People & CultureHorizons

Iva Biondić

Senior Associate | Management Centre Europe (MCE)

Iva Biondić is a trainer and coach; Senior Associate at MCE (Management Center Europe), which is part of AMA (American Management Association), the world's oldest and largest organization for leadership and management development. She is one of the first five European managers with the AMA-CPM (American Management Association Certificate in Professional Management) and leads preparation programs for this first globally recognized management certification.

So far, she has worked with more than 1,500 managers in more than 70 organizations (among them Ferrero, Harman, Medtronic, United Nations, Erste Bank, Kuwait Petroleum Company, Kaufland, GenPharm, ByteDance/TikTok...) in more than 40 countries, on 6 continents. 

Resonating with the contemporary needs and challenges of the global economy, he continuously works on the development of a more holistic approach to the development of leadership and management competencies, upgrading them with mindfulness techniques and psychosomatic tools that enable easier and more agile survival and more resilient development in the "new-normal" conditions of life and business.

Ivan Maglić

Regional Manager | CALISTO/Gartner Adriatic

Ivan is the founder and director of CALISTO, which is the only authorized representative of Gartner for Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In his many years of work, he focuses on helping companies in the implementation of technological solutions and the digital transformation of business.

He is the co-author of the successful Algebra University program "Mini MBA - the fourth industrial revolution". After a successful career as an IT director at INA d.d. he devoted a large part of the continuation of his business career to better communication between IT and other business segments of the organization, and for the purpose of better, faster and more rational application of digital solutions for the purpose of improving business.

Ivona Radić

Communication Expert | Večernji list

Ivona Radić is employed as a communications expert at Večernji list. In more than ten years of experience in the media industry, she developed professionally in the areas of public relations, journalism and media sales. She has a master's degree in political science with a prominent interest in socially responsible policies, and in Poslovni dnevnik, the business brand of Večernji list, she is dedicated to promoting projects that connect companies with young talents and encourage inclusivity in the labor market.

Barbara Periša

Head of Human Resources | Zubak Group

Barbara Periša is the head of the Human Resources Management Department in the Zubak Group. Barbara started working in the same company after studying, and through over 10 years of work in various positions, she got to know the automotive industry well. She is in love with everything that has to do with HR, and she calls herself a "people geek". He believes that the good functioning of the human resources department can significantly affect the success and growth of the organization. In his projects, he focuses on improving business processes through efficient human resource management, from selection and recruitment to employee development and their professional training. Constantly in search of new knowledge, he has so far completed several educations in the areas of employee development, performance management, rewards, internal communication and organizational culture development. Through experience, she learned that it is crucial to create a working environment in which employees feel comfortable, because this leads to increased productivity, motivation and employee loyalty. He points out that it is a pleasure to work in a company whose Management recognizes the importance of projects for the development of human resources.

Vjekoslav Golubović

Sales & Account Managment director | SD Worx Adriatic

Vjekoslav Golubović is the Sales & Account Management Director at SD Worx Adriatic. For the last few years, he has been intensively dealing with the digitization of the human resources management process, connecting HR experiences from practice with current trends in digital HR solutions. As an HR manager with more than 20 years of experience in the development and transformation of human resources management systems, he led a large number of transformational projects related to the development of reward systems, performance management and organizational design, HR controlling and planning. He gained experience in large business systems such as A1, INA - MOL Grupa and Hrvatsko Telekom where, among other things, he was responsible for the digitization of performance management and competence development systems, reward systems, and managed IT solution development projects for basic HR processes. The successful implementation and continuous development of the HRnet application as a central HRIS platform has been his mission throughout most of his career. For the last 2 years within SD Worx, he has been dedicated to improving the user experience of existing and new HRnet users, and through the transfer of his own user experience, he strives to contribute to finding the best solutions for the digitization of the HR process of users.

He is a member of the CIPD, the world's most important HR institution based in London, where he completed his specialization in Human Resources Management. He is active as a lecturer at specialized HR programs and as a speaker at a number of HR conferences. He has broad interests in the field of human resources, from the topics of organizational design, reward systems and performance management to organizational culture and employee engagement. Throughout his career, he has been dedicated to transformational projects with the aim of balanced development of individual competencies and increasing the level of performance and success of the organization.

Dunja Vorkapić

HR director | Arsano Medical group

Dunja has more than 17 years of experience in human resources management, with extensive experience in various industries.

She started her career at Atlantic Grupa, where she gained extensive knowledge and experience in various areas of human resources and laid the foundations for further professional development.

She continues his career and training in A1 Croatia as an HR business partner and employee development expert.

She joins the global pharmaceutical company Sandoz, where she is responsible for all segments of human resource management.

Currently, Dunja holds the position of Director of Human Resources at Arsano Medical Group, the leading group of the private health sector in the Adria region.

After completing her studies at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Dubrovnik and after obtaining an MBA degree at Staffordshire University in Stoke on Trent, UK, Dunja is continuously improving herself through numerous educations.

As a certified executive coach and Hogan interpreter, she is dedicated to the professional development of leaders and transformational processes in organizations. She is passionate about developing talent and organizational culture, actively contributing to the creation of innovative and stimulating work environments.

Jasmina Lukačević

General Manager, Member of the Board | SD Worx Adriatic

Jasmina Lukačević, works as General Manager and Memeber of the Board for SD Worx Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia. She has more than 20 years of experience in the corporate and private sector, taking operational and strategic positions. Her expertise lies in combining IT and HR areas and special focus on building leadership capacity, organizational development and business development. She believes that success is created through the involvement and engagement of employees, taking responsibility and connecting all stakeholders in a meaningful way. Jasmina holds a master degree in mathematics and computer science, and specialization in the field of Human Resources, leadership and general management. She loves her big family, time for vacation and travel, conferences and socializing with friends and colleagues.

