Ivana Maletić is an economic expert with years of experience in the areas of public finance, budgeting and EU funds. She obtained a Master's Degree in Economics at the Faculty of Economy in Zagreb. She started working at the Ministry of Finance, initially as Associate Expert and Consultant, and then as Assistant Minister and Secretary of State. She is an internationally renowned lecturer and consultant in the area of financial management and has held numerous seminars on the subjects of financial management, budgetary processes, public finance reform, EU funds, regional development etc. She has published a large number of expert and scientific works, co-authored several significant books in the area of public finance and participated in numerous research projects. She has taken an active part in the negotiations relating to Croatia's accession to the European Union as Deputy Chief Negotiator for Chapter 22: Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments (EU funds). In the first Croatian elections for the European Parliament she has been elected as a representative of the Croatian Democratic Union.