CURRICULUM VITAE

1. Family name: BRAHINAJ 2. First names: Ylldise3. Date of birth: 15/03/19584. Status: Single 5. Residence: Albania6. Education:

Institution[Date from - Date to] Degree(s) or Diploma(s) obtained:

Albania Agricultural University, Economic branchSeptember 1992-July 1997

BSc (Economics)

ILO, Turin Italy Oct 1996-Nov 1998 Diploma SME’s Consultant and Trainer

USAID/Partners-Albania; March 2003-August 2004 Diploma ;Women Leadership Program

7. Language skills: Indicate competence on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 – excellent; 5 – basic)

Language Reading Speaking WritingAlbanian mother tongueEnglish 2 2 2Italian 4 3 5

8. Membership of professional bodies: Board member and Founder of Albanian’s Network of RDAs Member of the Enterprise Europe Network EEN in Albania Collaborator at Association of Organisations of Mediterranean Businesswomen -AFAEMME Founder at “Jehona ” Saving Credit Union Founder and board member of DSA Organization in Tirana Member of National Leadership of Women Network Founder of National Producer and Creative Women Association Albanian Coalition’s for Women and Youth in decision making Board Member at National Business Women Promotion Association

9. Position: Executive Director at Vlora RDA Foundation and

10. Years within the Regional Development Agency (RDA): 23 years Executive Director/ Project Coordinator / Senior Trainer / Senior Private Sector & SME Development Consultant ;

Key qualifications (relevant to the project): Management consultant and Trainer specializing in different fields as follows; External Expert for Competitiveness ,Business and Trade at EU Delegation in Albania (2014-2018)

SME Consultancy (strategy, training needs analysis(TNA) , business process analysis, financial analysis, costing);

Competitiveness, business, trade development Experience in providing and conducted Training for private sector and SMEs ; Carrying out market research through examining new investment / product / locations prospects; Entrepreneurship, SMEs Competitiveness, Innovation, Regional and local Development Sustainable and development of Tourism sector; Capacity building for Hotels and guesthouse ; Agro Tourism Development particularly in guesthouse and rural tourism ; Regional Network of Business Development Support Services to increase SME´s Competitiveness Over 20 years work experience in entrepreneurship development with a focus on capacity development,

start-ups /new entrepreneurs; Assessment of business development and Training Needs Analysis (TNA); Rural Women’s Empowerment in Economic ; Self Employment and Women’s farmer Development; Economic Development covered by IPA programmed (EU – SME project); Improving and managing training for SMEs Modules according to international standards; Institutional strengthening and capacity building of municipalities staffs ; Sustainable and development Tourism sector consultancy and training; TOT for SME particularly tourism sector and rural development sector; local Government administrative capacities assessment / Start-ups, improvement business & Microfinance training ; Vocational education and training for and unemployment ; Leadership of Women .Design/develop and delivery of localized Training and Consultancy programmed; Long term experience improving and managing training for SMEs Modules according to international

standards; Consulting for SME , trained and ( TOT) , entrepreneurship development ; Market development and visibility activities, particularly Women farmer’s projects, to help Small Business

services to support local companies; Promotion SMEs development and Startups, including through existing national Support Schemas,

11. .Specific experience in the region: Albania

Country Date from – toSouthern and overall in Albania May 2014 to presentSouthern Albania Oct 1998- May 2014South West Albania Oct 1993- May 1998

12. Professional experience:

Date Location Company/Reference Position Description

Oct 1998 to present

Vlore – Sarande and Overall in Albania

Vlore Regional Development Agency (VRDA)

Mrs. Diana Djaloshi

Chairwoman of Board at Vlora RDA

djaloshid@hotmail.com

Executive Director and Senior SME Development Consultant

Responsible for overall management of the “Regional Development Agency” which is part of the RDA network in Albania. In this framework director is responsible to manage RDA activity in the area of regional and local economic and rural development as well as coordinate and manage communication with donor agencies such as: EU, USAID, GTZ, EBRD, UNDP,WB, ILO, UNOPS, etc: Also operate as regional resource centre, facilitating the exchange of information and providing local level support to communities. Management consultant specializing in different fields as follows; SME Policy: Provided policy training to RDA staff and BSPs in Vlore region; Analyzing private sector and Strategy Planning of the Gouvernement of