Igor Žonja

Director of Alma Career South region and director of Alma Career Croatia

Igor currently serves as the Director of Alma Career Croatia, the company behind MojPosao, Croatia's leading job advertising portal, and a key division of the prestigious ALMA CAREER group based in Finland.

With a strong foundation in IT and extensive experience in strategic marketing, Igor has successfully positioned MojPosao at the heart of the Croatian labor market, securing its place among the top 20 most visited websites in the country. Under his leadership, the company consistently meets the demands of over 54,000 clients, supported by a dedicated team of more than 100 professionals.

Throughout his career, Igor has held senior leadership roles in several prominent Croatian companies, including Varteks, Đuro Đaković Group, ELECTUS DGS, CROATIA osiguranje, and VIVA info. His strategic mindset and leadership capabilities have enabled him to navigate complex business challenges, delivering significant results and driving organizational success.

A mathematics professor by training, Igor's commitment to analytical rigor and precision is evident in the financial achievements and sustained growth of the companies he leads. His work continues to make a lasting and positive impact on both the business community and the labor market in Croatia.

Anita Letica

President of the board | Philip Morris Zagreb d.o.o.

Anita Letica is the president of the Management Board of Philip Morris Zagreb d.o.o., i.e. the chief director for the Croatian and Slovenian markets of the multinational company Philip Morris International. She graduated from the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb and received a master's degree in business management from the IECD Bled School of Management. As a Pliva scholarship holder, he is just starting his career in Pliva. After nearly ten years of business and management experience in that company, he joined Philip Morris in 2008, where after finance, he assumed positions of increasing responsibility in various business areas such as planning, business intelligence and business development. All the while, she is responsible for a large number of markets and manages dislocated teams from different countries. Such experience and excellent results brought her to the position of General Director of Philip Morris for the Croatian market in 2015. In 2018, she was promoted to her current position and, in addition to Croatia, becomes responsible for Philip Morris' operations in Slovenia.

Ph.D. Mirko Talajić

Data Managament, BI and AI | Triglav osiguranje

Mirko Talajić is an experienced professional with strong competencies in data management, business intelligence, artificial intelligence, and leadership. After completing his formal education at the Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Zagreb and earning a Master's degree from the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb, he also completed his doctoral studies at the Faculty of Information Studies in Slovenia. He has spent more than two decades in various leadership positions. Currently, he leads the area of data management, business intelligence, and artificial intelligence at the leading regional insurance company Triglav (Zagreb branch). In addition to his regular business obligations, Mirko is a lecturer at Algebra University and Effectus University College, where he teaches courses related to data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and game theory. His previous professional experience includes various leadership roles at „Unicredit Zagrebačka banka“ and „Hrvatska poštanska banka“, where he led departments focused on business intelligence, internal processes, and IT solutions. Throughout his career, Mirko has led several important projects, including the implementation of robotic process automation (RPA), the development of deep learning models for signature recognition, and the implementation of AI/ML services into organizational processes.

Ivona Kutle

Director of Human Resources | Sumi Agro Europe Limited

Ivona Kutle is the human resources director of the Sumi Agro Europe group. She graduated from Libertas University, majoring in finance, banking and insurance. She was additionally educated at Henley Business School and Said Business School. He is a certified Insights Practitioner.

Ivona has exceptional experience in human resources, internal communications, and leading and developing teams. Before her current position, she was the sub-regional HR director of the DS Smith company and the regional Culture & Engagement Lead for 17 countries in the Region. Ivona is focused on the development of teams and individuals, and she deeply believes that education and continuous improvement are the most important links for creating better organizations and a better society.

prof. Ph.D. Zoran Sušanj

Department of Psychology | University of Rijeka

Zoran Sušanj Graduated in psychology at the Faculty of Pedagogy in Rijeka, master's degree at the Faculty of Philosophy in Ljubljana, doctorate at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb. He worked as a personnel officer in DINA-Petrokemija Omišalj, as a military psychologist in the Croatian Army and as a director of AT Adria d.o.o. Zagreb for business consulting of organizations of various industries in the field of management and systematic development of human resources. Employed as a professor in tenure at the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Rijeka, where he is also the head of the Center for Applied Psychology. He teaches Organizational Psychology, Leadership Psychology and Organizational Development at the psychology graduate course, and he teaches in the broader field of work and organizational psychology at other graduate and postgraduate studies in the country and abroad. He researched work motivation, psychology of entrepreneurship, leadership, organizational climate and culture, and organizational justice. Published about sixty scientific and professional papers and two books in the field of organizational psychology and human resources development. He is the coordinator of the Careers Office and Head of the University Counseling Center of the University of Rijeka, a member of the Strategy Committee of the University of Rijeka and advisor to the Rector of the University of Rijeka for strategic management and human resources.

mr. sc. Emira Duratbegović

Vice President for Human Resources | AS Holding

Mr. sc. Emira Duratbegović, title of prof. in pedagogy at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Sarajevo, where she received her master's degree in health psychology and medical pedagogy.  

She has gained rich experience working with people and organizations during her twenty-year career, first in the marketing industry and then in the field of human resources. 

Svoje iskustvo i stečena znanja i vještine primjenjuje sa posebnim fokusom na strategije razvoja i zadržavanja zaposlenika kroz procese selekcije, područja osobnog razvoja zaposlenika, mjerenja efikasnosti te unapređivanje i razvijanje edukacijskih programa i metoda rada.

Od 2017. godine dio je AS Holdinga, Sarajevo, BiH, gdje je kao Direktorica Direkcije za korporativne ljudske resurse uspostavila HR kao stratešku operativnu funkciju u 15 kompanija grupacije. 

Od 2023. godine je na poziciji potpredsjednice za ljudske resurse AS Holdinga. 

Ona je suosnivačica i jedna od predavača na AS Akademiji u dijelu soft skills. 

Poseban naglasak stavlja na komunikacijsku uspješnost i asertivno ponašanje, zadovoljstvo zaposlenika, timski rad, te individualne razvojne programe zaposlenika. 

