Interviews

FIAA: Assist Digital achieved its 5^th anniversary in the Albanian market. Could you tell us a bit more about the business of your company and its experience in Albania?

Mr. Donati: First of all, we are very happy to have been working in Albania and we are still following a growth path of our business in this country. We like the country and we like the people we are working with. Assist Digital is providing Customer Experience services to global companies at a pan-European level. This means that we provide a wide range of services related to the relationship between brands and their customers. We provide consulting services, CRM and marketing automating services, UX/UI design services, as well as multilingual customer operation services. Since the beginning of our story, we have been leveraging a lot on digital technologies and ICT technologies blending Artificial Intelligence with Human Intelligence, with the aim to fully satisfy the end users and at the same time our clients. This strategy has been very successful so far giving our company the opportunity to engage with very important clients.

20+ years’ milestone in FIAA 

FIAA: ONE Telecommunications is the first mobile telecommunications company in the country launched with the brand AMC, present in Albanian market since 1996. How would you describe the consistent growth and sustainability of your business in Albania as our country has been growing into a more mature market economy?

Mr. Georkaviev: ONE Telecommunications is an operator with 26 years of experience and glorious history. We are the operator who launched the first mobile network in the country, opening widely the door to technology world for Albanians. Of course, since 1996 the market requirements have changed a lot. To adapt with these changes and respond to customer demands we kept our network and services aligned with every new technology trend and innovation with one simple goal, to provide the best quality for our customers and lead the telecom industry in the country. All these years, the company was developing and transforming aiming to respond and satisfy the best on customer’s needs.

“20+ years’ milestone with FIAA”

FIAA: Coca-Cola Bottling Shqipëria entered the Albanian market in 1994, thus being among the first foreign entrepreneurs to invest in the country. How would you describe the development of your business in Albania since our country is going through a more mature market economy?

Mr. Busi: Based on recent years ‘analytic data, Albania is showing and demonstrating some very interesting growth in numbers. Today, many entrepreneurial realities are expanding more and more their business in the Albanian market. CCBS was a pioneer investor, which officially entered Albania 28 years ago, impacting significantly and positively both, economy and culture.

We decided to invest in Albania during a difficult period, a country with a troubled political history, isolated from international realities and foreign markets’ landscape at that time. When we entered the country, it was just 4 years after the collapse of the totalitarian system, but we envisaged the changing of that realty towards a new Albanian appearance.

“20+ years’ milestone with FIAA”

FIAA: Tonucci & Partners is the first foreign Law Firm in the country, present in Albania since 1995. How would you describe the development and sustainability of your firm in Albania as our country has been growing into a more mature market economy?

Avv. Tonucci: Tonucci & Partners Albania Law Firm has always been recognized as a leading law firm in Albania able to offer very professional and timely services with excellent quality, in compliance with the highest international standards.

With its presence in Albania, Tonucci & Partners has been a direct witness and active contributor to the continuous growth of the economic, social and regulatory development of Albania with significant results, making possible for the country to be closer to the entry into the European Union.

“Vodafone Albania has always been a pioneer of introducing new technologies in the country”

FIAA: Finally, we have a female Leader for Vodafone Albania, this is a trend applied also to other industries and to the recent Governments. How is your experience in Albania going so far?

Mrs. Stathaki: Albania is a beautiful country to live in. When I was appointed to this role, I knew little about the country. Half a year later, I could not be happier for my appointment as Vodafone Albania CEO. I have not only found a great team here, but I have discovered also a beautiful country with an amazing spirit and hospitality.

“Tirana has been developing quickly into a digital hub in the Balkans”

FIAA: Lufthansa Industry Solutions is a leading IT company in the Albanian market. Could you tell us about this company’s business worldwide and the decision to enter the Albanian market?

Mrs. Shkurta: Lufthansa Industry Solutions is a service provider for IT consulting and system integration. As a subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa Group, Lufthansa Industry Solutions supports its clients’ digital transformation. Its customer base includes companies both within and outside the Lufthansa Group, more than 200 companies in various lines of business. The company is based in Norderstedt, Germany and employs more than 2,100 members of staff at several branches in Germany, Switzerland, the USA and since April 2019 in Tirana, Albania.

“We will bring to Albania the most advanced technologies available in the solar industry”.

 

FIAA: Voltalia chose to enter the Albanian Energy Renewable market in 2020. Could you tell us why in the Photovoltaic Energy? 

Mr. Mulliez: Photovoltaic is the cheapest way to produce electricity in the world and it happens that Voltalia is doing business in the renewable energy, which includes solar photovoltaic (and also wind, storage, biomass and hydro).

“Part of our Mission is to act as a Start-Up for all other companies and investors to build a solid automotive environment in Albania.”

FIAA: SEWS-CABIND Group has recently entered the Albanian market. Could you tell us about the mission and operations of this company as well as the interest on the Albanian market?

Mr. Scarfalloto: SEI and SEWS-CABIND Group evaluated the possibility of expansion of the company in Albania from many years, many investigations have been done from our Group CFO Mr. Blanco and our Group CEO Mr. Ishii before to take final decision to move here. In fact, it is necessary to consider that before us, very few automotive companies entered in Albania territory and not in the same Group level like SEI, in terms of dimension and business.

FIAA: You have recently rebranded your business from Telekom to One Telecommunications. How is ONE performing in Albania?

Mr. Georgakiev: Yes, we have just introduced our new brand to the public. It took us more than a year of preparations and now I can confidently say that ONE Telecommunications represents a whole new identity, with new values and corporate culture that guide us in all our operations. At the end, those that benefit will be the customers and the society.

Our objective is to become the preferred operator of Albanians, that is why we are changing our approach to the market. We listen to our customers, then give them the communication solution they are asking for. For example ONE Telecommunications offers unlimited tariff plans and handsets on installments – both are products that address the needs of people and we did not hesitate to make them available, even be the first in the market in this regard. At our remodeled shops, everyone can find the tariff plan, the handset, or accessories that best meet their expectations.

Reflections for the consequences and opportunities post COVID-19 Pandemic

In my opinion, it should be noted that Covid’s drama is a two-time world crisis:

Firstly, a sanitary crisis with major health consequences

Secondly, an economic crisis with severe consequences for the economy and poverty in a large part of the population. The second part of the crisis can kill even more people than the pandemic virus.

We are living in a period where big changes will take place, perhaps the greatest changes of modern times. The crisis has catastrophic consequences, but it will also bring radical changes to the economic model, providing opportunities for industry players in Europe and indirectly in Albania.