Albania in the area of SMEs development ;Local and regional economic development projects

Social-economic development

Coordination and subcontractor to delivery of EU, GIZ,USAID/ (SBCA MSI,PAPA) UNDP,WB,.GTZ modules for training, consultancy, trade fairs workshops & roundtables with the main stakeholders;

The development of SME statistics and donor coordination; Consultancy (strategy for SME, training needs analysis , business process

analysis, financial analysis, costing); Business planning and Feasibility Studies development ; Business Association , Local Administration, Municipalities; The development of SME statistics and donor coordination; Leading the training modules according to international standard and delivery

of trainings to SMEs, Assessment of statistical and data collection System of the private

sector;Created database to SME clients and business service providers;

Sep 2013 - Feb 2014 Overall Albania Social Impact Inc Washington

D.C; G. William Anderson Team Leader, gwilliamanderson@aol.com

Local Consultant(USAID Funded)

SME impact monitoring and evaluation , based on EU, USAID indicators,

USAID and EU /Social Impact consulting company Inc; Department of State to European Union Accession Evaluation project;

Review and analyze documents, synthesize desk review findings, and contribute to a Desk Review Findings Report.;

Work with the Team Leader to refine interview questions to fit the Albanian context, and to identify and contact in-country key informants

;Conduct semi-structured interviews, document reviews, and site visits in collaboration with the Team Leader and Economic Specialist;

Contribute to data analysis. Participate in out-brief meetings with USG posts at the end of fieldwork in Albania.;

Contribute to the Draft Evaluation Report.; DoS /EUR/ACE, USAID, USDA, and SI feedback, and revisions to the Draft Evaluation Report.;

Develop basic tools for promoting Partnerships in Local Level – cooperation with NGO’s;

The development of SME statistics and donor coordination

July 2015 to present

Overall in Albania EBRD/BAS

National Programme Manager at. EBRD/BAS

Mr. Neritan Mullai

Email;MullajN@ebrd.co

Project Director & SME Development Consultant and Trainer

EBRD/BAS ; Consulting and Training ; The consultancy project is to strengthen the market position of 3 companies Specific objectives include: -Enhanced promotion and advertisement of the products improved qualification and productivity of the staff and sellers through training;

- Expanded market in the south regions of Albania.; - Analysis of the existing marketing activity and awareness on the new market; Training on marketing for the company staff ; The focus will be on the Sales Techniques and Negotiations Skills among other issues.; Implementation of a training; - Coach closely the participants in the training to develop a simple practical knowledge on a sustainable way; - Improved Promotion and better knowledge of the market. -Analysis of the existing marketing activity and drafting the new marketing strategy;- Conduct basic trainings sessions with the appointed marketing person in the company including: -Sales Techniques; Negotiations Skills; Marketing & Sales.- Market survey; The survey will be conducted through face to face interviews, allowing for more dialogue with the potential buyers to introduce both IVAP’s products; Extra virgin olive oil and the

Organic olive oil

March – Dec 2011

Albania

(Tirana, Sarande)

UNDP Albania

Ulrich Schmidt- International Manager

Ulrich.Schmidt@undp.org

Senior Business Planning Consultant and Trainer

(UNDP funded)

UNDP “Improving the performance of livestock sector in Albania” Elaborate a Business Plan for a Small Ruminant Keeper Association in

Saranda, based on the purpose and activities laid down in the statute Identify the priorities in developing business areas as input supply,

marketing of lambs and other service provision to members (service portfolio); Managing training for Livestock association Modules according to international standards

Calculate and detail the Break Even Point of the envisaged business, analyzing separately the variable costs of each area of the business.

