Tatiana Golea, co-founder of PORT MALL, took the stage at the international Women in Marketing CEE Awards. The recognition came after campaigns and projects developed under her leadership were evaluated by a jury of more than 40 professionals from five continents. The awards gala took place in early October at the National Museum of Art of Romania.

The competition received 145 entries from 18 eligible markets across Central and Eastern Europe.

The jury recognized Tatiana Golea for the way she has built brands, created high-impact campaigns and grown communities around her projects. Her work was assessed both for its creativity and for the measurable results behind it.

The PORT MALL co-founder’s application highlighted a remarkable journey for her brands. In 2014, she opened the first Brand Outlet store. In 2017, the business became AZART, now the largest fashion retail network in the Republic of Moldova, with 25 stores in 10 cities. In 2021, she took on one of the most challenging projects: a closed shopping centre with a reputation that was difficult to rebuild. The result was PORT MALL, now the largest shopping mall in the Republic of Moldova, spanning 29,000 square metres and reaching 100% occupancy.

“I didn’t start from zero. I started from -100,” is how Tatiana describes the transformation.

The PORT MALL co-founder leads a 26-member marketing ecosystem, which in 2026 was transformed into a separate legal entity — RA-PORT Agency.

“We have results that are too strong and a team that is too good to remain within the boundaries of our own companies. We want to share our experience with other brands that understand that marketing must be treated as part of business decision-making, rather than as a support function. We are certain that we will bring the same speed and performance to our new brand,” says Tatiana Golea.

PORT MALL organizes major events every year, attracting tens of thousands of people. For the Aladdin campaign, the team travelled to Dubai, while the Pinocchio campaign and the record-breaking tiramisu took them to Collodi and Venice. Other projects have set national records, from the largest chocolate bar and the largest bonfire to the largest “Cușma lui Guguță” cake.

For Tatiana Golea, these projects are more than campaigns. They are investments in the relationship between brands and people. The same approach defines her relationship with the brands at PORT MALL, which she prefers to call partners, as well as the PORT Schimbarea initiative, created to bring women, entrepreneurs and professionals into the spotlight — people whose experiences can inspire ideas and spark dialogue within the community.

The regional edition of Women in Marketing CEE was hosted by Romania and is part of the expansion of the global Women in Marketing movement, launched in London in 2004. The competition was created to recognize excellence in leadership, creativity, innovation, communication and organizational transformation.