In this episode of Podcasting Progress, we are joined by Frank Hannigan, a business advisor, entrepreneur, and mentor with over 21 years of experience in guiding businesses and startups to achieve sustainable growth across diverse regions, including Europe, Central Asia, and beyond.

As a partner at StrategyCrowd and a Certified Management Consultant, Frank has worked extensively across public and private sectors and has been involved in fostering innovation ecosystems in regions like Eastern Europe, Georgia, and Serbia. He’s also a key evaluator and coach in GITA's Startup Matching Grants Evaluation and Coaching project in Georgia. His role is critical in supporting high-potential startups and developing vibrant innovation ecosystems.

Frank shares insights into the components of thriving innovation ecosystems, his role in Georgia’s GITA Startup Matching Grants project, and the unique challenges and opportunities facing startups in emerging markets.

Welcome to another episode of "Podcasting Progress," where we explore the international development consulting industry. In this episode, we were pleased to sit down with Max Van Der Sleen, a Non-Executive Director of PMCG with over 40 years of consulting experience. Max has worked in more than 50 countries across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, focusing on areas like port infrastructure, rural development, environmental protection, and economic cooperation.

In this episode, Max shares his experiences as well as his thoughts on how the development consulting industry has changed over the years. As a former CEO and Chairman at Ecorys Netherlands and a long-time consultant at the Netherlands Economic Institute, Max has been involved in many important projects. We talk about his career and the challenges he’s faced, as well as gather his views on where the industry is headed.

Tune in to learn more about how development consulting contributes to economic growth and policymaking around the world.

This episode is hosted by Maria-Immaculata Liechtenstein, Business Development Officer at PMCG.

In this episode, we explore the critical role of Georgia's transportation and logistics sector, focusing on its strategic position as a transit hub between Europe and Asia. Our guest, Iain Rawlinson, Chief Commercial Officer at APM Terminals Poti, shares his valuable insights on Poti Port's significance and potential.

Guest Introduction

• Currently working on Poti Port on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, Iain possesses decades of valuable experience and success in trade, transportation, logistics, and other aspects. Originally from the UK, his work has taken him to several Gulf states, in some cases transforming the fortunes of major logistical hubs of national, regional, and global importance.

The Role(s) of Poti Sea Port

• Among many other issues, Iain discusses in depth the port's impact on regional trade and logistics, and its contribution to Georgia's economy.

PMC Research Publication

• Earlier this year, PMC Research released a sector snapshot on Georgia's transportation and logistics sector: https://bit.ly/4cpNYt3

In our inaugural episode, we are excited to welcome Atze Verkennis, Associate Partner and Former Senior Director and Global Practice Leader for Regional and Urban Development at Ecorys. Atze joins us to explore the concept of the circular economy, sharing his knowledge and insights.

This episode was recorded against the backdrop of the Asian Development Bank's 57th Annual Meeting in Tbilisi, where PMCG hosted the "Green City: Transforming Urban Landscapes for a Sustainable Tomorrow" panel discussion.

About Our Guest:

Atze has more than 30 years of impressive global experience in regional and local economic development, EU structural funds policy, project cycle management, and policy evaluations. As well as his native Netherlands, he has worked in dozens of countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa, including projects on the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, Deltaplan in Bangladesh, and a social policy project in Ethiopia.