CorD Magazine No.136

NORMALISATION IS NOT RECOGNITION

AN EVER FASTER WORLD

Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to Serbia

Director General, European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA)

DOMINIC LYLE

BOJANA TODOROVIĆ

Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications

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FEBRUARY ’16 / ISSUE No. 136

H.E. DAGMAR REPCEKOVÁ

RESPECT FOR DIFFERENCES UNTIL A CONSENSUS

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NENAD ZIMONJIĆ TENNIS PLAYER

Life in Tennis

IS NOT A FAIRY TALE ISSN1451-7833

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COVER NENAD ZIMONJIĆ, tennis player

Life in Tennis is Not a FAIRY TALE

CONTENTS

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Such a thick fog had descended over Belgrade that nothing could be seen down by the banks of the River Sava.

All that could be heard was the occasional screech of trams passing nearby. Nevertheless, at exactly 3pm, immediately beside the popular Beton Hale (Concrete Hall) area, appeared the figure of Serbian tennis player Nenad Zimonjić, who arrived on time for our interview. Traffic congestion, complete gridlock in Karadjordjeva Street and extremely cold and inclement weather could not stop this player, who is one of the best tennis doubles players in the history of the sport

LOSING OR GAINING TIME

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Vladimir Gligorov, economist and political scientist

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LIFE IN TENNIS IS NOT A FAIRY TALE Nenad Zimonjić, tennis player

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DON’T BLAME ROBOTS Tanja Jakobi, comment

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NORMALISATION IS NOT RECOGNITION

Miodrag Jelić, CEO at Lesaffre

AFTER WORK

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CULTURE CALENDAR

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GLOBAL DIARY

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WHAT ARE THE WINNING BUSINESS MODELS FOR 2016?

FACES & PLACES NEW CHAPTER FOR BOOK PUBLISHERS? Feature: Publishing

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DOUBLE CROWN Dragan Velikić, Winner of the 62 NIN Award for the Novel Islednik (Coroner) nd

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RESPECT FOR DIFFERENCES UNTIL A CONSENSUS Bojana Todorović, Assistant Minister at the Serbian Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications

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MARKET AND GENERALLI TO GROW TOGETHER Andrea Simoncelli, Generali Poland President of Management Board and CEO

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TRIUMPH OF VISION AND DEDICATION Božidar Aleksandrović, owner of the Aleksandrovic Winery

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CHALLENGING VISION Petros Gemintzis, Director, Hellenic Sugar

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EDUCATION KEY TO SUCCESS

Svetlana Stojšić, Regional Manager at the WIFI International Institute for Economic Promotion of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber

SERBIAN RUGBY LEAGUE GOES GLOBAL FROM TV STREAMING REFRIGERATORS TO ROBOT DOGS Review: Best of CES 2016

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HOW TO LOOK PROFESSIONAL AND ATTRACTIVE Fashion: Casual Business Attire

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EDITOR: Ana Novčić a.novcic@aim.rs ART DIRECTOR: Jasmina Laković j.lakovic@aim.rs CONTRIBUTORS: Rob Dugdale, Mirjana Jovanović, Miša Brkić, Radmila Stanković, Steve MacKenzie, Zorica Todorović Mirković, Sonja Ćirić EDITORIAL MANAGER: Neda Lukić n.lukic@aim.rs

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H.E. Dagmar Repceková, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to Serbia

Focus

PARTNERSHIP RELATIONS, FOUNDATIONS OF SUCCESS

February 2016

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COMMENT

Losing or Gaining Time There is always the risk of losing elections, so why would a government with a solid parliamentary majority – as the Serbian government certainly commands – call for early elections in the middle of its current mandate?

Would those elections not slow down implementation of the current government programme?

VLADIMIR GLIGOROV, ECONOMIST AND POLITICAL SCIENTIST

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part on the electoral strategy of the opposition. They can dehe answer to the first question is not very difficult to termine the agenda of the electoral debate. There is no doubt determine. The government, or rather the prime minthat the Eurosceptic and pro-Russian opposition will aim to ister, foresees that the risk of losing elections will be make the main topic of the elections the choice between EU achigher in two years than it is now. In part that is becession and closer ties with Russia. Kosovo and its independcause of the growing opposition to the government’s proence will be their main criterion of choice. The democratic – sogramme – opposition that has already prompted it to either decial, liberal, left – opposition should adopt an electoral stratlay some measures it wanted to adopt or give up on them alegy which might give them a fair chance to win the next electogether. In such a situation, government persistence in pushtions, rather than these early ones. In that case, they should aring through its programme increases the risk of losing the reggue for a better reform strategy than the one the government ular elections, and if it continues with delays and compromisis pursuing and insist elections are to be about the quality and es, then it will quite probably lose the regular elections anyspeed of change required to improve the economic, social, leway. Thus, winning early elections strengthens its mandate and gal, and general institutional performance. The aim should be to gives it more time to put its programme to work. hold the governing parties, and ultimately the PM, responsible The opposition is not only outside of the ruling coalition, for delays, half-measures, or outright failures during their new the ruling parties, and the government, but also within all of mandate, at the next elections. them. There are other ways available to conWhat are these reforms that the new govsolidate them behind the prime minister and Whether time is ernment needs to commit to? There are two the government’s programme, but again indeed gained rather sets of reforms that represent the key to a those may be riskier and less efficient than than lost depends in better economic performance. One is the early elections. An election victory will free thorough shake up of the public sector, which part on the electoral the hand of the prime minister to reshufneeds to be much more efficient and freed fle the government and the governing coastrategy of the loss-making enterprises and corrupt lition, and to consolidate his hold over his opposition. They can from state aid in its many forms. The other is fiown party. In addition, if indeed the results determine the agenda nancial consolidation, which mostly involves of local and provincial elections turn out to dealing with the high share of nonperformof the electoral be better for the PM’s party, their control ing loans in the banking sector. Those have will be increased, as will his ability to govern debate invited subsidies, where they should not be and push his agenda through. offered, and have sapped the ability of banks to lend to new busiIf that is how the triple election results turn out, then the nesses, especially SME start-ups. The measures necessary to deal planned reforms, i.e. those agreed with the IMF and those with these issues have been delayed, and these delays have in agreed with the European Commission, will be accelerated rathturn mobilised opposition to these changes. er than being delayed. They will not be implemented during the Clearly, these reforms will benefit from regional coopelection campaign, but they will face less sustained opposition eration and EU support via the accelerating of the accesif the results of the elections are favourable to the prime minsion negotiation process. So, commitment to both reforms ister, his party, and their coalition partners. So, rather than losand EU accession should be the outcome of these early elecing time, the government will effectively gain time to put its intions. In which case, early elections will actually gain time tended reforms into effect. rather than losing it. ■ Whether time is indeed gained rather than lost depends in

