Anjeza Beja (Harizaj) PhD

Independent International Consultant (Payments and Central Bank Accounting)

Anjeza Beja is an experienced financial sector expert currently working as an independent international consultant on payments and central bank accounting. She has undertaken a number of projects in several countries including those with the World Bank on payment systems oversight and retail payments strategy, with the IMF related to IFRS implementation in central banks and also independently for a central bank on payments funded by Alliance for Financial Inclusion.

Previously she spent 12 years with the Bank of Albania, 5 of which as Director of Payments, Accounting and Finance where she was in charge of the transposition of the Payment Services Directive 2 in the Albanian legislation, involved in the Payments Aspect of Financial Inclusion assessment with the World Bank assistance as well as on the drafting a National Retail Payments Strategy for Albania. Before that, she worked in the Supervision Department for many years in several managerial positions. Among her assignments was the implementation of the Electronic Money Directive in the Albanian legislation which created the possibility for e-money institutions to be licensed in Albania.

She holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Tirana and has a Bachelor’s in Finance, Banking and a Bachelor’s in Law. She has concluded a Leadership Program in Financial Inclusion from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and has received many certificates from Digital Frontiers Institute related to instant payments, digital money, etc.