Goran Buldioski

Goran Buldioski is a Senior Fellow at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, Germany. Previously, he was the Managing Director of the Open Society Foundations (OSF) for Europe and Central Asia and the Director of OSF Europe (2015 – 2024), which encompassed the role of Director of OSF’s hub office in Berlin (2018-2023) as well as has led OSF work on think tanks worldwide (2005-2016). Prior to this, he worked for the Council of Europe (2000-2205). With over two decades of experience in philanthropy, policy research, and civil society, Goran is recognised for his leadership in advancing democratic governance, human rights, and social justice across Europe. He has a strong political science and international relations background and extensive experience in grant-making, not-for-profit management, policy-relevant research, youth mobilising, intercultural learning and human rights education.

Throughout his career, Goran has been dedicated to empowering various types of organisations, from grassroots movements to think tanks. He excelled in fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders to address complex social challenges and offer solutions. His work has been instrumental in promoting open societies and building resilient, inclusive communities across the continent.

Goran is a frequent speaker at international forums and a thought leader on the role of philanthropy in driving systemic change. His articles have been published in Foreign Policy, Politico, EurAktiv, EU Observer, Fokus and Tagesspiegel, among others. Goran is a member of the European Council of Foreign Relations (ECFR). His insights and expertise continue to influence the global discourse on democracy and civil society.

He serves as a Senior Advisor at OTT.