- The EU bank will continue to support the region’s green and digital transition, EU accession and connectivity efforts, contributing to its economic resilience.
- Since 2010, EIB Global has provided €11 billion in affordable financing and technical assistance to the region.
The European Investment Bank (EIB Global) has appointed Damien Sorrell as its new Head of the Regional Hub for the Western Balkans. He succeeds Alessandro Bragonzi, who will continue his career at the Bank’s headquarters. Through this new leadership, and alongside its partners, the Bank will remain committed to supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy, fostering alignment with EU standards and driving economic growth in the Western Balkans.
Sorrell began his career in the project finance department of Linklaters LLP law firm before joining the EIB’s legal team focusing on operations in Africa, MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and Asia. In 2019, he established and managed the Bank’s Beirut office, and in 2022 he joined the financial inclusion team as a senior loan officer. He holds dual French and British nationality and has a Bachelor of Laws in English law from King’s College London, a maîtrise in French law from the Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, as well as a master’s degree in international relations from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.
EIB Vice-President Robert de Groot, who is responsible for the Western Balkans, stated, “Thanks to the dedication of the entire EIB team devoted to the region, we have built a strong and impactful presence on the ground. With safer transportation networks, modern hospitals and schools, and strong support for private sector projects in energy and innovation sectors in particular, we are confident that the region is well positioned to continue on its path to EU accession and market integration. With our new representative, the Bank will continue its fruitful collaboration with all our partners.”
Damien Sorrell, new Head of the EIB regional hub for the Western Balkans, stated, “I am honoured to take on this position and pursue the work of my predecessors in helping the Western Balkans take decisive steps towards realising their EU accession ambitions – while decarbonising their economies, increasing connectivity and improving living and business conditions. As a long-term partner to the region, the EU Bank has consistently provided financial and technical support to build key infrastructure and enhance operational capacities. We will remain on that track, working closely with the European Commission, the Western Balkans Investment Framework and all our partners.”
EIB Global’s regional hub in Belgrade supports the Bank’s activities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. With €11 billion in financial and technical resources provided to the region since 2010, the Bank has played a pivotal role in enhancing connectivity, fostering market integration and deploying renewable energy infrastructure.
Background information
About the EIB and EIB Global
The EIB is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives. EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, and a key partner of the Global Gateway. We aim to support €100 billion of investment by the end of 2027, around one-third of the overall target of this EU initiative. Within Team Europe, EIB Global fosters strong, focused partnerships alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the EIB Group closer to local people, companies and institutions through its offices around the world.
The EIB is one of the leading international financiers in the Western Balkans. For detailed information on the EIB’s activities in this region, visit www.eib.org/en/publications/the-eib-in-the-western-balkans.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.