WELCOME SPEECHES
H.E. Giorgi Kvirikashvili
Giorgi Kvirikashvili is the Prime Minister of Georgia. Prior to becoming Prime Minister in December 2015, he served as Vice Prime Minister (2013-2015) while serving as Foreign Minister (2015) and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development (2012-2015). Kvirikashvili is leading the effort to modernize Georgia's economy and fully integrate the country into European and Euro-Atlantic economic and security structures.
In order to foster greater development and encourage broad-based economic growth, Kvirikashvili is enacting a four-point reform plan focused on enhancing the business environment, reforming the educational system, developing regional infrastructure, and promoting good governance.
In his previous ministerial roles, Kvirikashvili spearheaded major initiatives to advance Georgia's Euro-Atlantic and European integration, position Georgia as vital corridor connecting East and West on the new Silk Road, and make the country a more attractive destination for foreign direct investment.
Previously, Kvirikashvili served as a CEO at Cartu Bank and Principal at Lenzie Fisher Hendry LLC. He has also held positions at First Commercial Bank, United Georgian Bank, and Trade Invest Bank. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1999 to 2004 and a team leader of the Parliament's working group on Georgia's accession to the WTO. He also completed several international consulting projects, advising on pension system reforms, financial sector reforms and bond market development.
Kvirikashvili received a Master's degree in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the United States. He obtained an undergraduate degree in Economics from Tbilisi State University and an undergraduate degree in Medicine from Tbilisi State Medical Institute.
He is married with four children and speaks Georgian, English, and Russian.