BOSQAR Expands Management Board, Announces Leadership Reinforcements to Support Group Vision and Execution

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Alma Mekić Ćerdić is joining BOSQAR as a Group Board Member and Head of Financing and Development.
Vanja Vlak, already a core member of BOSQAR INVEST's leadership team – is joining the Management Board of BOSQAR d.d. as a Group Board Member.
Vertical Reinforcements, Future Food: Dubravko Folnović has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Panvita Group, effective June 16th, 2025, succeeding Toni Balažič. In parallel, Igor Kolar, Panvita’s current Sales Director, will join the Management Board of Panvita

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Zagreb, Croatia, June 25th, 2025 – BOSQAR INVEST (BOSQAR d.d. – ZSE: BSQR) is announcing a series of key leadership appointments, further strengthening its group and vertical teams in preparation for the next phase of strategic growth and operational expansion.

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Board Expansion

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‍Alma Mekić Ćerdić is joining BOSQAR as a Group Board Member and Head of Financing and Development. With over 25 years of banking experience with multi-faceted background encompassing international experience and a distinguished career within the Erste Group, Alma brings a wealth of expertise in financing, capital markets, and strategic corporate development. She has held leadership positions, including President of the Management Board of Erste Factoring, as well as Executive Director and Board Member at Erste Bank Montenegro. She also led the Large Corporates Division at Erste & Steiermärkische Bank in Croatia, with a focus on structured finance, complex acquisitions, and corporate transformations.

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In her new role at BOSQAR, Alma will be responsible for managing the group’s comprehensive financing strategy across all divisions and subsidiaries. Her mandate encompasses acquisition financing, working capital, long-term debt structuring, capital markets instruments, investor relations, equity raising, and group treasury management. She will also provide M&A support, ensuring post-acquisition integration and driving synergies across business units. In addition, she will oversee the strategic development of BOSQAR INVEST’s real estate division and partnerships.

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“We are thrilled to welcome Alma Mekić Ćerdić to our leadership team,” Darko Horvat, President of the Board of BOSQAR d.d., the holding company of the BOSQAR INVEST group, said.

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“Her strategic mindset and deep financial acumen will be instrumental as we pursue a more dynamic, capital-efficient growth strategy and expand our presence in regional and international capital markets.”

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Vanja Vlak – already a core member of BOSQAR INVEST's leadership team – is joining the Management Board of BOSQAR d.d. as a Group Board Member. A seasoned financial expert, Vanja has an extensive background in auditing, investment, and advisory roles, including senior positions at Deloitte, BDO, and Prosperus Invest.

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He will continue to serve as BOSQAR INVEST’s Group CFO, where he has demonstrated a deep understanding of the Group’s business model and long-term vision since he took on the role in 2025.

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‍Vertical Reinforcements

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As part of the continued development of BOSQAR INVEST’s food vertical, Future Food, Dubravko Folnović has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Panvita Group, effective June 16th, 2025, succeeding Toni Balažič.

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In parallel, Igor Kolar, Panvita’s current Sales Director, will join the Management Board of Panvita, reinforcing the Group’s commitment to internal talent development and operational excellence.

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Dubravko Folnović brings a strong leadership track record in the regional food industry, with previous executive roles at Perutnina Ptuj – PIPO Čakovec, Lactalis, Ljubljanske mlekarne, Dukat Slovenia, and Adria Snack Company.

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He and Kolar together represent a powerful combination of industry experience and local market insight across Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina – key geographies for Panvita's continued growth.

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The dedicated leadership and strategic contributions of Toni Balažič during his time at Panvita significantly strengthened its market position. Toni will support the new leadership team through a transitional period to ensure continuity and stability.

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These appointments mark an important milestone in BOSQAR INVEST’s growth journey, reinforcing the group’s commitment to investing in top-tier talent and strong operational leadership across business verticals.

