The chairman of an influential business council with close links to the Government’s bid for a Middle East free trade agreement is a CV fraudster.

Fairfax NZ can reveal that Michael Vukcevic – head of the Auckland-based Middle East Business Council – falsely claimed to have a law degree from Victoria University.

Mr Vukcevic was also a director of anti-corruption agency Transparency International when he lied in his successful bid for the top New Zealand job at multinational law and patent firm, Baldwins.

The fraud will embarrass the firm, which was last year a finalist in the New Zealand Law Awards for a second year in a row.

It will also embarrass the Government because of the ties between the council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NZ Trade and Enterprise.

As chair of the Middle East council, Mr Vukcevic rubs shoulders with powerful figures from MFAT – including Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully.

Mr Vukcevic used the fictitious degree to become chief executive at Baldwins in 2012.

He resigned in November last year citing “personal reasons”.

Victoria University has confirmed Mr Vukcevic’s only qualification from Victoria was a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Mr Vukcevic has not responded to multiple approaches asking for an explanation.

His seven-page CV also includes a claim he was a director for a recruitment firm. That claim is also false.

When he was at Baldwins the company’s website claimed Mr Vukcevic was a “Registered Patent Attorney” in Australia and New Zealand but he does not appear on the registers for either country.

He also claimed to be a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand but he is not registered as either with the Law Society.

Mr Vukcevic’s CV describes him as a “dynamic Chief Executive with a proven track record of success.”

It says his experience is across large public and corporate companies, private companies and Government.

Under the education, the CV claims Mr Vukcevic obtained a law degree and a BA from studying at Victoria from 1989 to 1992.

See full story:  http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/9762437/High-level-businessmans-CV-false.

Note:

1. The New Zealand Middle East Business Council website’s “Governance” listings describes Michael Vukcevic as: