LMHS

Professor Stjepan Orešković

Scientist | Entrepreneur | Global Health Leader

Professor Stjepan Orešković is a scholar and entrepreneur renowned for bridging scientific innovation with strategic business leadership. As a global health leader and business strategist, he has shaped public health policy, trained thousands of professionals, and built companies with international reach.

Academic Leadership & Global Health Impact

A Full Professor at the University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Professor Orešković has served as Director of the Andrija Štampar School of Public Health—one of Europe’s premier institutions in epidemiology, family medicine,  social medicine, and public health. He is a Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts and the Founding Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for HIV Strategic Information, which has trained over 2,600 professionals from more than 110 countries.

He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications, books, and chapters (h-index 24, i10-index 45), with work appearing in The Lancet, BMJ,  International Journal of Public Health, Nicotine & Tobacco Research, and Addiction. His research covers strategic health information, HIV surveillance, addiction, health equity, aging, and digital transformation in healthcare.

Academic and Research Affiliations

Professor Orešković has held academic, leadership and collaborative roles at institutions including: Harvard Medical School – Blavatnik Institute of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, McLean Hospital – Institute of Coaching, Indiana University – Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Université Sorbonne Paris Cité & L’École Nationale de Santé Publique, Università Bocconi, Università di Trieste, Goethe University Frankfurt – Institute for Medical Sociology, and the University of Ljubljana Faculty of Medicine.

Research & Publications

He has led 14 international research projects, including the landmark GLOBAL GRAND project funded by Pfizer, a transdisciplinary initiative on nicotine dependence and behavioral health with teams from Harvard, Ljubljana, and Zagreb. His health leadership was praised in Global Health Leadership and Management, Urban Health, and Global Health Disparities, books that feature forewords by David Rockefeller and Michael R. Bloomberg, as well as Enku Kebede Francis.

In June 2025, he co-authored “Open letter in support of WHO” in The Lancet, endorsed by 479 leading global health experts. His earlier projects and initiatives on patient involvement in medical decisions (2000), health and democracy in Croatia (2002), health system reform in Southeast Europe (2004), and HIV surveillance policy challenges (2000) were also presented in The Lancet, reflecting his leadership in advancing evidence-based health policy.

Entrepreneurship & Strategic Leadership

Founder and majority shareholder of Bosqar Invest, a multinational investment group active in 20+ countries, Professor Orešković has invested in AI, agri-food, human resources, and e-commerce. As an early investor and executive at M⁺ Group, he helped transform it into one of Europe’s leading BPTO/CX providers, now serving 220+ clients in 32 languages with 17,700+ employees.

He has also served as CEO of Europapress Holding (EPH), leading brands like Forbes, Metro, and Cosmopolitan. He currently chairs the Supervisory Board of the IEDC – Bled School of Management.

Global Engagement & Institutional Partnerships

Professor Orešković has advised the World Health Organization, World Bank, and European Commission, and collaborates with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). He advocates for aligning science, policy, and private investment, particularly in emerging markets.

Honors & Recognition

• Nikola Tesla Genius for the Future Award (2023) – Transparency International & EU
• MBA Croatia Award (2020) – Science & Entrepreneurship
• Global Research Award for Nicotine Dependence (2017)
• Order of the Croatian Star with Effigy of Katarina Zrinska (1996) – National Public Health Award

In the Words of Others

“Under the leadership of Stjepan Orešković, this program has contributed greatly to modern public health in other parts of former Yugoslavia. His strategic initiatives in areas such as tobacco control have yielded significant policy impacts in countries like Poland and Croatia.”
— Prof. Martin McKee CBE MD DSc FMedSci

“His audacity would get him into all sorts of trouble, but he always managed to get out of it—only to soar even higher—because he’s smart, in that elemental way we’d call ‘resourceful.’ Like Doctor Stephen Strange, Doctor Stjepan Orešković can reshape reality itself!”
— Denis Kuljiš, Journalist

“He brings European entrepreneurial ambition to the global stage, making a case that Europe needs to think and act like a continent of founders and investors if it wants to remain competitive.”
— Tomislav Krasnec, Večernji list

“Professor Orešković represents a rare synthesis of the scientist, policymaker, and entrepreneur. His ability to translate research into global impact is exemplary.”
— Enku Kebede Francis, Global Health Disparities

At a Glance

• 14 international research projects, principal investigator
• 20+ countries with active business operations
• 200+ publications | h-index 23 | i10-index 45
• 2,600+ public health professionals trained globally
• 17,700 employees in Bosqar Invest Group
• Leadership roles in academia and industry
• Advisor to the WHO, World Bank, and European Commission