Assess targets (quantitative indicators) for each of the business / service areas over a period of 2 – 3 years for optimistic and pessimistic scenarios

March 2010 – March 2011

Overall Albania IDI-International Development Ireland. inchKonrad NierubiecTel. 00 353 1 6625555konradN@dublin.idi.ie Team

Leader of Project;

Uli Lachenmaier

Uli_lachenmaier@web.de

Senior SME Consultant and Trainer

(EU Funded)

EU : “Supporting SMEs to become more competitive in the EU Market” projectAs SME development Consultant & Trainer as follows; Monitoring and evaluation mechanism , with enterprise specific measurable

indicators, designed and implemented, to measure the impact of the National Competitiveness Programme for SMEs;

Development of the methodology for the first national "Training Needs Analysis (TNA) for SMEs in Albania" in a team with international experts;

Assessment of business development and training needs analysis, trainer/Consultant/coach in Strategic Business Management, Innovation, Sales and Marketing, Competitiveness for SME´s.

Training workshop for consultants interviewers Pilot TNA survey ,conclusions and lessons learnt Selection of 250 SME for TNA survey sample ” TNA carried out in the fields.250 SME individual TNA records

Coordination and supervision of the implementation of the TNA field interviews in 250 enterprises: identification of SMEs, mobilization of SMEs and national/regional/local institutions, coordination of the fieldworks (six local consultants as interviewers) all over the country;

TNA result: data collection, treatment of data, interpretation and substantial contribution to the TNA Report 2010;

Implementation of formal practical and hands-on training sessions as

Oct 2007- Oct 2009

Vlora Region of Albania

Terre Des Homme TACT

Program Manager

Mrs. Anila Arapi

anila_arapi@yanhoo.com

Project Director and Trainer (Terr Des Hommes Funded)

trainer for Albanian SMEs in "Business Planning and Strategic Management" in South of Albania

Terr Des Hommes - Micro credit project to benefit TACT-“Income Generating for Roma farmers community” project; beneficiaries in need of economical empowerment as an alternative to family begging.It Impact involved training about start-up business and the fulfillment of the application form ; Refer of them to Opportunity Albania micro credit institution , the

preparation of simple business plan; Training about start-up business for 40 farmers beneficiaries; Fulfill Application form for loan for 40 beneficiaries; Refer of them to Opportunity Albania 40 beneficiaries; Preparation simple Business plan 22 ; 22 beneficiaries and benefited credit and

June 2006 - Feb 2008

South of Albania World Bank

Project Manager

Edmond Sheshiesheshi@yahoo.com

ProjectCoordinator

&Trainer

(WB funded)

World Bank & Albania National Employment Service; Creating a Social Services Centre for vulnerable groups ( Women and Youth in need), realizing needed infrastructure able to support given social- economic services;

Raising the opportunities for employment, education and qualification of young peoples and women in need in order to integrate them in normal life.

Generate Business Idea and discussions were handling, Round Table, Educative culture, social –economic Services; Social business Services

provide centre creation like consultancies, training, education/information

Opportunity Employment for Youth and women unemployed through business idea training; Women rural area .Capacity building, training of trainers, entrepreneurship development;

Design/develop and delivery of localized Training and develop curricula for

Women farmer Promote the Programmed. Among other consulting tools, we have developed coaching guides for entrepreneurs and the creation of

Networking groups (Exchange Experience Groups) for SME and micro-enterprise support

Creating the centre with all needed infrastructure in order to have a complete possibilities to develop such services.

Realizing business services for a target group of 200 beneficiaries. From those in training session has participated 120 woman and 80 Youth

June 2002 -Feb 2007

Albania ( Southern ) USAID/SBCA –Chemonics Inch Washington

Chief of Party at SBCAJeff Houghton j.houghton@easynet.co.uk

Project Director at RDA / SBCA

& SME Consultant

(USAID funded)

USAID: Albania Small Business Credit and Assistance (SBCA) Program Phase 1 (2002-2005): Vlore RDA has disbursed 25 loans through both funds with a 98% repayment record.In addition Vlore RDA delivered had been provided training 300 businesses 60% were farmers and 100 received one-on-one counselling from Vlore to Saranda. Phase 2 :( 2005-2007) as subcontractor to SBCA were monitored and evaluated on a project-by-project basis to measure impact as follows; Direct technical assistance and training has been provided to more than 500

businesses especially farmers and food processing industry ; Assistance and training to enterprises leads to applying: new technology;

good management practices; and marketing strategies... Elaborated Business Planning for companies the project improves client

competitiveness through branding, costing, use of technology and best practice., including;

The Standard Format of Business Plan; Client Branding for more than 15 clients; Focus Groups;

Monitored and evaluated on a project basis to measure impact; Clients Baseline Surveys, Needs Analyses, Action Plans and Client Profiles;

Developed a comprehensive database of more than 800 businesses in the agriculture industry, tourism, and food processing and manufactures sector.