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INTERVIEW

■ By Nebojša MANDRAPA ■ Photo: Zoran PETROVIĆ

Life in Tennis is not a

FAIRY TALE NENAD ZIMONJIĆ

TENNIS PLAYER

Such a thick fog had descended over Belgrade that nothing could be seen down by the banks of the River Sava. All that could be heard was the occasional screech of trams passing nearby.

Nevertheless, at exactly 3pm, immediately beside the popular Beton Hale (Concrete Hall) area, appeared the figure of Serbian tennis player Nenad Zimonjić, who arrived on time for our interview. Traffic congestion, complete gridlock in Karadjordjeva Street and extremely cold and inclement weather could not stop this player, who is one of the best tennis doubles players in the history of the sport

EXCLUSIVE

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he aforementioned “obstacles” are minor inconveniences for him. During his career he has grown accustomed to facing “bumps in the road”, strong rivals, injuries or a lack of money and support. He overcame all of them on his not-so-easy route to the top. In the end, his belligerence and unbreakable and winning spirit are not surprising at all if we consider that Zimonjić is a descendent of Bogdan Zimonjić, a brave Serbian rebel from Herzegovina, “whose sword and rifle the Turks recoiled from in the 19th century,” as it is written in one of the biographical works devoted to this historic figure. Famous genes, coupled with incredible talent, hard work and tremendous perseverance, turned Nenad Zimonjić into a modern sporting crusader, who has managed on several occasions to take the Holy Grail of doubles tennis: the Championship Trophy at Wimbledon.

- Duke Zimonjić, who you mentioned, originated from Gacko in Herzegovina. Several families moved away from that area and one

NATIONAL TEAM

FAMILY

TENNIS

Quite simply, the national team is sacred to me and I have always responded whenever my country needed me

The support of my family means a lot to me, both in the moments when things are going well and even more so when I am affected by bad luck

I would like to convey my knowledge to children, especially in Serbia. I think it’s very nice to deal in sport and tennis is one of the most beautiful sports

of them went to the area around Vučkovica near Kragujevac, where ■ It is a little known fact that you have represented the country in the Davis Cup since 1995, so 21 years, and that we could count the my family is from, and the others moved to the vicinity of Čačak. number of matches you’ve missed on the fingers of one hand?

Mm mother is from Lika (now Croatia), from Divoselo near Gospić.

I hope that I inherited the best from both of them – says Zimonjić at - The only times I’ve missed out on the Davis Cup have been due to inthe start of this interview for CorD, speaking in the relaxed atmosjury. Quite simply, the national team is sacred to me and I have always responded whenever my country needed me. This is not some phrase: it phere of the El Toro Rrestaurant on the Sava promenade. is really an honour for me to be there for Serbia, to help as much as I can, During a long and fruitful career Nenad has won over 50 douto bring victory in the Davis Cup and provide my contribution. That’s also bles trophies, including titles at Wimbledon, in 2008 and 2009, how it will be against Kazakhstan. and at Roland Garros in 2010, and the finals of the ATP Masters in 2008 and 2010, which includes the participation of only the world’s top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams. In mixed doubles he has won the Australian Open, in 2004 and 2008, Roland Garros, in 2006 and 2010, and Wimbledon in 2014. One of his biggest successes is certainly the fact that, along with partner Nestor, Zimonjić officially became a member of the world’s number one doubles team by winning the final Masters tournament in 2008, while Nenad was named the world’s number one doubles player in the individual ATP rankings. Along with the Serbian national team, he became a Davis Cup world champion in 2010 and he is also the recordholder for the number of appearances for the national team.

It is simply impšossible to imagine matchAlmost everything this es of the national team being played without ■ The Olympics is the priority for the Zimonjić, who, just like as a doubles ace, has season will be secondary second part of the season, at which you will play with Novak Đoković and smashed the hopes of many national team opcompared to success in Jelena Janković. ponents, from the United States, to France, AusRio. If I manage to win a - Of course, I’m not hiding the fact that tralia and other major powers. Nenad will find medal at the Olympics it almost everything this season will be himself in the team again in March this year, when Serbia hosts Kazakhstan. will be the crowning glory secondary compared to success in Rio. of my career. I don’t think If I manage to win a medal at the Olym■ You will play in Belgrade’s Pioneer Hall, where pics it will be the crowning glory of my that’s an unrealistic goal career. I don’t think that’s an unrealistic you watched your first live matches in this comgoal. As you said, the plan is for me to petition as a boy of 12 or 13? play with Novak in the doubles and with Jelena in the mixed doubles.

