Mr. Avni Ponari is CEO of SIGAL UNIQA GROUP AUSTRIA, one of the biggest insurance groups in the region, leader of the Albanian and Kosova insurance market. Mr. Ponari is the person who founded SIGAL UNIQA in 1999, following the insurance market’s privatization process on the insurance market in Albania. Having the right vision on the market economy and concrete development goals, Mr. Ponari enabled the agreement with the American Fund that was the first foreign investor that entered the insurance market in 2003. Another successful story was the agreement with a strategic investor such as UNIQA INSURNACE GROUP that is the major shareholder of the company (68.64%) and one of the biggest guarantors of the entire insurance market. Besides his engagement in the insurance industry, Mr. Ponari has greatly impacted the development of Albania economy and finances, as he manages and owns several other businesses that operate successfully in Albania and in the region. Mr. Ponari’s great contribution and outstanding knowledge are among the key factors that several Albanian and international financial institutions appointed him as board member: Foreign Investors Associations of Albania, Albania International Development Agency, Albanian Bureau Association, and American Chamber of Commerce. Since 2009, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has appointed Mr. Ponari as Honorary Consul General of Japan in Albania. Additionally, Mr. Ponari is highly evaluated and awarded from international institutions including Who’s Who, American Biographical Institute, International Profiles of Accomplished Leaders, Finance Central Europe, Business Initiative Directory, Europe Business Assembly etc.