The Albanian National Honey Day Fair organized for 40 businesses in Vlore SME Consultant assignment in particular during 2005 working with a team

of USAID/SBCA project on a prepared to Feasibility Study of Energy Park in Vlor

Develop a South of Albania Network to increase SME´s Competitiveness. Administrative and Institutional capacity building to the farmers

April 1997 - Oct 1999

Albania(Vlore,Sarande) GTZ – ICON Inc Germany

Mikel DyshnikuDeputy Team Leadermdyshniku@hotmail.com

Project Director & SME Expert Trainer

(GTZ funded)

GTZ: Micro-finance and SME Development ProjectConducted preliminary research designed and Implemented a survey of SMEs to identify major to their growth and development. The work included: improving access to credit for SMEs ; prepared Business Plan for 35 clients ; 30 assessing the institutional capacity of organizations involved in SMEs ; Reviewed the constraints of existing finance schemes; and, strengthening access to credit, Business Start-ups and Microfinance fund Also designed and delivered an SME Policy training course for the 70

private companies National Women Handicraft Fair organization

Feb 1993 - Feb1994

Feb 1994- July 1998

South-West of Albania

(Vlora,Fier, Lushnje, Mallakaster)

South and South –West of Albania

Lancashire Enterprises plc England Jeff Houghton Team Leader i.houghton@easynet.co.uk

Albanian SME Foundation Gavril Lasku,Former Director of SME Foundation

Manager, of Vlore RBA

(EC funded)

Manager of RBA

EC Phare: SME Supporting in Albania Established and developed a structure of Regional Business Agencies

(RBA‘s) to support SMEs in South-west Albania. This involved bringing together those government and non-governmental

organizations which are important for regional economic development. Delivered seminars on business planning, marketing and entrepreneurship; Created the SME Policy Unit at the Ministry of Finance and Economy. Establishing the first Phare SME project co-operation with U.S. Peace Corps

business volunteers. From November 1993, advised on the transition from

EC “Phare” program : SME Development in Albania; business services provider are Delivered training on business planning, marketing and entrepreneurship. Fostering the SME economic development of Vlore region, by providing high

quality level of business knowledge, training and services, counselling to the business community of the region.

Working closely with banks and SME-s to develop business plans for accessingloans for new ventures and expansion of existing ones.;

Carrying out market research through examining new investment / product / locations prospects;

Collaborating with different SME donors and support programs to enhance the overall development and growth of the sector.

Surveying and identifying the possible Joint Venture partners.

Oct 2001 – Oct 2002

Southern Albania USAID/MSI inch Washington D.C

Former Chief of Party

Carlos Guerrera

cguerrera@msi.org

Coordinator and trainer

MSI/USAID -Anticorruption project “Working for Anticorruption project of Vlore Municipality , Businesses community and Public sector through created anticorruption Coalition Established Local Anticorruption Coalition with a local stakeholders Evaluate the needs for professional knowledge to Vlore Municipality staff and business community; Delivered training on fiscal system , legal aspects concerning it, and administrative procedures followed by municipality tax office; Created awareness of professional expertise while dealing with administration; Established to the business community the principles of demanding the right

and fulfilling the obligations in front of law.

Feb 1983- Dec 1992

Vlore Albania State ; Trade and Social Enterprise (NTUS)

Ariana Sushi; Former Director

atushi@bkt.com.al

Accountant/ Auditor

State ; Trade and Social Enterprise ;Calculation of pay -roll to100 workers of manufactory of desserts; Row material storage of manufactory of desserts;Costs analysis of production for each items ;Inventory for Bars, Restaurants and Hotels; Cashier r of Restaurants and Bar

13. Other relevant information (e.g., Publications)

Publications Supporting SMEs to Become more Competitive in the EU Market book ‘ Training Needs Analysis for SEM’s “

