Zdenko Kos (born 21 April 1955)

is a Slovenian-Swiss international businessman and academic. Born the youngest of six sons, to the businessman and renowned artist Jože Kos [1] and his teacher mother Zdenka Kos (née Kovač). Zdenko spent his early years in Ljubljana, Republic of Slovenia, his parents’ hometown for many generations.

Academia was Zdenko’s first passion. He graduated in Veterinary Science from the University of Bern and subsequently studied variously mathematics, technology, economics, business and latterly medical oncology research across Northern European universities.

Kos served as a high-ranking officer, then as reservist, in the former Yugoslavian army, Slovenian army and Swiss army. He remains a senior officer for both the Slovenian and Swiss Territorial Armies. Active service included former Yugoslavia, Slovenia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Libya.

Kos’s business career started in mid 70's early 80’s. As a sales executive, he worked across Europe, Asia and North America for nearly two decades starting at Adia Group Switzerland (now Nestle). Being an avid sportsman and accomplished windsurfer, his dream job was with Mistral, Switzerland, [2]  where initially he was a sales executive for the Balkans’ countries.

While he was working for Mistral, he also joined Bic (France) [3] as a sales executive and after 2½ years in Paris, he join LA Gear in Los Angeles (United States) [4]. Meanwhile, Kos established his own private company, Black Bird, selling tax free cars which was the first Tax Free car dealership in Europe.  After completing his adventure in Los Angeles, he switched direction and became an Advisor for National Defence followed by a sales executive role with the German Reemtsma Tobacco Company for the South Balkan region.

Arriving in London at the beginnings of the 1990’s, Kos established and incorporated his first investment company in 1993. Several years later he started a new and used vehicles business, and subsequently diversified into the food industry motivated by his and his late wife’s love of Slovenia and Italian food. Today, his successful business portfolio turns over £4.8bn in eight countries around Europe and  the UK.

Business Ventures & Investments

Principal shareholder/ Director:

• Investment Company inc. 1993 [05] (Turnover 2022: £711m)
• Automarket Europe inc. 2006 [5] (Turnover 2022: £327m)
• Maxell inc. 2009 [5a] (Turnover 2022: £440m)
• Montana & Montana inc. 2011* [6] (Turnover 2022: £244m)
• Supermarket Plus inc. 2012 [6a] (Turnover 2022: £642m)
• Integra Group inc. 2016 [7] (Turnover 2022: £525m)
• Various property companies

Since the UK departure from the EU, full financial reports are submitted in the country where majority business operations has been carried out and not in the UK. Majority of the Financial Statements and Annual Reports were submitted within the country where minimum 75 percent or more of the business were conducted. (*Principal Shareholder only)

Career 1976 – 1993

• Adiagroup Switzerland (now Nestle), Sales Executive
• Mistral Switzerland, Sales Executive
• BIC France, Sales Executive
• L.A. Gear Los Angeles US, Sales Executive
• Advisor for National Defence
• Reemtsma Germany, Sales Executive
• Black Bird, Joint company Slovenia & Croatia, Managing Director
• Cornhill Publication, Sales Executive
• Columbus Holding, Sales Executive

Education & Qualifications

• University of Zurich, MSc Cancer Biology [8], 2010-2012
• University of Zurich, MBA - International Business, Trans EU Trade [8a], 2002-2004
• University Sorbonne-Paris, MEc - Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Data analysis, EU Market & Trade [8b], 1996-1998
• University of Zurich, MSc - Mathematics and Technology [8c], 1995-1996;
• University of Economics Studies Bern, BScEcon (Hons) [8d], 1994-1995
• Vetsuisse Faculty University of Bern, Dr Med Vet. [8e], 1987-1994
• University of Economics, Ljubljana – Economics [8f], 1982-1984
• Military School for Officers, Sarajevo and Nis (Former Yugoslavia), 1980-1982
• University Ljubljana Veterinary Faculty -Veterinary medicine & surgery [8g], 1978-1980
• Veterinary School at Biotechnical Academy Ljubljana - Veterinarian Technician [8h], 1973-1977
• Technical Secondary School Ljubljana [8i], 1971-1972
• Primary School Spodnja Siska (Zvonko Runko) Ljubljana [8j], 1961-1970

Political Conflict

During his student days, Kos was a contributor to Mladina [9] – a youth led sociopolitical publication that helped spark the dissolution of Yugoslavia.

