Shkelzen Marku
Shkelzen Marku, Co-Founder and Managing Director / Yunus Social Business Balkans
Shkelzen Marku is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Yunus Social Business Balkans. He has several years of experience in development of entrepreneurial services and financing instruments for startups and growth businesses with innovative solutions to social problems in Albania and other Western Balkan countries.
Since 1998 he has served as consultant for economic development policy and project design, implementation and management for several governmental and international development institutions (including World Bank, IFAD, FAO, UNDP, DfID, etc.) in the Western Balkans countries as well as Asia, Africa and Caucasus. Between 2003-2012 he served in several managerial and advisory positions in governmental and development institutions, including as Executive Director of the Centre for Rural Studies and Sustainable Development from 2003 to 2005, Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture in Albania during 2005, member of Executive Board of the First Albanian Financial Development Company from 2005 to 2012, Director General of Agriculture and Rural Development Policies in the Ministry of Agriculture of Albania from 2005 to 2007, and Executive Director of the Mountain Area Development Agency in Albania from 2007 to 2012 .
He holds a "Doctorate" degree from Agriculture University of Tirana, a "Master of Science" degree from CIHEAM-IAMM, Montpellier, France, and has held visiting lecturer positions at European University of Tirana, Agriculture University of Tirana and Qiriazi University College in Albania. He is also the President of the Partnership for Development Foundation, a member of the Senate of Qiriazi University College and a member of the Editorial Board of the European University's Economicus Scientific Review.