Credentials
Professional Summary
An open-minded, self-motivated and proactive professional with a solid track record of experience within brand & trade marketing territories. Nearly two decades of experience in managing the uppermost brands have enabled my high proficiency in a development and successful deployment of various brand buidling & activation strategies.
Nearly all of my previously held positions were assuming multi-market/regional scope of responsibility thus allowing a rich x-cross cultural experience and strengthening of my leadership skills while leading and collaborating with diverse teams within different cultural contexts.
Business strategist and a huge product and service design enthusiast on a mission to make the difference for sectors of small and mid-sized businesses. That is why I have founded Lead Alike Ltd. , a boutique consultancy & fractional CMO services specialized to equip my clients with insights, knowledge, practices and leadership that would enable succesful definition of their value propositions and formulation of strategies helping them to successfully navigate the market and stand out by finding their "sweet spot".
I do believe that today's day and age opens the door of possibilities to better address consumer needs through (re) definition of products and services, their purpose, positioning and activation strategies. This is sort of a self-explanatory way of conducting the business in big organizations that have huge resources helping them to adapt quickly to the market trends. But this should not be solely the privilege of the big organizations.
Small and mid-sized companies could operate in the same manner by leveraging know-how & experiences that helped big companies excel and sustain their business success.
And I can help with that thanks to numerous succesful projects and teams I have led in more than 20 years of my multinational corporate career.
Lead Alike Ltd. also offers fresh perspectives, coaching and tailor-made workshop solutions for big organizations by leveraging multidisciplinary approach and different methodologies (neuromarketing, value proposition, service design, design thinking etc.).
Let's spark some positive changes for your business together!
Skills
Strategy Development New Product Launches Consumer Insights Project Management Design Thinking Event Management Customer Experience Design Brand Management Trade Marketing Creative Initiatives Coaching Brand Activation Channel Strategy Shopper Research Time Management Efficient Communication Co-Marketing
Work Experience
2020 - currently
Founder & Enthusiast | Lead Alike Ltd. | Zagreb, HR
Boutique Consultancy founded to create & inspire relevant marketing initiatives and make a positive difference for small and mid-sized businesses. As a fractional CMO and/or consultant I am equipping them with the insights, knowledge, and expertise that are common practices in big organizations. This way I help them to better navigate the market and stand out by finding their "sweet spot".
2022 - 2024
Marketing Director | JTI Egypt | Cairo, EG
2015 - 2022
Group Brand Manager | JTI Austria GmbH | Vienna, AT
2012 - 2015
Senior Brand Manager | Heineken CEE Export GmbH & CO KG | Vienna, AT
2006 - 2012
Brand Manager | Philip Morris Zagreb d.o.o. | Zagreb, HR
2003 - 2006
Marketing & Merchandising Executive | Mercator-H d.o.o. | Zagreb, HR
Education
2020
Stanford LEAD Executive Certificate | Stanford University Graduate School of Business
Financing Innovation | Critical Analytical Thinking | Strategic Leadership | CX Design: Neuroscience Perspective
The Innovation Playbook | Business Model Analysis & Design | Building Power to Lead | Crisis Management | Principled and Purposefull Leadership
2003
Master of Science in Business Economics | University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics
Recent Courses & Certificates
November 2021
Neuromarketing Certification
Pop Neuro
October 2021
Behavioral Economics Bootcamp Certificate
Irrational Labs
March 2024
Copywriting
CeKaPe, Center for Creative Writing, Zagreb
December 2021
The Art of Decision Making
ESMT, Berlin
May 2021
GSTC Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism
Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
March 2021
Head of Development and Implementation of EU-funded Projects
Algebra University College, Zagreb
November 2020
Integrative Constructivist Coaching Diploma
Koučing Centar, Belgrade
November 2020
Design Thinking Facilitation
Design Thinkers Academy, Amsterdam
June 2020
Human Centered Service Design
IDEO U San Francisco, USA
August 2019
An Introduction to Consumer Neuroscience and Neuromarketing
Copenhagen Business School
March 2019
Essentials of Leadership
London Business School
Hobbies & Interests
A decent home chef with a good sense for food & wine pairing (to this talent defense, I can only offer 'practice makes perfect' as an answer). Restless traveler with a special affinity towards NYC and inexhaustible love for the natural beauties of my home country Croatia.
Occasional explorer & practitioner of various hand crafts (tailoring, sewing, candle-making, wall painting, laying of ceramic tiles) and small home repair projects.
Eternal student with an unquenchable thirst for learning. Bookworm and a curious cat, especially interested in topics of leadership, behavioral psychology, neuroscience and philosophy.
Biggest thought obsession so far:
Where do our ideas actually come from and how do they emerge?
If you have an answer to it, let me know!