IRENE SALVI
Deputy Global Coordinator - Digital for Development Hub (D4D Hub)
Brussels
Summary
Dynamic professional with over 14 years of experience in EU digital policy coordination & international partnerships worldwide. Proven expertise in stakeholder engagement, strategic leadership, policy analysis. Adept at navigating high-level political negotiations and implementing innovative EU policy solutions. Expertise in working with high-tech industries, SMEs, and startups. In Brussels since 2010, I have built an extensive network within the EU ecosystem. Fluent in Italian, English, French, and Spanish, enabling seamless communication across diverse cultural contexts.
Professional global coordination specialist with proven track record in managing multi-national projects and driving organizational success. Adept at fostering team collaboration and adapting to dynamic environments. Known for strategic thinking and exceptional problem-solving abilities.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
9
9
years of post-secondary education
4
4
Languages
Work History
Deputy Global Coordinator D4D Hub
GIZ
04.2021 - Current
- Spearheaded the launch and operationalization of the Digital4Development Hub (D4D Hub), leading a cross-functional team of 20+ staff across seven EU Member States.
- Lead initiative with DG INTPA, DG CNECT, DG MENA, DG ENEST, EEAS & EIB
- Led policy development on key EU digital priorities, including AI innovation, digital transformation, and Earth Observation.
- Coordinated multi-stakeholder efforts between EU institutions, Member States, private sector, and civil society, driving alignment on policy objectives and fostering a culture of innovation.
- Delivered high-impact policy briefings, strategic recommendations, and research outputs to senior policymakers and business leaders.
- Directed the design and implementation of gender-focused initiatives, promoting women leadership in ICT in collaboration with DG INTPA and EU Member States.
PARTNERSHIP ANALYST - DIGITAL4DEVELOPMENT
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
02.2019 - 03.2021
- Led negotiations, design, and contracting of the €15M program, "Leveraging Digital Finance to Increase Resilience of ACP Countries", in collaboration with EU DG INTPA.
- Served as the UNCDF Focal Point for EU institutions (DG INTPA, DG CONNECT) and UN organizations (e.g., UN Multi-Annual Financial Framework Working Group).
- Directed the quarterly publication Brussels in Brief for UNCDF, keeping stakeholders informed on key developments.
- Provided strategic guidance on securing the Pillar 6 "Financial Instruments" designation for UNCDF with EU DG INTPA.
- Contributed to coordinating global partnership and fundraising activities for the UNCDF Digital Economy Strategy, "Leaving No One Behind in the Digital Era", spanning teams across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
- Played an instrumental role in the design and implementation of the UNCDF Digital Economy Partnership Strategy.
- Designed and managed a comprehensive Partnership Database, aggregating both financial and non-financial data across various countries and regions.
PROGRAMME ANALYST - DIGITAL FINANCE
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
11.2017 - 11.2018
- Supported the management of the semi-annual update for the Country Results Measurement Frameworks.
- Contributed to UNCDF publications, including the Annual Providers Survey of Digital Financial Services in Benin and Senegal.
- Developed and managed a portfolio monitoring tool that consolidates activities and outcomes at both the country and program levels.
- Designed the theory of change and performance indicators for digital financial services programs, adhering to DCED standards for results management.
- Led the mid-term evaluation of the UNCDF program Mobile Money for the Poor, funded by the Mastercard Foundation. Responsible for coordinating with the external consultancy firm, overseeing a team of 45 experts across 6 countries, training colleagues on evaluation processes, ensuring quality control, and overseeing the publication of the final report.
- Contributed to the Results Measurement Narrative in the semi-annual reports of the Mobile Money for the Poor program, evaluating market development indicators.
PROGRAMME ANALYST
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
11.2015 - 11.2017
- Designed a project performance monitoring system for West Africa to gather data for the Results and Resources Framework (RRF).
- Reviewed the RRF design for new projects, providing analysis on the evaluability of the framework to ensure clear and verifiable results.
