Neven Roginić is the Founder and President of the UAE–Croatia Business Club, a unique diplomatic and economic platform dedicated to advancing strategic cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and Croatia. Under his visionary leadership, the Club has grown into a catalyst for bilateral partnerships, seamlessly connecting government bodies, private sector leaders, investors, chambers of commerce, scientific institutions, and global innovators across both markets.
Outside of fostering cross-border engagement, Mr. Roginić is also the founder and CEO of Format 3D Solutions FZCO, an international architectural visualization and design studio with a strong presence in Dubai, Germany, Austria, and Croatia. With a talented team of more than 40 architects and 3D artists, Format 3D has expanded rapidly throughout the Gulf, further fueling Neven’s commitment to economic diplomacy and paving the way for the establishment of the UAE–Croatia Business Club.
With nearly two decades of success spanning creative industries, technology, and strategic communications, Neven Roginić has co-founded several ventures—including L33T Digital Agency, which has worked with renowned global brands such as Apple, Rolex, Hilton, Ford, SAP, and Science Europe. His impact in business diplomacy is seen in his facilitation of high-level collaboration between Croatian and Emirati institutions, including the UAE Ministry of Economy, Dubai Chambers (where he oversees the creation of the Croatian Business Council), the EU Delegation to the UAE, and a network of investment groups across the GCC.
He has played a prominent role in advancing scientific collaboration, especially through partnerships linking Croatia’s Ruđer Bošković Institute with NYU Abu Dhabi, MBZUAI, MBRSC, and other major research institutions in the Emirates. Neven is known for organizing trade missions, bilateral business forums, and for guiding Croatian companies as they enter the UAE market—always emphasizing a strategic, realistic, and partnership-driven approach that has helped boost investor interest in Croatia’s key sectors while opening up new opportunities in the GCC for European innovators.
A promoter of a modern, trust-based model of international cooperation, Neven Roginić holds a degree in civil engineering from the University of Zagreb, a master’s from the Faculty of Agriculture, and has pursued doctoral research at MIT in Boston. Below, he shares insights into his leadership journey and the progress of the UAE–Croatia Business Club.
- As Chairman of the UAE – Croatia Business Club, could you tell us how the club was originally established and how its founding purpose has evolved into the current projects, achievements, and future outlook of the organization?The UAE-Croatia Business Club was established from a very practical need rather than as a symbolic initiative. Through my own entrepreneurial journey between Croatia and the UAE – particularly via architecture, real estate, technology, and advisory projects – I repeatedly encountered the same structural gap: there was no operational platform that truly translated opportunity into execution.
Initially, the Club was founded to help Croatian companies enter the UAE market in a structured and realistic way, while simultaneously presenting Croatia to Emirati stakeholders not only as a tourism destination, but as a country with serious investment, technology, and innovation potential. Very quickly, however, it became clear that a simple “business matchmaking” model was insufficient.
As the Club evolved, so did its purpose. Today, it operates at three interconnected levels:- Business enablement – supporting market entry, partnerships, investment structuring, and operational readiness
- Economic diplomacy – acting as a trusted bridge between institutions, chambers, ministries, embassies, and the private sector
- Knowledge and ecosystem building – connecting science, technology, academia, and innovation with capital and real-world application
This evolution is visible in the Club’s achievements:
- Active cooperation with Dubai Chambers and the establishment of the Croatian Business Council
- High-level engagement with UAE ministries, EU institutions, and diplomatic missions
- Support for Croatian IT, engineering, and real estate projects entering the Gulf
- MoUs with scientific institutions and partnerships with platforms such as Investopia
Looking forward, the Club is no longer just facilitating connections. It is co-creating economic corridors, shaping long-term cooperation frameworks, and positioning itself as a strategic partner for cross-border growth, not only between Croatia and the UAE, but within the wider EU-GCC context.
- As Chairman of the UAE–Croatia Business Club, how do you prioritize and initiate new partnerships between members from both countries, and what recent collaborations are you most proud of?As Chairman of the UAE-Croatia Business Club, I approach partnerships with a very clear principle: quality and long-term impact always come before volume or visibility. Our role is not to connect as many entities as possible, but to connect the right ones at the right moment, and for the right strategic reasons.
The prioritization process starts with strategic alignment. We assess whether a potential partnership contributes to sustainable economic value, innovation capacity, or institutional cooperation between Croatia and the UAE. This includes evaluating sector relevance, execution capability, governance standards, and the potential to scale beyond an initial project. Only when these criteria are met do we actively facilitate engagement.
One of the partnerships I am particularly proud of is our close cooperation with the Croatian Chamber of Economy. This collaboration significantly strengthens the institutional backbone of our activities and ensures that Croatian companies entering the UAE do so with credibility, structure, and alignment with national economic priorities. It also allows us to synchronize private-sector initiatives with official trade promotion and investment frameworks.
