Dr. Markus Pilgrim

Markus Pilgrim worked as Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO), a specialized agency of the United Nations for the world of work. Until his retirement in 2023 he headed the ILO Office for Central and Eastern Europe based in Budapest, Hungary. The office provides advisory services to 19 ILO member countries to develop policies promoting more and better jobs for all women and men. The work of the office focuses on promoting rights at work, encouraging decent and productive employment, enhancing social protection, and strengthening social dialogue.

Previously, Markus Pilgrim worked as Head of the Small and Medium Enterprises unit at ILO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Prior to joining ILO, he worked as Manager of the Youth Employment Network (a partnership of United Nations, ILO, and World Bank combatting youth unemployment) and as regional program manager for International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank Group, based in Cairo, Egypt, coordinating a portfolio of technical assistance projects on private sector promotion in the Middle East and North Africa. Other previous experience includes eight years as Managing Director of the Foundation for Economic Development and Vocational Training (SEQUA), a joint development agency of German business associations and German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). Markus Pilgrim started his professional career as research fellow of the Institute for Small Business Economics at the University of Göttingen. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Göttingen University, Germany.