Microbank Crystal has announced changes to its Supervisory Board, welcoming three new members: Gulnara Shamshieva, Jil Ebanoidze, and Natia Janelidze. All three bring extensive professional experience in the financial sector.
As a result of these changes, Crystal’s Supervisory Board will now consist of seven members in total. Notably, women hold the majority of seats on the Board. In the financial sector, where gender diversity remains an ongoing challenge, this composition represents an important step forward and reflects the organization’s values and commitment to responsible governance.
Since October 2025, Robert Scott Kossmann has served as the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Crystal. Under his leadership, the Board continues to oversee the microbank’s strategic development, define long-term objectives, and support the formation of a strong and sustainable financial institution.
Ilia Revia, Chief Executive Officer of Microbank Crystal quoted: “The appointment of highly experienced new members to Crystal’s Supervisory Board will further strengthen our resilience and drive future success. The Supervisory Board and the Management Board will continue to advance the company’s development through ambitious plans. Our current priorities include digital transformation and the development of customer-centric products and services. We also remain firmly committed to maintaining and further strengthening high standards of corporate governance.”
Natia Janelidze
Natia Janelidze is a seasoned financial services executive with more than 25 years of experience across banking, Private Equity (PE), small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development, and corporate finance.
Throughout her career, she has held senior leadership positions at Bank Republic and TBC Bank. She has also served as the Senior Independent Member of the Supervisory Board of Ishbank Georgia and as Chief Investment Officer at Gazelle Finance Georgia. In addition, Ms. Janelidze has been a board member of the Federation of Women Business Leaders and Prime Concrete.
Ms. Janelidze has contributed to numerous projects implemented by local and international financial institutions, including initiatives supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Missouri–Columbia, USA, and a PhD in Finance and Banking from the Georgian Technical University.
Jil Ebanoidze
Jil Ebanoidze is an international banking, fintech, and financial infrastructure executive and governance professional with more than two decades of experience across financial services, payments, platform businesses, and digital transformation.
She has held senior leadership positions at eBay, Booking Holdings (Booking.com), and Naspers/OLX Group, where she led global payments ecosystems, financial infrastructure initiatives, regulatory engagement, and large-scale transformation programs across international markets.
Her experience spans banking, payments, fintech, and digital commerce, with particular expertise in financial infrastructure, strategic growth, innovation, and corporate governance. She has led complex cross-functional initiatives and transformation programs across highly regulated environments and global organizations.
Ms. Ebanoidze currently serves in governance and supervisory roles across the financial sector and international fintech ecosystem. She also leads her own boutique advisory practice, advising financial institutions, fintechs, and technology companies on payments, digital transformation, innovation, and strategic growth.
She holds an MBA from Maastricht School of Management and is a Harvard Business School alumna, having completed both the General Management Program and Women on Boards: Succeeding as a Corporate Director. She is also an Asia Global Fellow at The University of Hong Kong and a member of SER Topvrouwen in the Netherlands.
She brings a global perspective shaped by leadership experience across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the United States, with a strong focus on financial services, technology-enabled transformation, and corporate governance.
Gulnara Shamshieva
Gulnara Shamshieva is a senior banking and microfinance professional with more than two decades of executive and board-level experience in Central Asia’s financial sector. She is recognized for her leadership in institutional transformation, corporate governance, and sustainable financial sector development.
Ms. Shamshieva led one of the region’s pioneering transformations of a microfinance institution into a fully licensed commercial bank, demonstrating a strong track record in strategic management, financial sector innovation, and attracting international investment. During her executive career she worked closely with international development institutions and investors, including EBRD and IFC, implementing programs supporting MSME development, women entrepreneurship, green finance, housing finance, and financial literacy initiatives.
She currently serves as an independent director and board member in several financial institutions across Central Asia, contributing to strengthening corporate governance, risk management, and long-term strategic development. Her advisory work focuses on institutional strengthening of banks and microfinance institutions, including governance frameworks, internal control systems, ESG integration, and strategic transformation.
Ms. Shamshshieva holds international professional certifications in banking, risk management, and corporate governance, including training from Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, ABA Stonier Banking School, and IFC programs on ESG and corporate governance.
Chairman/Member: Robert Scott Kossmann (the United States)
Deputy Chair/Member: Lilit Gharayan (Armenia)
Member: Archil Bakuradze (Georgia)
Member: Jan Dewijngaert (Belgium)
Member: Natia Janelidze (Georgia)
Member: Jilda Ebanoidze (the Netherlands)
Member: Gulnara Shamshieva (Kyrgyzstan)
About Microbank Crystal
Founded in Georgia, Crystal is recognized as one of the country’s leading financial institutions, known for its sustained growth and robust reputation. On February 12, 2025, the company officially received its microbanking license from the National Bank of Georgia. With 28 years of experience, a loan portfolio of over 600 million GEL, a team of more than 1,000 employees across 47 branches, and a client base exceeding 100,000 individuals nationwide, Crystal continues to be a key player in Georgia’s financial landscape. The company maintains strategic partnerships with major international and local financial institutions.