- Enhanced the quality and substance of UNCDF's reporting on project performance and the achievement of development outcomes.
- Developed Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) tools for the AgriFinance Program in Burkina Faso.
- Conducted an evaluation of the Local Development Finance (LoCAL) program in Mali, Niger, and Benin, focusing on climate adaptation and local budget support.
- Contributed to the design of the UNCDF West Africa program on green jobs for youth and returnees, supported by the EU Emergency Trust Fund.
Project Manager
Particip GmbH
09.2014 - 09.2015
- Company Overview: a German consultancy specializing in international development, including monitoring and evaluation, capacity development, technical assistance, and policy advice.
- Led the entire project lifecycle: project initiation, budget management, proposal preparation, implementation, and activity monitoring.
- Submitted expressions of interest and comprehensive proposals (tenders), managing both administrative/financial aspects and technical components for clients such as EU DG INTPA/DG NEAR, SIDA, Austrian Development Agency, and DANIDA.
- Finalized submission of tenders for: "For Roma with Roma" project for EU DG Justice (€1,428,617), Results Oriented Monitoring (ROM) in the Western Balkans (€3,443,580) for EU DG NEAR, ROM in European Neighbourhood countries (€3,432,880) for EU DG DEVCO.
- Coordinated and managed the “For Roma with Roma” project, working with 15 experts across 27 EU countries, with a budget of €1,428,617.
- Managed additional projects including: Organizing Budget Support Training for 30 EU officials in Ankara, Developing a Performance Assessment mechanism for the 11th European Development Fund (DG DEVCO) (€240,872), Conducting mid-term and final evaluations for the "Socioeconomic Development of the Danube Serbia Region" project for the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).
- Planned, designed, and scheduled phases for large projects.
- Successfully managed multiple projects simultaneously by prioritizing tasks according to urgency, resource availability, and alignment with organizational goals.
PROGRAMME COORDINATOR AND RESULTS ORIENTED MONITORING (ROM) EXPERT
Particip GmbH
01.2012 - 08.2014
- Coordinated the launch of over 45 Results-Oriented Monitoring (ROM) Missions annually across 8 countries, ensuring seamless collaboration with EU Delegations.
- Managed the contracting of 35 experts and provided quality control and assurance for 220 ROM reports per year.
- Oversaw the finalization and upload of 220 ROM reports onto the EU CRIS Database annually, ensuring compliance with EU standards.
- Acted as the key liaison for ROM activities with EU Delegations in the Western Balkans and Turkey.
- Responsible for preparing and submitting semi-annual invoices (approx. €500,000 per semester) to EU headquarters.
- Applied extensive knowledge of EU Procurement rules (PRAG) to ensure adherence to all project processes and requirements.
- Monitored over 14 National and Regional EU-funded programs in Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on Private Sector Development, Public Finance, and Rule of Law.
- Demonstrated strong expertise in DG NEAR and the EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA).
- Entered data, generated reports, and produced tracking documents.
- Improved team productivity with regular communication and progress updates, fostering a collaborative work environment.
PROJECT MANAGER
Agriconsulting Europe SA (AESA)
08.2010 - 12.2011
- Managed the Trade.Com Facility I Programme, aimed at strengthening trade capacities in ACP countries in areas such as trade negotiations, regulations, and legislation, jointly financed by the EU and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS).
- Cultivated and maintained strong relationships with EU Delegations and regional ACP organizations, including CARIFORUM, COMESA, ECOWAS, and the Pacific Island Forum.
- Contributed to Trade.Com Facility Annual Reports & Trade.Com Newsletter.
- Managed a portfolio of 8 projects per year, primarily focusing on the Pacific and Caribbean regions.
- Organized high-level workshops, including: PACP-EC Regional Market Access Workshop on European Partnership Economic Agreements, ACP Geographical Indicators (GIs) workshop in Brussels, Trade.Com Facility Annual Steering Committee meeting in Lusaka, Zambia.
