The World Business Angels Investment Forum has announced that Prof Hykmete N. Bajrami, Kosovo’s Finance Minister, will represent Kosovo as a High Commissioner at the Grand Assembly of the world’s biggest angel investment forum. Prof Bajrami has also served her country as the Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (2020) and, the Minister of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (2014 – 2017).
(London) High Commissioner Prof Hykmete N. Bajrami is to represent Kosovo at the Grand Assembly of the World Business Angels Investment Forum. The inclusion of Kosovo in WBAF provides a wide range of opportunities for Kosovo’s start-ups, scaleups and high growth businesses and opens the doors for economic development.
As a Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Prof Bajrami is well-placed to lead an economic development commission at the World Business Angels Investment Forum. Drawing on her experience as an academician of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Prishtina, she will lecture in the WBAF Business School’s Certificate Programme in International Diplomacy for Entrepreneurship. She will also serve as a board member of the Diplomacy in Action for Entrepreneurs group.
Kosovo’s increased involvement in the global action plans of the World Business Angels Investment Forum will open up splendid opportunities for the country. Local Kosovo angel investors, incubation centres, accelerators, private equity funds, co-investment funds, technology parks, corporate ventures and aspiring entrepreneurs will now have more opportunities to connect with global leaders in their particular fields.
Prof Bajrami’s leadership at WBAF as President of an Economic Development Commission will provide a broad range of opportunities for start-ups, scaleups and high growth businesses and will open doors for economic development, not only for Kosovo but for other countries in the region as well.
Baybars Altuntas, Executive Chairman of the World Business Angels Investment Forum, says, ‘As an affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnerships for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), WBAF supports start-ups, develops entrepreneurial ecosystems, and helps venture capital and companies connect with international companies, fin-techs and other relevant institutions. We are confident about our contribution to the economic development of countries by facilitating connections with entrepreneurial ecosystems. We strongly believe that Kosovo and the South East Europe region in general will benefit from the efforts of Minister Bajrami to empower the start-up economy of the country through entrepreneurship, innovation and angel investment’.
Minister Bajrami states that ‘engaging WBAF in the economy of Kosovo and South East Europe is a good response to COVID-19. In the post-pandemic business environment, scaling up businesses demands special skills of entrepreneurs, who are obliged to secure financing as quickly as possible. WBAF will play an instrumental role in connecting Kosovo entrepreneurs with qualified investors around the globe. I believe that if Kosovo is able to establish a WBAF country office in Kosovo, this will empower both the Kosovo economy and the regional economy as a whole’.
About the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF)
As an affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) is committed to collaborating globally to empower the economic development of the world by fostering innovative financial instruments for startups, scaleups, innovators, entrepreneurs and SMEs and to promoting gender equality and women’s participation in all sectors of the world economy. WBAF invites you to join our global efforts to ease access to finance, promote financial inclusion, and create more jobs and social justice.
WBAF accomplishes its mission through various parties and channels. These include: 361 high commissioners, senators and international partners from 105 countries; 7 country offices on 5 continents; the WBAF Business School and its more than 50 faculty members from 32 countries; and 5 international working committees. WBAF also has an angel investment fund, partnerships with 12 global institutions, and economic cooperation agreements with 5 governments. The WBAF World Congress, held in February of each year, hosts at least 5 summits and numerous other events, including a Global Fundraising Stage and a World Excellence Awards ceremony. WBAF also boasts a number of publications, among which are the WBAF Business School Journal, World Class Startup Magazine, and Angel Investor Review Online.
About GPFI
The Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) is an inclusive platform for all G20 countries, interested non-G20 countries, and relevant stakeholders to carry forward work on financial inclusion, including implementation of the G20 Financial Inclusion Action Plan endorsed at the G20 Summit in Seoul. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands is the Honorary Patron of the GPFI.
About Hykmete N. Bajrami
Mrs. Hykmete N. Bajrami, was appointed as Minister in the Ministry of Finance on 3rd of June 2020 ,before being appointed to this position from 3rd of February 2020 she was in the position of Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation. From 2014 to 2017 she has served as Minister of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Since 2010, Ms. Bajrami has been elected as a member of the LDK in the National Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo in four legislatures. During her engagement as an MP, Mrs. Bajrami has been a member of several Parliamentary Committees, such as; the Committee on Budget and Finance and the Committee for Economic Development, Infrastructure, Trade, Industry and Regional Development.
Since 2007, Mrs. Bajrami has been an active part of the Council of Experts of the Democratic League of Kosovo, whilst the main focus of her contribution was at economic matters. Mrs. Bajrami has many years of experience in important international and local organizations and institutions. In the period 2000-2002, she worked in the Department of Trade and Industry – Pillar IV of the EU / UNMIK. Then, during the period 2003-2007, she worked at the Kosovo Trust Agency, to continue at the Swedish Agency for International Development and Cooperation, until 2009. In 2010, Mrs. Bajrami has been an advisor to the World Bank for the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Mrs. Bajrami completed her basic studies in 2000, at the Faculty of Economics, University of Prishtina, Department of Management and Informatics, where she was a scholarship holder of the foundation “Xhavit Ahmeti” and was awarded the prize “ Distinguished Student” from the University of Prishtina. She completed her master’s degree at Staffordshire University in England in 2003 as a scholarship holder at OSI-FCO-Staffordshire University. In 2011, she completed her doctoral studies at the University of Prishtina, Faculty of Economics. Mrs. Bajrami has been part of the academic staff of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Prishtina since 2004. She is the author of a number of academic thesis and scientific articles published in various international journals.
Mrs. Bajrami is married and is the mother of two daughters.
