Leadership Shifts and New Advisory Board to Position Workplace for Future Success

• BOSQAR INVEST is announcing a leadership transition in its HR vertical, Workplace.
• Aleksandar Hangimana is stepping down as CEO of Manpower SEE, while Vanja Vlak is stepping down from all management roles in Manpower SEE.
• Eldar Banjica, an established leader within BOSQAR INVEST’s BPTO vertical, Mplus, to be appointed as CEO of Manpower SEE.
• New shareholder Advisory Board to be established at the level of the Workplace vertical.

Zagreb, Croatia, September 4th, 2024 – BOSQAR INVEST (BOSQAR d.d. – ZSE: BSQR), a European business leader that operates in several industries, is implementing a series of strategic changes within its Human Resources (HR) vertical, Workplace. 

The changes are aimed at optimizing management processes and supporting the growth and expansion of Workplace’s Manpower-branded companies in Southern and Eastern Europe – branded as Manpower SEE – across both existing and new markets. 

Leadership transition at Manpower SEE / Workplace

Effective immediately, Aleksandar Hangimana is stepping down from his position as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), while Vanja Vlak is stepping down from all management roles in Manpower SEE.

Both leaders have played crucial roles in driving the group's growth and solidifying its market position, and their leadership has been instrumental in achieving key milestones in recent years.

At the same time, Eldar Banjica will be taking over as CEO of Manpower SEE.

These changes are part of a broader effort to strengthen Manpower SEE’s leadership structure and ensure that the organization is well-positioned to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

“Leading Manpower SEE has been an absolute privilege, and I'm very proud of what we achieved so far. However, it’s time to embrace a new chapter in our company's path. I believe that with the recent additions and the arrival of Eldar Banjica to the leadership team, Manpower SEE is strong and well-positioned to deliver the required operational turnaround and further development,” Aleksandar Hangimana said.

With an impressive background in business development and leadership within the technology and BPO sectors, Eldar Banjica brings a wealth of experience that aligns perfectly with Manpower SEE's ambitions.

“I am excited to join Workplace and eager to bring all my experience and knowledge to Manpower SEE. The HR landscape is undergoing significant transformation, driven by global labor issues, evolving working habits, migration trends, and rapid technological advancements. This makes it one of the most exciting industries to be part of right now. At Manpower SEE, I see a unique opportunity to shape the future of HR, and I am confident that we can together as a team navigate these changes and lead the way forward”, Eldar Banjica said.

Formation of a shareholder Advisory Board

To further strengthen Manpower SEE’s strategic oversight and governance, a new shareholder Advisory Board has been established at the Workplace HR vertical level. 

Aleksandar Hangimana has been appointed as the President of this Advisory Board. In his new role, he will leverage his extensive experience and deep understanding of the industry to steer the organization towards future growth.

Vanja Vlak will join the Advisory Board as a Member, thereby continuing to offer his expertise to support the group’s strategic direction.

Luka Orešković will also be joining the Advisory Board, bringing additional leadership and finance industry knowledge, further elevating the board’s capacity to guide the future endeavors within BOSQAR INVEST’s HR vertical.

About Eldar Banjica:

Eldar Banjica has been part of Mplus, BOSQAR INVEST's BPTO vertical, for a very long time, playing a significant role in companies that later joined the group. In his career, Eldar developed and led numerous successful projects based on his expertise as a founder and former CEO of Trizma and Geomant. Furthermore, he held executive positions at NF Innova, Saga, and Avaya/Lucent Technologies.

About Luka Orešković:

Luka Orešković is a partner at Prosperus Invest, a leading Adria region private equity fund manager. He began giving lectures at Harvard at the age of 23 at the Center for European Studies. Luka has consulted with several governments, including Poland, Slovenia, Lithuania, Montenegro, and Croatia. He also contributed as a columnist for respected outlets such as the Financial Times, The Economist, Huffington Post, Foreign Policy, and others.

About Workplace:

Workplace is the HR vertical of the BOSQAR INVEST group. It is a collaboration between BOSQAR INVEST and Noordenster, and it serves as the exclusive ManpowerGroup partner and license holder for the Manpower brand across multiple Southern and Eastern European (SEE) countries. Workplace operates Manpower-branded companies in six countries within the region: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovenia. 

In addition to its Manpower-branded companies, Workplace also includes MPS Integration, which provides advanced outsourcing solutions, Smart Flex, a Croatian-based HR services provider, and Workplace Solutions.

About BOSQAR INVEST:

BOSQAR INVEST (BOSQAR d.d. together with its subsidiaries) is a European leader that operates in the industries of contact center, information technology, employment services (HR), eCommerce, and, in the first half of 2024, it made a significant step forward through the establishment of a new food vertical (Future Food Solutions).

With an innovative business model, BOSQAR INVEST accelerated its expansion on the market with intensive organic growth and an M&A platform based on a buy-and-build strategy. Since 2016, 57 companies have been acquired and secured both a diversified portfolio of international clients within BPTO and HR business, as well as a growing number of customers when it comes to eCommerce and Food segments.

BOSQAR INVEST brings together four business verticals: the BPTO vertical (brand: Mplus), which consists of the company M Plus Croatia d.o.o. and its subsidiaries, the HR vertical and companies that operate as part of the Workplace Group and are holders of Manpower licenses for six countries in the region, the eCommerce business vertical which under the brand name Eplus Ventures consists of companies that operate according to a common eCommerce business model and the newest, food vertical (Future Food Solutions).

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 13,800 employees, and the group provides its services to clients who, in addition to Croatia, do business in 57 countries around the world.