Maja Ban

MYS Yachting

Maja graduated in 2000 with a BA in Economics from the University of Zagreb in Croatia.  She is also a licensed Maritime Agent and holds a Certificate for Superyacht Management from the Maritime Training Academy in the United Kingdom.

Maja began her yachting career in 2005 as a stewardess on various mega yachts.  Working on the private, busy charter and new build yachts, she learned firsthand the operational, technical and administrative aspects of running a super yacht.

After gaining this valuable experience while cruising the world, crossing the Suez and Panama channels and the Atlantic ocean, chartering in the Caribbean and West Med, and spending time in some of the best shipyards in Holland, Germany and the USA, Maja left yachts as a chief stewardess in 2008 to open MYS Yachting.

She started the company as a boutique yachting company to service luxury mega yachts in Croatia and Montenegro.

After a decade of growth and building relationships in the industry and in the region, MYS Yachting is now a diverse team of individuals with backgrounds in yachting, tourism, finance, technology.

Initially a maritime/yacht agency for mega yachts in Croatia and Montenegro, MYS Yachting has added VAT and fiscal representation and charter and management services.

Cpt. Matteo Malffati

MY Sangha

Born and raised in northern Italy, Matteo is a former army marine who fell in love with the sea and pursued a career as a yacht captain. He has been exploring remote destinations on board Sailing Yachts, and crossed the Oceans many times. 

As an outdoors lover and CrossFit fanatic he loves to keep his crew active and healthy, always ready to deliver the best experience to their guests.

Based out of Spain, he is now dedicated to running Motor Yachts in the Mediterranean, with a very special attachment to Croatia, its islands and its blue waters.

Eli Gajinov

Hospitality Manager, SeaNet

After graduating from the University in Zagreb, Croatia, Eli joined the world of tourism – her passion since childhood. She builds her career through different branches of tourism like tourist publications and sailing tourism. When the opportunity arise she jumped on yachts and upgrade her skills and knowledge in the luxurious hospitality sector.

She worked for 5 years on different yachts ranging from 36 to 140 meters, bringing her to where she is today. After 2 years of working as a Chief Stewardess on board one of the yacht in the
SeaNet Europe fleet, she stepped off the yachts into the land-based position.

Eli is now running the Hospitality Manager position for SeaNet Europe with the responsibility of the fleet’s interior department, handling communication and planning with all the Owners and
Charter guests, setting up standards for the fleet, and developing future companies’ growth.

Stipe Baturina

ASAP Provisioning Company

My name is Stipe Baturina.

I am an entrepreneur and co-owner of several companies in the tourism and hospitality sector.

I am the CEO of ASAP Adriatic, a yacht supply company operating in Croatia.

I like to explore different cultures especially in the food and beverage segment.

My goal is to introduce as many clients as possible to the Croatian gastro scene and bring them closer to the best that Croatia as a destination has to offer.

Ina Rodin

Convene Hospitality

Ina has more than 20 years in the hospitality and tourism industry. From October 2014 to November 2021, she has directed the Croatian National Tourism Office in North America, based in New York. She was tasked with building awareness of Croatia in the North American market while encouraging U.S. tourists to visit Croatia and explore and experience its diverse landscape and rich culture.

Prior to joining CNTB, Ms. Rodin directed a consulting company specializing in asset management, sales and marketing, and was a visiting Professor lecturing on Tourism & Hospitality Management at Zagreb School of Economics and Management.  In 2008, Ina was employed by Horwath HTL., a U.S.-based company with franchise offices in Zagreb, Croatia, Belgrade, Serbia, and Rome, Italy, where she provided HTL advisory services in the SEE and Italy. She began her career with Valamar Hotels and Resorts, Croatia’s leading hotel management company, and was involved in product development and hotel operations for 40 properties. 

Ina earned her MSc Degree in Economics and Tourism at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy and graduated from Zagreb Faculty of Economics with a Major in tourism.  In 2013, she published a book “Principles of Tourism” a textbook used in Croatian high schools, with Zoran Kasum and Lidija Birin, and was a co-author of TURIZAM Studije slučaja Hrvatske i regije (Tourism – An Analysis of Croatian Best-Case Studies) with M. Hanžek, P. Haramija, H.Jerković, A. Kuštrak Korper, O. Jurković Majić, H. Maljak M. Martinović, K.Miličević, V. Pirić, I. Rodin, K. Šorić, publisher: MATE Ltd, Zagreb, 2016.

She was awarded Virtuoso’s Ambassador of the Year in 2017.

Burak Baykan

Dogus Group

Burak Baykan is the Regional Director of Dogus Group for SEE and he is responsible for the activities of the group in the region.

He was born in Istanbul, Turkey on 8 August 1975. He was graduated from Boğaziçi University, Faculty of Business Administration, Department of Politics and International Relations in 1998, and from Touro University in Moscow in 2001, holding  Master degree of Business Administration (specialized on Marketing).

From 1999 until 2009 he worked in Russia, on several executive positions, he had done consultancy, was Commercial Director at JVT Dynamic Logistics and Area Manager in Koleksiyon Mobilya.

In December 2007 he started his career in Dogus Holding (Moscow, Russia) as Advisor to CEO. In January 2010 he became the part of Investment Department of the group, and started to work as Regional director for Croatia and Montenegro, with responsibility for executing the strategic direction and ongoing operations in both Croatia and Montenegro.

He was leading the nautical tourism and yachting related businesses of the group. From  2018 until the end of 2020 he was the CEO of D – Marin, global marina network. He also acted as Board Member for MB92 Barcelona between 2015 and 2019.

Regarding activities and memberships Burak Baykan was active as President for Turkey – Croatia Business Council (DEIK), Executive board member for Turkey – Montenegro Business Council (DEIK). He is still the member of Managing Board of Foreing Investors Council and active in Croatia Turkey Friendship Association.

Teo Petricevic

Capax

After finishing of Faculty of maritime studies Teo started his career at sea as an Apprentice Engineer on a passenger vessel.

He has worked in maritime industry since 2002 through various roles acting as a Marine Engineer, Project Manager, Marine Surveyor and Managing Director represented purchasers and sellers in a wide variety of complex acquisition and transactions.

In recent years Teo has been involved in the development of Capax Ltd company and their affiliates; Yacht Consulting Group; consulting and management company and Adria Docks; refit and repair service centre in Croatia and Montenegro taking care about financing, acquisitions, contracts, business agreements.