Stjepan Orešković, founder of BOSQAR d.d., led the jury in selecting Croatia’s top business leaders at the 2024 CROMA Awards
Ten top executives and entrepreneurs were honored, with Vanja Burul (Končar D&ST) named Manager of the Year.
Photo: Courtesy of CROMA
Zagreb, February 14th, 2025 – The Croatian Association of Managers and Entrepreneurs (HUM-CROMA) held its annual Manager of the Year awards ceremony last night at the Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb, recognizing the most outstanding business leaders of 2024.
The event celebrated ten executives and entrepreneurs whose vision, leadership, and ethical business practices have driven exceptional corporate success over the past year.
Stjepan Orešković, founder of BOSQAR d.d., the holding company of the BOSQAR INVEST group, served as the chairman of the jury responsible for selecting the award recipients.
In his speech, Orešković underscored the importance of fostering global competitiveness among domestic companies.
"Change is driven by individuals who are insatiably ambitious in a positive way – those who constantly strive to build, innovate, and lead without complacency. The business leaders recognized tonight represent exactly that. It is our responsibility to support them, develop industrial policies that encourage excellence, and create an ecosystem that nurtures the next generation of globally leading companies that Croatia and Europe need," Orešković said.
The Manager of the Year award, determined by a panel of senior business leaders, academics, media representatives, and previous award winners, acknowledges individuals whose professional excellence, strategic leadership, and commitment to corporate social responsibility set them apart in the business community.
Among this year’s laureates, Vanja Burul, President of the Management Board at Končar D&ST, was named Manager of the Year in the large companies category. Other awardees included Jerko Jakšić (PharmaS) in the mid-sized companies category, Milan Vrdoljak (Ricardo) as Entrepreneur of the Year, and Marin Rogić (Hrvatski Kišobran & Tobacco Logistika) for corporate social responsibility. Additionally, Ivo Usmiani, a veteran of the pharmaceutical industry and the driving force behind JGL Group, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The event was held under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, and co-sponsored by the Croatian Ministry of Economy.
Photo: Courtesy of CROMA