- Yes. Some 26 years have passed since then, but I remember that I’ve played with Novak already, in Beijing in 2008, where we were unour team claimed victory. The players included Goran Ivanišević, Bruno Orešar, Slobodan “Boba” Živojinović. The atmosphere was lucky and lost in the first round. But this time we have a much better fantastic. I can barely wait for that moment when we go out on the chance of pushing through to the finals. Of course, the competition court in the hall, where I have spent much time training, doing fitwill be extremely tough, with a lot of good teams playing, but I truly believe in our quality. I will give my all to be fully prepared for the ness and conditioning training with Zoran Grbović, watching many competition and to try to achieve the expected result. sporting events and listening to the roar of the fans. Many memories link me to Pioneer Hall and I’m glad that it is from right there that we will be starting our journey towards as new trophy. I only hope ■ On your “voyage” across the Atlantic, en route to realising your that I will be sufficiently ready, considering I have a finger injury. dreams and goals, you will receive get a strong tailwind from your However, the recovery is heading in the right direction and I believe wife Mina, daughter Luna and son Leon. You have always emphasised everything will be fine. proudly that you draw strength and motivation from your family.

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- The support of my family means a lot to me, both in the moments when things are going well and even more so when I am affected by bad luck.

Successes become more beautiful and significant in every sense, while failures are overcome more easily with the family at your side. Without them I would not be who I am. I would particularly highlight Mina, my love, strength and support. I travel a lot, so she is left to deal with many commitments regarding the children and other things, but she has proved herself to be great at dealing with all of that, both privately and on the business front, where she is also successful. It is thanks to her that I have managed to devote myself completely to tennis. Mina is everything that I wanted

■ You mentioned friends. Who do you hang out with the most beyond tennis?

- That’s a wide range of people of differing profiles. It doesn’t matter whether they’re friends from childhood, school or tennis. Through tennis and my travels I have met many friends and I try to maintain those friendships. We most enjoy visiting each other at home, in a quiet environment. Considering that our wife’s are excellent cooks, we have no need to go out regularly to restaurants in order to see each other – says Nenad jokingly.

■ And when it comes to friends from tennis?

- I mostly hang out with Janko Tipsarević, Novak Đoković and Viktor Troicki. We have spent many beautiful moments together. We are always in contact and supporting each other. There are also lesser-known tennis players with whom I still keep in touch, and I’m proud of all of these friendships and our camaraderie.

■ You spent the recent New Year’s and Christmas holidays in Belgrade for the first time since 1997.

my wife and the mother of my children to be. Luna and Leon brought us even closer together; we enjoy family life together and enjoy ourselves the most when we are all together.

■ That cult of the family, which still

exists in Serbia, has almost disappeared in the West. How do you manage hold it all together?

We are often absent from home, which makes it a challenge to create the right balance in maintaining family relationships and friendships. The key is understanding. I hope that I’m successful in that, as much as that’s possible at this time

- One of the advantages of our sport is that we travel a lot and have the opportunity to see how other nations live, and how they mutually function. I try to take on the best of all of them. On the one hand, it’s nice when children are independent from an early age, when they can take care of themselves from the age of 17, which is often the case in Western countries. On the other hand, I also like that connection of ours, that intimacy and the relationships we have in Serbia. The support of my family has meant a lot to me personally, first from my parents, Mirko and Nevenka, then brother Igor, but also my aunts, cousins and some members of my extended family. Tennis is a specific sport in which you travel a lot. We are often absent from home, which makes it a challenge to create the right balance in maintaining family relationships and friendships. The key is understanding.

I hope that I’m successful in that, as much as that’s possible at this time.

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- It was really nice for us. Of course, like all children, mine also believe in Santa Claus and believe in all that New Year and Christmas magic. Most of the organising is done by Mina. She’s extremely creative and has a lot of patience and willingness. She enjoys the fact that we are making their childhood really enjoyable and that we prepare for some important events, such as birthdays and holidays, in the right way. On the other hand, due to my frequent trips it doesn’t matter much to me whether we have some special occasion to celebrate, whether that’s a birthday or holiday; for me, every moment spent with my children is pure enjoyment.

■ Are you a strict father; how do you raise Luna and Leon?

- We are trying to emancipate them, to ensure they understand true values, that they know and share. They are twins, so rivalry between them is ever present. When you buy a toy for one child, then you have to buy the same toy for the other.

There is no discussion about that. But that is all a process, both for us, as parents, and for them. We all learn together, from one another. We try to teach them what they can do and what they cannot do; what is good and what is not. They will construct themselves; we are not molding them. However, I would say that I’m a little stricter than Mina, but it’s not like she let’s them get away with anything – says a cheerful Nenad.

■ Tell us what the life of a professional tennis player looks like. Is it all luxury, top class hotels, elite clubs, or is there another side that exists?

- Tennis is like any other profession. For those who are at the very top, in the first 10 or 15 in singles, a lot of things are at another, higher and

better level than for the rest. Of all those who are engaged in tennis, only 150 to 200 professionals on ATP tour can earn a living from this sport, and what about the others? Look how many people are engaged in tennis. Tennis, however, offers some other options for young people, such as gaining scholarship that enable study in the U.S., or by engaging in tennis in other ways you can become a coach or manager. When it comes to infrastructure, there are various levels of tournaments, the biggest of which are by far the best organised, while the challenger and futures tournaments are very different in everything, ranging from wages to the hotels where players stay and the surroundings. You should know that the costs are extremely high, and the most is set aside for travel, coaches and food.

because you’re incapable of doing anything else. On the other hand, I cannot take the risk of trying something new the day before a match or on match day. I have had the opportunity to try a variety of dishes throughout the world and I enjoy Italian, Japanese, Chinese and French cuisine. However, the food at home is the best. My wife Mina is an exceptional cook. Everything she makes is fantastic: stews, pasta, risotto, fish, meat, some of our local dishes, beans, moussaka, sarma.

■ Returning to tennis, one gets the impression that lot of the ATP tour

is secondary to the singles, ranging from TV broadcasts to sponsors and impact. Doubles seems to be left in the shadows. Why is that so?

