Best Practices in supporting entrepreneurs & SMEs: The Future of Regional Cooperation

Completed the university study in the field of social sciences, branch of economics, study program of Business Economics and obtained the title Master of Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Business Zagreb.

Currently, working at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia, leading the Sector for the improvement and development of entrepreneurship and crafts. Gained rich work experience related to policy measures for the development of entrepreneurship and crafts, vocational education, entrepreneurial learning and development and implementation of programs financed from the state budget and the European Union.

Mr. Murat Şükrü SOYKAN is the Acting Head of Department of International Relations of KOSGEB.  He started his career at Ankara University Technology Development Centre of KOSGEB. He has had EU project management experience through various EU funded projects, during his assignment at Central Finance and Contracts Unit of Türkiye. Currently, he coordinates two directorates in KOSGEB responsible for managing foreign relations including international organisations which mostly work in SME Ecosystem. Lately, he has started working on a UNDP project aiming resilience for SMEs.

Mr. SOYKAN graduated from University of Gazi in Ankara, Faculty of Engineering, and Department of Industrial Engineering. 

Mr. Dedaj holds educational degrees in management sciences, and business administration. He holds a PhD degree in business administration, specializing in innovation policy and practice.

For many years now, working within the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade as head of trade policy-related issues, then director of the trade department, and recently acting general director of KIESA, being in charge of investment and export promotion, developing economic zones and supporting SMEs in Kosovo.

Moreover, in 2018, he worked as a seconded national expert at the Secretariat of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) in Brussels, representing Kosovo in non-tariff barriers and trade facilitation on goods. 

With a strong foundation in finance, Fiona brings a wealth of experience from diverse roles in both the public and private sectors across various industries. Passionate about innovation, she is dedicated to unlocking the full potential of businesses. At AIDA, Fiona spearheads project management and implementation, actively contributes to draft laws and strategies for business process digitalization, and oversees the 'Access to Finance' platform—a specialized online portal designed for the Albanian market, facilitating exploration of funding opportunities.

Maja Taseva has over 20 years of experience working in the public sector, maintaining communication and cooperation with partner institutions of relevance for SME support, managing and implementing governmental and donor driven projects (EU and other) that support SMEs to develop required skills and knowledge.

Lately, she is extensively engaged into establishing a well-structured and standardized SMEs Support System, covering wide range of business support services.