Bozidar Djelic

Bozidar Djelic is a Managing Director, and Head of Lazard for Central and Eastern Europe, CIS (ex-Soviet Union), and Turkey.

Mr. Djelic advises countries, corporations, and financial institutions on their development programs, financing options, and strategic transactions.

He advised the Polish e-commerce giant, Allegro, on its IPO, the Spanish utility Naturgy on the sale of its electricity distribution assets in Moldova, the Serbian electricity incumbent EPS on its strategic options, a Chinese infrastructure player for a highway concession in Romania, and the Ukrainian Naftogaz on the disposal of its Egyptian onshore oil fields.

He advised a Bulgarian telco on its sale, a Serbian bank on its privatization, the Croatian government on its oil assets, a Turkish construction Group for its inaugural Eurobond issuance, a French bank for the sale of its Slovene and North Macedonian subsidiaries, the Polish air transport PGL/LOT for the takeover of Condor holiday carrier, a Baltic food retailer on its CEE expansion, a Ukrainian agribusiness company on its sale, a PE fund for the disposal of its cable assets in Albania.

Mr. Djelic has more than 25 years of experience in the public and private sectors across transition countries, including eight years as a senior member of the Serbian government. He was Deputy Prime Minister between 2007 and 2011, during which time he led negotiations for the country's entry into the European Union and absorption of EU funds. He negotiated the macroeconomic and investment program of the country with all major international financial institutions and other creditors.

During this time he also served as Minister of Science and Technological Development. In 2012 he ran for President of the London-based EBRD and is a well-known personality across transition countries. Between 2013 and 2016 he was an independent non-executive director of Bank of Georgia.

From 2001 to 2004, he was Minister of Finance and Economy of Serbia. He led a far-reaching multi-year stabilization and restructuring program, and deep banking sector reforms. He concluded a 66%, two-step, debt reduction deal with the Paris Club, and negotiated with the London Club and other multilateral and bilateral creditors. He also led the privatization of the tobacco, banking, and insurance sectors.

He was the Chairman of the Belgrade Stock Exchange from 2001 to 2004. He helped secure funding for the Iron Gate hydropower station revitalization.

Between 2005 and 2007, Mr. Djelic served as Credit Agricole's Director for Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union and was the head of its Ukrainian (Index Bank) and Serbian (Meridian) subsidiaries.

From 1993 to 2001, he was a Partner of McKinsey & Company in the Paris and Silicon Valley offices, specializing in financial institutions, media, and technology.

Between 1990 and 1993, he lived in Warsaw and Moscow, advising the Polish and the Russian governments on their macro and privatization programs and the setting up of the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

Mr. Djelic holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School, an MPA from the J.F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and an MA in Economics from the School of High Social Studies in Paris. He is a graduate of the French business school HEC and the Institute of Political Studies (summa cum laude).