- Everything depends, from tournament to tournament. The only won in one tournament how much one that stands out in that respect does the player end up retaining? is Wimbledon. There all doubles matches are very well attended, - I would say perhaps half, when you with the stadiums full. However, immediately make reductions for inour matches at the final Masters come tax and salary expenses, both in London are also followed by personal expenses as well as those many people. The Davis Cup also of the trainer, the entire team and the attracts great attention, because family, if they are travelling with you. a point on the second day can ofYou need to secure accommodation, food and some other basic needs for ten prove decisive. As for the rest, everyone; the bigger the team, the it is as though doubles simply has higher the costs. Again, on all of these not been given its chance, with no trips we mostly eat at restaurants, one having been willing to take the since we are not located in apartrisk; people are afraid of trying something new. Singles and douments or houses where we could cook or have someone cook for us, so bles are different disciplines, difyou have to eat in restaurants. Those ferent games. In doubles there are are major expenses. Airline tickets, points that can’t be seen in singles, despite all of this, are the greatest and vice versa. It’s a shame there expense. Considering that we are more doubles on television, For those who are at the very top, a isn’t obliged to take the most expensive, because tennis fans are losing out lot of things are at another, higher by not being able to watch us very open tickets, because we never know how we will go in a tournament, and and better level than for the rest. Of often. In fact, many people prefer as soon as we lose we have to move all those who are engaged in tennis, playing doubles recreationally and on, since we must adapt for the next for them it is somehow interesting only 150 to 200 players can earn tournament. Again, if we train someto see how professionals do that. a living from this sport, and what I hope this trend will change and where indoors during winter, and there will be more broadcasts of then we go somewhere to play outabout the others? doubles matches during the tennis doors, we must arrive in that city at season. The IPTL has shown how all of this can be an attractive and least five days before, in order to acclimatise to the new conditions. interesting, and that there is room for change.

During that time we cover our own costs for food, accommodation etc. That’s an area where we have a lot of costs on an annual basis.

However, it’s good if you go a long way in a big tournament, because ■ Ten years ago you fought a battle for doubles, which was on the in that way you can compensate for a lot of those costs and end the verge of extinction or marginalisation? year with solid income again.

- I was present when doubles went through its greatest crisis. That was 2005. The ATP organisation, which has a board that brings to■ When it comes to food, do you have clear nutritional rules about gether professionals (3) and directors (3), and the CEO as the seventh what you eat before and after training or on the eve of a match? member, discussed the situation in tennis and made plans for serious changes. What happened was that tournament directors, in an effort - Of course, especially in the period when I’m training. I try to be modto reduce costs, sought the virtually abolishing of doubles competierate in food, and for me there’s none of that typical Serbian overeating and then being left only with the option of lying down and sleeping, tions, or a reduction in the number of teams able to participate in the ■ For example, of total prize money

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competitions. Luckily, we ended up with doubles players uniting and we hired a lawyer and fought for doubles to remain where it is. We succeeded in that, though perhaps not to the extent that doubles deserves, but it’s nice for the sport that something like this still exists.

■ How do you choose your doubles partners; what are the criteria, both as a person and a player?

- Quite simply, by playing all of these tournaments, from the lower rankings and afterwards, players get to know each other, we watch matches, do a lot of analysis of who has which weaknesses and strengths. On the other hand, you also have to guess how cooperation will look until you try. You never know whether you’ll be a match in term of style of play, whether that player will compensate for your weaknesses, and vice versa.

However, you tend to pick and change combinations until you find the right one. Playing with different partners is a good thing, because it makes players improve constantly. Over time you learn to play all styles, to adapt to different surfaces, the degree of aggressiveness of rivals, defence; you gain more feeling. In my case, the problem was that at the time I was breaking through there was no one in our country I could play with who would pull me forward. I had to fight alone. That’s the most difficult part of the story. It was necessary for me to be free at the right time, when one of the better players had no partner. It was very hard to gain good long-term partner.

■ At one time you were named by an American tennis magazine as the most successful doubles partner in the world, because all the players who played with you achieved better results than with all of their other partners. How much did you enjoy receiving such recognition?

■ You have won titles with as many as 16 different partners in dou-

bles, which few people in the history of the ATP tour can boast of having achieved?

- I achieved my best results with Daniel Nestor and we had four years of successful cooperation. When it comes to success at major tournaments, I 136

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■ You have gone through a lot in your career, met a lot of people and learned a lot about different topics, in business for instance. If a young man in Serbia asked you where to invest his money, what would you advise him?

- Everyone should invest in what they do best, what they understand best. I’m not in a position, from the perspective of a sportsman, to give out advice just like that and compare myself with someone who has been doing that for over 20 years. However, I think it’s important for the work someone wants to invest their money in to be linked to an activity that that person is involved in, or trained to do. That’s because they understand that area better and therefore they have some basic knowledge and certainty. In some cases, others who do not have that experience might panic, make mistakes, lack the patience to push through a difficult period when it occurs. That’s why knowledge of a matter provides a certain degree of security, which is important in business and provides the opportunity for greater success.

■ Is your dream still to open a ten-

It’s a shame there isn’t more doubles on television, because tennis fans are losing out by not being able to watch us very often.

In fact, many people prefer playing doubles recreationally and for them it is somehow interesting to see how professionals do that

- Thanks for remembering that. Yes, that article arrived from a friend in the U.S. by email a few years ago, in which it was stated that the statistics are convincingly on my side. That’s a great honour and privilege, especially in competition with such aces as Paes and others, who have also changed a lot of partners in the course of their careers.

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think we are among the best doubles teams of all time. There were other good partners with whom I have played only once, or those with whom I have won the trophy on the first tournament. There has also been a lot of success in mixed doubles. Each trophy is specific in its own way.

nis academy, considering that a lot of things in Serbia happen in cycles, and there is a question over whether tennis will be as interesting to kids in several years as it is today, and thus whether or not that will be a profitable project?

