Linda Rama (formerly Xhillari; née Basha; born December 30, 1964) is a senior Albanian economist (Doctor of Economics), researcher, university lecturer, and advocate for women's and children's rights. She is the wife of Albanian prime minister Edi Rama.
General Profile After graduating from the University of Tirana School of Economics in 1987, Linda began her professional career at the Tirana Textile Combine. Just one year after the fall of communism (1992), she left Albania to pursue advanced studies in Prague, Czech Republic, becoming the first economist with a master's degree in economics to return to Albania in the 1990s. In 1996, she obtained a Ph.D. in Economics with a thesis on "The Economic Reform and Mass Privatization in Albania". Between 1993 and 1998, Linda Rama offered her expertise at the highest levels of public administration (National Privatization Agency under the Council of Ministers), first focusing on the privatization of large and strategic state-owned enterprises and later as Director General of the Agency (1997-1998). In March 1999, she co-founded the Human Development Promotion Center (HDPC) and has since served as a consultant to numerous international institutions. She was a member of the Supervisory Board of the Share Registration Center, which preceded the establishment of the Albanian Stock Exchange (1996–1999). Throughout her professional life, Linda has held various positions, including member and chairman of the board of the Open Society Foundation in Albania (2005 - 2010), member of the board of directors of the American Bank of Investment (2015 - 2018), and Lecturer in International Finance at the University of Tirana, School of Economics, and Lecturer in Public Policy and Risk Management at the European University of Tirana. Her strong academic and research interests have always been strongly driven by her sensitivity towards the most vulnerable groups of society, such as children, women, vulnerable categories, people with disabilities or minorities. In 2001, she was one of the co-founders of the Albanian Children's Alliance, and in 2002, she was an accredited participant in the meetings of the Preparatory Committee for the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children. At present, she continues her engagement as a researcher at the Human Development Promotion Center (HDPC) and as a consultant to various international institutions with a focus on economic, public policy and human development issues. Since 2010, Linda is married to the 33rd prime minister of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Edi Rama.
Early life Rama was born into an old Tirana family. Her father was a musician and played the horn, while her mother worked in the administration department of the former Auto-tractor Combine. As a child, she attended the "Kosova" Primary School, which operated under a then experimental bilingual system (Albanian and English), and the 8-year "20 Vjetori" School in Tirana. She completed her secondary education in Industrial Chemistry and graduated with honors from the Faculty of Economics, University of Tirana, with a degree in industrial economics in 1987. In the same year, she started teaching as a part-time lecturer at the university, focusing on organization and planning of industrial enterprises. In 1992, Rama was admitted to the Central European University in Prague, where she earned a master's degree in economics. After completing her studies, Rama returned to work as a lecturer in international finance at a public university and later taught public policy and public risk management at the European University of Tirana.
Professional career Rama's first professional experience was at the Tirana Textile Combine, a typical socialist enterprise, where she was employed after graduation. After completing her master's degree in economics, Linda returned to Albania to join the National Privatization Agency under the Council of Ministers as an officer responsible for designing and implementing the privatization of large strategic enterprises. During her time at the agency, Linda Rama made a significant contribution to the introduction of modern market concepts, including joint stock companies, mass privatization, shares, investment funds, guarantee funds, stock exchange, etc. One year after completing her Ph.D., between 1997 and 1998, Linda Rama was appointed Director General of the National Privatization Agency once the pyramid schemes collapsed. Rebellion of 1997 In addition to her undergraduate studies in economics, Linda Rama specialized in the labor market and the financial restructuring of companies. During and after her Master's studies, Linda Rama collaborated with renowned scholars and professors from other countries, with whom she has numerous collaborations in scientific research. In 1999, she co-founded the Human Development Promotion Center (HDPC), one of the first think tanks in the Republic of Albania. HDPC plays a crucial role in promoting constructive dialogue on topical issues such as the economy, governance, human development, public administration, regional development and related reforms. Between 1996 and 1999, Linda Rama served as a member of the Supervisory Board of the Share Registration Center, which preceded the establishment of the Albanian Stock Exchange (1996 - 1999). She was also appointed as a member and Chair of the Management Committee of the Open Society Foundation in Albania (2005 - 2010), and later as a member of the board of directors of the American Bank of Investment (2015 - 2018).
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