Philip Zepter

Serbian businessman and entrepreneur

Philip Zepter

Philip Zepter in 2015

President of the Olympic Committee of Serbia and Montenegro (OKSCG)
In office
2005–2005
Preceded by| Dragan Kićanović
Succeeded by| Ivan Ćurković
Personal details
Born|

Milan Janković

(1950-11-23) 23 November 1950 (age 74)
Bosanska Dubica, FPR Yugoslavia
Nationality| Serbian
Occupation|

* Entrepreneur
* sports administrator

Alma mater| University of Belgrade
Known for| founder of Zepter International
Spouse| Madlena Zepter
Children| Emma Zepter

Philip Zepter (Serbian: Филип Цептер / Filip Cepter, born Milan Janković; 23 November 1950) is a Serbian businessman and entrepreneur. He is the president of the Zepter International Group.

## Early years and education

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Philip Zepter is a Serb was born in Kozarska Dubica (in modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina) on 23 November 1950. He is the son of Milisav Janković and Nada Reljan. He is the youngest of three sons, his brothers are Philip and Gojko.

Zepter's education was strict, focusing on mathematics and sports. He completed his secondary education at the secondary school of Bosanska Dubica (in Bosnia and Herzegovina), then went to study economics, and graduated with a master's degree from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Economics. He is fluent in Serbian, German, and English.

On 21 February 1976, he married Madlena Horvat, professor of literature.[1] They have a daughter Emma, born in 2000.

## Professional life

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His professional life began in Belgrade in 1976, with an international transport company, "Transkop International". He stayed there for two years as Commercial Director.

In 1986, he founded his company “Zepter International” in Linz (Austria). The company produces and makes kitchen utensils in stainless steel alloy.[2][3] Today, the company has an annual turnover of around one billion euros, and has subsidiaries in some 40 countries.[4][5] The group has extended its field of activity to the medical and cosmetic world as well as to other areas: insurance, banking, real estate and hotels.[6][7]

In 1990, the Zepter family moved to Monaco,[8] a company under local law was created, CORPO SAM, which designs and carries out marketing, promotion and events for the group's products around the world.[9]

The Zepter family lives in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin in the south of France. Their villa formerly known as Villa Aréthuse, the Villa Trianon[10][11] was built in 1893 at the request of Lord George Montgomery by the Danish architect, Hans-Georg Tersling.[12]

## Political activities

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### Relationship with political power

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Philip Zepter was one of the first and among the most important supporters of Zoran Đinđić, Prime Minister of Serbia from 2001 to 2003 and promoter of important economic and liberal political reforms in his country.

Zepter continued his active support for Đinđić's pro-reform, democratic agenda, once saying that Đinđić was "a glimpse of bright light in the general hopelessness."[13]

### Litigation with the International Crisis Group

[edit]

In 2003, one of the reports of the International Crisis Group attributed the deceleration of Serbian reform to "the financial structures of the Milošević era" which had become "a new oligarchy" financing various parties and influencing, de facto, government decisions. It mentions the name of Philip Zepter who is said to be among those who have benefited from "special informal monopolies" in exchange for their support for the Milošević regime.

A defamation action was brought before the American courts.[14] On May 10, 2016, the D.C. Circuit dismissed the applicant.[15] According to Judge Rogers, Philip Zepter was indeed an advisor and financial support to Đinđić.

Evidence shows that he was "willingly" involved in a reform process in Serbia. Moreover, the plaintiff does not deny having paid more than 100,000 dollars to a lobbyist to help the government of Đinđić to improve its relations with the United States, “efforts which led (...) to cancel two-thirds of Serbia's external debt”. The allegations of attempted extortion on the part of the author of the writing were also dismissed.[16][17]

## Patronage

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HSH Albert II of Monaco, receiving from the hands of Mr. Philip Zepter, the Zepter Cup. Louis II Stadium, Monaco.