- I really don’t know whether or not that would be profitable. When I dedicate myself to something I like to participate 100 per cent. That’s how it is with my dream about an academy or school of tennis. I’m currently focused on my tennis career, so all these plans will have to wait a while. You cannot do two things in the right way, because managing a tennis school requires time; it is necessary for you to be familiar with the programmes and events, for you to spend enough hours there on a daily and weekly basis.

I do not hide the fact that I would like to convey my knowledge to children, especially in Serbia. I think it’s very nice to deal in sport and tennis is one of the most beautiful sports, providing plenty of opportunities for further life. I would certainly recommend it to everyone - concludes Zimonjić. ■

COMMENT

Don’t Blame Robots It takes more than flirting with ideas from leftfield, as Davos attempted to do, to solve the following puzzle: how to make the merry-go-round work, given that the 62 richest people cannot buy 3.5 billion toothbrushes, cars or meals, and nor can those stuck at the bottom of the wealth ladder

By TANJA JAKOBI

L

Industry 4.0 has been a top priority for Germany since 2011 et us consider two pieces of information. First, sportsand last year this most advanced European country in terms of wear giant Adidas has announced that it is to establish robotics struck a deal with China to join forces on automation. a fully automated factory for the production of sports In the U.S., meanwhile, General Electric has already taken mafootwear in its home country, Germany, in 2016, in order jor steps towards an industrial internet that represents an inteto catch up with its more advanced competitor, Nike. Second, gral part of the fully robotised process. Thus, the WEF warning one of the most sought-after participants in Davos this year is merely an echo of something anyone can read about in reguwasn’t a central banker, CEO or politician, but a prize-winning lar McKinsey Institute updates.

South Korean robot called HUBO. Korea is the world’s third The major topic at WEF, which was set long before the actumost advanced robot manufacturer, with the automotive indusal gathering occurred, wasn’t just old news, but was also partry taking the lead in introducing them to production processes. ticularly poorly suited. Everyday worries – such as failing globRobots are set to perform exactly the same operations preal trade and GDP levels, terrorist threats and the migrant crisis viously performed by people for footwear manufacturers and – kept some major world leaders at home this year, sending inthe automotive industry, among others, and this will hapstead their second-hand choices to Switzerland, which spoiled pen not just in China, but also in Serbia. The main topic of this even the famous mingling effect of Davos. year’s World Economic Forum in Davos was As reported by many media, what was the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution The WEF warning most evident in Davos was a clear lack of (Industry 4.0), with the proclamation that that many jobs will vision – when asked about their best idea the world’s 15 most advanced countries will soon be stolen by to reinvigorate production and restore the lose more than five million jobs by 2020 as a robots shouldn’t be pre-crisis growth rate, many CEOs in Davos result of automation. Obviously, that warning shouldn’t be treated in Serbia as a bell treated in Serbia as a (when they were not staring at their smart that tolls to alert someone else. Think about bell that tolls to alert phones to see their wealth melting on most of the world’s stock exchanges) said: tradGeox in Vranje and Yura in Southeast Serbia, someone else ing fast with emerging market stocks. This for a start. is the same idea, or lack thereof, that they That said, the World Economic Forum have been repeating for the last three years.

(WEF) is neither the pioneer nor the mesmerising fortune tellDavos cannot be an exception to the everyday picture, in er when it comes to issuing such a warning. Automation and its which the lack of fresh political and economic ideas is quite viseffects on labour have been debated since the 1980s. Many beible. As reported by Oxfam International, today the richest 62 lieve that the pace at which robots have so far been introduced individuals have the same amount of wealth as the 3.5 billion is linked to the decision of major industries to relocate to China, poorest. It takes more than flirting with ideas from leftfield, as as its cheap labour proved more cost effective than investing in Davos attempted to do last year, when the major topic was inerobotic innovation. However, with Chinese labour costs rising quality, and again this year, by debating about the future of laand customers growing increasingly impatient to receive their bour, to solve the following puzzle: how to make the merry-goproducts faster, at least some industries have decided, among round work, given that the 62 richest people cannot buy 3.5 bilother things, to set up their production in the Western Balkans, lion toothbrushes, or cars or meals, and nor can those stuck at as stopgap solution before the introduction of full automation the bottom of the wealth ladder. ■ in their home countries.

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INTERVIEW

Normalisation is not

RECOGNITION H.E. DAGMAR REPČEKOVÁ AMBASSADOR OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC TO SERBIA

Slovakia is among five of the 28 EU member states not to have recognised Kosovo, and therefore we could hardly ask of Serbia that which we ourselves have not done. But we ask Belgrade to normalise relations with Pristina, with a legally binding written accord of some kind

to throw in a whole gamut of qualifiers: “if this, then yes…”, “to a certain extent”, “no, but…” etc. Even public opinion pollsters seem to play along, giving respondents at least four or five possible answers to choose from. This leads to a situation where it’s sometimes rather difficult to get a straight answer to a very simple question. However, otherwise I find your country enjoyable and colourful.

H

.E. Dagmar Repčeková, Ambassador of the Slovak Re-

public to Serbia, has compiled an ambitious list of tasks for herself to do during her mission, which started last autumn. Among them are improving the already good bilateral relations, assisting Serbia in its euro integration in areas where Slovakia has had ample experience, helping to double the level of bilateral trade, and in establishing contacts and cooperation between the two countries’ academia and research institutions.

■ You commenced your term as new ambassador of Slovakia in Belgrade last autumn. What have been your impressions so far?

- Serbia is truly a multifaceted country – not only in the sense that it surprises the first-time visitor with its many faces, from the richness of nature to the delight of Serbian cuisine, to the multitude of folk traditions and the flash-and-bang of city nightlife, but also in the multifariousness of opinions on every single issue that comes up in everyday life. I don’t think there was even a single issue that could be put up for a YES/NO vote. You would have 14 |

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■ What priorities have you set for yourself during your term in Serbia?

- Slovakia has traditionally maintained very friendly relations with Serbia.