Na velikom broju domaćih i regionalnih konferencija, bila je aktivni učesnik i panelist.  

Emira je također i mentorica u Ženskoj Mentorskoj Mreži BiH, gdje svake godine u radu sa perspektivnim poslovnim mentorima nesebično daje svoju podršku. 

Članica je Uprave HRM Udruženja Bosne i Hercegovine, gdje daje doprinos kroz organizacijsku i stručnu podršku članovima udruženja. 

prof. Ph.D. Dragan Bagić

Department of Sociology | University of Zagreb

Ph.D. Dragan Bagić is a full professor of political sociology and industrial relations at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb. In addition to the sociology of politics and industrial relations, his scientific interests extend to the sociology of migration. He teaches at several post-graduate courses, including a specialist course in Human Resources Management at the University of Zagreb. He has published over 30 scientific papers and four scientific monographs. He led a large number of competitive development projects financed from EU funds. He has over 20 years of experience in conducting applied social research and public opinion research. He advised almost all relevant international organizations, domestic and international companies as well as political parties. He is present in public as a social and political analyst and a columnist for Večernji List. He is a member of several bodies in the system of science and higher education.

prof. Ph.D. Majda Rijavec

Professor emerita | University of Zagreb

Majda Rijavec is a psychologist, professor emeritus at the University of Zagreb. She deals with the field of positive, educational and organizational psychology. She is the (co)author of 48 books, 14 book chapters, 99 scientific papers and about 400 scientific popular and professional articles.

She is the winner of the "Ramiro Bujas" award of the Croatian Psychological Society for achievements in the popularization of psychological science, the Annual State Science Award for the popularization and promotion of science in the field of social sciences, and the "Zoran Bujas" award for the psychology book of the year.

She is one of the founders and president of the Croatian Network of Positive Psychology and the representative of Croatia in the European Network of Positive Psychology.

assist. Ph.D. Krešimir Žnidar

CEO | Prizma CPI

assist. Ph.D. Krešimir Žnidar, senior research associate in the scientific field of social sciences, professor of psychology.

He began his professional career as a psychologist in the field of the development and application of psychological tests. He continues his career in the fields of market research and public opinion polling, where he worked as a research director (CEMA, GfK). After a year in management consulting, he returns to market research. He founded the Prizma agency, where, together with a team of experts, he has been conducting research for the largest Croatian companies and institutions for 25 years. He also regularly leads public exchange research projects using all qualitative and quantitative research approaches.

He teaches several courses at two Croatian universities and participates as a guest lecturer at three other universities. Research methodologies, data analysis, and connecting scientific approaches in a real environment are of scientific interest.

In addition to entrepreneurial and teaching activities, he participated in a number of scientific and professional projects and published about thirty scientific and professional papers. He is a member of the Croatian Psychological Chamber and ESOMAR, and since 2017, he has been the national representative of ESOMAR for Croatia.

Tea Cergna

Head of Learning & Development | Valamar Riviera

Tea Cergna is currently in the position of director of the Learning and Development department in Valamar Riviera, Tea has always been strongly connected with tourism throughout her career. After years of experience in hotel operations, where she led large teams and was responsible for the entire operation of the hotel, she took over the responsibility for L&D where, together with her team, she devotes herself to a comprehensive approach to talent management, from recruitment and education to employee evaluation and succession. She graduated from the American College of Management and Technology, deeply believes that education is the most important link for creating better organizations and a better society, and she spends her free time with her family.

Nela Bučević

Director of Human Resources & Culture | E.ON Croatia

Nela Bučević comes from the position of Director of the Human Resources and Culture Sector at E.ON Croatia, a part of the global E.ON Group that strongly leads the energy transition in Croatia and Slovenia. Nela has exceptional experience in human resources, corporate communications, legal affairs and public policies, with strong specialization in FMCG, retail and logistics, restructuring, acquisitions and integrations. Nela's expertise includes organizational development, talent attraction and development, performance management and employer branding, which today gives her broad knowledge and experience in managing E.ON's collective development. Before her current position, Nela held key leadership roles in the domains of Human Resources and corporate communications in the companies Coca-Cola Hellenic Adria, METRO Cash & Carry Hrvatska, Inditex, FOREO and A1, where she led teams in charge of employee development, managed complex business mergers and acquisitions and implemented transformational changes. Through all positions, she has proven herself in developing leadership skills and encouraging inclusive and diverse work environments. After a master's degree in law at the University of Split, Nela also holds a master's degree in economics at the University of Ljubljana, and is educated at the University of Minnesota and the Oxford Leadership Academy. As a certified trainer, coach and facilitator of teams in transformation, with continuous engagement in leadership development and change management programs, Nela is a regular guest lecturer at various universities - always dedicated to mentoring and developing young professionals in an international business environment.

Duje Bralić

Director of strategic projects | Valamar Riviera

Duje is an expert in strategic management in tourism, currently holding the position of Director of Strategic Projects and Analytics at Valamar Riviera d.d., the leading tourism company in Croatia. Through his work, he has specialized in project management in the areas of change management, business transformations, and product development. The focus of his analytical work is on applied research in the fields of service innovations, technology, trend anticipation, and strategic risk management. He graduated in tourism management and further advanced his education through studies in strategic management, psychology, and applied neuroscience. He is actively engaged in interdisciplinary scientific work and participates as a guest lecturer at academic institutions and professional organizations.

Ivan Bešlić

Co-founder & CSO | Sofascore

Ivan Bešlić founded Sofascore with Zlatko Hrkac, a childhood friend, when they realized that sports connect people with more emotions than anything else. Guided by these findings, Sofascore quickly became the leading platform for advanced sports statistics, used in all countries of the world. As Chief Strategy Officer, Ivan is in charge of expanding and strengthening the company in key global markets. With employees whose number will soon exceed 300 on four continents, Ivan's strategy should ensure Sofascore's key goal: to follow all sports and all matches in one place.

