SAMIR MANE

Two years after moving to Vienna, I founded Alba-Trade, a company specialising in the wholesale of electronic appliances. That step laid the foundation for what would become BALFIN Group.

I opened the first Neptun store in Tirana. It soon grew into the largest electronics retail network in Albania.

We took Neptun to North Macedonia, our first step in expanding across the Western Balkans.

I started Mane TCI, our company for real estate development and management.

I moved my family back to Tirana. That year we opened QTU, the first shopping mall in Albania, together with Euromax, the country's first supermarket chain.

We opened the first Neptun store in Kosovo and founded ACREM to manage commercial real estate, including shopping malls.

I bought the land outside Tirana that became the Rolling Hills residential complex. The Financial Times named me one of the top four “People to Watch in Business” in Albania.

We opened Tirana East Gate, the largest shopping mall in Albania, and brought Jumbo's first megastore to Tirana through a BALFIN franchise.

We acquired ACR Holding, renamed AlbChrome, and opened Tirana Logistic Park, the first logistics park in Albania.

We began building Green Coast Resort & Residences, the first high-end tourist resort in Albania.

We brought the SPAR supermarket chain to Albania through a franchise agreement. The President of the Republic of Albania awarded me the Medal “For Special Civil Merits”.

We began building Skopje East Gate in North Macedonia, combining a shopping mall, homes and offices in one development.

I founded a real estate company in Austria, developing homes in the country where my business began. NewCo Ferronikeli in Kosovo also joined the Group.

We acquired Tirana Bank, marking the Group's entry into banking. The President of Austria honoured me with the Medal of High Honour for my contributions to economic cooperation.

We opened East Gate Mall in Skopje on 29 October, a €103 million investment and the Group's third shopping mall in the region.

We opened the first phase of Green Coast on the Adriatic coast, and West Park in Korçë.

As BALFIN Group marked 30 years, I established the Mane Foundation, supporting five areas: Education and Youth, Health and Well-Being, Alleviation of Poverty, Arts and Culture, and Environment.

We extended our real estate investment to Canada, following the United States in 2023, and presented five new residential projects in Austria.

Forbes included me on its list of the world’s billionaires. We partnered with Flying Tiger Copenhagen to open 50 stores across the Western Balkans and brought Kiabi to the region.