My aim is to foster bilateral political dialogue; assist Serbia in its euro integration in areas where Slovakia has had ample experience, especially in the fields of public administration reform and fiscal decentralisation; help establish contacts and cooperation between our two countries’ academia and research institutions, and a range of other tasks, including the attention we traditionally pay to addressing the issues raised by the Slovak national minority in Serbia. As of 1st July 2016, Slovakia will take over the Presidency of the EU Council for a six-month term and we are already preparing some activities aimed at promoting tourism, developing R&D cooperation, introducing our culture abroad etc.

■ Serbia and Slovakia enjoy good bilateral cooperation, but there is

still room to boost economic cooperation between the two countries.

In which areas is this attainable?

- Along with the recovery of the public finance sector in Serbia, we also note growing interest among Slovak companies in penetrating the Serbian market.

REFUGEES

EU INTEGRATION

GOAL

The EU has already identified ways and means of stemming the flow of migrants to Europe. The main task is to respect existing rules and, if necessary, write new ones and enforce them vigorously

Often in talks with Serbian partners I hear the claim “we want to be in Europe”, but you are! Look at the map: We cannot consider the integration of Europe finalised without the Western Balkans

Bilateral trade between Serbia and Slovakia reached just 505 million euros in 2014, and my personal goal is for that figure to have doubled by the end of my mission here

Slovak companies are already represented in Serbia in heavy machinery, the energy sector and water management areas. The closeness of both countries, the sizeable Slovak minority, living mainly in Vojvodina, and the growing stability of the Serbian business environment, are factors attracting even small and medium-sized Slovak companies investing in tourism and local services.

Slovak companies are also interested in waste management cooperation and establishing joint ventures in traditional sectors – the textile industry, food processing etc. Slovakia also needs suppliers for the growing automotive industry and from Serbia it is possible to get even just-in-time deliveries. Bilateral trade reached just 505 million euros in 2014 and my personal goal is for this figure to have doubled by the end of my mission here.

■ Both the EU and Serbia have had to deal with an

with our partners from the Visegrad group – that we oppose the quotas, rather than paying lip service, publicly embracing the mechanism and then failing to implement it. Migrants are not loaves of bread to be allotted to respective countries by numbers. The real problem here is whether or not they are able to integrate themselves into their new environment, whether and what they can contribute to the society that accepts them.

■ Prime Minister Fico has even spoken about preventing the formation of

a Muslim community in Slovakia because that could be detrimental to the country’s stability.

- Let me put the quote in context. Slovakian PM Robert Fico gave an in-

influx of Middle Eastern refugees. Do you think a solution to this problem is in sight?

- Yes I do. The EU has already identified ways and means of stemming the flow of migrants to Europe.

One of these means is to cooperate with the countries generating refugees and those on the transit route. Another is creating “hotspots” along the route. Number three is to protect the EU’s external borders, including stricter rules for entering. Number four is the speedy settlement of conflicts in countries that generate large numbers refugees. And there are other tools on the table. The main task here is to respect the existing rules and, if necessary, write and agree upon a set of new ones, but then also enforce them vigorously.

■ Why are Slovakian officials so adamantly op-

posed to establishing quotas for the permanent placement of migrants?

When it comes to EU integrations, we are strong believers in the carrot: if Serbia makes and sustains reforms, and succeeds in changing itself, then there should be a finish line clearly defined and a trophy presented at the end of it all

- Because the quotas don´t work! The quota mechanism, as originally designed, called for the relocating of 160,000 people. How many have been relocated under this system to-date? Two hundred and seventy two, a number representing 0.17 per cent of the defined total. Would you call this a working system?! Even if we had successfully relocated all of the proposed 160,000 people, we would not have solved anything, since a million others entered Europe in the meantime. It’s like carrying water to the sea… Interestingly enough, today in Berlin, Brussels, Paris and elsewhere, quotas are no longer a topic of discussion. The debates are focused on how to protect the EU’s external borders, how to cooperate more closely with so-called refugee source countries and with the countries along the transit route. Those are the exact topics that Slovakia has been putting on table from the very start of the migration crisis as an alternative to quotas. It proves we were right then, and now. You know, it is much fairer to say up front – as we have said all along

terview for a Slovak daily in which he highlighted the continuing uncontrolled influx of migrants to Europe. He voiced security concerns stemming from the fact that we do not know for certain who is actually entering our area. So-called “hotspots” have failed to work. So, if a large group of individuals enters your country, larger than one you are capable of integrating, then you face the danger of a parallel society being created inside the regular one, a structure that you have no control over and, thus, security risks cannot be excluded. PM Fico said that the Slovak government will not accept the quota system and will not voluntarily adopt decisions which could result in the forming of “a compact enclosed Muslim community”. The accent here is on the “enclosed” as in “self-contained” or “parallel”. This has nothing to do with faith, Muslim or other, but everything to do with security implications.

■ Do you think the migrant crisis could permanently damage internal

relations within the EU?

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- No. The EU has a long history of fighting various crises and always coming out on top. Be it the financial crisis, the Greek loan crisis, the rise of terrorism, the Ukraine crisis, now the migrant crisis… I’m sure we’ll overcome and emerge from this crisis stronger than we were when we entered it. Of course, we have to stop using half-hearted measures and put our collective shoulder to the wheel in order to stop the influx of migrants by solving the problem at its roots – in the countries that generate refugees.

up with our neighbours, who’d had a head start of 30 months… We are strong believers in the carrot: if you deliver, you need to be rewarded. If Serbia delivers on its promises, makes and sustains reforms and succeeds in changing itself, then there should be a finish line clearly defined and a trophy presented at the end of it all. Other priorities of the Slovak EU Presidency include the Energy Union and energy security, employment – especially youth employment, the common digital market etc.

negotiations. What is Slovakia’s view on this process and do you think

tigue”, namely they are apprehensive about the possibility of further EU

Serbia will continue to receive EU accession support?

enlargement exacerbating existing problems. What is your view on this?

