EBRD leadership transition positions south-eastern Europe for continued investment and green infrastructure growth

EBRD leadership transition positions south-eastern Europe for continued investment and green infrastructure growth

(IN BRIEF) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has appointed Grzegorz Zielinski as Managing Director for South-Eastern Europe beginning in June 2026. Zielinski will oversee the Bank’s operations across the Western Balkans, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece, succeeding Charlotte Ruhe. Bringing decades of experience within the EBRD, including leadership roles in energy, infrastructure and regional operations, Zielinski will guide investment, policy and reform initiatives focused on sustainable growth, green energy transition and economic resilience across south-eastern Europe.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 19-May-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has appointed Grzegorz Zielinski as Managing Director for South-Eastern Europe, with the new leadership role taking effect on 1 June 2026. In the position, Zielinski will oversee the Bank’s operations across the six Western Balkans countries as well as Bulgaria, Romania and Greece.

Zielinski will succeed Charlotte Ruhe, who is set to retire at the end of June after leading the EBRD’s wider central and south-eastern Europe region. Based in Belgrade, he will be responsible for guiding the Bank’s investment strategy, policy engagement and reform initiatives across a region that remains strategically important to the EBRD’s long-term development agenda.

The appointment comes at a time when south-eastern Europe continues to face evolving economic, energy and infrastructure challenges alongside ongoing efforts to accelerate green transition initiatives, strengthen private sector competitiveness and improve long-term economic resilience.

As Managing Director, Zielinski will work closely with national governments, local authorities, private sector clients and international partners to ensure that EBRD investments support sustainable growth and respond effectively to the region’s changing economic landscape.

A Polish national, Zielinski joined the EBRD in 1998 after previously working at Ernst & Young. During his career at the Bank, he has held several senior leadership positions across investment banking, regional management and energy infrastructure operations.

He initially worked within the Power and Energy Utilities team, where he led investments across multiple regions before taking responsibility for renewable energy investments and energy sector coverage in central Europe. In 2014, he became Country Director for Poland, with his responsibilities later expanding to include the Baltic states and additional countries in central Europe.

In 2018, Zielinski was appointed Regional Director for Central Europe and the Baltic States, overseeing operations in eight countries and managing five EBRD offices across the region. Since 2021, he has served as Director of Energy Europe within the Bank’s Sustainable Infrastructure Group, where he has focused on promoting green energy transition projects and supporting policy engagement throughout Europe.

The EBRD highlighted Zielinski’s extensive experience in managing complex investment programmes, leading multi-country operations and advancing policy reform initiatives as key factors behind the appointment. The Bank said his knowledge of the institution’s strategic priorities and regional operations will help further strengthen the EBRD’s impact across south-eastern Europe.

The region remains one of the EBRD’s most significant operational areas, encompassing economies at different stages of development and reform. The Bank’s activities there continue to focus on sustainable infrastructure development, energy security, climate-aligned investment, private sector growth and institutional reform aimed at supporting inclusive and long-term economic progress.

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SOURCE: EBRD