bled, Slovenia, ACCA Qualification in UK and a BA degree from Iliria College, Pristina, Kosovo.
Gem Maloku holds the position of Acting President of the Management Board of NLB Banka Pristina as of 1st August 2024.
