May 31, 2016 was another one of those days when Libertas International University faculty, staff and students stood proud in the cloister of the Dominican monastery in front of their dear guests, friends and parents. We celebrated success, dedication and effort and honored those who truly stand for these values.
Mr. Davor Đivo Gjivoje was awarded the Honorary PhD as recognition for everything that he has done for the university, city of Dubrovnik and a country as a whole.
Davor Gjivo Gjivoje began his education in his native town of Dubrovnik. He obtained both his bachelor’s and his first master’s degree from the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb with the thesis on management in tourism, and another degree from the Harvard Business School in Boston with the thesis on effective corporate governance.
He proved his managerial ability very early on in practice, when he became managing director and executive chairman of Atlas Travel Agency at only 25 years of age. In the period from 1965 to 1974 he was responsible for managing and developing an agency (a small company with two offices and 40 employees, two vehicles and a motorboat), which he turned into the strongest foreign tourist company nationwide, with 45 branch offices at home and abroad (including 15 boats, 100 vehicles and over 1,000 employees).
Mr. Gjivoje’s business ventures at that time were recognized by American Express, which invited him to the US and entrusted him with the development and expansion of American Express international offices. In the period of only three years (1974 to 1977), he managed to increase the retail network from 216 to over 1,000 offices worldwide. Mr. Gjivoje stayed with American Express all until 1981, where he was responsible for all American Express Travel Related Services (TRS) in the western hemisphere.
1981 marked the beginning of Mr. Gjivoje’s entrepreneurship in his own company Networld, where he was general manager and partner responsible for the management and development of global tourism marketing consortium consisting of 61 corporate members in the tourism sector from 41 countries, and marketing offices in five key tourism markets of the United States.
He is the holder of reputable consulting and executive functions, the member of managing and supervisory boards, and a visiting professor at various universities.
In addition to a large number of successful contracts in the area of hotel brokerage, he is responsible for bringing the Hilton International Group in Dubrovnik.
Apart from his native tongue, he effectively communicates in five foreign languages (English, French, Italian, German and Russian).
In his speech Mr. Gjivoje encouraged graduates to be courageous in their future careers, to use the opportunities given and to show attitude of a winner in all life situations.
Graduates that were recognized during the ceremony successfully completed International Relations and Diplomacy program. After three years of effort and dedication, they received the diplomas from the president of the university, prof. Duško Pavlović, Phd.
Prof. emeritus Stjepan Krasić awarded the Melady Award to the most successful undergraduate student, our dear Mara Kačić.
Congratulations to all of our graduates and we wish them all the best in their future careers!