Ivana Mikanović

CHRO | Sofascore

Ivana MikanovićCHRO@Sofascore is a psychologist interested in organizations, process improvement, problem solving, increasing performance and achieving goals. The previous work experience is based on the public sector within CZSS and the civil sector as an expert on numerous projects. She has always been motivated by learning and development, and completed the second level of CBT and counseling education and is an authorized user of the tools 4 Rooms of Change, SDI, Wartegg, etc. She considers active listening and focus on practical solutions to be the most valuable soft skills.

Antea Popović

Group HR director | VICTUS GROUP

Antea Popović graduated in psychology from FFZG, after which in 2006 she got a job as a consultant in the field of human resources management. In 2010, he continued his career within organizations in leading positions in the human resources department. Since 2016, she has been employed as Group Human Resources Director at Victus Group, where she is responsible for the strategic management of HR processes as well as the management of the HR team for all Group brands.

She is a certified NLP master and coach, and she completed her MBA at the Swiss School of Business and Management.

Mihaela Kovaček Pejić

People & Culture Manager | IKEA CROATIA

Mihaela Kovaček Pejić After graduating from the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb, she devoted her entire professional career to the development of people and their careers in organizations. After 18 years of working in human resources in the banking sector, 5 years ago she was strongly attracted by the unique culture and values ​​that IKEA fosters. 

As a person who loves people and has a strong and authentic interest in their well-being and satisfaction, combining her personal passion with what represents her key responsibility as the person in charge of people and culture within IKEA Croatia is the realization of her professional ambitions.. 

With special interest and enthusiasm, she is dedicated to co-creating an open, inclusive, benevolent and encouraging organizational culture in which the employee and his well-being are at the center of all decisions, initiatives and business strategies. 

For herself, she often points out how it is an indescribable pleasure to do a job you love for an employer with whom you share fundamental values.

Blaž Ferenc

Chief Director for Human Resources, Corporate Communications and Business Sustainability | A1 Croatia and A1 Slovenia

Blaž Ferenc he completed his studies at the University of Ljubljana, and obtained his MBA degree at the Cotrugli Business School in Zagreb. He started his career in the communication agency Taktik, and continued in the agency Pristop, after which he joined A1 Slovenia in 2016 as a senior specialist in corporate communications.

He is the recipient of several prestigious international awards for communication excellence, such as the ProPR Globe Award and the Gold Quill. 

From 2020, he assumes the position of director of corporate communications and sustainability in A1 Slovenia and A1 Serbia, where he later assumes the position of acting director. General Director for Human Resources and Communications.

From 2024, he will take over the position of chief director for human resources, corporate communications and business sustainability in A1 Croatia and A1 Slovenia.

Marko Rakovac

Executive head | Croatian Mountain Rescue Service

Marko Rakovac He graduated in law at the University of Rijeka, trained at the Faculty of Law in Zagreb and participated in a student exchange in Lithuania. His professional career includes work in various legal and project functions, such as senior expert associate for legal affairs in the County of Istria, expert associate for project implementation in the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS), and projects in work with ropes at height. As a speleologist, he led several international expeditions into deep pits, organized rescue exercises and participated in numerous rescues. His work also includes editorial work and the implementation of a series of international and multilateral collaborations with European rescue services. 

He has been a member of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) since 2012, where he held a number of positions, including head of the Cave Rescue Commission and deputy head of the HGSS. He currently holds the position of executive head of HGSS. His work is aimed at improving the labor and legal relations of HGSS members, improving helicopter rescue, and strengthening the competencies of the membership. For him, HGSS symbolizes excellence based on expertise, experience and commitment, with the goal of positive social change. 

Vinka Ilak

Member Of The Management Board | FINA

Vinka Ilak She graduated in 2007 from the Faculty of Law of the University of Osijek, after which she was employed as an intern at the Ledić & Kaleb law office in Zagreb, and in 2010 she passed the bar exam. She started her career at Fina in 2011 as the head of the legal team on the project of establishing a system of electronic enforcement of funds. As a member of working groups, she worked on amendments to the Enforcement Act in 2012, 2014 and 2017, the Bankruptcy Act, the Act on Consumer Bankruptcy, the Act on Debt Write-off of Natural Persons and the Act on Workers. ' Claims insurance. 

As an expert in enforcement law, she made a significant contribution to the project of establishing a system of enforcement under the Law on Enforcement of Financial Assets. The application of this Act was a very important and extensive project that changed the previous methods of enforcement, and the main goals were to regulate debtor-creditor relations and increase the efficiency of collection. She actively participated in the development of the enforcement system through the drafting of laws to improve existing legal solutions, crisis management, policies, work and technological instructions. She held numerous professional trainings and educations and continuously cooperated with competent authorities and institutions. 

Since 2017, she has held the position of head of the Management Office, and then as an advisor to the Management Board, where she is in charge of solving the most complex issues and problems related to the functioning of individual parts of the system, as well as providing professional assistance to the President of the Management Board. Thanks to his professional approach and ten years of experience working in the complex system of Fine, he often participates in numerous trainings intended for the professional public. She is the author of several chapters in professional literature as well as numerous articles in professional journals.  

In 2020, she will become a member of the Fina Management Board, where she will continue to work intensively on improving the system of the top, and is also the initiator of numerous educational and informative activities with the aim of raising the financial literacy of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia.  

Martina Roša

Human Resources Director for Beverages Group | Stanić Group

Martina Roša has over 18 years of experience in the field of human resources management and leadership in leading international companies in the FMCG industry. She started her career at Coca-Cola Hellenic, where she spent almost 12 years in various positions in the field of talent management. In 2019, he moved to Jamnica, where he assumed responsibility for improving the human resources function of the drinks division of the Fortenova Group at the regional level. In 2024, she assumed the role of director of human resources for the production companies of the Stanić Group, with the aim of establishing a unique strategy and process for human resources in all companies in which the group operates. During her career, she worked on various strategic and transformational projects in the field of human resources, such as the establishment of a new operational management model, cultural integration and change management, organizational design and reorganization, the redesign and introduction of continuous performance management and talent development systems, the establishment of management processes and innovation tools, and the design and optimization of various HR processes. She is extremely proud of the strong regional team she left behind, which has been repeatedly recognized for best market practice inside and outside the organization. 

