About the Event
Fabris Peruško, CEO of Fortenova Group, will share the story of how he rescued the largest company in Croatia after it went bankrupt, even as Croatia seceded from Communist Yugoslavia, joined the European Union, and then wrestled with COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine War, and the Western sanctions that followed.
Lunch will be provided. Registration required.
This event is part of the Nardone Family Seminar Series at the Center for Emerging Markets.
About Fabris Peruško
Fabris Peruško is a seasoned executive with extensive expertise in financial restructuring and operational transformation. Since April 1, 2019, he has served as the Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors at Fortenova Group, established as a result of Agrokor's Extraordinary Administration and creditors' settlement.
Under Peruško's leadership, the company has undergone significant restructuring, reducing total net debt by more than half and tripling EBITDA in six years. Today, Fortenova Group is a market leader in retail and food production and the largest company in Southeastern Europe, employing over 45,000 people. Peruško skillfully navigated the company through the challenges of deleveraging of the company, disrupted supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully addressed complications arising from sanctioned co-ownership following the onset of the war in Ukraine. His efforts culminated in the successful implementation of ownership transformation, ensuring the Fortenova Group now has no sanctioned owners.
Serving as the Extraordinary Commissioner during the Agrokor's Extraordinary Administration, Peruško effectively negotiated a EUR 7.7 billion settlement with over 5,700 creditors, earning the Turnaround and Transaction Award (TMA) for the world's most successful restructuring project in 2018.
His prior roles include Director of Operations at Lamoda.ru (Global Fashion Group), where he oversaw a comprehensive transformation of the company's business model, and consultant at McKinsey & Co., where he specialized in restructuring projects. Peruško holds advanced degrees in electrical engineering and economics from the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, as well as an MBA from Babson College, USA. He is fluent in Croatian, English, Slovenian, and Italian.
About the Nardone Family Seminar Series
Made possible by a gift from David R. Nardone, this seminar series brings scholars and practitioners to Northeastern University to share insights on emerging markets.