Ahmet Hadzipasic

Prime Minister, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

(Official Website, AP)

Ahmet Hadzipasic was sworn in to a four-year term as prime minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 14 February 2003. His election followed the October 2002 general elections in the country. A member of the Bosnian Muslim Party for Democratic Action, Hadzipasic replaced Alija Behmen as head of the federation's government.

Hadzipasic was born on 1 June 1952 in the town of Cazin. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Metallurgy in Zenica and holds a doctoral degree from the University of Sarajevo, obtained in 1984.

Hadzipasic's professional career includes service at various companies in the town of Zenica. As director of Metalno company, which he joined in November 1993, Hadzipasic received the "1999 Manager of the Zenica-Doboj Canton" and, two years later, the "Manager of the Decade" awards.

He has also worked as a full-time professor at the University of Sarajevo, and has served as its external collaborator with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Zenica and the Technical Faculty of the University of Bihac. Hadzipasic has completed specialisations abroad and is the author of two books and more than 60 scientific and research publications.

He is also the president of the Metalno (Zenica) basketball club and of the Celik (Zenica) football club.

Hadzipasic is married and has two children.