About Us
Your navigators through political processes in Croatia and SEE.
ZBT Network
Vast range of influence.
CROATIA - SLOVENIA - SERBIA - BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - MONTENEGRO - ALBANIA KOSOVO - NORTH MACEDONIA - BELGIUM - USA
Here is how we get things done:
Navigation
As a full service government relations firm providing expertise, insight, and influence where business and government intersect, we navigate our clients through the political processes of the EU and South East Europe (SEE) while calling Croatia home.
Personalization and support
Our team of experts assist our clients in developing personalized strategies, objectives, and lines of communication across a full range of policy areas. We then support your case and achieve outcomes through our invaluable contacts and influence.
Analysis and execution
We work with our clients to understand their business, stakeholders, priorities, and challenges while developing and implementing government relations plans to advance their objectives.
Quality and results
We deeply care about the quality of our services, the success of our clients, and relationships created through those successes. Our professional reputation is unchallenged in the region.
Our core team.
Ivan Žužul
Managing Director
Ivan is a Managing Partner and Founder at ZBT Consulting, where he uses creation and management to maintain agility and entrepreneurial spirit necessary to ensure that ZBT Consulting performs at the highest level for all its clients.
Ivan supervises the company’s day-to-day activities and has extensive knowledge of how Zagreb and other regional political powerhouses work. He helps to design innovative government relations campaigns on behalf of ZBT’s clients.
Prior to joining the firm, Ivan served as the Senior Account Manager at an international government relations network that comprises of top industry experts, former ambassadors and ex-senior civil servants. Before entering the government relations industry, Ivan was actively involved in campaigns of two Croatian Prime Ministers and a President.
Since 2023, Ivan serves as the President of Croatian Lobbying Association.
EDUCATION
MA International Relations and Diplomacy, Libertas International University
Political Science and Government, Political Academy of the Croatian Statehood Foundation/Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS)
BA International Economy, Libertas International University
SECTORS
Healthcare, Pharmaceutical, Agriculture, F&B, and Environment
CONTACT INFO
iz@zbtconsulting.com
Ivan Barić
Senior Partner
Ivan currently serves as a Senior Partner and Founder at ZBT Consulting, where he uses his innovative approach to acquire new clients and ensure success of the existing ones.
With his academic background combining International Relations, Public Policy and Business Economics, Ivan provides clients with different perspectives to the challenges that they are facing. He uses his experience in market entry and public sector consulting to help the clients shape best possible strategy in order to achieve goals and further enhance their market position. Ivan's extensive knowledge of both national and EU policy proves invaluable asset to the clients, leading them through the processes at the highest level.
Prior to joining the firm, Ivan served as an Account Executive at an international government relations network and as a Public Sector Services Consultant and Internal Risk Management Specialist at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). His last engagement before ZBT Consulting was with Wolt Oy, successfully starting Wolt’s operations in Zagreb, Belgrade and Rijeka.
EDUCATION
MA International Relations and Public Policy, University of Zagreb
MA Business Economics, Libertas International University
BA Political Science, University of Zagreb
SECTORS
Financial, Technology, Infrastructure, and Tourism
CONTACT INFO
ib@zbtconsulting.com
Marta Zorko
Senior Public Affairs Consultant
Marta Zorko, PhD. is Associate Professor at Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb. She holds PhD. in the area of International Relations and National Security with Thesis on open border issues of republic of Croatia. She teaches Political Geography and Geopolitics as well as Contemporary Geopolitical issues on undergraduate level, Migrations and Security on graduate level, Geopolitics and Security on postgraduate level at the Faculty of Political Science, and Geopolitics of strategic resources on the PhD. level at Faculty of Economic and Business. She has been teaching Political Geography and Geopolitics at Croatian Military Studies as well. She served for three years (2014 – 2017) as Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, served for the same time as Graduate Chair for MA in Political Science, served for four years (2010 – 2014) as Deputy Graduate Chair for MA in Security Studies, still serving (since 2014) as Faculty representative in The Council for Military Studies. She is executive editor of specialized Yearbook called Forum for Security Studies and has published over twenty scientific articles in the area of Border Studies, Border Management and Migrations..
EDUCATION
PhD International Relations and National Security, University of Zagreb
MSc International Relations, University of Zagreb
MA Journalism, University of Zagreb
SECTORS
Geopolitics, Border Studies, Security Studies, International Relations, Big Data, and Tourism
BOARDS
Member of Association for Borderland Studies
Member of International Political Science Association
Board Member of International Political Science Association Research Comittee 15 (Political and Cultural Geography)
Board Member of Commitee for Annual International Conference “ISCFrontieres”
Board Member of Organizational Comitee for Annual International Conference“National minorities, migration and security in 21. century””
CONTACT INFO
mz@zbtconsulting.com
Damir Glas
EU Public Affairs Consultant
Damir Glas is an EU public affairs and advocacy expert based in Brussels. He has acquired insights on the working practices of the EU institutions, developed and executed multi-layer stakeholder advocacy strategies and helped establish an extensive network in Brussels. In parallel, he works as an Advocacy and Public Relations Manager in manufacturing association and is responsible for monitoring EU policies and programmes on key issues such as digital economy, research, innovation and education. Moreover, he is responsible for developing and managing EU-level communication campaigns, initiatives and studies, as well as for establishing contacts with relevant EU institutions and other stakeholders. During the past years, he had the opportunity to gain a deep understanding of the EU decision-making process, particularly while working at the European Parliament.
EDUCATION
MA International Relations and Diplomacy, Libertas International University
BA Political Science, University of Mostar, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science
SECTORS
Digital Economy, Research, Innovation, and Education
CONTACT INFO
dg@zbtconsulting.com
Ivan Perković
Business Development Manager
Ivan is a Business Development Manager at ZBT Consulting, tasked with developing new opportunities and ultimately bringing in new projects and clients for the firm, along with strategic day to day management of the clients.
Prior to joining the firm, Ivan served as the Business Development Manager at various international government relations networks.
Ivan graduated in BSBA and BA in Interntional Business in Webster University in Vienna, after which he completed his studies through Master of International Business from Hult International University in San Francisco, and two later professional specializations in Asset Valuation from University of Michigan and Banking and Monetary Policy and Theory from Columbia University.
EDUCATION
Banking and Monetary Policy and Theory from Columbia University.
Asset Valuation from University of Michigan
Master of International Business from Hult International University in San Francisco
BSBA and BA in Interntional Business in Webster University in Vienna
SECTORS
Business Development, International Business and Communications
CONTACT INFO
ip@zbtconsulting.com
Where are we located?
Savska cesta 41, 10 000
Zagreb, HR
ZBT Consulting – Ivan Zuzul – Ivan Baric – Kurt Thormahlen