ICC ALBANIA EXECUTIVE BOARD

Nicholas A. RANA, Chairman

Nicholas joins Tirana Marriott Hotel from the InterContinental Warsaw Hotel, where he has held the position of Director of Operations since the beginning of 2023. Nicholas has worked for Marriott over 16 years, in various locations, such as Copenhagen, Dubai, Malmo, Budapest, Baku, Prague, Abu Dhabi, and gained a strong commercial foundation by holding various property leadership roles in Sales & Marketing.

In 2017, Nicholas decided to pursue a new venture outside of Marriott and accepted the position of General Manager of the Copenhagen Kølpin Hotel. In 2019 Nicholas Joined to InterContinental, as Cluster Director of Sales & Marketing, based in Malta, where he also acted as interim General Manager for a few months in 2021.

During his “detour”, Nicholas has developed solid experience in operations, in strategies to improve associate engagement and maintain positive owner’s relationship.

Nicholas is a Danish citizen and holds a bachelor’s degree from Copenhagen Business School (CBS).

Bilgen ALDAN, Board Member

Bilgen Aldan is a seasoned business leader with over 20 years of experience in telecommunications, fintech, e-commerce, digital banking, digital media, and mobile gaming across Turkey, Albania, and Kosovo. She currently serves as the CEO of BKT Pay, Advisor to the Board of Directors at BKT (National Commercial Bank), and Executive Board Member at CB Digital, an e-commerce marketplace company.

Previously, Bilgen was the CEO and Board Member of ALBtelecom in Albania, CEO of Mynet, a leading digital media company in Turkey, and Chief Marketing Officer for n11.com, a prominent e-commerce marketplace in Turkey. She has also held significant roles such as Direct Banking Vice President at Akbank, one of Turkey’s largest banks, Program Manager at Turkcell, the leading telecommunications company in Turkey (2005-2010), and Digital Banking Product Manager at Garanti Bank.

Bilgen is recognized as one of Turkey’s distinguished businesswomen, having been honored with several prestigious awards, including Fortune Turkey’s Top 50 Business Women (2020), Fast Company’s Digital Leaders (2020), and Turcomoney’s Top 40 Business Women Under 40 (2020). She is an active member of the Women on Boards Association.

Genc BOGA, Board Member

Genc Boga is the founder and Managing Partner of Boga & Associates, a leading multidisciplinary law firm operating in both Albania and Kosovo. With over 30 years of experience, Genc has established a solid reputation as a trusted advisor to banks, financial institutions, and international investors. His expertise spans multiple sectors, including energy, infrastructure, technology, transport, and real estate.

Thanks to his experience, Genc acts as a legal advisor on a regular basis for the most important international financial institutions and foreign investors intending to invest in Albania and Kosovo. He is regularly engaged by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank in various investment projects in Albania and Kosovo. Genc is continuously ranked as a leading lawyer in Albania by the most reputable international directories such as Chamber and Partners, The Legal 500 and IFLR1000.

Ardit PEPA, Board Member

Ardit Pepa is a Senior Manager of Internal Services Division of ProCredit Bank Albania

He joined ProCredit Bank Albania in May 2002 as Legal Advisor. During this period of time, he has served in managerial job positions in the bank that are related with legal issues like: Manager of Legal Sector, Manager of Legal and Compliance Department and from May 2014 he was Manager of Legal, AML & Compliance Department.

Starting from April 2023 he is serving as Manager of Internal Services Division.

Through his long experience in the bank, Mr.Pepa has demonstrated professional integrity and great leadership skills. He graduated from the University of Tirana, having studied Law. Moreover, he graduated from the ProCredit Academy in Veles, North Macedonia and in Fürth, Germany.

Kristi VAKO, Board Member

Kristi Vako is the Head of Oracle Solicitors Albania and also leads the ADR department at Oracle Solicitors. In these roles, Kristi oversees a team of legal professionals, delivering exceptional legal representation in complex ADR cases while customizing their strategies to address clients’ specific needs. Before this, Kristi was a business Lawyer and legal specialist at Oracle Solicitors. Prior to joining Oracle, Kristi worked as an in-house lawyer and litigator at STENGER LLP. Kristi also served as an Environmental Law Expert for the Heidenhof Foundation Project in partnership with OAA and was the Managing Director at the Albanian Young Leaders Forum. Kristi gained initial experience through an internship at Deutscher Bundestag as an International Parliamentary Scholarship Holder.

Kristi earned their Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the European University of Tirana between 2013 and 2016 and went on to obtain a Master of Laws (LLM) in German and European Law and Legal Practice from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin from 2017 to 2018.

THE SECRETARIAT

Ardita Seknaj, Secretary General

Ardita Seknaj is the Secretary General of ICC Albania since 2013, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the role. Before joining the organization, Ardita had a career in the banking sector, where she held various positions and contributed significantly to the area of work.

Currently, Ardita is pursuing a PhD, focusing on international trade further enhancing her knowledge and leadership capabilities. Ardita’s academic pursuits complement her professional experience, allowing her to bring a unique blend of practical and theoretical insights to their work.

Throughout her tenure at ICC Albania, Ardita has been driving key initiatives that promote business development, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement.

In addition to her professional and academic commitments, Ardita is actively involved in various engagements and initiatives, contributing to the broader economic and social development agenda.