Page 36 - bne_Magazine_May_2017_print

36 I Cover story bne May 2017
SOUTHEAST EUROPE
victim to Karic’s bitter personal rivalry with former finance minister and central bank governor Mladjan Dinkic. In late 2001, Astra banka was put under central bank receivership over claims it had made secret payments
to members of the Karic family.
Karic used his financial clout and
his status as owner of a popular television station to fight back against Dinkic, before entering politics in 2004. He formed the Strength of Serbia Movement (PSS-BK) and was placed third in the 2004 presidential
ALBANIA
election. During his campaign, Karic stressed that he provided well-paid workplaces to thousands of people, and that unlike other candidates he was already rich and didn’t need a political position to make money.
He also promised to rebuild
Serbian production, using a green salad as an example of a Serbian product; this captured the public imagination to the extent that green salads are now known to some as “Bogoljub’s salad” in Serbia. Appearing at events with his wife,
1
Samir Mane $1.2bn
Real estate, retail
Samir Mane (49) founded Albatrade, a trading company that sold televisions and video record- ers, shortly after the collapse of communism. He is currently president of the Balfin Group, which encompasses real estate, retail, mining and metallurgy, and consumer finance.
2
Vasil Naci $655mn
Real estate, construction materials
Vasil Naci (49) founded a business importing food, cigarettes and cosmetics in 1991, the year he graduated from Tirana’s agricultural university. The company was the first within his Agna Group, which now also spans real estate, construction materials and agriculture.
3
Shefqet Kastrati $520mn
Oil retail
Shefqet Kastrati (48) is the president of Kastrati Group, the leading company on the Albanian fuel wholesale and retail sales market. The well-connected businessman has struck numerous lucrative contracts with Albanian state companies.
Bogoljub Karic Serbia (1)
One of Serbia’s richest and most controversial business people, Bogoljub Karic (63) has been rumoured to be making a political comeback after he was seen celebrating with Prime Minister Aleksandar
Vucic after the latter’s victory in
the April 2 presidential election.
Together with his three elder brothers (Zoran, Dragomir and Sreten) and sister Olivera, Bogoljub, 63, is owner of the conglomerate BK Group, which operates in Serbia, Russia and Belarus, and is mainly involved in construction.
BK Group was found in Serbia in the 1990s, when the country was under the control of dictator Slobodan Milosevic. It racked up a series
of firsts, founding Serbia’s first mobile network Mobtel, first dial-up internet provider EUNET, one of the first private banks in Serbia, Karci banka (later Astra banka), private television station BK TV, and the first private university, BK University. However, the “BK empire” soon fell
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BOSNIA
1
$425mn
Automotive, financial services, real estate
Nijaz Hastor
Nijaz Hastor (66) built up two businesses: auto- motive supplier Prevent and ASA Group, which is active in financial services, real estate, health and other sectors. The business is now largely under the management of his two sons Kenan and Damir Hastor, whose wealth is estimated at $412mn.
2
Izudin Ahmetic $375mn
Oil trading
Izudin Ahmetic (52) set up Hifa Group, which is involved in trading oil and oil derivatives, in 1995.
Name Net worth
Sector