Team

Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Policies brings together recognized experts in formulating, analyzing and monitoring the impact of public policies on the Moldovan economy. Each has an impressive history in the analysis of economic policies in the Republic of Moldova, in the development of viable and efficient solutions for both the private and public sectors.

The deep knowledge of the Moldovan economic realities, the analytical and synthetic potential, are the main attributes of the CEEP team.

The team's activity supports the development of the Moldovan private sector, transposing its needs into public economic policies, which would allow a harmonious development of the Republic of Moldova both economically and socially.

"We support with concrete solutions the construction of sustainable economic policies for the prosperity of Moldova."

Tatiana Lariushin, CEEP Founder

Tatiana Lariushin

Founder

Tatiana Lariushin is currently the executive director of independent think tank Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Policy (CEEP). Additionally she is a national expert in small and medium enterprise (SME) services, with 25 years of experience working with business associations in Moldova.

As the program director of the Institute of Development and Social Initiative (IDSI) and a project manager for the CIPE/IDSI project “Moldovan National Business Agenda: Strengthening Moldova’s Reform Network”, she has extensively worked on improving business association performance, and reducing legal barriers for businesses in Moldova.

As an experienced economist and researcher, she is also a local expert in Moldova, with a comprehensive understanding of the local business environment. She has consulted numerous organizations and development partners, including the European Union, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Department for International Development (DFID), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), on Moldovan business environment and SMEs.

Ion Butmalai

Program Director - Digital Transformation and Economic Analysis

Ion Butmalai is Program Director on Digital Transformation and Economic Analysis within Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Policy (CEEP). His area of interest includes data analysis, automation of data processing, creation of empirical models and corporate financial analysis.

Previously, he worked as a data analyst, developing financial sustainability and transparency indexes of local municipalities and state owned companies.

Between 2018 and 2019, he worked in the asset management industry from Luxembourg and Germany (Frankfurt am Main), being focused on developing sustainable investment products on financial markets. He has an extensive experience in working with big databases, including quantitative and qualitative data. In 2018, he earned an MSc in Finance, CFA Track from Tilburg School of Economics and Management, Netherlands.

Mihai Manoli

Program Director - Corporative Governance and Public Finance

Mihai Manoli is one of the leading experts in the field of public finance and corporate governance in Moldova. Since December 1995, as Deputy Minister of Finance, he initiated the fiscal reform (elaboration and promotion in Parliament of the Fiscal Code, 1995-2002), the accounting reform (elaboration of the National Accounting Standards, based on the international ones, 1997-2002), the audit activity reform (elaboration and promotion of the Law on audit activity, 1996, implementation of National Audit Standards, based on international ones, 2000), reforms that were the basis for the transition of the Republic of Moldova from the centralized (socialist) economy to the market economy (capitalist).

For over 40 years he is involved in training accountants and auditors, as a professor at the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova.

Between May 2002 and June 2006, he held the position of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Moldova to the USA, Canada and the United Mexican States, the Special Representative of the Republic of Moldova to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Washington. In July 2004, by decree of the President of the Republic of Moldova, he was granted the diplomatic rank of Ambassador.

Veronica Russu-Marin

Program Director -Entrepreneurship Development

Veronica Russu-Marin is director of the "Entrepreneurship Development" program at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Policies (CAPE). She has expertise and practical experience in the formation and development of a business association, as the executive director of the Moldovan wine guild, and later in collaboration with Moldovan business associations in the development and strengthening of organizational capacity within the National Business Agenda.

Her previous experience includes activities in the areas of business climate improvement and promotion at the sectoral/national level, functional analysis of state institutions and identification of corrupt components, association management and coalition building in the private sector. 12 years of experience running her own business has developed her skills in strategic planning and problem solving, organizational development and business consulting. She is an economist and holds an MBA in International Development Management from the Grenoble Graduate School of Business and Management. She is a graduate of the Balkano-Caucasian CIPE program "Building of local expertise in the management of associations and chambers of commerce" (training for trainers) in 2010-2011. In September 2022, she completed the LAD (Leadership and Development Academy) program for government officials, civil servants, public and business leaders at Stanford University's Center for Democracy and the Rule of Law.

Viorel Pîrvan

Legal Expert

Viorel Pîrvan is a lawyer and expert in the fields of anti-corruption and transparency of the decision-making process. In 2005 he obtained a master's degree in international law, and since 2010 he has been a member of the Bar Association of the Republic of Moldova. He has extensive experience in analyzing, developing and monitoring public policies, evaluating and implementing integrity standards in the public and private sectors, and monitoring the level of transparency in the work of central and local public authorities and publicly owned enterprises.

He is the author and co-author of several publications and studies. As an expert, he has implemented several projects with the support of the United Nations Development Programme, the European Union, the Council of Europe, the World Bank and other international organizations.

Mihaela Croitoru

Junior researcher

Mihaela Croitor has experience in several projects funded by foreign donors in the areas of transparency at local level, improving the investment climate for small and medium-sized business, integrity of the business environment, improving the capacity of business and anti-corruption. She started her activity at the Institute of Development and Social Initiatives - IDSI Viitorul as a program assistant.

She graduated from the Institute of International Relations of Moldova, specializing in political science and international relations with analytical interest in the conflicts in the post-USSR territories and their settlement through diplomacy. Her recent professional experience also includes the democracy field. She held the temporary position of trainer in the electoral field within the Center for Continuous Electoral Training for the 2019 parliamentary elections.

Within CAPE, she assists the process of implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation of the institution's initiatives in relation to the private sector.

Ivan Tasca

Business Expert

Ivan Tasca holds the position of Business expert within CAPE. He obtained a master's degree in fiscal financial law at the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, with a diploma thesis on the subject of offshore companies and raider attacks in the Republic of Moldova in the contemporary period.

He has extensive experience working with local government on a number of social issues. He did an internship at the Initiatives of Change NGO, gaining experience and knowledge in Ethical business and leadership.

On the business side, Ivan has gained experience working in real estate and developing a startup in the production of new types of construction materials, being responsible for promoting the product and identifying new markets. He is also a co-founder of a beauty services company.