The Zepter Group has been involved for several decades in sponsorship encompassing sports, culture and charity.[18] Among these, the Formula 1 world championship, the offshore[19] championship, numerous car rallies, the ice hockey worlds, numerous ATP tennis tournaments, the Cannes festival, the construction and management of the Europe's only private opera house[20] \- The Belgrade Madlenianum, the Madeleine Zepter Foundation, which grants grants and supports various projects, the Zepter Museum (Belgrade) which constitutes a collection of works from 1950 to the present day,[21][22] the literary prize Madeleine Zepter,[23][24][25] the Zepter International Design Award, the publishing house Zepter Book World,[2] the first auction house in Belgrade (MadlArt), the Young Chef Prize.[26][27][28][29]

In Monaco: a partnership with the Formula 1 Monaco Grand-Prix, the Golden League Athletic Meeting Zepter Herculis, the Monte Carlo Open tennis tournament, the Monte Carlo rally of new energies,[30] the Zepter Monte-Carlo pro celebrities golf tournament, the IAF Monte-Carlo Master class, the Yacht Show[31][32][33] the Monte Carlo World Music awards.[34]

## Awards/Recognitions

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### Main recognitions received by Philip Zepter

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Philip Zepter was named Cavaliere in the Order of Merit for Work of the Italian Republic in 1997 for his outstanding contribution to the development of the industry in that country.

In recognition of the benefits brought to Ukraine and its population, the small planet N6589 discovered in 1985 by Ljudmila Ivamovna Cernih and Nikolaj Stepanovic Cernih of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, was named and registered in 2000 under the reference N6589 -JANKOVIC (ZEPTER). by the International Astronomical Union. In the same year he was appointed to the Academy of Sciences (Ecology Section) of the Republic of Ukraine.

In 2011, Philip Zepter was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor (United States of America)[35] for his philanthropic actions in favor of health and the improvement of the human condition.

### Main awards received by the Zepter International Group (59)

[edit]

* 1994: Organization for Cardiovascular Protection (Poland). Prize awarded for his fight against cholesterol.
* 1994/1995/1996/1997/2010: "Golden Mercury" Prize, Italy, awarded for its technological advances and the originality of its products.[36]
* 2000: "Golden Europe Award" awarded in Madrid (Spain) for the quality of its products and its commercial success.[37]
* 2000: “International Europe Award for Quality” awarded in Paris (France).
* 2002: "Golden BIATEC D'Or" Prize awarded in Bratislava (Slovakia), pg.3 (60).
* 2014: “Kitchen Innovation of the Year, Best Consumer Friendly Product Award” awarded in Frankfurt (Germany).