She graduated in psychology from the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Zagreb. He is a certified trainer of the London CIPD Institute and certifiedexecutive coach international academies forexecutive coaching (AoEC). 

assoc. prof. Ph.D. Marin Strmota

Demographer | Faculty of Economics, University of Zagreb

assoc. prof. Ph.D. Marin Strmota she was born on April 2, 1985 in Zagreb. He finished primary and secondary school in Biograd na Moru. He graduated in 2007 from the Faculty of Economics, majoring in "Economic Analysis and Development". At the same faculty, in 2010, he successfully defended his specialist thesis on the specialist study "Statistical methods for economic analysis and forecasting". He received his doctorate in 2014 at his home institution on that topicDemography of intergenerational family ties in Croatia. 

Since October 1, 2007, he has been employed at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb as a researcher at the Department of Demography, where he was promoted to senior assistant in 2014, and then to assistant professor in 2016. Within the Department, as a holder and performer, he conducts classes at professional, undergraduate and graduate courses from the courseDemography, Basics of demography, Labour economicsandDemographic and social development. At the graduate university study, Master Degree in Economics (MDIE), he is the holder of the courseDemographic and Social Development. At the Zagreb Faculty of Economics, since October 1, 2020, he is a member of the Faculty Council, chairman of the Committee for Improvement of Project Activities, member of the Committee for Integrated University Studies, Committee for Cooperation with Secondary Schools, and member of the Committee for Employee Disciplinary Procedure. 

His areas of scientific and research work are general demography, the impact of demographic changes on economic development and population policy. During his previous scientific research work, he won an awardMijo Mirkovićof the Zagreb Faculty of Economics in 2011 for a scientific paper with monographic content under the titleFertility and employment of womenpublished in the magazineSocial research. He is the winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award of the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb for the best-rated seminar leader at undergraduate and graduate studies in the academic year 2014/2015. He participated in the development of a large number of scientific and professional projects and in over 50 different scientific and professional gatherings on demographic topics. Since 2014, he has been reviewing scientific papers for journalsSocial Research, Social Policy Review, Economic Review, Public Sector Economics, Proceedings of the Zagreb Faculty of Economics, Obnovljeni život, and state awards for science from the Ministry of Science and Education. He received scientific training abroad in the field of statistical methods and techniques in the social sciences, at the University Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom. 

He is the head of the fundamental research project of the Croatian Science Foundation entitledSociodemographic determinants of energy consumption in Croatia. As a researcher, he participated in scientific research projects, titled respectively:Demographic infrastructure for better assessments and policies, a project of the Adris Foundation;Data research infrastructure for advanced demographic research, a project of the University of Zagreb;Economics of aging in Croatia longitudinal research, a development project of the University of Zagreb;The impact of demographic changes on economic development, a scientific research project of the Ministry of Science. 

In the period from 2016 to 2018, he held the position of State Secretary for Demography at the Ministry of Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy. According to the decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, he was a memberCouncil for Demographic Revitalizationand a memberCouncil of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Croats outside the Republic Croatia, president of the working group for amendments to the Act on Maternity and Parental Support and the Act on Child Allowance and member of the working group for drafting the Act on Subsidized Areas in the period 2016-2018. He was the leader of the Croatian expert group at the ECOSOC Youth Forum in 2017 and 2018 in New York. Since 2018, he has been the president of the Department for Demography of Matica Hrvatska. 

He is a member of the associationEuropean Association for Population Studies (EAPS) andInternational Union for the Scientific Study of Population(IUSSP). He actively uses English and German. 

Maja Crnjak

Director of the Human Resources Sector | Erste & Steiermärkische Bank Croatia

Maja Crnjak graduated in business administration in Heidelberg and completed an MBA in London and Heidelberg. He started his career in 1997 at Ernst & Young Management Consulting, and since 2000 he has been working in telecom, where he holds several positions. In 2005, he moved to Erste & Steiermärkische Bank d.d. to the position of director of the Human Resources Department, where she still works today. During this period, she spent 2 years at Erste Group Bank AG in Vienna as Head of Competence and Performance Management, where she was responsible for establishing performance management processes for the entire Erste Group. In the meantime, she earned her master's degree at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb in the field of human resource management, the Top Executive Development Program, and the IESE Senior Leadership Development Program.    

Bruno Šimleša

Sociologist and bestseller author "Škola života" i "Ljubavologija"

Bruno Šimleša is a sociologist and graduated in 2003 from the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Zagreb. He is the author of 11 books in the fields of popular psychology and spirituality.  In the first 9 books, he primarily dealt with love relationships and creating a healthy relationship with himself.LoveologyandSchool of Lifeare one of the best-selling books in Croatia and the region. His titles were also published in Slovenia, Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania, and in total more than 300,000 copies were sold. remain healthy, published in 2021, was his champion book with a focus on health. In it, he explores how thoughts, emotions and relationships affect health. The topic was not chosen by chance, because for more than 20 years he has been helping cancer patients to cope with all challenges, so he transferred some of those experiences to the book, but also relied on the conclusions of numerous scientific studies that prove the influence of the mind on the body.  His most recent book A što kada se netko naš razboliis a logical continuation of the bookremain healthy.Because the environment often has the best possible intentions, but we often don't know how to put those intentions into action. He currently runs a weekly column in HRT's Kod nas doma show, and writes columns for Slovenian Delo and a column about health for the portalbudizdrav.hr.  He maintains his mental health by living in accordance with his values, managing stress well and hiking. As well as enjoying a few rich interpersonal relationships and calmly accepting all other relationships with greater or lesser limits. 

