Gazmend Haxhia

Gazmend Haxhia: ‘Gazi is an Albanian born International serial business entrepreneur. He has a proven ability to identify business opportunities in diverse industry segments and establish companies that optimise those opportunities effectively, whilst overcoming difficulties associated with new business ventures in new segments and in new markets. Gazi graduated from Tirana University, Faculty of Foreign Languages; he earned his MIA degree while at Columbia University in International Affairs and further educated himself at INSEAD Fontainebleau and the Harvard Business School.

He has a passion for identifying and developing talent and for furthering the education of individuals through several medium and through his association with renowned Business Schools and Development Organisations. His early career path included serving as an Aide in the Albanian Prime Ministers Office. He also interned at the Currency Trade Department and Middle Markets at Merrill Lynch on Wall Street. He has also been an External Adviser to the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania. His current business activities include owning and operating the Albania franchises for AVIS and Budget Rent a Car and leasing and the associated services. Founding & operating the Albania Experience Travel Company which is the leading incentive, Event and Travel Company in Albania which is transited to ‘Landways International which handles over 60,000 visitors travelling into Europe each year. Landways International has established offices in Albania and Croatia with plans for offices in Asia being developed. He is a co-founder and shareowner of the POLIS University in Tirana offering Degrees in Architecture, Urban Plan- ning and Art and Design and used to be the Licence Proprietor of “In Your Pocket” guidebooks of Tirana, Skopje, Pristine and Podgorica. Most recently he has become the Land and Port handling agent for MSC Cruises who now regularly dock in Albania. He has also established the Albanian Driver trainer centre ensuring a higher class of safety awareness and driving skills for many major fleets travelling within Albania and Internationally. As recently as 2018 he also became the 100% owner and proprietor of Opel Noshi the Opel Distributor for Albania. Under the GBI company, which he established with his friend and partner, they are active in real estate, start-ups and quite recently they entered the hospitality industry by signing a contract with IHG Group, for building a 140 rooms, 5* Crowne Plaza Hotel in Durres, Albania. His academic activities are as broad as his business interests and include being an Associate Faculty (since 2006), for Entrepreneurship and Practicing Management at IEDC-Bled School of Management. In 2018 he was awarded the title Professor of Management Practice. He was elected as A Young Global Leader from DAVOS World Economic Summit in 2008 and is an active member of that community. He was a member of Business Advisory Council at Stability Pact, Advisory Board Member at Commercial Bank of Albania, POLIS University Board Member, Board of Trustees Member of the American University in Kosovo. He is a member of Young Presidents Organisation and Board Member of CEEMAN management development association. Gazi is married to Anila and they have two children, they travel extensively, work Internationally but Tirana, Albania is home.