Equally important is the Club’s strategic engagement with the scientific and innovation ecosystem. Our cooperation with the Ruđer Bošković Institute represents a major step in positioning Croatian science and advanced research within the UAE market. This partnership goes beyond academic exchange, and it focuses on applied research, commercialization potential, and long-term collaboration with UAE institutions and industry partners.
In that context, our developing relationship with NYU Abu Dhabi is particularly significant. NYU Abu Dhabi is one of the region’s most important academic and research hubs, and cooperation at this level opens doors to joint research projects, innovation-driven startups, and deeper ties between Croatian and Emirati knowledge economies. For the Club, this confirms that our mission extends well beyond trade – it is about building bridges between capital, talent, and knowledge.
What unites all these collaborations is not their prestige, but their practical relevance and forward-looking nature. They demonstrate how the UAE-Croatia Business Club operates as a platform where business, institutions, and science intersect, creating partnerships that are credible, scalable, and built for the long term.
Our role is not to connect as many entities as possible, but to connect the right ones at the right moment, and for the right strategic reasons.
Neven Roginic - What measures has the UAE–Croatia Business Club implemented under your leadership to support networking and knowledge-sharing among Croatian and Emirati businesses?From the very beginning, I was determined that the Club would not become a passive networking association. Networking without knowledge and follow-through is ineffective.
Under my leadership, we implemented several concrete mechanisms:- Curated business missions with targeted meetings rather than open receptions
- Closed-door roundtables where members can openly discuss challenges, not just successes
- Sector-specific briefings on market entry, regulation, investment culture, and risk management
- Direct access to advisors, institutional partners, and experienced market operators
In parallel, we actively share insights through:
- Case studies from members who have already entered the UAE market
- Practical guidance on what works and what doesn’t in cross-border business
- Collaboration with embassies, chambers, and international platforms to ensure members are aligned with broader economic trends
The goal is simple: members should be better informed, better prepared, and more confident after engaging with the Club.
- In your role as Chairman, how does the UAE–Croatia Business Club identify and address key challenges faced by its members, and what current solutions or support programs are in place?The most common challenge our members face is misaligned expectations, particularly regarding speed, costs, and decision-making processes in the UAE. Another frequent issue is underestimating the importance of local presence, relationships, and compliance.
We identify challenges through:- Direct, ongoing dialogue with members
- Feedback from failed or delayed initiatives
- Close cooperation with local UAE partners who understand on-the-ground realities
In response, the Club offers:
- Market-entry readiness assessments
- Advisory support for legal, regulatory, and structural questions
- Introductions to trusted local partners, not intermediaries without accountability
- Strategic guidance on positioning, pricing, and long-term market development
Rather than solving problems for our members, we focus on helping them avoid critical mistakes before they happen.
Rather than solving problems for our members, we focus on helping them avoid critical mistakes before they happen.
Neven Roginic – moderating one panel on Investopia CEE - Can you share how the UAE–Croatia Business Club is adapting its strategies to respond to shifts in the global business environment, and what future initiatives are being considered to strengthen Croatia-UAE economic ties?The global business environment today is defined by geopolitical shifts, supply-chain reconfiguration, digital acceleration, and capital mobility. The UAE has positioned itself as a global hub within this transformation, and Croatia has strong potential as an EU gateway.
In response, the Club is adapting by:- Expanding focus beyond traditional trade into technology, innovation, sustainability, and advanced services
- Supporting EU-GCC cooperation frameworks, not only bilateral initiatives
- Aligning with UAE priorities such as innovation, AI, smart infrastructure, and knowledge economy
Future initiatives include:
- Joint innovation and technology platforms
- Stronger cooperation between universities, research centers, and private investors
- Thematic economic forums and investment roadshows
- Deeper involvement in regional initiatives linking the UAE with Central and Eastern Europe
Our objective is to ensure Croatia is seen as a strategic partner, not a peripheral market.
- Looking ahead, what is your vision for the UAE–Croatia Business Club over the next five years, and how do you see your role as Chairman evolving to drive the organization’s mission and goals?Over the next five years, I see the UAE-Croatia Business Club becoming a reference platform for structured EU-GCC cooperation, with Croatia positioned as a credible entry point into the European market and the UAE as a gateway to the Middle East and beyond.
The Club’s role will increasingly be:- Strategic rather than transactional
- Ecosystem-oriented rather than deal-focused
- Long-term in vision rather than short-term in ambition
As Chairman, my role will evolve from being deeply operational to more strategic, diplomatic, and advisory, ensuring governance, credibility, and long-term alignment with institutional partners. At the same time, I will remain personally involved where trust, relationships, and experience truly matter.
Ultimately, the Club’s success will not be measured by the number of events or announcements, but by how many sustainable partnerships, investments, and success stories it helps create.
Neven Roginić’s commitment to building actionable partnerships and enabling cross-border ventures underlines a new era of UAE–Croatia relations. Through his leadership, the Business Club serves as a dynamic bridge between business, science, and diplomacy—propelling both countries toward long-term sustainable growth. We thank Mr. Roginić for sharing his vision and insights with TradeGulf Magazine.
Signed,
Editorial Staff 2025