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About Alma Mekić Ćerdić:

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Alma Mekić Ćerdić is an accomplished banking executive with over 25 years of experience in corporate finance, capital markets, and strategic development. Her career began in 2000 at Banque Nationale de Paris – Dresdner Bank. In 2002, she joined the Erste Group, where she held a series of senior leadership roles across the region. In 2010, she was appointed Board Member of Erste Bank Crna Gora responsible for Corporate, Treasury, and Marketing and was actively involved in cross-border financing projects throughout the region. From 2012, she led Erste Factoring d.o.o. as President of the Management Board for eight years, overseeing complex financial structuring, acquisition financing, and corporate transformations. She also led the successful integration of Erste Factoring into the Bank, aligning it strategically and operationally within the broader corporate banking structure. Currently, she holds the position of Head of the Large Corporates Division at Erste & Steiermaerkische Bank in Croatia, managing clients in the public sector, large corporates, real estate, and project finance. As of September 1st, 2025, Alma will join the BOSQAR team as a Group Board Member and Head of Financing and Development, where she will be responsible for managing all aspects of financing, capital markets, investor relations, and treasury across the Group and its subsidiaries.

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About Vanja Vlak:

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Vanja Vlak is an experienced financial expert with a rich background in auditing and business consulting. Throughout his extensive career, he has held numerous senior positions. Among other roles, he has served as a partner at Deloitte, an advisor at BDO, an investment director at Prosperus Invest, and a board member of several IT companies in Croatia. He currently holds the position of Board Member at BOSQAR d.d. and Chief Financial Officer at BOSQAR INVEST.

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‍About Dubravko Folnović:

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Dubravko Folnović is an experienced CEO with an impressive track record in the food industry. His career has been marked by successes and achievements that establish him as a highly respected expert in this sector. He excels in negotiation, marketing, business planning, international operations, and pricing strategy. Additionally, he holds a master’s degree in economics and marketing from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Zagreb, graduating in 2003. His professional journey began a year later when he joined the Gastro Group, where he quickly rose to the position of Sales and Procurement Director. The longest phase of his career was spent at Lactalis, where he served as Sales Director for Croatia and the region. During 2012-2014, he also held the position of Director for Dukat Slovenia. In March 2016, he became the CEO of Adria Snack Company, a joint venture between Franck and Intersnack, a role he held until August 2019. In August 2019, he assumed the position of CEO of Perutnina Ptuj – PIPO Čakovec. Under his leadership, PP Pipo achieved certification for antibiotic-free poultry farming in Croatia and implemented the integrated SAP 4hanna system.

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About Igor Kolar:

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Igor Kolar is an experienced sales professional with a deep understanding of production processes and many years of experience in the agri-food industry. His work is characterized by strategic thinking and reliability, which has earned him great respect among colleagues and business partners. He has enhanced his expertise in the food industry through additional professional training in sales and leadership. He began his career at Mesnine Žerak as a Production Manager, later also serving as Sales Manager. Over 20 years ago, he joined Panvita MIR as Director of Production. Among other roles, he also served as Director of Panvita PRM. Seven years ago, he continued his path as Director of Sales. With his extensive experience within the Panvita Group, he has become an indispensable part of the company’s sales function.

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About BOSQAR INVEST:

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BOSQAR INVEST (BOSQAR d.d., together with its subsidiaries) is a European leader that operates in in multiple industries, including business process and technology outsourcing, information technology, employment services (HR), and Food.

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With an innovative business model, BOSQAR INVEST accelerated its expansion on the market with intensive organic growth and an M&A platform. Through its buy-and-build strategy, it has acquired 84 companies since 2016. BOSQAR INVEST is focused on improving the profitability and operations of each of its acquired companies through its standardized operational models that result in significant organic growth of all companies inside the group and the group itself.

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BOSQAR INVEST operates through the BPTO business vertical (brand: Mplus), the HR business vertical (brands: Manpower and Workplace), and the Food business vertical (brand: Future Food). All business verticals are focused on shareholder value creation through a commitment to best practices in digitalization, structured key accounts management programs, rigorous financial stability and focus on results, and strong and dedicated management teams.

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In its ownership structure, BOSQAR INVEST brings together pension funds, institutional investors, international private equity funds, development institutions, and private investors. The BOSQAR INVEST business community consists of over 15,000 employees, and the group’s companies operate from 21 countries around the world.

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