Work Experience
A career across continents, institutions, and sectors.
Senior leadership and advisory across innovation institutes, global enterprises, public institutions, investor networks, and education — building capability and impact at scale.
Roles & Engagements
- 01
Jul 2021 – Present
Boston, Massachusetts, United States · Remote
GIMI — Global Innovation Management Institute
Chief Operations Officer & Director of Strategic Partnerships
- Initiated and led the merger with IAOIP — one of the largest associations of innovators in the US — which brought to GIMI around 5,000 members, an International Journal on Innovation & Science, a Career Site on innovation jobs, and a community management platform.
- Created new revenue streams for GIMI like the membership model, stabilized and created an operational system to manage the partners and revenues generated from them.
- Almost tripled the revenues in 2 years.
- Led and assisted the design of several products like: GIMI Innovation Awards, GIMI Impact, Innovation Coach, Innovation Catalyst, Innovation Service Tool, CIP & CCIO Masterclasses, Innovation Potential Assessment, Collaborative Leadership, Organizational Assessment, ISO course, Train the Auditors on Innovation Management Assessment, Design Thinking, Jobs to be done etc.
- Managing a network of 33 Certified Training Partners and supporting them to grow markets on innovation management training and consultancy in their regions ranging across US, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Australia.
- Expanded the network by 23 new Certified Training Partners in Northern and Western Africa, Scandinavian Countries, Canada, Peru, Philippines, Australia, and South America.
- Created and led the establishment of a partnership with Qatar Government to use GIMI framework.
- Developed the strategy of partnerships with Universities around the world to embed courses of GIMI as part of their curricula.
- Mentoring and co-teaching for GIMI level 1 and level 2 designed for professionals looking to learn world-class innovation tools and methodologies and apply them to real-life challenges in their organizations.
- 02
2021 – Present
Cambridge, US
IXL Center
Senior Consultant / Global Director
Advises Fortune 500 enterprises, governments, and institutions across four continents on innovation strategy and capability building.
- Consulted OCP Nutricrops, the biggest company in Morocco to build capabilities on innovation.
- Conducted an audit to Renault Technology Business Center in India about the innovation management system, helped them close the gaps and receive ISO certification.
- Support Petronas, largest company in Malaysia to Train the Trainers and build an innovation academy internally to develop innovation capabilities of 400 people.
- Consulted the Ayala Group one of the biggest groups in South East Asia for an internal accelerator to drive ideas to prototypes for their 3 main companies using the theory of Non-consumption and Market-creating Innovation.
- Led the software Service Innovation Tool for the government of Qatar. The tool audits services & processes by mapping out the journeys of different stakeholders to find pain points and solve those using Hackathons or Ideation techniques.
- Consulted Sunlife Canada to audit their innovation framework and capabilities in order to build an transformative strategy and innovation framework for all BUs offering one experience to their clients.
- Consulted Banco de Occidente building an individual audit assessing Innovation Potential of every employee in the company. This assessment was build based on the GIMI innovation framework and applied to 1800 employees.
- Mentored 5 student teams to solve the challenge about the cruise of the future posed by Royal Caribbean the second largest cruise ship in the world.
- Trained Airbus team to apply the innovation framework for the future of aviation while building an ecosystem of airports, airlines and universities.
- Managed GIMI IMPACT program, a new curricula piloted in Canada in 2022 certifying certify Youth on Innovation and problem solving.
- Consulted one of the largest companies in Brazil in the pulp, paper, and cosmetic industries on innovation and strategy.
- Consulted for a $2 million project "Leaders of the future", intended to train 2000 business leaders in Brasil.
- 03
2025 – Present
Voice of Women in Innovation (VOWI)
Founder
A community that advocates for the active inclusion of women in innovation, while also addressing broader gender equity issues. We conduct activities such as:
- Recognize the great work of each member.
- Share opportunities (jobs, contracts, speaking engagements).
- Support & guide each other through challenges.
- Write articles and speeches which aim to strengthen the role of women in innovation teams, decision making etc.
- 04
2025 – Present
AIMI — Australian Innovation Management Institute
Global Advisory Council Member
- Strategic Insight: Advise AIMI on emerging global innovation trends, methodologies, and priorities to help shape its programmes and positioning.
- Global Connectivity: Serve as a conduit to international innovation networks, research centres, and leading practitioners.
- Reputation & Advocacy: Help strengthen AIMI's brand in Australia as a leader in innovation management by endorsing its programmes and amplifying its impact.
- Capability-Building: Support AIMI in identifying opportunities to elevate innovation skills and standards across Australia.
