Davorin Štetner

Davorin Štetner (born 10 November 1981), Croatian entrepreneur, investor and international motorsports personality. Founder and CEO of European TV network GP1. Former advisor to the first female President of the Republic of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović from 2015 to 2020. President of the national auto sport authority CAKF (2019 - 2024). Long term member of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and its bodies.

Štetner made a world breakthrough with acquisition of Formula 1 media rights for Croatia in 2011. when he negotiated and signed a contract with Bernie Ecclestone beating huge multinational companies. At 29 years old then, he thus became the world's youngest private F1 rights holder. As he later said – Formula 1 and the contacts and friendships he made there were his true breakthrough and lifetime value. He is present in the Formula 1 Paddock since 2011.

Investor career and business angel
In 2011 Štetner joined Croatian Business Angels Network - CRANE where he started to invest in startup companies. He first became a board member and then in 2015. President of this well-known union of investors in Croatia. He is maintaining his third mandate at the helm of CRANE. In 2018 he became a board member of the European Business Angels Network - EBAN and in 2020. was re-elected on this position. EBAN is one of the major Business Angels and investors unions in the World and it is headquartered in Brussels. Stetner invested in many startup companies and is actively mentoring and helping young Entrepreneurs worldwide.

In 2019. he started investment in Eco farm located in the almost abandoned village of Tihočaj in the Žumberak Nature Park where he bought about 250,000 square meters of land and old stone houses. Currently, there is Wagyu beef production. Štetner hosted many guests at his property including U.S. ambassador W. Robert Kohorst, Israeli ambassador Ilan Mor and the location was a place of a farewell party for UK ambassador Andrew Dalgleish. The main topics Štetner is addressing at his property are climate changes and deforestation which affect our planet.

On 5.6.2024. biggest Croatian media Index.hr published the news about investment in Formula 1 level automotodrome "Croatia Ring" in central Croatia. Stetner confirmed information is right and revealed he and his partners are working on this private project for three years already. He aimed at 2027 for finishing the works after project was included on the List of the strategic investment projects of the Republic of Croatia on 4 June 2024. Former Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve was announced as an advisor to the project and project's architecture is under Tilke Gmbh company.

Office of the President of Croatia 2015–2020
In 2015, President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović appointed him to the Presidential Economic Council - her main advisory council for economy affairs. Štetner was there for five years until early 2020. when president Grabar-Kitarović went off duty. During the time at the office he was loud and active in fighting for the Entrepreneurs and creating a positive environment for foreign and domestic investors. His main focus was on promoting young entrepreneurs and startups and setting better mentality toward those who are entering business. Stetner was personal envoy to the President on many national and international occasions and events.

Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and motorsports


Štetner entered motorsports world in 2011. after acquiring F1 media rights for Croatia. With the goal to help young motorsport talents same year he is starting Kreator Racing team with drivers in Formula Renault Italia and Karting Championship of Croatia. Kreator Racing is now one of the most successful motorsport teams in Croatia with more than 25 titles of the Champions (karting, motocross, Formula Renault Italia). In 2011. he accepted call from the national autosport authorities CAKF and became a board member. In 2017. he was appointed Deputy president. In 2019. he was elected president for the first time and in 2021. for the second term. He obtained a role of the president until end of 2023. Main legacy of his terms is financial consolidation and clearing federation's debts. In 2024. he responded to a call from Macedonian federation and was elected president of the ASN.

Since his start as a delegate in the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile in 2019, Štetner was appointed to the FIA ASN Development Task Force which was one of the most important FIA bodies managing and helping national federations (ASN's) to develop. Since 2020. Stetner was a member of the FIA Digital Motor Sport working group which created all preparations for the digital sport to be recognized as motorsport discipline. FIA Digital Motor Sport Working group was decommissioned at the end of 2020. when the new FIA eSports Commission (Formerly FIA Digital Motor Sport Commission) was introduced with Stetner as a member. He was on the Commission until 2024.

From 2019. he is member of the board of the FIA Central European Zone which consists of 16 countries. He was member of the General Assembly of the Croatian Olympic Committee (2022/2023). He was one of the key people for bringing FIA World Rally Championship to Croatia in 2021.

GP1
Štetner is the founder and owner of the Central European Sports TV channel GP1 (TV channel). GP1 first started in 2011. under the name Kreator F1 and Kreator F1 HD for broadcasting only Formula 1 in the biggest Croatian provider Max TV - part of Croatian Telecom as Stetner acquired exclusive Formula 1 media rights for Croatia. Kreator F1 was renamed Kreator TV in 2013. In the following years GP1 acquired MotoGP, Volvo Ocean Race and other media rights and started investing in own broadcast facilities in Jastrebarsko, Croatia. Today GP1 is present in all major IPTV & cable operators in Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and some other countries along with the motorsport and F1 news portals in Central-Eastern Europe. GP1 made a long-term deals with NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and some other European racing series and race tracks and it is producing live broadcasts from some of the most famous racing tracks like Red Bull Ring, Hungaroring, Brands Hatch, Valencia, Slovakia Ring, Automotodrom Brno, Zolder and others. Stetner is still at the helm as company's CEO.

Notable duties
He was a member of the Croatian Innovation Council appointed by the Croatian Minister of Economy in 2018. Stetner has significant experience in diplomacy and working with Governments and was a member of many high-level conferences like Global Entrepreneurship Summit, Dubrovnik Forum, Wilton Park and others. He is working with international institutions and diplomatic representatives on a daily basis. He was a speaker at many conferences and events.

Štetner was official participant of "The future of the UK’s bilateral relationships in Europe" conference organized by Wilton Park - an executive agency of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2018. High-level conference was held in Wiston House castle, West Sussex and gathered European leading representatives from the worlds of politics, business, academia, diplomacy, civil society and media along with the British government with the main focus on UK and Europe relations after Brexit. Štetner is also a long term jury member of the "Golden Key" Awards for the best Croatian exporter by the Union of the Croatian Exporters, Women in Adria for the best female entrepreneur and "Zlatna Kuna" - awards for the best Croatian companies by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce.

Travels and Expeditions
Štetner was part of many expeditions to remote parts of the World. He traveled to more than 90 Countries of the World and 6 continents. From filming documentaries in Ivory Coast after Rebellion War, visiting Pygmy tribes in the jungles of Gabon and Cameroon, exploring Darien province in the Amazons to living with Touaregs in heart of Sahara. Most of his dangerous trips were in his twenties and mid thirties. He wrote many articles and travelogues for Croatian media.

Honors
Award of the Prefect of the Varaždin County for the outstanding contribution, Croatia, September/2022

The World Bank’s recognition for the digitalization of the company’s founding process in Croatia

Special award of the TV Auto Magazine TV show for outstanding contribution

Award of the Zagreb Automobile Federation for the outstanding contribution, December/2019

Special Award "Break the mould" of the European Business Angels Network - EBAN, November/2016