Branko Bračko Appointed President of the SSH Management Board

Ljubljana, 03 September 2026 - At its meeting today, the Supervisory Board of Slovenian Sovereign Holding, d. d.  (SSH Supervisory Board) appointed Branko Bračko President of the SSH Management Board. His four-year term of office will commence on 1 October 2026, upon the expiry of the term of office of Žiga Debeljak, MSc, who, in early June, reached an agreement with the Supervisory Board on the early termination of his term of office. As of 1 October 2026, the Management Board will comprise Branko Bračko, President of the Management Board, and Janez Tomšič, Member of the Management Board.

The appointment follows a selection procedure conducted on the basis of a public call for applications published by the Supervisory Board on 3 July 2026 in accordance with ZSDH-1. The deadline for applications was 31 July 2026. Eight applications were received. Based on the supporting documentation and declarations submitted by the candidates, the Supervisory Board's Nomination Committee verified that the candidates met the requirements laid down in ZSDH-1 and ZGD-1 and drew up a shortlist. The shortlisted candidates underwent structured interviews.

In assessing the candidates, the Committee considered their management and organisational experience, knowledge of corporate governance and the restructuring of capital assets, as well as their understanding of SSH's role and the activities of the companies in its portfolio. The Committee also assessed the candidates' personal competencies and their vision for the management of SSH. Based on its comprehensive assessment, the Committee recommended to the Supervisory Board that Branko Bračko be appointed President of the SSH Management Board. Having reviewed the relevant documentation and assessments, the Supervisory Board appointed him for a term of office ending on 30 September 2030.

Suzana Bolčič Agostin, President of the Supervisory Board, said: “In selecting the President of the Management Board, the Supervisory Board was guided by clearly defined professional and statutory criteria, as well as the needs of SSH in the period ahead. Branko Bračko impressed us with his breadth of leadership experience, his knowledge of complex business systems and his clear understanding of SSH’s role and future development. We believe that his experience will make an important contribution to the complementary strengths within the Management Board and the continued stable and effective operation of SSH. I wish the new Management Board every success.” 

Branko Bračko, the newly appointed President of the SSH Management Board, said on his appointment: “I would like to thank the Supervisory Board for the confidence placed in me. I see the management of SSH first and foremost as a responsibility for state-owned assets. I have built my career in a manufacturing company operating in international markets, where I learned how value is created and what sustains it over the long term. I bring this knowledge and experience to SSH. Together with my colleagues, I will continue to consistently apply high standards of corporate governance in companies in which the State holds a capital asset. Among the first priorities will be the implementation of the Annual Asset Management Plan for 2026 and the preparation of the Plan for 2027.”

Branko Bračko – Brief biography

Branko Bračko (1967) holds a university degree in mechanical engineering and has more than 30 years in industry, international business and corporate governance. He spent most of his career with the UNIOR Group, where he served as a Member of the Management Board of UNIOR, d. d., from 2012 to 2025 and was involved in the management and governance of the Group. Over the course of his career, he has gained extensive experience in strategic and operational management, financial restructuring and refinancing, the management of capital assets and the corporate governance of companies in Slovenia and abroad. He has also managed several companies and business programmes within the UNIOR Group and has been involved in divestment, reorganisation and restructuring processes. Since March 2025, he has served as Director of the Special Machines Programme at UNIOR, d. d. 

He has also gained supervisory and corporate governance experience as a member or chair of the supervisory boards and boards of directors of various companies, including as Deputy President of the Supervisory Board of Zavarovalnica Triglav, d.d.