- Thought Partnership: Contribute to AIMI publications, events, and initiatives that advance innovation excellence.
- 05
2018 – 2021
Bulgaria
University of Ruse
Researcher
- Contributed to the international project "Intergenerational family businesses, as a stress management instrument for entrepreneurs (INTERGEN)."
- 06
2015 – 2021
Tirana
Partners Albania
Program Manager
Designed 50+ project proposals, managed budgets up to EUR 1.5M, and mentored 150+ startups and social enterprises.
- Designed more than 50 project proposals and led several fundraising initiatives.
- Managed projects with budgets up to EUR 1,500,000.
- Managed subgranting schemes dedicated to NGOs and non-formal groups.
- Made the organization part of 3 European networks.
- Organised events of up to 200 people and raised more than EUR 100,000 in a crowdfunding event.
- Trained & mentored 100+ NGOs to tap into fundraising initiatives and diversify resources.
- Mentored more than 150 startups and social enterprises.
- Led advocacy and awareness campaigns organizing 30+ organizations across 9 regional coalitions.
- Conducted assessments and research related to assigned projects.
Selected Projects
Green Business Competition
2020 – 2021Program funded by Rockefeller Brothers Fund supporting green startups and encouraging innovation through know-how and funding.
Dua Partner Invest
2020 – 2021Online interceder platform matching business ideas and innovative SMEs with potential investors, donors, and facilitators.
Career Guidance Service — A model for replication
2020 – 2021Bottom-up youth movement advocating for career guidance with local government — supported by RisiAlbania.
Promoting the Alberghi Diffusi model in Albania
2020 – 2021Identified investors for a pilot scattered-hospitality tourism model in an Albanian village — supported by RisiAlbania.
Youth Movement — A New Page for Local Communities
2019 – 2021Mentored high-school youngsters to implement grass-root initiatives, culminating in a TEDx-format event — funded by Swiss Development Cooperation.
Giving Circle — Albania's first live crowdfunding event
2018 – 2020Initiated and coordinated the first live crowdfunding event in Albania, linking donors with charitable cases and social entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurship Models — Building Relations & Creative Economy
2018 – 2021Grants management, capacity building, and mentoring for new social entrepreneurship ideas — funded by EU.
Regional Social Academy
2019Academy on Social Enterprises for 15 participants from Balkan NPOs — contracted by Iris Network.
Mapping of Social Enterprises in Europe
2018 – 2019Updated the mapping of social enterprises and their eco-systems in Europe — contracted by EU.
Together for More Effective Participation
2018Strengthened NGOs' capacities to influence local policy and decision-making through advocacy — funded by Slovak Aid.
Financially Viable Civil Society = Active Civil Society
2016 – 2018Helped NGOs identify new business models to generate revenue and reach financial stability — funded by the United States.
Mayors Post-Territorial Reform Assessment
2018Co-researcher assessing achievements and challenges of mayors in Albanian municipalities — supported by UN.
Develop Municipal Programs of Transparency
2018Co-researcher on transparency programs — supported by UN.
Philanthropic Activity of Enterprises in Albania
2016 – 2017Research project — funded by Balkan Trust for Democracy.
Celebrating Solidarity
2016 – 2017Multi-country EU project promoting philanthropy and examples of solidarity across 6 European countries.
Youth Bank Hub for Western Balkans and Turkey
2016 – 2020Regional project monitoring youth participation in economic, political, and social fields — funded by EU.
Employment of Marginalized Groups by Social Enterprises
2016 – 2017Regional research project — funded by Regional Research Promotion Programme.
- 07
2015 – 2021
University of Tirana — Faculty of Economy
External Lecturer
- Delivered lectures, organized seminars, and evaluated students in Strategic Management and Decision Making.
- 08
Feb 2015 – Apr 2015
Tirana
Ministry of Economic Development, Tourism and Entrepreneurship
Expert
- Responsible for collection of statistics and quantitative & qualitative data analysis.
- Assisted in preparing balance-trade reports of Albania with Balkan countries and analyzing SME development.
- 09
Feb 2015 – Mar 2015
Tirana
ALBtelecom
Budget Specialist
- Assisted on managing daily cash balances of the company.
- Forecasted cash payments.
- Checked banking corresponds to receipt totals.
- Matched the sequence of entries in the cashbook with the sequence of receipts and payments.
- Executed final payments from the SAP program.
- 10
Oct 2014 – Feb 2015
Tirana
Albanian Food Industry
Project Consultant
- Wrote research projects mainly related to support schemes for agro-processing businesses — desk research, in-depth interviews, and data analysis.