Ph.D. Josip Pavličak

HR and Security Consultant | Academia Tempora

Josip Pavliček has a master's degree in criminology and a doctorate in criminology and criminology, with 26 years of experience in direct investigation of the most serious criminal offenses and management of various organizational units of the police. He spent 14 of those years as a professor and head of the Department of Criminalistics at the Police College in Zagreb and as a visiting professor at the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, the University of Rijeka and the Faculty of Medicine in Zagreb. He is the author of several higher education textbooks in the field of interviewing methodology, lie detection and criminal investigation, as well as numerous professional and scientific works. Through the implementation of several scientific research projects, he created specific approaches to interview methodology during exit interviews, selection interviews, security interviews and anti-fraud security interviews. He also introduced into corporate practice the use of specialized questionnaires for detecting potential security risks in candidates during the selection process and questionnaires for conducting internal investigations. In recent years, the main focus of his work has been on the practical application of lie detection methodology in business communication. He makes his specific knowledge and experience available to HR experts, internal auditors, managers and security experts as a consultant and lecturer at numerous scientific and professional gatherings and gatherings as well as specialist training. 

assoc. Ph.D. Iva Buchberger

Pročelnica Odsjeka za pedagogiju | Filozofski fakultet sveučilišta u Rijeci

Iva Buchberger je pročelnica Odsjeka za pedagogiju Filozofskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Rijeci. Svoj je znanstveni i nastavni rad u većini usmjerila razvoju područja kritičkog mišljenja iz pedagogijske perspektive. Sudjelovala je na brojnim znanstvenim i stručnim konferencijama te je autorica brojnih znanstvenih i stručnih radova na tu temu. Od najrecentnijih radova valja izdvojiti priručnik za edukatore naslova Kritičko mišljenje: Peace, Love & Rock and Roll u izdanju Filozofskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Rijeci i Udruge za razvoj visokoga školstva Universitas. Nositeljica je kolegija Vještine kritičkog mišljenja, Interkulturalnost u obrazovanju i Poučavanje za kritičko mišljenje na prijediplomskom/diplomskom studiju pedagogije te Didaktika na diplomskim studijima nastavničkog smjera. Bila je članica Radne skupine za izradu Nacrta prijedloga kurikuluma nastavnoga predmeta Kritičko mišljenje u kategoriji stručnjak iz akademske zajednice. Koautorica je udžbenika nastavnog predmeta Svijet i ja za učenike od 5. do 8. razreda osnovne škole. Trenutno obnaša funkciju voditeljice Centra za obrazovanje nastavnika pri Filozofskom fakultetu Sveučilišta u Rijeci. Znanstveni opus dostupan na https://www.croris.hr/osobe/profil/31129  

assoc. prof. Ph.D. Tea Vukušić Rukavina

Associate professor | School of Medicine, University of Zagreb

Tea Vukušić Rukavina she was born on February 11, 1974 in Zagreb, where she attended primary and secondary school. She finished the fifth year of high school in 1992 and entered the Faculty of Medicine in Zagreb the same year. During her studies, she worked as a demonstrator at the Department of Anatomy, and from 1994 to 1998 she was a scholarship holder of the city of Zagreb. I graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in 1999 and am doing a mandatory medical internship at the Center Health Center. In 2001, he was employed as a researcher at the Department of Medical Sociology and Health Economics of the Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb. In 2002, she enrolled in the doctoral (scientific postgraduate) study of Biomedicine and Health at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zagreb, which she completed in 2007. "Development of a measuring instrument to assess the stigmatization of mental disorders in print media" (under the mentorship of Stipe Orešković, Ph.D.) on November 25, 2011, successfully defended her graduation thesis and obtained an academic title doctor of medical sciences. From January 19, 2012 to April 2016, she was employed as a research intern in the senior assistant position. In 2012, she passed the specialist exam in psychiatry. From April 2016 to November 2021, she was employed as an assistant professor at the Department of Medical Sociology and Health Economics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb. In September 2021, she was elected to the scientific title of senior scientific associate. Since November 2021, she has been employed as an associate professor at the Department of Medical Sociology and Health Economics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb.
Since November 2017, she has been appointed assistant director for health promotion and public relations at the "Andrija Štampar" School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb. Since May 2019, she has been the editor-in-chief mef.hrjournal of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb. Since May 2023, she has been a member of the Commission of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia for the promotion and prevention of mental health.
A narrower field of scientific interest is the e-professionalism of healthcare workers, the methodology of qualitative research, the promotion and prevention of mental health, the stigma of mental illness, the relationship between the media and healthcare, and communication in science. During his scientific and professional work, associate professor, Ph.D. Tea Vukušić Rukavina participated in numerous domestic and international projects, published more than 100 public health, professional and scientific papers, 26 of which were published in internationally indexed journals.
Based on the work on the Healthy County project, she won valuable international awards: Management Training Excellence Award 2006, Sustainable Management Development Program, koju je dodijelio Public Health Program Office, Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, Atlanta, SAD, Global Health Program of Distinction Award 2013, awarded by the Sustainable Management Development Program, Division of Public Health Systems and Workforce Development, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, USA. In November 2012, she was chosen among the 20% of the most productive doctoral students of the Faculty of Medicine for acc. Mr. 2011/12.
From 2012 to 2016, she participated as a guest lecturer at the program Mental Health Services in Central Europe, sponsored by the Global Center for Health & Economic Policy Research, University of California, Berkeley.
From May 9, 2018 to November 1, 2023, she was the manager of the HRZZ UIP-2017-05-2140 project "Dangers and advantages of social networks: e-professionalism of health professionals (SMePROF project)". He is currently a collaborator on the EU Horizon 2020 project "Alliance4life_ACTIONS" and the ASPHER project "NAWA Project – Public Health Education and Pandemic Challenges".
Since December 2023, she is the Ambassador of Citizen Science for Croatia (as part of the European Citizen Science project).
From 2002 to 2018 she was the director of the Media and Health course, which once a year brought together the most relevant journalists who follow the health profession, health and public health experts, as well as politicians and people who decide on health issues important to the Republic of Croatia.
He is a member of the Croatian Medical Chamber, the Croatian Medical Association, the Section of Young Psychiatrists and Residents of the Croatian Psychiatric Society.
At the graduate study of medicine (in Croatian and English), he participates in the teaching of the courses Medical Sociology, Foundations of Medical Art and Health in the Community, and is the head of the elective course Social Networks in Medicine. Actively contributes to teaching in the courses of the Graduate Nursing University Study: Science, philosophy and theory in nursing, Application of research in nursing, Health promotion and primary health care, Theories of upbringing and education, and Health care system with business in health institutions. He also participates in conducting postgraduate classes at the PDS study Management in Healthcare, where he is the co-head of the Business Style and Communication course, and participates in the work of other courses at that PDSS, European Public Health and Introduction to Management and Change Management. From ac. Mr. 2014/15 participates in the teaching of courses at all university specialist postgraduate studies General Competences of Specialist Physicians. In addition to the aforementioned classes, Tea Vukušić Rukavina participates in postgraduate studies in Public Health and Family Medicine. At the postgraduate study in Public Health, he is the head of two courses; Qualitative methods in health research and Mental health promotion.
In addition to scientific and teaching work, associate professor Ph.D. Tea Vukušić Rukavina works as a psychiatrist at the Multidisciplinary Counseling Center for Foreign Students of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb.

