Jozo Bogdan: From Construction Sites to a European Business Empire
He left behind not just a major company, but the story of a man who never forgot who he was or where he came from.
He left behind not just a major company, but the story of a man who never forgot who he was or where he came from.
On this day, August 12, 2026, it marks exactly six years since the sudden death of Jozo Bogdan, a prominent businessman whose life story left a deep mark on Herzegovina and beyond. He passed away on August 12, 2020, at the age of 66 in Široki Brijeg, after suffering anaphylactic shock caused by a wasp sting.
Born in Dužice, Jozo Bogdan grew up in poverty, accustomed to hard physical labor in the tobacco fields. At just 14, he set off for Germany, where he worked on construction sites. It was this grueling work that allowed him to save up for his first truck, with which he returned to his native Herzegovina, believing that a great story could be built at home as well.
In 2000, he took over the then-ruined facilities of the company FEAL. By investing in local young people and engineers, he built it into a European giant, literally from ashes and dust. His business success did not go unnoticed, and he also built friendships with influential figures such as the late Milan Bandić, whom he selflessly supported even in the toughest times.
Despite his immense wealth and influence, Jozo Bogdan remained true to himself. In an interview with Večernji list in 2018, he best described his worldview:
"I don't know how I could be any different, or why any of that should change me. I have a circle of people with whom I can relax, and they are mostly my old friends. I always repeat that I am happy today compared to when I remember how difficult my childhood and youth were, both mine and those of most people who grew up at that time. It was a different and hard life. I think most people today should be happy, or at least satisfied with life. Those who haven't lived off tobacco don't know what that life is like; few jobs today can compare to it. We all work less today compared to how we live now."
His spirit still lives on through every success of the FEAL company. The business was continued by the family, and at the helm is his nephew Mario Mišel Čolak, who diligently follows the set vision and leads the company forward. Jozo Bogdan will be remembered not only as a visionary and a hard worker, but also as a man of great heart, always ready to help those in need, quietly and without fanfare.
