International Journal of Economics & Management Sciences

Igor Gvozdanovic

Igor Gvozdanovic
CEO of Platinum Invest and lecturer in Finance
Zagreb School of Economics and Management - www.zsem.hr

Biography

Dr. Igor Gvozdanovic serves as CEO of Platinum Invest (www.platinuminvest.hr) – a fund management company that manages three mutual funds that he assisted in establishing in 2007. For the last ten years, Dr. Gvozdanovic has also been lecturing finance courses at the ZSEM (www.zsem.hr), EUSME (www.eusme.eu), and SMC University (www.smcuniversity) at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Gvozdanovic has mentored over 45 doctoral and master students from around the world. He previously worked on USAID and managed Croatia office for Financial Services Volunteer Corps (www.fsvc.org), which during his tenure provided a number of consulting projects to the regulators of the financial industry. Dr. Gvozdanovic also worked as consultant for Roche Diagnostics, a pharmaceutical company, for whose logistic hub in Mannheim he develope and implemente the balanced scorecard model. Dr. Gvozdanovic earned his MBA from the International University in Germany and his Doctorate of Finance title from the SMC University in Switzerland.

Educational Background:
Doctorate of Finance at the SMC University, Switzerland, Zug (www.swissmc.ch) – August 2007 – April 2012
Master of Business Administration MBA Finance & Accounting September 2002 – August 2004
International University in Germany (www.i-u.de), Bruchsal – Germany
Bachelor in Economics & International Business October 1990 – November 1996
Graduate School of Business and Economics,
Zagreb – Croatia
Latest Consulting International Project January 2013 – March 2013
Development of Albanian Capital Markets – Consulting work done
for FSVC/USAID at request of the Albanian Financial Supervisory Authority
a) TEACHING AND ACADEMIC RELATED EXPERIENCE

Lecturer at Swiss Management Center University (SMC University) www.smcuniversity.com October 2012 – Presently

ACBSP ACCREDITED
LECTURING THE FOLLOWING COURSES at the following levels:
Derivative Instruments and Markets (Doctorate of Finance Degree) October 2012 – Presently
Commercial and Investment Banking (Doctorate of Finance Degree) October 2012 – Presently
Project Finance (Doctorate of Finance Degree) October 2012 – Presently
Financial Risk Management (MBA) September 2013 – Presently
Company Valuation (MBA) September 2013 – Presently
Corporate Finance (BBA) September 2014 – Presently

Dr. Igor Gvozdanovic mentors Doctoral Theses for Doctor of Finance Candidates at SMC University. He mentored Doctoral Theses for over twenty Doctorate of Finance candidates and over ten Master Theses for MBA students at SMC University.

Lecturer at Zagreb School of Economics and Management – EUROPEAN UNION – Croatia (www.zsem.hr)

AACSB ACCREDITED
LECTURING THE FOLLOWING COURSES at the following levels:
Essentials of Investments (BBA and MBA levels) September 2005 – Presently
Capstone – Managing for Value (BBA and MBA levels) September 2005 – Presently
Capstone – Maximizing and Managing Corporate Value (Executive education) October 2006 – Presently
Corporate Finance – FLEX MBA & PreMBA Course September 2015 - Presently

Articles Published in Peer Reviewed Journals

“Behavior in Cross-correlations between Absolute Returns in the US Market”, Physica A, Gvozdanovic, I., Podobnik, B., Wang, D., Stanley E., Published in 2012

“Asymmetric Equity Market Volatility in Central and Eastern European Countries”, Post-Communist Economies – Published by Routledge – Gvozdanovic, I., Podobnik, B., Jagric, T., 2012

“Elements of Business Ethics in the Financial Sector with an Emphasis on Investment Funds”, Gvozdanovic, I., Vukas, J., Jalsenjak, B., Renewed Life, 2012

Some of the Articles Published in Business Magazines/Newspapers/Science Networks:

“Where to Invest – a Perspective of an Equity Investor” – Banka Magazine (2015)

“2004 – 2014 – A Lost Decade for Equity Investors in South East Europe?” – Banka Magazine (2014)

“Weak Euro Boosts German Economy” – Business Daily (Croatia), 2010

“Commercial Banks are not Hungry for SME Loans due to Existing Household Mortgages in their Portfolios” – Business Daily (Croatia) – 2010

“Business Managers Call for more Aggressive Government Steps & Decision Making” – Business Daily (Croatia) – 2010

“Application of Financial Performance Measures to New Performance Measurement Tools”, Social Sciences Research Network, (2010).