■ Late 2015 saw Serbia open the first chapters in its EU accession

- It needs to be pointed out here that there is no alternative for Serbia than EU accession. This has been stated repeatedly by a number of European politicians and decision makers, and, more importantly, by Prime Minister Vučić and other Serbian government officials. Slovakia is a devoted advocate of the European perspective of the entire Western Balkans region, including Serbia. We are committed to making that happen, to welcoming Serbia – and other countries of the region – into the EU family. Dividing Europe into more and less successful nations – or, if you prefer, more and less fortunate ones – would be unjust and ultimately disadvantageous for the future stability of the whole continent. But let me be clear, so that there is no misunderstanding here: although Serbia has all the preconditions to join the EU in the foreseeable future, it is up to Belgrade to continue with its current trends and maintain its pro-European trajectory.

Even more importantly, the government needs to actively communicate to the Serbian people the advantages, but also the responsibilities, of becoming an EU member. That is a difficult task. Changing the mindset of even a single man often takes much longer than, say, building a bridge.

■ What will be Slovakia’s priorities once it starts presiding over the EU on 1st July? Will EU enlargement still be on your agenda?

- Yes, so-called enlargement fatigue is a term many use to describe the ongoing discussions within the EU about bringing new members aboard. On the other hand, the entire EU philosophy is based on strengthening peace, stability and security in Europe, on fostering cooperation through dialogue. To succeed in that, you have to speak in many voices, not just your own. Without the enlargement process, the EU wouldn’t be what it is today: a global player with a market of 500 million souls. Often in talks with Serbian partners I hear the claim “želimo u Evropu” (“we want to be in Europe”), but you are! Look at the map: the Western Balkan countries belong in Europe, both in a geographical sense and in terms of values. We cannot consider the integration of Europe as being finalised without the Western Balkans.

■ Serbia has embarked on accession negotiations regarding chapter 35, which is

The closeness of both countries, the sizeable Slovak minority – living mainly in Vojvodina – and the growing stability of the business environment in Serbia, are factors that are attracting even Slovak SMEs investing in tourism and local services

- Short answer: yes. Of course, the EU is changing, as is the world. New challenges arise every day. Three years ago we were talking to Viktor Yanukovych in Ukraine. Two years ago we thought the trickle of migrants might be easily manageable. And look where we are today. Therefore, it is precarious to predict anything one hundred per cent. Who knows what new challenges will await us in the second half of 2016? But from a practical standpoint, yes, Slovakia is committed to promoting EU enlargement, and we sympathise with Serbia and other Western Balkan countries, because we have our own unique integration experience in which we had to sprint to catch 16 |

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■ Many EU members are apparently suffering from “enlargement fa-

about Kosovo. Some suggest that Serbia will have to somehow recognise Kosovo’s independence in order to become an EU member. What is your view?

- There is no EU document – let me repeat, not a single one – that would ask Serbia to recognise Kosovo’s independence. There is no such condition. And you know that among the 28 member states there are five that have not recognised Kosovo, Slovakia among them. Thus, we could hardly ask of Serbia that which we ourselves have not done. However, given that one of the EU’s core issues is securing stability and prosperity in the common area, it is only natural that we cannot afford to accept a new member with unresolved relations in the region. Nobody is requesting that Serbia recognise Kosovo, but we ask Belgrade to normalise relations with Pristina, to bring order to matters, especially where the everyday life of the people is concerned: diplomas, vehicle registration plates, judiciary, movement of people and goods, etc. Therefore, a legally binding written accord of some kind, settling these relations, would be in order.

■ There were some indications that Bratislava might also officially

UNESCO member, despite the fact that most EU countries voted in

recognise Kosovo’s independence. What is the country’s current

favour? What were Slovakia’s reasons for voting against Kosovo’s

stance on this issue?

membership in UNESCO?

- What indications? There was no indication of any change in this respect. The official position of the Slovak Republic remains unchanged, stemming from the decision of the Slovak Parliament from March 2007.

- Let me remind you of the fact that the EU did not vote as an entity at the UNESCO General Conference, nor had a common position been adopted by the EU 28. It was up to the respective countries to cast their votes the way they did. Slovakia has made its position known ■ The EU members that still haven’t recognised Kosovo as an independclearly enough: we are of the view that complex and sensitive political ent state have been urged to do so repeatissues should be resolved by finding comedly, whether officially, from the office of We value highly the dialogue mon ground in dialogue, which we hope to foster. We value highly the dialogue European Parliament rapporteur for Kobetween Belgrade and sovo Ulrike Lunacek, or unofficially. They between Belgrade and Pristina and we bePristina, and we believe issues lieve issues such as this should have been have also allegedly even been pressured such as the membership of tabled in Brussels first. into doing so. Has Slovakia experience such pressure?

Kosovo in various institutions,

- Again, I have no knowledge of any “pres■ Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav such as UNESCO, should have Lajčák sure” as you put it. Of course, the political has been mentioned as one of the been tabled in Brussels first developments in Kosovo, especially with favourites to take over the position of UN respect to the latest events characterised Secretary General. If that is the case, will by acts of violence, have brought Kosovo to the fore in many discusSlovakia expect Serbia’s support for his candidacy? sions within the EU and without. We have no reservations about dis- Minister Miroslav Lajčák has not decided yet whether to join the race, cussing the Slovak position with our partners and explaining why we so it would be premature to ask for the support of any nation. However, the Slovak government made it clear that, should Mr. Lajčák decide see things the way do. to run for the position of UNSG, he would have the full support of the ■ Was Slovakia criticised for voting against Kosovo becoming a Slovak government. ■

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NATURE

GLOBAL DIARY

“There is a message in that if the environment has to be protected, the world will have to accept a lifestyle which is in tune with nature.” - Narendra Modi, Indian Prime Minister

'WALLS OF KINDNESS' ▶ As a brutal winter set in across Iran, anony-

mous philanthropists throughout the country painted “Walls of Kindness” and installed rows of hooks, inviting passers-by to leave warm clothes if they could spare them or take clothes if they need them. Pictures of the brightly painted walls have been circulated on social media, helping to spread the initiative. In a wealthy neighborhood in northern Tehran someone set up a refrigerator and a kiosk filled with blankets, shoes and books. “Food for your body,” reads a sign on the refrigerator. “Food for your soul,” is written above the books.

