Jakov Milatović

Speaker at the St. Gallen Symposium

Jakov Milatović is the President of Montenegro, having assumed office on May 20, 2023. With a distinguished academic and professional background, he has played a pivotal role in advancing economic development and fostering regional cooperation in Southeast Europe. Before his election, President Milatović founded the Europe Now Movement! in June 2022, following his tenure as Minister of Economic Development in the 42nd Government of Montenegro (2020–2022). In his ministerial role, he spearheaded key economic initiatives to strengthen Montenegro’s economy and accelerate the country’s integration into the European Union. Prior to his government service, President Milatović built a robust career in international finance. Beginning in 2014, he worked at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in the economic and political analysis team, focusing on Southeast Europe and the Western Balkans. From 2018 to 2020, he was stationed in Bucharest as Chief Economic Analyst, overseeing Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, and Bulgaria. Earlier in his career, he gained valuable experience in Montenegro’s banking sector and abroad. President Milatović holds a master’s degree in economics from St. John’s College at the University of Oxford, where he was awarded a British Government scholarship. His academic journey also included studies at Illinois State University (as a U.S. Government scholarship recipient), the Vienna University of Economics and Business (under an Austrian Government scholarship), and Sapienza University in Rome (through the European Commission). In addition to his formal studies, he has participated in numerous educational programs organized by institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Stanford University, and the University of Beijing. In the fall of 2022, he was a guest lecturer at the Luxembourg Business School.