EBRD announces new Head of Moldova

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has appointed Giuseppe Grimaldi to head its operations in Moldova, replacing Catarina Bjorlin Hansen. The EBRD has invested in Moldova since 1992, and its support for the economy there is a key element of the Bank’s work to help the region prosper despite Russia’s war on neighbouring Ukraine.

Mr Grimaldi, who currently holds a London-based position as Head of Sector Reforms for Sustainable Infrastructure, will be based in Chisinau, Moldova. He will report to Arvid Tuerkner, the EBRD’s Managing Director for Ukraine and Moldova.

Mr Grimaldi moved from private-sector work in his native Italy to the EBRD in 2014, working as a London-based economist before moving to Ukraine in 2016 to focus on the energy sector across eastern Europe and the Caucasus. He was promoted to Associate Director, Senior Sector Economist, on his return to London in 2021. He took up his current role in 2022, in which he has been instrumental in establishing the first EBRD policy framework for state-owned enterprises.

Mr Grimaldi’s regional experience in supporting reforms that align countries more closely with European Union regulations will inform his work in Moldova, an EU candidate country.

“Giuseppe brings to his new role in-depth knowledge and experience of policy work and reform delivery across multiple EBRD countries, in particular bringing together sector reforms and investments to increase the impact of the Bank’s operations, along with leadership and management experience gained during his time in his current role,” said Arvid Tuerkner.