As part of the ninth Croatian edition of the prestigious global program EY Entrepreneur of the Year, Ivo Usmiani from JGL Group has been declared the most successful Croatian entrepreneur for 2023. According to the decision of an independent jury, he was selected from a competition of 33 candidates from 28 successful domestic companies, specifically among seven finalists from five companies. Like his predecessors, the ninth Croatian EY Entrepreneur of the Year will represent us at the world finals in Monaco in June, the statement said.
In addition to the awarded Ivo Usmiani, this year’s finalists included: Ksenija and Ivan Mesarić from IM-COMP, Katica Hauptfeld from Katarina Line, Goran and Ivan Dell’Orco from Marikomerc, and Jure Širić from Modepack.
– Being in such company is a great honor. I perceive this award as recognition for all our employees who have each contributed a part of themselves in their own way. With their creativity, innovation, strength, and passion, they give substance to all our processes,” said Ivo Usmiani from JGL Group in his acceptance speech.
This year’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year – Ivo Usmiani, is the founder and owner of JGL Group, the largest Croatian pharmaceutical company in domestic ownership, established in 1991 as the first private pharmaceutical joint-stock company in the country. The company operates in 60 markets worldwide and generates nearly 85 percent of its revenue from exports. JGL is one of the founders of the Council for Sustainable Development, and three years ago, the company was among the first to publish a complete sustainability report according to the new standard.
JGL’s vision is summarized in the statement that they want to be one of the leading international companies in the development and production of sterile pharmaceutical forms for the eyes and nose and a leader in the use of seawater for health purposes. The company currently employs over 1,270 people and produces over 300 products and 150 brands, the most famous of which are Aqua Maris, Meralys, Vizol S, and Dramina.
– As in previous years, this year we have ‘mixed a whole spectrum of colors on the same canvas’ – as many as 33 entrepreneurs from 28 companies. It is a colorful circle of entrepreneurial visionaries who have impressed us with their success, work, and incredible results. Like artists, they once had a blank canvas in front of them and a vision in their minds, and then, by working daily on their canvas, they turned their vision into reality – emphasized Berislav Horvat, Country Managing Partner at EY Croatia during his opening address.
Finance Minister Marko Primorac emphasized that the EY Entrepreneur of the Year program promotes success, innovation, creativity, and dedicated work.
– Croatia has successfully navigated all recent crises, and entrepreneurs have shown that they know how to do what is their role – produce and employ, and the state has shown that it knows how to recognize the situation in which it needs to stand by entrepreneurs. Our entrepreneurs create added value, are ready to maintain a high level of employment, and do everything that Croatia needs at that moment – said Marko Primorac, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Croatia.
As before, the ninth Croatian winner of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award was decided by an independent jury that selected the winner based on global criteria, which, in addition to financial indicators, include personal integrity, strategic orientation, innovation, contribution to society, and local, regional, and global reach.
Since the first edition, the jury members have been Emil Tedeschi, who is also the jury president, Saša Cvetojević, and Nenad Bakić, and over the years, some previous winners have joined them – Alan Sumina, Mate Rimac, Silvio Kutić, Hrvoje Josip Balen, Miljenko Borščak, while this edition saw the addition of last year’s award winner Vjekoslav Majetić and three finalists from previous editions – Jadranka Boban Pejić, Anita Cvetić Oreščanin, and Dorotea Effenberger.
– This large entrepreneurial network, for which I thank EY, cannot be strong without entrepreneurs who share the same value system connecting with each other. Despite all the differences among us, there is that part of the business code that manifests itself in the fact that the EY Entrepreneur of the Year seeks a higher card. Winners come year after year. We are all in the celebration of creating new values, and one thing is important – regardless of whether we are rivals or business partners, success is positioned extremely high with us – emphasized Emil Tedeschi.
Five promising companies in the finals
Alongside Ivo Usmiani, six other leading figures from four successful domestic companies made it to the finals of this year’s selection. The finalists of the ninth edition of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year were:
Ksenija and Ivan Mesarić from IM-COMP, established in 1992 and based in Čakovec. From a small family business, IM-COMP has grown into one of the leading companies in Croatia and Southeast Europe in glass processing and shaping, employing over 195 people and operating throughout Europe, partially in Africa, the USA, and Asia. IM-COMP prides itself on circular production, where water systematically goes through the recycling process, with not a single gram of glass ending up in a landfill.
Katica Hauptfeld from Katarina Line, established in 1992, today represents the largest travel agency in Kvarner and is the leading organizer of travel and cruises in the Adriatic. The success of the company is best illustrated by the fact that it brings over 130,000 foreign guests to Croatia annually. In 2024, the company’s business will turn to hospitality and further expansion by opening the Keight Hotel Opatija, which will be the first hotel of the Curio by Hilton brand in Croatia.
Marikomerc is a family company founded in 1990 by Goran Dell’Orco, and in 2019, his son Ivan Dell’Orco took over the leading position in the company as CEO. As a leader in the distribution and processing of fishery products, Marikomerc operates through three business segments; Horeca distribution, production, and logistics MLS, and investment in research and development is key to its commitment to innovation, ensuring that the company’s products and services always follow market trends and customer needs.
Jure Širić from Modepack, established in 2016, today generates over 90% of its revenue and exports to 36 global markets. Modepack stands out for its focus on sustainable solutions, with 95% of its products made from recycled and other sustainable materials. Supported by successful projects, collaboration with renowned global brands, and an innovative approach to packaging production, the company continues to achieve significant growth and build its path to global success.
In the midst of art in entrepreneurship, this year’s award included young artists, students from the School of Applied Arts and Design in Osijek, who created portraits of the 33 candidates this year.
The program of this year’s award was held under the general sponsorship of Erste Bank. The gold sponsor was SAP, and other sponsors of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 program are InterCapital, Wiener osiguranje Vienna Insurance Group, Badel 1862, and PPD Global. The program’s patrons are the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia, the American Chamber of Commerce in Croatia, the Croatian Agency for Small Business, Innovation, and Investment, and the Croatian Employers’ Association, the statement said.
