Heike Harmgart is the Managing Director for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Heike has been recognised as one of 10 most powerful women in business in the Middle East as selected by Forbes Middle East. She was selected for showing resilience, flexibility, and strength in the face of unprecedented adversity, both in the workplace and in their communities.
"Richly deserved recognition for her (and everything she has done for the region!)," tweeted the EBRD in response to the news.
Creating and delivering EBRD's strategy and business plan
Based in Cairo, Heike is responsible for the formulation and delivery of EBRD’s strategy and business plan for the SEMED region currently including Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and West Bank and Gaza. She manages a team of 150 staff with an annual business volume of over € 2 billion.
A German national, Dr Harmgart joined the EBRD in 2006 as an economist. In 2013 she became EBRD’s first Head of Office in Jordan, based in Amman. She was appointed Director for the Eastern Mediterranean after EBRD expanded under her local leadership into Lebanon and West Bank and Gaza in 2017.
Prior to joining EBRD she worked for the Economist Intelligence Unit and the Institute for Fiscal Studies. She holds a PhD in economics from University College London.
Supporting the SEMED region through investment
The EBRD promotes private sector development across 38 emerging economies and started investing in the southern and eastern Mediterranean back in 2012.
The bank has engaged rapidly in SEMED. Through investment, it is supporting the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, promoting agribusiness, developing infrastructure and local services and supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency and the development of local capital markets.
Join award-winning female leaders like Heike at the EBRD
Women like Heike are supporting EBRD projects, business services and involvement in high-level policy reform to change lives across three continents.
Work in exciting operations spanning a range of industries, from agribusiness to infrastructure to transport.
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