Often outspoken against the incumbent communist regime, Kos was highly and publicly critical of Josip Broz Tito, Yugoslavia’s President, and in 1976 found himself arrested, jailed, admonished and released without charge.

Kos undertook his military service as reservist for Yugoslav Army. As high-ranking officer for counterespionage and intelligence, in 1990 Kos was ordered to retrieve the papers authorising the attack by the Yugoslav Army on the Republic of Slovenia. This revealed the order was  signed by Dr Janez Drnovsek (at the time the president of Yugoslavia and subsequently Prime Minster and then President of Slovenia) [10]. The Yugoslav Army attacked Slovenia at the end of June 1991. Kos, who was a supporter of Janez Jansa (Prime Minister of Slovenia  2004-08, 12-13, 20-22 [11]), was subsequently accused of profiting from arms deals during the war in the Balkans, with no evidence offered.  

From 1998-2016, rumours appeared in the Slovenian press about Kos being on Interpol's list for fraudulent business activities, mainly in the UK. The newspapers Dnevnik [12] , Slovenske Novice, and several other reported that Kos was found guilty at Northampton District Court. 

These actions were deemed to be part of an orchestrated smear campaign to silence those opposed to the political regime, which continued with the Slovenian Authorities starting extradition hearings on more than three occasions.

Kos’s defence team included, Dr Aleksander Čeferin (current President of UEFA)[14], Cherie Blair, CBE KC [15] and Matrix Chambers [15a]

As no evidence was presented at the hearing/s, the cases were dismissed in the UK and reached their Statute of Limitation in Slovenia.  Subsequently, it was confirmed that Kos had been taken from Interpol's list and the articles were redacted by the Slovenian Press.

Today, Kos’s communicates his political criticism through his writings.

Academia and Research

Kos’s principal research interest is assessing the impact of re-purposing and combining established pharmaceuticals to create new (oral) cancer treatments based on DNA. His articles include:

• A genetic mutation (Swiss Medical Forum 2008) [16]
• DNA genes repair (Swiss Medical Forum 2009) [16a]
• Breasts and prostate are hormone-dependent organs (Italian Medical Journal 2012) [16b]
• Mental and physical overload as a guide to exhaustion and decline of immunity (Italian Medical Journal 2013) [16c]
• Errors in cellular DNA (German Medical Journal 2014) [16d]
• Therapy of malignant tumours (British Medical Journal 2014) [16e]
• Increase the risk of cancer (British Medical Journal 2015) [16f]
• Does the SARS-CoV-19 virus exist or not (GMS Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology 2020) [16g]
• Investigation of Head and Neck Skin Tumours by Interleukin gene electro transfer (Italian Medical Journal 2023) [16h]
• Over 300 published articles

Personal life

As a child, Zdenko was an accomplished sportsman, including: swimming for club Iliria, playing basketball and handball, later studying both Shotokan [17] and Yoshukai [18] karate. Kos was a regular visitor to the football club NK Olimpija, Ljubljana** [19] with his father and brothers. A lifelong football enthusiast, in the UK he remains a Chelsea FC [20] regular visitor and supporter.

Laterly in his career, having left day-to-day operations at Montana & Montana, Kos has pursued and focus on other business and endeavours. His philanthropy focuses on Foundation and Charitable organisation programs and scientific programs involved with medical research. The Kos Foundation is being established in the UK to fund causes important to the founder, his late wife and family.

Widowed in 2019, Zdenko has two daughters and a son. He is a cancer survivor. Kos is a polyglot speaking fluently Slovenian, Swiss native language, English, French, German, Italian, Croatian and Serbian. He is a highly proficient philatelist and continues to enjoy tennis, basketball, windsurfing, swimming and yoga. He has homes in London and Zurich.