Dirk Felske

Implementing UMIR - the European Investment Bank's Ukraine and Moldova TA to Financial Inclusion and Recovery Project

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

About

• Seasoned Senior Advisor and Fund / Bank manager with 20+ years of experience in providing management services in financial sector development, technical assistance and capacity building in projects financed by the EU, EIB, EBRD, KfW, GiZ, IFC, ADB and other international financial institutions • Core competencies in researching, designing, implementing, managing and controlling development programmes / development funds like the GIZ ProLocal regional development programme for SME value chain financing in BiH, The German Ukrainian Fund (KfW, Central Bank of Ukraine, Ministry of Finance of Ukraine), the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EU/EIF, EBRD, KfW, IFC), the Russia Small Business Fund (EBRD) • Core competencies in MSME, agribusiness, energy efficiency / renewable energy and infrastructure lending • Extensive experience in microfinance / downscaling projects for commercial banks • Proven track record in successfully building MSME and agribusiness lending departments from scratch • Seasoned trainer, experienced in designing, conducting and follow-up of seminars, trainings and training on the job • Proven track record in successfully managing multi-stakeholder programmes with teams of local and international experts • Proven track record in successfully growing MSME lending operations in Ukraine, Serbia, the Balkans, CIS, Central Asia and Turkey • Fluency in spoken and written English, Ukrainian, Serbo-Croatian and Russian as well as basic Arabic language skills.

Experience

  • GOPA AFC (7 yrs 6 mos)
    • Team Leader and Executive Financial Sector Advisor
      Feb 2025 - Present · 1 yr 5 mos

    • Senior Financial Sector Advisor
      Jan 2024 - Feb 2025 · 1 yr 2 mos

    • Team Leader
      Jan 2019 - Jan 2024 · 5 yrs 1 mo

  • Senior Advisor Financial Sector Development at Dirk Felske
    Jan 2015 - Present · 11 yrs 6 mos

  • Senior Expert, Agri-Food Finance and Banking at NIRAS International Consulting
    Jan 2021 - Jan 2024 · 3 yrs 1 mo

  • EIB Eastern Neighbourhood Financial Sector and EIB-Ukraine Agri-Food Value Chain Projects at AFC and NIRAS
    Jan 2021 - Jan 2024 · 3 yrs 1 mo

  • Team Leader at GFA Consulting Group
    Apr 2017 - Jan 2018 · 10 mos