Intern
Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
01.2010 - 04.2010
- Contribution to the preparation of Economic Reports on private sector opportunities for Italian Small and Medium Enterprises in Latin America.
- Contribution to the preparation of official documents for high-level meetings on economic and political matters – Mission in Venezuela of the Italian Prime Minister.
- Organisation of the event: The Year of Italy in Brasil at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Italian Companies including ENEL, ENI, Salini.
Data Analyst
UNICAB Ricerche di Marketing
09.2004 - 03.2005
- Collect primary data and preliminary qualitative and quantitative analysis for the Italian Institute for Statistics (ISTAT) for the project “Italian Graduates”; 2000-2001 – Job Perspectives” and for Bank Mediolanum – consumer’s satisfaction on financial products.
Education
No Degree - STARTING LEADERSHIP
Crispy Coaching
Berlin 05.2007 - 04.2010
BACHELOR - ECONOMIA ED ISTITUZIONI PER L'INTEGRAZIONE EUROPEA ED INTERNAZIONALE
University of Rome la Sapienza
09.2004 - 11.2007
Human Centered Design - undefined
ACUMEN
01.2021 - 04.2022
Inclusive and Diversity in managing teams - undefined
Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini
04.2021 - 05.2022
Feminism and Social Justice - undefined
University of California
10.2020 - 12.2020
Gender Equality, UNDP Legal Frame-work, Prevention of Harassment, Human Rights, Ethics and Integrity at UN, Basic and Advanced Security in the field
UNDP trainings
09.2016 - 12.2016
Certificate in Results Measurement for Sustainable Private Sector Development - DCED Standard
MDF Training and Consultancy
Induction Training to UNDP for Junior Professional Officers - undefined
UNDP
Certificate in Value for Money - undefined
IMA International
Skills
Strategic policy analysis
Interests
Creative writing
Creative Writing
Creative writing enthusiast, passionate about crafting stories and working on a novel. Deeply interested in narrative structures in cinema and series, with a strong appreciation for how storytelling brings history and imagination to life.
Timeline
Deputy Global Coordinator D4D Hub
GIZ
04.2021 - Current
Inclusive and Diversity in managing teams - undefined
Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini
04.2021 - 05.2022
Human Centered Design - undefined
ACUMEN
01.2021 - 04.2022
Feminism and Social Justice - undefined
University of California
10.2020 - 12.2020
PARTNERSHIP ANALYST - DIGITAL4DEVELOPMENT
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
02.2019 - 03.2021
PROGRAMME ANALYST - DIGITAL FINANCE
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
11.2017 - 11.2018
Gender Equality, UNDP Legal Frame-work, Prevention of Harassment, Human Rights, Ethics and Integrity at UN, Basic and Advanced Security in the field
UNDP trainings
09.2016 - 12.2016
PROGRAMME ANALYST
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
11.2015 - 11.2017
Project Manager
Particip GmbH
09.2014 - 09.2015
PROGRAMME COORDINATOR AND RESULTS ORIENTED MONITORING (ROM) EXPERT
Particip GmbH
01.2012 - 08.2014
PROJECT MANAGER
Agriconsulting Europe SA (AESA)
08.2010 - 12.2011
Intern
Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
01.2010 - 04.2010
No Degree - STARTING LEADERSHIP
Crispy Coaching
05.2007 - 04.2010
Data Analyst
UNICAB Ricerche di Marketing
09.2004 - 03.2005
BACHELOR - ECONOMIA ED ISTITUZIONI PER L'INTEGRAZIONE EUROPEA ED INTERNAZIONALE
University of Rome la Sapienza
09.2004 - 11.2007
Certificate in Results Measurement for Sustainable Private Sector Development - DCED Standard
MDF Training and Consultancy
Induction Training to UNDP for Junior Professional Officers - undefined
UNDP
Certificate in Value for Money - undefined
IMA International
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