Ivan Vidiš

State Secretary | Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy

Ivan Vidiš is the state secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family, and Social Policy, whose scope includes the labor market and employment policy, with special reference to active employment policy measures, as well as the regulation of labor relations and the management and implementation of operational programs co-financed by the European Social Fund. 

Before being appointed to the position of State Secretary, he worked as an advisor in the Minister's Cabinet in charge of coordinating and managing international activities and played a key role in the preparations for Croatia's presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2020. He gained valuable professional experience in the field of diplomacy by working as an intern at the Main Directorate for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission and as an employee at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia. In 2014, he had the opportunity to work in the office of Andrej Plenković, then a member of the European Parliament. Ivan Vidiš has a master's degree in the field of contemporary democracies: federalism, nationalism and multiculturalism at Pompeu Fabra University, and a bachelor's degree in political science at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb. 

Darija Korkut

Darija Korkut, mag. of English, senior lecturer, graduate student at the doctoral study "Information Society" at the Faculty of Information Sciences in Novome Mesto, Slovenia. At the EFFECTUS Polytechnic, he holds the title of senior lecturer and holds the course Analytical Management 1: Creative Thinking Techniques, Application of Analytical Management, Critical Thinking, Behavioral Economics, Decision Psychology, Neuroeconomics and Creative Problem Solving; at the College of Algebra he teaches the courses Creativity and Critical Thinking, Structured Analytical Techniques and Creativity and Problem Solving at the e-Leadership MBA; and at the Polytechnic of Criminology and Public Security he is the instructor of the courses Creative and Critical Thinking in Criminology and Criminal Analytics.

Previous professional and scientific experience: Voditeljica je Centra za istraživanje, razvoj i umjetnu inteligenciju na EFFECTUS veleučilištu i Neurobihevioralnog laba tvrtke DeeP Project. Prvo poslovno iskustvo gradila je u Ministarstvu vanjskih i europskih poslova na poslovima analitike i informiranja te na diplomatskim poslovima u VRH u Irskoj. Nakon toga je u Sigurnosno-obavještajnoj agenciji brusila svoje analitičke vještine, kreativno i kritičko mišljenje te rješavanje problema obavljajući poslove iz područja obavještajne analitike, analitičke edukacije te razvoja inovativnih tehnoloških rješenja. Objavila je 9 knjiga i više stručnih i znanstvenih radova na temu analitičkih metoda i tehnika i njihove primjene, ponajprije u poslovnom okruženju, te teorije igara, analize socijalnih mreža, kreativnog rješavanja problema i bihevioralne ekonomije. Urednica je knjige Kopal, R.: “Ekonomska analiza međunarodnog terorizma”, u kojoj je i autorica poglavlja “Primjena SNA u suzbijanju međunarodnog terorizma”. Sudjelovala je na više domaćih i međunarodnih tečajeva i seminara iz područja međunarodnih odnosa i diplomacije te na više analitičkih tečajeva i radionica (FBI, NATO, US EUCOM i dr.), a na mnogima od njih u svojstvu predavača. Posjeduje međunarodne certifikate iz područja tehnika kreativnog i kritičkog mišljenja te problem-solving i decision-making analitičkih tehnika. Autorica i ko-autorica je nekoliko elaborata studijskih programa za visokoobrazovne institucije, od kojih se posebno izdvajaju specijalistički diplomski studiji Poslovno upravljanje MBA – smjer Analitički menadžment te smjer Bihevioralna ekonomija.

Recently published books: "Analytical Management" (two awards) and "Intelligence Analytics: Application in National and Corporate Security" (HUMS Award for the best book in the field of security).

Areas of interest: 18-godišnji potomci, bihevioralna ekonomija, kreativnost, inovativnost i kreativno rješavanje problema©, kritičko razmišljanje, vještine i alati rješavanja problema i donošenja odluka, analitika inteligencije, analiza društvenih mreža, teorija igara i obrazovanje.

assoc. prof. Ph.D. Robert Kopal

assoc. prof. Ph.D. Robert Kopal is an associate professor, senior research associate, professor of professional studies in permanent selection, president of the Management Board of the Effectus Polytechnic and CSO-SSeaCras. member of the Commission for Ethical Application of Digital Technologies and Artificial Intelligence (CARNET).

