Željko Kerum
Željko Kerum ( born September 25, 1960 in Ogorje, Yugoslavia, now Croatia) is Croatian entrepreneur and owner of the supermarket chain Kerum and since May 2009, the mayor of the Croatian coastal town of Split.
Life
Kerum graduated from the technical high school and worked from 1981 for a state-owned company in the melioration as a mechanical engineer and worked for this company in 1983 in Iraq. After there was no more work for in this enterprise, he founded his first business in 1989. Both had the decline of the socialist system and the lack of large supermarkets a significant influence on the subsequent business performance: Within the first three years after opening the first store five other supermarkets were opened. By his own admission, the chain Kerum spent six years in Split without competition from other supermarkets.
In 2002 Kerum had five wholesale stores and 29 supermarkets, where the strategy is aligned to the effect to be present in the most attractive districts and tourist centers. The turnover in 2002 was 800 million kuna (then some 110 million euros ) and sales growth was estimated at 30-35%. In the following years Željko Kerum has been renowned for tourism and in 2007 he opened the then largest department store in Croatia, called Joker. By now, Kerum the 50 most Croats with assets (as of 2007 ) of 52 million euros.
Željko Kerum has a relatively good reputation he has allegedly earned by the fact that his company to pay duties / taxes and wages on time and exactly what is for Croatian standard ( and because of the relatively young market economy system ) unusual in Split.
In autumn 2009 Kerum publicly announced the separation of his wife Ankica Kerum. Reason was the pregnancy of his longtime affair and new partner Fani Horvat. Ankica Kerum is entitled to half of the joint property.
Policy
Željko Kerum candidate for the election of the Mayor of Split in 2009. He led this one "Independent List " whose election program is focused mainly on the development and expansion of urban and economic infrastructure and social services (eg kindergartens ). In the first round of elections on 17 May, 2009 Kerum reached 40.21 % of the vote. His "Independent List" became the strongest force. In the subsequent run-off election between Željko Kerum and Ranko Ostojic (SDP ), Kerum reached 56.87 % of the votes and thus the absolute majority.
Anecdotes
On his first working day is Željko Kerum sat in a café opposite the town hall and was listed in the following hours which workers of the Mairie when come to work - then he urged them to punctuality.
Excitement generated Kerum by his remarks in the political show " Sundays at 2 " on 20 September 2009. Excerpt, he said that he do not with Serbian companies transactions nor Serbs or Montenegrins would accept in the family. Serbs and Montenegrins had inflicted great damage of the Croatian population and pain. The Serbian Embassy has subsequently submitted a protest note.