EBRD Appoints Grzegorz Zielinski As Managing Director For South-Eastern Europe Effective 1 June 2026

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has announced the appointment of Grzegorz Zielinski as its new Managing Director for South-Eastern Europe, effective 1 June 2026.In this role, Mr Zielinski will oversee the Bank’s activities across the six Western Balkans countries as well as Bulgaria, Romania and Greece. He succeeds Charlotte Ruhe, who will retire at the end of June after many years leading the Bank’s work across central and south-eastern Europe.

As Managing Director, Mr Zielinski will steer the EBRD’s strategic engagement in these markets, ensuring that the Bank’s investments generate concrete results, address emerging regional challenges and strengthen long-term sustainable growth. Based in Belgrade, he will work closely with national authorities, private-sector partners, in-country EBRD teams and international collaborators to advance investment pipelines, shape policy dialogue and support reform priorities across the region

.A Polish national, Mr Zielinski brings nearly three decades of EBRD experience. He joined the Bank in 1998 from Ernst & Young, starting as a banker in the Power and Energy Utilities team. Over the years he led EBRD investments in multiple markets before taking responsibility for coordinating renewable-energy investment and regional energy coverage in central Europe.His leadership trajectory continued with his appointment in 2014 as EBRD Country Director for Poland, a role that later expanded to include the Baltic states and additional central European countries.

In 2018, he became Regional Director for Central Europe and the Baltic States, overseeing operations in eight countries and managing five EBRD offices. Since 2021, he has served as Director, Energy Europe, within the Sustainable Infrastructure Group, leading the Bank’s Energy Europe team and advancing the EBRD’s mandate to support Europe’s green-energy transition through investment and policy engagement.

Mr Zielinski’s extensive experience—spanning senior management roles, complex investment delivery, major policy initiatives and multi-country operational oversight—positions him strongly to elevate the EBRD’s impact in South-Eastern Europe. His deep understanding of the Bank’s priorities and on-the-ground realities will be central to driving progress in a region that remains diverse in its development paths and reform needs.

South-eastern Europe holds a significant place in the EBRD’s portfolio. The region comprises economies at varying stages of transition, with shared priorities such as modernising infrastructure, expanding renewable energy, strengthening energy security, fostering competitive private-sector growth and accelerating climate-aligned investment. The Bank’s work also places emphasis on policy reform and institutional strengthening to promote long-term resilience, inclusiveness and sustainable economic development.