Previous professional and scientific experience: special advisor to the President of the Republic of Croatia for national security; State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Croatia; Dean of Effectus University; vice dean for R&D at the College of Algebra and head of the Digital Marketing and Data Science graduate study; vice dean for teaching at the Libertas College of Business; lecturer and guest lecturer at several universities in the Republic of Croatia and abroad and at the CROMA EduCare program (Croatian Association of Managers and Entrepreneurs); winner of the Charter of the College of the Polytechnic for special merits and permanent contribution to the development of professional studies in the Republic of Croatia, 2023; executive director for research and development Tokić d.o.o.; advisor to the Management Board – Tokić d.o.o.; Advisor for research and development/scientific advisor to the IN2 Group Management Board; co-founder and chief scientific officer at IN2data; held the position of chief intelligence analyst of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia (exceptional promotion to the highest inspectorate rank of chief police inspector, annual award of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of the Republic of Croatia); senior manager in POA and SOA; published 13 books in the Republic of Croatia and abroad (Analytical Management, Economic Analysis of International Terrorism; Game Theory; Analysis of (Social) Networks, etc.); author of several chapters in books and more than 70 professional and scientific papers in the Republic of Croatia and abroad; leader and lecturer at more than 200 business and analytical workshops in the Republic of Croatia and abroad (trained security and intelligence officers of 11 countries); designed several specialized information systems; certified trainer of intelligence analysis (intelligence analysis techniques) and analytical SW (intelligence analysis software); 20+ certificates; member of IALEIA (International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts) and BDVA (Big Data Value Association); executive editor at the International Journal of Digital Technology and Economy and editorial board member at the International Journal of Economics & Management Sciences; presented at many national and international conferences and participated and led several national and international analytical projects (project implementation unit leader and key expert: "CARDS Twinning project: Criminal Intelligence System Phase 1 and 2" and project liaison officer at UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) project "Strengthening capacity for collection and analysis of criminal intelligence data in Southeast Europe" and others); member of the National Cyber Security Council; member of the Matric Committee for Social Sciences; member of the National Council for Human Resources Development; member of the national team of the Republic of Croatia - European Big Data Hackathon 2017, which won 1st place; black belt holder 2nd day in classical karate. Recently published books: "Analytical Management" (two awards) and "Intelligence Analytics - Applications in National and Corporate Security" (award).

Areas of interest: problem solving; decision making; intelligence analytics; cyber security; information security; creativity and innovation; game theory; behavioral economics; analysis of social networks; organizational network analysis; social physics; critical thinking; data science, artificial intelligence, education.

prof. Ph.D. Velimir Srića

Professor Emeritus, DBA mentor | Srića Consulting

Velimir Srića has a bachelor's degree in economics, a master's degree in electrical engineering, an MBA from Columbia University New York, and a doctorate in management information systems. His professional life is dedicated to education, research, politics and consulting. He is a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts and has been teaching and doing research around the world as a visiting professor at UCLA in Los Angeles, at Renmin University in Beijing, in Shanghai, and at universities in Croatia, Hungary, Austria, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dubai and Montenegro. As a politician, he was a member of the Croatian government and President of the Zagreb City Assembly. He is a Fulbright scholar, Ford and Eisenhower fellow and was the Croatian representative at UNESCO and OECD. As a consultant for leadership, innovation management and digital transformation, he worked for numerous regional and global companies. He is a World Bank expert on change management, a member of the Club of Rome and an honorary member of the Croatian Helsinki Committee. He published 96 books, over 400 scientific and professional papers and over a thousand columns in popular magazines. He speaks Croatian, English, French, Italian, Russian and Slovenian. His personal website is: https://en.velimirsrica.com/  https://en.velimirsrica.com/

Petar Čalić

CEO | DeeP Project

Petar has a master's degree in computer science and is the owner of DeeP Project. Through a multi-year career in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia and large private IT companies, he acquired key knowledge and skills in successful leadership and management of human resources. It is additionally improved through professional seminars in the field of relationship dynamics and understanding of human behavior. In addition to computer science studies and other "civilian" education, he also acquired an adequate military education in the field of leadership and management of people. He is an occasional columnist and guest in various Croatian ICT and business e-magazines and podcasts. 

Ph.D. Dario Car

Senior HR consultant | DeeP Project

After spending a short period working at a hospital in Zagreb, he continues his career in a telecommunications company, where he progresses from an expert to a manager position. Subsequently, he works as a lecturer in a higher education institution and eventually returns to what he loves most, which is working with people. He holds a doctoral degree in social sciences and is primarily focused on working with the Z-generation, mostly within the fintech sector. He is the author of several manuals on customer relationship management and leadership development and a regular columnist in Croatian business and ICT magazines in the field of human potential development. 

Dario Perak

HR consultant | DeeP Project

He realizes his desire to work with people by studying psychology, where he is currently a graduate student. He is a certified LEGO SERIOUS PLAY facilitator. He demonstrates knowledge of communication and presentation skills by leading group workshops in the field of soft skills.During his studies, he deepened his knowledge of organizational psychology. He enjoys statistical analyses, and in addition to organizational psychology, his main areas of interest are psychometric tests and creativity tests. He is an occasional columnist and guest in various Croatian ICT, and business e-magazines and podcasts.

Antonija Bušić Crnković

Marketing manager & Senior researcher | Alma Career Croatia

Antonija Bušić Crnković is an experienced marketing and PR researcher with more than 15 years of work experience. He is currently in the role of Marketing Manager and Senior Researcher at Alma Career Croatia, which manages the leading job advertising portal in Croatia - MojPosao. Under the umbrella of Alma Career, it plays a key role in the methodology of products such as Employer of First Choice, Pulser - a tool for employee satisfaction research and the MojaPlaća service. Before starting to develop her career at the MojPosao portal, Antonija graduated in psychology at the University of Zagreb. Her academic education fueled an insatiable thirst for research and understanding of human behavior and the ever-evolving dynamics of the labor market. Her research has become the initiator of many discussions in the business sector, but also one of the main sources of relevant and objective data when it comes to the labor market.