David is one of the founders of the Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC) and served as its executive director during 2002 – 2006. He holds a Master’s degree in mathematics from Tbilisi State University and a Master’s degree in Public Policy/Economic Modeling from GRIPS Tokyo, as well as a Master’s in Finance from the University of Amsterdam. David has led a number of EPRC’s research projects. He has been awarded research grants from EERC and WB for developing a CGE (Computable General Equilibrium) model for analyzing trade policies in Georgia. David is an author of a number of policy and research publications. Currently, David works in the banking industry as a Senior Quant in Market/Operational risk management.

Nino Evgenidze serves as an Executive Director at the Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC). She is a co-founder of the Tbilisi International Conference together with McCain Institute for International Leadership and Leadership Academy for Development with Stanford University Center for Democracy, Development, and Rule of law. Nino is also a co-founder of the Democracy Frontline Centre. Nino was a visiting scholar at John Hopkins University at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and a Stanford University Fellow in the CDDRL Program. She has a Master’s Degree in Economics from the London School of Economics (LSE). Nino has a Ph.D. in Literature from Tbilisi State University. She also holds MBA from Maastricht University and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy Management from Vienna University.

She worked as an anchor of the daily morning economic show at Radio Free Europe – Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Nino has extensive experience both in working in governmental and non-governmental sectors – she was an advisor at the Center for Economic Reforms of the State Chancellery of Georgia (President Administration), Head of Public Outreach Department of the Anti-corruption Policy Coordination Council of Georgia. Nino is a Chairwoman of the board of first Child Hospice in Georgia.

Irina Guruli joined the Economic Policy Research Center’s (EPRC) team in 2011. She has 15 years of experience in working for non-governmental organizations and implementing projects financed by international donor organizations. At EPRC she is a deputy director and also responsible for the research direction of the organization. Irina is actively engaged in conducting research in the directions of economic policy, private sector development, SME policy, regulatory impact assessment, she has profound experience working on the issues of the EU Association Agreement and DCFTA. Prior to joining EPRC, she worked at CNFA Georgia a Millennium Challenge-funded project.

Since 2020 Irina is an Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship at Ilia State University, where she has been teaching since 2015 as a visiting lecturer. She delivers courses on entrepreneurship and international business. Irina holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration from Ilia State University, she is a graduate of Jonkoping International Business School in Sweden and holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Irina holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Tbilisi State University with a major in the English language. She is an alumnus of the U.S. State department financed Future Leaders Exchange Program and has acquired her high school diploma in Virginia, U.S.

Tamar Khorbaladze joined EPRC’s team in 2004. For several years she has served as a project expert and a coordinator in the organization. She has received her degree as a journalist from Tbilisi State University (TSU). Tamar participated in training courses held at Swedish Media Institute (FOJO), IMF institute in Vienna, 2010 Community Connections program in the USA. Starting from 1995 Tamar was engaged in active journalism – she worked as a reporter in newspapers Droni and 24 Saati, worked in the information service department at Public Broadcaster, Radio Mtsvane Talga.

She served as a correspondent, head of the economic department, executive producer, economic reviewer. Currently, in line with the EPRC projects, Tamar is pursuing an academic career – starting from 2010 she is lecturing Master degree students in Journalism at Ilia State University, and students at Tbilisi State University. At the same time, she is editor-in-chief of the scientific journal TSU Science at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University.

Lasha Dolidze joined EPRC’s team in 2006. Lasha is coordinating all EPRC research activities. He graduated from the Center for Development Economics of Williams College, the USA, with a degree of Master of Arts in Development Economics. Lasha worked as a Deputy Lead to the USAID-funded Economic Prosperity Initiative (EPI) Agriculture Sector Component (ASC). He worked as a Deputy Project Manager of the Agribusiness Development Activity funded by the Millennium Challenge Georgia, implemented by CNFA Georgia.

He also worked for the USAID-funded AgVantage Project as a head of the Agricultural Policy Unit and was in charge of the preparation of long term Agriculture Development Strategy for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Georgia. Lasha served as a state advisor at the Center of Economic reforms at the State Chancellery of Georgia and later he was transferred to the Secretariat of Foreign Investment Advisory Council under the president of Georgia as a national consultant and was in charge of overall donor coordination in Georgia.

Gigi Gigiadze joined the Economic Policy Research Center as Senior Fellow in March 2021. In 2001 he graduated from Georgian Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University with the Master’s Degree in international relations. Throughout different periods he studied in Germany and in 1999 as the recipient of the Alfred Toepfer Stiftung F.V.S. scholarship spent one academic year at the University of Hamburg where he studied political and social sciences.

As a career diplomat Gigi Gigiadze has 24 years of working experience at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. Since 2000 he held different positions at the Ministry’s European Affairs Department, where he was in charge of bilateral relations with the West European countries and later became the head of the same department.

Between 2014-2016 in the capacity of the Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia, Gigi Gigiadze was in charge of the bilateral relations with the neighboring countries, European countries and the European Union. At the same time, he was chief negotiator of the Georgian side with the European Union on the Visa Liberalization Action Plan (VLAP).

During his extensive diplomatic career Gigi Gigiadze served in the Georgian diplomatic missions in Athens and Berlin, where he was in charge of political as well as consular issues. Until March 2021 Gigi Gigiadze was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Kingdom of Denmark and the Republic of Iceland with residence in Copenhagen.

Giorgi Ormotsadze is a MA Candidate of Social Science, specializing in the Baltic Sea Region studies at the University of Tartu. He has studied at the Charles University in Prague, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Tbilisi State University. He has a valuable experience of working for both local and international think tanks and research organizations, including Estonian Institute of Human Rights, Baltic Journal, and Institute of International Relations Prague. Giorgi has also produced and published a number of articles and policy papers. His research and professional interests include European integration, political and economic developments in the Baltic Sea Region, Eastern Partnership and Russia’s soft power.

Zaza Shengelia is in charge of the publishing program of EPRC and the Fukuyama Democracy Frontline Centre and is the Executive Editor of the Georgian edition of American Purpose magazine.

Zaza holds a degree in political science from the Sorbonne University. In addition to his research and analysis, he has extensive experience in managing publishing projects. He translates from English and French.

Nino Turkia is a Project Coordinator at EPRC. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Governance and Social Sciences from the Free University of Tbilisi.

She has been actively working on research in the fields of social and cultural anthropology, as well as political anthropology.

As for her career path, she was a junior project manager for Forbes 30 Under 30 Georgia. Before that, she held the position of editor at a startup media platform. Nino also worked as a journalist for influential local business editions, including Forbes Woman Georgia and Business Media Georgia (BMG).