David Tkeshelashvili
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David Tkeshelashvili was born October 16, 1969, former Georgia Politician, who was Vice Prime Minister. From 2010 to May 2013 he served as a Head of Administration (Chief of Staff) to the President of Georgia.
Early years
He graduated from Tbilisi State University with degree of Master of Arts in Legal Studies. He won Edmund S. Muskie scholarship and later subsequently obtained LLM degree from Emory University in Atlanta, USA. Before joining the Government of Georgia Mr. Tkeshelashvili served as a member of Georgian Parliament for eleven years from 1995 to 2006. Since 1995, he has been participating in political campaigns and party building in different capacities as well as monitoring election processes in various countries He started his career as leader of the youth organization of the Citizen’s Union of Georgia, led by late President, former Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union Eduard Shevardnadze, governing party of the country from 1995 to 2003. During eleven years in Parliament Mr. Tkeshelashvili served as a Deputy of Majority Leader and later as a Chairmen of the Subcommittee for Relations with Media and Non-Governmental Organizations of the Human Rights committee from 1999 to 2003. He was active participant of the so call “Rose Revolution” which peacefully ousted President Shevardnadze from his office.
Government
Mr. Tkeshelashvili joined the government in 2006 as a Minister of Environment Protection and Natural Resources. From 2007 to 2008 for a short period of time he served as a Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs. From 2008 to 2010 he led regional development and local self-government reform process and instituted a series of structural and policy reforms for decentralization and sustainable regional development, first as a State Minister for Regional Issues, later under his leadership new office, Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure was created. He served as a minister of the newly established agency till 2010. From June 2010 to May 2013 he is a Head of Administration to the President of Georgia.
Years at Emory
Mr. Tkeshelashvili now works as an Associate Director of the Center of International and Comparative Law (CICL) at Emory University School of Law. He is a Professor of Law, teaches course in public international law and works on variety of projects related to rule of law and institutional development in transitional democracies. In 2008 he was awarded with Sheth Distinguished International Alumni Award and is an Honorary Citizen of State of Georgia, USA from 2006.
Currently along with teaching at Emory University, Mr. Tkeshelashvili advising fintech companies in Europe.
Family
Mr. Tkeshelashvili is married, has two children.