Held at Zagreb’s iconic Hotel Esplanade Zagreb on April 16, 2026, the BestInvest gala celebrates the most successful investments shaping Croatia’s economic future.
Zagreb, Croatia, April 17, 2026 – At this year’s BestInvest Croatia 2026, one of the most prominent gatherings of the regional investors, private equity, and venture capital community, BOSQAR INVEST and its investment partners were recognized with the Private Equity Investment of the Year 2025 award for their successful investment in Mlinar.
The award-winning transaction brought together BOSQAR INVEST, MidEuropa, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in a landmark partnership that has helped accelerate the continued transformation of Mlinar into a leading regional bakery and food retail platform.
The recognition of Mlinar underscores the growing international relevance of Croatian companies capable of scaling across Southeast Europe through disciplined ownership, strategic capital, and operational excellence.
The award was presented by Alan Herjavec of HBOR, and accepted on behalf of the investors and company by Aleksandar Dragičević (MidEuropa), Mladen Veber (Mlinar), Darko Horvat (BOSQAR), and Miljan Ždrale (EBRD).
Commenting on the recognition, Darko Horvat, President of the Board at BOSQAR d.d., the holding company of the BOSQAR INVEST group said, “We are proud that this partnership and investment journey in Mlinar has been recognized by the industry. This award reflects the strength of collaboration between shareholders, management, and strategic partners, as well as our shared ambition to build a regional champion with sustainable long-term growth."
A Strategic Partnership Driving Regional Growth
The Mlinar investment has become a benchmark case for how experienced investors and operators can work together to unlock regional scale.
Combining institutional expertise, strategic governance, and long-term growth capital, it has supported Mlinar’s evolution from a strong domestic brand into a multi-market leader.
For BOSQAR, participation in the transaction reflects its broader strategy of building high-quality platforms with scalable business models, strong management teams, and clear regional expansion potential.
BOSQAR’s Darko Horvat on the New Ownership Playbook
During the evening program, Darko Horvat joined a leadership panel titled “Scaling Regional Champions: The New Ownership Playbook.”
Moderated by Vladimir Nišević, the discussion brought together senior leaders from investing and operating backgrounds, including Aleksandar Dragičević, Zvonimir Šimić, and Mladen Veber.
The panel explored what it truly takes to move from local success to regional leadership in today’s market environment.
Horvat emphasised that modern ownership is no longer about deploying capital, but about building systems that scale - driving exponential revenue with marginal cost growth and turning complexity into margin expansion. The ultimate objective is value creation, even if the paths to get there differ.
