Albanian businessman Samir Mane has officially entered the prestigious Forbes list of global billionaires, becoming the first ever from Albania and the Western Balkans to do so. With an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion, Mane's rise marks a historic milestone for the region.
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| Samir Mane on a local TV studio |
In an interview on a local TV channel, Mane detailed how he discovered he had made it to the Forbes list, the extent of the financial investigations conducted by the magazine, and a surprisingly modest encounter with one of Forbes’ lead analysts.
“I Was in the U.S. When I Found Out”
"I was in the United States, working on business matters," Mane explained, "when the president of one of my companies sent me a message congratulating me. That’s how I found out—no prior notification from Forbes."
Mane said the magazine had been working on the evaluation for six months, conducting in-depth research into all of his businesses both in Albania and abroad, including operations in the U.S. and Canada.
A Modest Lunch with a Billion-Dollar Analyst
One of the more humanizing moments of the interview came when Mane shared an anecdote about the Forbes analyst who had spent time in Albania reviewing his company’s finances.
After a meeting, the two went out for lunch. "The total bill was around $80," Mane said. "He only paid for his own $20 portion and wouldn’t let me cover it." Mane, amused by the incident, noted that he offered to pay for the entire lunch, as is customary in Albanian culture. "He refused, saying it was a matter of principle, perhaps company policy, and pulled out his credit card."
Mane even joked with the analyst, telling him he would go public with the story. "Do it," the analyst said, "I have no problem with that."
A Transparent Process
According to Mane, the Forbes team reviewed fully transparent financial statements prepared according to global standards. "They contacted my team after reviewing the documents, and then reached out to me personally about a month later, just for clarifications."
Although he did not know the exact size of the team involved, Mane confirmed that the lead representative spent considerable time in Albania asking detailed questions and working closely with his staff.
“Millions Don’t Mean Much at This Level”
When asked whether he considers the $1.4 billion figure accurate, Mane replied, “It could be a little more or a little less, but it’s around there.” He emphasized that at such levels, the fluctuations of millions don't hold much weight. “You see people lose or gain two billion in a day,” he said.
As for being the first billionaire in Albania’s history, Mane seemed honored but grounded. His story reflects not just immense business acumen, but also a touch of humility and humor—even when dining with those tasked with evaluating his billion-dollar empire.