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Remise des insignes de chevalier des Arts et des Lettres à Mme Madlena Zepter". La France à Monaco (in French). Retrieved 25 March 2021.
2. ^ a b "Madeleine Zepter L'art dans la peau - l'Observateur de Monaco" (in French). Retrieved 25 March 2021.
3. ^ Mill, Mariana Mill (August 2017). "" Zepter International: trent'anni di successi "". Piaceri d'Italia.
4. ^ "Zepter : Cuisiner sain dans un ustensile sain ! | A La Une | Luxe Magazine". www.luxe-magazine.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
5. ^ "Milano 24orenews dicembre 2013". Issuu. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
6. ^ "Zepter International in Serbia, nuova frontiera del turismo". The Way Magazine. 20 October 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
7. ^ Alessandro (4 December 2018). "Zepter debutta nel mondo dell'hotellerie". 24 Ore News (in Italian). Retrieved 25 March 2021.
8. ^ "Biznis i glamour Philipa Zeptera – Nacional.hr". arhiva.nacional.hr. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
9. ^ "Monaco Directory". monaco-directory.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
10. ^ Mill, Mariana (2016). "Midsummer Cocktail". Milano Excellence, 2016.
11. ^ "Madeleine Zepter Chevalier des arts et des lettres". www.telecotedazur.tv. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
12. ^ "The Cap Ferrat property market". www.alexandra-lloyd.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
13. ^ Court document gpo.gov
14. ^ Bouboushian, Jack (11 May 2016). "Serbian Oligarch Loses Defamation Lawsuit". Courthouse News Service. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
15. ^ "Milan Jankovic v. International Crisis Group, No. 14-7171 (D.C. Cir. 2016)". Retrieved 11 May 2024 – via Justia.
16. ^ "L'International Crisis Group (ICG) se prend une veste gênante - La firme ICG cofinancée par George Soros est soumise à une forte pression juridique après un tournant dans le procès qui l'oppose à Milan Jankovic alias Philip Zepter". www.lelezard.com (in French). Retrieved 25 March 2021.
17. ^ "Jankovic v. Int'l Crisis Grp. | Case Brief for Law School | LexisNexis". Community. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
18. ^ "Madlena Zepter faites chevalier des Arts et des Lettres - Monaco Hebdo" (in French). Retrieved 25 March 2021.
19. ^ "Weltmeisterboot im Museum des Fürsten | Riviera Zeit". riviera-press.fr. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
20. ^ "Madlena Zepter: Art & Beauty Are My Only Ideologies". CorD Magazine. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
21. ^ "Zepter Museum Belgrade Attractions". Apartmani u Beogradu. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
22. ^ "Zepter Museum". museums.eu. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
23. ^ "Madeleine Zepter: "Une activité de mécène incroyable" dixit Denis Tillinac". Tele Côte d'Azur (in French). Retrieved 25 March 2021.
24. ^ "Simonetta Greggio reçoit le Prix littéraire européen Madeleine Zepter pour Dolce Vita". Viabooks (in French). 3 December 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
25. ^ "" Prix Zepter du Jeune Chef "". Le Monde.fr. 18 December 2008.
26. ^ Tiberi, Liliane (8 November 2013). "Prix: Un de plus, mais pas seulement, et ce prix-là sera forcément très médiatisé". Tribune Bulletin: Côte d'Azur. No. 715\. p. 23.
27. ^ "Le 1er Prix Zepter International du Jeune Chef parrainé par Stéphanie Le Quellec". Le Chef (in French). 8 July 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
28. ^ "Création du Prix Zepter International du Jeune Chef". www.lhotellerie-restauration.fr (in French). Retrieved 25 March 2021.
29. ^ "Email Gourmand - Actualité Gastronomique du Sud de la France - Prix Zepter international du jeune chef. Julien Roucheteau, premier lauréat". www.email-gourmand.com (in French). Retrieved 25 March 2021.
30. ^ "Montecarlo Engineering Racing Team e Alfa Campioni del Mondo". Motori360.it (in Italian). 11 October 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
31. ^ "Joyme Zepter Yachts Monaco Yacht Show". Tele Côte d'Azur (in French). Retrieved 26 March 2021.
32. ^ "Joyme Yacht Charter Price - Philip Zepter Yachts Luxury Yacht Charter". www.yachtcharterfleet.com. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
33. ^ "'joyMe - Luxury 50 Meter Yacht for Charter in Croatia and Montenegro". 'joyMe - Luxury 50 Meter Yacht for Charter in Croatia and Montenegro. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
34. ^ "French Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters | Opera & Theatre Madlenianum". operatheatremadlenianum.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
35. ^ "Philip Zepter Joins the Ranks of Only Five Non-U.S.Citizens in History Who Have Been Awarded the Prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor 2011". PRWeb. Archived from the original on 1 November 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
36. ^ "Home Page". Menfi Industria. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
37. ^ "ZepterNZ Global Recognition". www.bioptron.co.nz. Retrieved 25 March 2021.

## External links

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* Affäre: Der König der Töpfe, 8 May 2004
* www.zepter.com
* International Crisis Group, Balkans Report 145, 17 July 2003
* Seth Lubove: Balkan Battle, Forbes Global; 19 April 2004, Vol. 7 Issue 7, p. 29

Civic offices

Preceded by

Dragan Kićanović

|  President of the
Olympic Committee of Serbia and Montenegro
2005  | Succeeded by

Ivan Ćurković