(TNA) prepared by EU-SME program author ; ,A. Gomez , Ylldise Brahimaj and Carlo Penco to be held National Conference in Albania July 2011

Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management article: “The growth of SME sector in Albania by Ylldise Brahimaj,- SME Development Expert and Anila Arapi- December 2009

Study “The Fisheries Management and Marine Techniques in Albania” by Ylldise Brahimaj Executive director of RDA (Published ISBN 97816098500120) to be held on May 15th and 17th 2010 in Albania

“Public and private agriculture extension services in Albania - current situation and future perspectives”, Y.Brahimaj , U, Schmidt . Week Scientific Conference “Challenges of Education and Innovation” to be held on January 13th and 14th 2011 in Roma I

“Searching for Political Monetary Cycles in Albania”, Y.Brahimaj, J.Houghton and D. Wood International Conference “Economic and Social Challenges and Problems”, University of Economy , Albania 2012

“Analysis of Political Business Cycles in Transition Economies with focus on Albania”, 2009, M.Kaitlin, Y.brahimaj, A, Bazini Challenges for Analysis of the Economy, the Businesses, and Social Progress International Scientific Conference, University of Szeged, Hungary

14. Qualification - Certificates Sept 14 to24 , 2015 Certificate ; “Get Funding from the European Union” implemented by Env.net

April 2014 Certificate ; EU project design process and implementation of environmental policy by European Environmental BUREAU

Jun 2012 & Nov 2012 IPA 2011 Project & GIZ “Support to Agriculture an Rural Development” (SARD-IPARD)

Certificate; Albanian advisory structure on the implementation of the IPARD-like grant scheme

May 2012 Certificate; Audit of Innovation and Technology for SME’ s implemented by AIDA

Feb 2010 Diploma on“ Consulting as a Business for Business Services Providers implemented by EU-SME Project

May 2010International Symposium „The development of the Albanian Maritime System and EU Experience; organized by The University of Vlora-Albania as Lector of the study “The Fisheries Management and Marine Techniques in Albania”

March 2010 Certificate „The Business Success Through Sustainability implemented by Netherlands’ Ministry for Development Cooperation, - REC for Central Eastern Europe in Budva Montenegro

March 2003- Aug 2004 Diploma Women Leadership Program implemented by USAID/Partners-Albania.

May 2003 Certificate: for Anti-Corruption Program for Public and Civil Society; Officials implemented by North Florida International Visitors Council in the USA

June 2003 Certificate: Regional Development Agency Support to SMEs implemented by World Learning/USAID , in Warsaw, Poland

July 2003 Certificate: Making Cents Training Course for Master Plan implemented by SBCA Program Chemonics International Inc, and Making Cents International

February 2002

July 2002

Certificate of Achievement:, Anti-Corruption Activities Regarding Public Procurement by Prefect Co at Budapest, Hungary; Certificate Successfully completed the training course on " Quality Management-Quality Assurance-ISO 9001 for SMEs"Organized by EOMMEX S.A., GLYFADA GREECE,

10 May – 25 June 1999March 1998

Diploma ;” Management Training in British Industry” delivered by British Government Know-How Fund and JICAP programme in BELFAST Northern IRELANDCertificate: has successfully completed a Credit Union Induction Course organized by “ Irish League of Credit Unions”, in Dublin IRELAND

Oct 1996- Nov 1998

Master Diploma , has successfully completed a programmed “Training of Trainers and Advisers for SME” delivered by ‘ International Training Centre of the ILO’ Turin, Italy

December 1997 Certificate has successfully completed the training course on “Modern Techniques For Effective Management of SMEs“ Organized by EOMMEX S.A Glyfada, Greece

Nov- January 1995 “Training of Trainers(TOT) SMEs course administration delivered by GTZ Germany

June 1987 Decorated of the Parliament “ Excellent Contribution to the State Trade Enterprise and “Civil Society ”

Ylldise Brahimaj ___________________________________________________Permanent Address: STR. “VLORE –SKELE”, PALLATI “FERATI SHPK”, AP 1/3 VLORE ALBANIA Mobile Phone: +355 69 3834994, Email: ybrahimi@abcom.al; Skype; diska.brahimihttp://al.linkedin.com/pub/ylldise-brahimi/23/30a/423; and

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