Samir Mane
Samir Mane | |
|---|---|
Mane in May 2023 | |
| Born | December 24, 1967 |
| Education | University of Tirana, Faculty of Geology and Mining |
| Occupations | Founder and actual President of Balfin Group |
| Known for | Founding the Balfin Group, being regarded as one of the most successful and wealthiest entrepreneurs in the Western Balkans, and philanthropy. |
| Spouse | Eva Mane |
| Children | 4 |
| Honours | "High Honor Decorate for Services to the Republic of Austria" in 2019[1] "For Special Civil Merits to the Albanian Economy" in 2016 |
| Website | balfin.al |
Samir Mane (Albanian pronunciation: [ˈsamir ˈmane]; born December 24, 1967) is an Albanian entrepreneur. He is the founder and president of Balfin Group, an investment group operating in the Western Balkans. The group consists of over 50 companies across 11 countries[2] in Europe and the United States.
In March 2025, Forbes magazine included Samir Mane on its list of new billionaires, ranking him as the 2,271st wealthiest individual in the world, with a personal net worth estimated at $ 1.5 billion.[3]
Early life
Samir Mane was born on 24 December 1967 in Korçë, Albania. He attended the Faculty of Geology and Mining at the University of Tirana. Following the collapse of communism in Albania in 1991, he emigrated to Vienna, Austria, where he worked as a translator and established business connections.[4]
Career
Mane has expanded his business interests across various sectors, including tourism, retail, real estate, and banking. He established his first company, Alba Trade, in 1993, initially focusing on consumer electronics. Over the years, he developed major retail and real estate projects such as QTU and TEG shopping malls in Albania and expanded operations internationally.[5] Notable acquisitions under his leadership include Skopje City Mall, AlbChrome, and Tirana Bank. Balfin Group has established and run numerous offices in Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Croatia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada, and the United States.[6] As of 2025, the company employs over 5,500 people.[7]
In 2008, Mane was included in the Financial Times' top four "People to Watch in Business."[8]
Personal life
Mane is married to Eva Mane and has three sons and a daughter. He divides his time between Tirana and Vienna.[9]
Mane Foundation
In 2023, Mane established the Mane Foundation, which supports initiatives in education, environment, health, and poverty alleviation in the Western Balkans.[10]
Recognitions
In March 2012, Mane was named the Honorary Consul of Thailand[11] at the opening ceremony of Thailand's new consulate in Albania.[12] He resigned from this position in 2023.
In 2016, the President of Albania, Bujar Nishani, bestowed upon Mane the honorary title of For Special Civil Merits.[13]
In 2019, Mane received the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria, the highest Austrian state award, which was awarded to him by the President of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, and endorsed by the Austrian Ambassador in Albania.[14]
References
- ^ The President of Austria Awards Businessman Samir Mane with the Highest Decoration of Honor - Koha.net
- ^ "BALFIN Group already present in ten countries, two continents". June 22, 2023.
- ^ "Samir Mane". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
- ^ Ricou, Manon (September 4, 2022). "Exclusive Investigation: Albania, the former Stalinist dictatorship which has become the new pearl of the Adriatic".
- ^ "Tirana East Gate ::: Balfin Group". Tirana East Gate. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ^ "Home". BALFIN Group. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ^ "BALFIN Group". Balfin. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ^ Hope, Kerin (March 26, 2008). "Who's who: People to watch in business". Financial Times.
- ^ "Samir Mane flet për herë të parë për bashkëshorten e tij" [Samir Mane speaks for the first time about his wife]. Dritare.net (in Albanian). 15 April 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "BALFIN Group 30 years: major announcements regarding expansion and philanthropy". June 17, 2023.
- ^ "Honorary Consulate of Thailand in Tirana". Aid Air.
- ^ admin (2019-08-07). "Thai Consulate General in Tirana, Albania". Embassy n Visa. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ^ "Nishani gives the title "For Special Civil Merits" to businessman Samir Mane".
- ^ "The President of Austria awards businessman Samir Mane with the "High Decoration of Honor"".