Sanja is a highly accomplished executive with over 25 years of experience in international business, investment promotion, and strategic consulting. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Impakt Investment Foundation, leading initiatives that support entrepreneurship and sustainable economic growth in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans.

Previously, she spent nine years as the Executive Director of the Foreign Investors Council (FIC), where she played a pivotal role in shaping the business climate and advocating for investor-friendly reforms. Prior to that, she was the Business Development & Marketing Manager for over a decade at Wolf Theiss, a prominent Austrian consulting and law firm.

Sanja specializes in advising companies on investment strategy, business development, and market positioning, backed by strong skills in strategic planning, problem-solving, and international networking. Throughout her career, she has participated in elite fellowship and executive programs across the USA, UK, China, Germany, and Austria, including:

• The British–Bosnia and Herzegovina Fellowship Programme (London)
• The U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP)
• Stanford University’s Leadership Academy for Development (LAD)

In 2024, she was selected for the Berlin Founders Program, an initiative empowering young innovators from Southeast Europe. She also provided consulting services for startups through Science Park Graz in Austria and is an Ambassador of Partner of Keiretsu Forum SEE, contributing to the development of the regional startup ecosystem. Keiretsu Forum is a global investment community with 53 chapters across four continents.

In 2025, she became the first Senator representing Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Mediterranean Tourism Foundation in Malta, underscoring her influence in promoting sustainable regional development.

Besides, Sanja holds numerous leadership positions in international and regional organizations, including:

• Past President, President Elect and Board Member, IFTDO (International Federation of Training and Development Organizations), headquartered in London
• Member of Advisory Board of the EU–Western Balkans Business Council, headquartered in Brussels
• Member, European Women Association (EWA)
• Member, CEEWABA – Central Eastern European & West African Business Association
• Member, WORLD MINDS – a global community of thought leaders in science, the arts, business, and government

Fluent in English and French and proficient in Italian, Spanish, and German, Sanja is also a certified NLP Master Practitioner. She frequently speaks at high-level conferences across Europe and beyond and is widely recognized as one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most influential voices in business and civic development.

Although she has received numerous offers to continue her career abroad, Sanja remains firmly committed to driving progress and innovation within Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans. Beyond her professional work, she is passionate about writing, reading, and sailing. Her first book will be published in 2026.

Sessions

Session III

From Policy to Action: Converting Gender Equity Mandates into Empowerment, Investment & Jobs

14:00 – 15:30