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Ivan Rakonjac Appointed Head of the Innovation Fund

The Government of Serbia appointed Ivan Rakonjac as the new Interim Managing Director of the Innovation Fund. Mr Rakonjac took office on November 28, 2015.

After graduation from University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, as the recipient of a scholarship of the governments of Serbia and France, PhD Ivan Rakonjac completed post-graduate (Master) studies in the field of industrial systems engineering at L’École Centrale Paris, and later a specialized course in industrial innovation, at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Bologna. He holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from University of Belgrade.

He has more than ten years of experience in the manufacturing sector, in the development and application of new products, quality control and production management. He managed numerous projects from the field of energy efficiency of public and urban lighting, as well as the environmental impact of lighting, comfort and safety of work areas and open public spaces.

His experience with innovation projects includes developing “Spiritum”, a system of urban lighting which won the “New Vision” expert jury award at the 35th International Construction Fair in Belgrade in 2009, and setting up the first gonyo-photometric laboratories in Serbia for testing technical characteristics of lamps, which later became an integral part of the Design and Development Department of “Meteor”, where Rakonjac was managing director since 2008.

Rakonjac started his lecturing career at the College of Project Management in Belgrade. He is assistant professor at the Faculty of Project and Innovation Management, University EDUCONS, where he teaches Risk Management, Innovation Management and Business Innovation.

He authored more than 20 papers published in the proceedings of scientific gatherings, and in international journals in the field of risk management, project management, innovation management and process industries.

Until his appointment as the Interim Managing Director of the Innovation Fund, he served as the Chairman of the Board of the National Agency for Regional Development.