Aleksander (Aleks) Dardeli

Aleksander (Aleks) Dardeli joined Save the Children as chief operating officer in September 2023. In this role, he is responsible for developing and executing organizational strategy, driving transformation programs, strengthening accountability for results, and providing leadership and direction for the global humanitarian organization.

Prior to joining Save the Children, Aleks served as executive vice president at IREX, a global development and education organization, where he was responsible for ensuring IREX navigated market and geopolitical trends and successfully seized opportunities for greater impact. He also led transformation initiatives maximizing impact through innovation, partnership, learning and organizational adaptation.

During his tenure, Aleks led a strategy that more than doubled IREX’s annual revenue over six years and expanded IREX’s global footprint. He also engineered a merger with Development Gateway; founded the IREX Center for Applied Learning and Impact; founded the IREX Strategic Partnership Unit; drove an organization-wide gender and social inclusion strategy; and spearheaded country and regional strategies to advance localization.

Aleks has held senior positions with IBI International, DynCorp/Casals, the International Development Law Organization, the East-West Management Institute and the IRIS Center at the University of Maryland. He has advised government and private-sector clients on major education, good governance, institutional reform, and information integrity initiatives in emerging economies and post-conflict environments. From 2006-2008, Aleks directed a high-profile project in Kosovo, helping prepare the Office of the Prime Minister and six government ministries for Kosovo’s transition to independence.

He holds an undergraduate degree from Tirana University in Albania, a master’s degree from Columbia University and a JD from the Catholic University of America. He is the Board Chair for Development Gateway and a trustee for Equal Rights Independent Media and the Alliance for Peace Building. Aleks lives in Arlington, Va. with his wife and three children.