He graduated, obtained a master’s degree and a PhD from the Faculty of Economics, and completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) at Harvard Business School. He began his professional career in 1985 at the airline Adria Airways and from 1991 was one of the founders of Croatia Airlines, where he held the positions of Assistant to the Director General and Director General. Since 2010 he has served as Secretary General of Atlantic Grupa and as Procurator of Atlantic Trade. He has been a long-standing member of the Members’ Council of the Croatian Employers’ Association, which he has chaired since 2021 and is currently serving his second term.

Personal Information

• Born: 1961, Ploče, Croatia
• Family status: married to Ariana Bazala, three children (Ivan, Tena and Fran)
• Languages: English (fluent), German (fluent)

Education

• Faculty of Economics, University of Zagreb – graduated in 1983
• Postgraduate studies, Faculty of Economics Zagreb – Master’s degree (Marketing of Travel Agencies), 1987
• Doctorate, Faculty of Economics Osijek – (Management of Airline Marketing), 2005
• Harvard Business School – Advanced Management Program (AMP), 2003
• Scientific title of Research Associate (2009), academic title of Assistant Professor (2010)
• Member of the Scientific Council for Transport of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts
• Member of the National Council for Higher Education and Science (two terms)

Professional Experience

• Atlantic Grupa d.d.
  • Secretary General (2010 – present)
  • Procurator, Atlantic Trade

• Croatia Airlines d.d.
  • Founder and one of the first employees (1991)
  • Assistant to the Director General for Marketing and Sales (1992)
  • Director General (1997 – 2010) – fleet modernization; entry into the Star Alliance (2004); positioning Croatia Airlines as a leading regional airline

• Government of the Republic of Croatia
  • Director of State Protocol and Ambassador (1995 – 1997)

• Adria Airways
  • Regional Sales Director, Split (1985 – 1991)

• International and National Positions
  • Member of the Presidency of the Association of European Airlines (2002 – 2011)
  • President of the Association of European Airlines (2009)
  • Member of the IATA Nominations Committee (2009 – 2011)
  • Member of the Supervisory Board of Lufthansa CityLine (4 years)
  • Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board of T-Hrvatski Telekom d.d.
  • Member of the Council of the Croatian National Tourist Board (three terms)

Scientific and Professional Work

• Author and co-author of scientific papers and university textbooks:
• Management of an Airline Company
• Air Transport Planning

Public Engagement

• Long-standing member of the Members’ Council of the Croatian Employers’ Association, currently serving a second term as Chair (since 2021)
• Representative of the Croatian Employers’ Association in the Economic and Social Council (chaired several times)
• External member of the Economic Affairs Committee of the Croatian Parliament (two terms)

Decorations and Awards

• Homeland War Memorial Medal
• Homeland Gratitude Memorial Medal
• Order of the Croatian Trefoil
• Order of Danica Hrvatska with the image of Blaž Lorković
• Order of Duke Branimir with Necklace
• Legion of Honour of the French Republic