“Do Capital Markets in South East Europe Function as Leading Indicators?”, Social Sciences Research Network, (2010).

“The South East Europe ought to be Looking Beyond the Crisis”, ZSEM Capital Markets Insight, (2009).

“The US Economy ought to be Redesigned”, Business Daily (Croatia), 2010

“Macroeconomic Trends and What to Expect on the Capital Markets”, Business Daily (Croatia), 2010

“Capital Gain Levels will Deteriorate”, Business.hr, (2007)

“Financial Crisis and Investment Funds”, Capital (Macedonia), 2008

Professional Editing/Translation:

Edited translation of the textbook: “Damodaran on Valuation: Security Analysis for Investment and Corporate Finance, 2nd Edition, Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Damodaran, A., 2006

Edited translation of the book: “The Silk Road to Riches: How You Can Profit by Investing in Asia's Newfound Prosperity” by Y.G.Mostrous, G.H.Gue, I.D.Martchev

Translated the book: “Financial Shock: A 360º Look at the Subprime Mortgage Implosion, and How to Avoid the Next Financial Crisis” by Mark Zandi 2008/2009

Dr. Gvozdanovic’s business/finance related articles are often published in leading business newspapers and magazines in the region (Poslovni Dnevnik, Croatiabiz, ZSEM Capital Markets Insight – Croatia, Kapital – Macedonia). He is frequent panelist and/or moderator at conferences and round tables (the Euromoney South East Europe Conference – “Looking Beyond the Crisis” – Euromoney SEE 2009, ZSEM/Bloomberg conference – “How to Invest in the Age of Turbulence”, 2012/2013),

Moderator of the panel “Demographic Trends and its Influence on Capital Markets” – Zagreb Stock Exchange, 2016.

Some of his research papers are published via Social Sciences Research Network, founded by Harvard Business School academics in 1994 (www.ssrn.com)

b) PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE:

Chief Executive Officer at Platinum Invest www.platinuminvest.hr Nov 2008 - Presently
Platinum Invest –– Member of the Board Sep 2007 – Nov 2008

• Daily management of the fund management activities
• Making strategic decisions in terms of establishing and managing mutual funds
• Overseeing processes and employees activities in front, middle and back offices
• Making investment and disinvestment decisions
• Developed required materials and documents for establishing the Fund Management Company in Croatia

• Produced documents for getting approval from the financial regulatory body for three mutual funds – Platinum Blue Chip, Platinum South East Europe and Platinum Cash
• Developed and nurtured good relationship with investors/clients and regulators (SEC)
• Managed 45 million HRK under three mutual funds
• Performed business analysis and valuations and made investment decisions
• Established and maintained relationship with global and domestic brokerage houses

• Assisted in developing back office, middle office and front office
• Worked closely with the custodian bank

• Used Bloomberg terminal on a daily basis (for portfolio creation, analysis, price checking, value at risk, stress testing, economic calendar, reports, correspondence with analysts and brokers, etc.)

Acquired experience in dealing with Private Equity Funds (PEF), in finding companies that PEFs want to invest in, liaise between the companies, PEFs, regulators and government officials.

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) DAI/Nathan www.dai.com

– Enhancing Small & Medium Enterprises USAID project July 2006 – Sep 2007 Business Development Service Project & Training Coordinator

Dr. Gvozdanovic at this position closely worked with SMEs, Croatian development agencies, government bodies and international consultants. He developed and implemented numerous business consultations and trainings. The following consultations were delivered to SMEs throughout Croatia and South East Europe, using partner institutions’ logistic services:

Research Interest

Finance and related studies