Mohammad Javad Lakzaie, a university student, said many Iranians have suffered from the international sanctions imposed on Tehran.

PRINCE PHILIP - THE BEST-DRESSED ROYAL MALE IN BRITAIN ▶ Last January, British GQ caused some

mild commotion by anointing a oneyear-old Prince George as the 49th bestdressed male in the U.K., and the publication—which has just now unveiled its top 50 best-dressed men in the U.K. for 2016

Prince HENRY OF WALES (left) and Prince PHILIP, Duke of Edinburgh

This year, the magazine has deemed not Harry, not William, not Charles, not George—but 94-year-old Prince Philip as the best-dressed royal male in the country. Philip earned the No. 12 spot on the list, placing him between 26-year-old actor Taron Egerton and 25-year-old singer James Bay.

DONALD TRUMP SELLS ANOTHER CONDO ▶ Six months after selling a New York

penthouse for $21 million, Republican 18 |

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presidential candidate and real-estate developer Donald Trump has sold another condo in the same building for $14.05 million.

Trump never lived in the fourbedroom apartment at Trump Park Avenue, according to listing agent Michelle E. Griffith of Trump International Realty, who also represented the buyer. The unit is one of several he retained when he developed the building, she said. The 27thfloor apartment had been rented before going on the market a little over a month ago for $16.8 million.

WIDENING SUPPORT FOR UK TO LEAVE EU ▶ A new opinion poll published mid January showed the number of Britons wanting to leave the EU rising in the wake of the Paris terror attacks and Cologne assaults.

The poll put the EU exit camp in

the lead by 53 percent to 47 ahead of a referendum promised by the end of 2017, but which could take place as early as June. The Survation poll for the centre-right, eurosceptic, Mail on Sunday newspaper excludes undecided voters. If they are included, 42 percent are in favour of leaving, 38 for remaining with 20 percent yet to make up their mind. Prime Minister David

Cameron has said he will campaign to stay in the European Union only as long as he can negotiate a series of EU reforms intended to restore more sovereignty powers to Britain.

RUPERT MURDOCH TO MARRY JERRY HALL ▶ Media mogul Rupert Murdoch will marry actress and former supermodel Jerry Hall, the couple announced after a four-month romance.

Between them they have 10 children from previous marriages.

This will be Murdoch’s fourth

SYDNEY FESTIVAL 40TH ANNIVERSARY ▶ Each January, Sydney Festival enlivens and transforms

Sydney with a bold cultural celebration based on the highest quality art and big ideas, bringing to Sydney some of the world’s greatest artists. In 2016, Sydney Festival celebrates its 40th anniversary. This year’s the festival was comprised of 157 events, a staggering 89 of which are free. With 383 performances across 34 indoor and outdoor venues, Sydney Festival 2016 features 902 artists from across 22 countries, in addition to 11 world premieres, 20 Australian premieres and 8 Australian exclusives.

Everyone’s favourite Festival Village is back this year, the ultimate oasis of musical and theatrical delights, along with plenty of delicious eats, all in the heart of the city at Hyde Park.

VIOLENCE

“Violence against men is in contradiction with any religion worthy of the name, and in particular the big monotheistic religions.” - Pope Francis

MIGRANTS

According to UNHCR statistics, 42 per cent of refugees and migrants since 1st January 2015 are women (17 per cent) and children (25 per cent).

BISHWA IJTEMA ▶ January marks one of the key dates in the Muslim calendar, when

more than five million people travel to the River Turag in Bangladesh.

They are arriving on overcrowded trains to attend the Biswa Ijtema or World Muslim Congregation at Tongi, about 30 km north of Dhaka.

Participants from 33 districts attended the first two phases from 8th10th and 11th to 14th January and the remaining 32 districts will attend the following year.

The festival draws in Muslims from up to 150 countries and was attended by five million people making it the second largest Muslim gathering in the world. The main congregation takes place on a plot of land no bigger than 0.65 square km where the participants spent three days, gathering to pray and receive blessings from Allah.

They participated in the opening “Ambayan” (general sermon), Fazar prayers and end on the third day with “Akheri Munajat” (final prayer).

marriage and the second for 59-yearold Hall, an American, who tied the knot with Sir Mick Jagger in 1990 in a ceremony in Bali. When they divorced in 1999, Jagger claimed that they were not legally married.

Murdoch was married to Australian Patricia Booker, journalist

Anna Torv and most recently Wendi Deng, who he split from in 2013.

With an estimated fortune of more than $11 billion, Australian-born Murdoch (84), now a US citizen, owns some of the world’s most famous newspaper titles, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post and British tabloid The Sun.

tual fulfillment of a rate hike, signalling the start of tightening monetary policy in the US. Using the benchmark of the U.S. Dollar Index, a comparison against a basket of major currencies, the dollar gained 8.3% through-

BITCOIN - THE TOP PERFORMING CURRENCY OF 2015 ▶ For most investors, the major story

of 2015 was the expectation and even-

out the year.However, despite this strength, the best performing currency in 2015 was not the dollar. In fact, the top currency of 2015 is likely to be considered the furthest thing from the greenback. Bitcoin, a digital and decentralized cryptocurrency, staged a late comeback in 2015 to overtake the dollar by a whopping 35% by the end of the year.

ALBANIA INCREASED FEE FOR CHERIE BLAIR’S LEGAL ADVICE ▶ The law firm Omnia Strategy owned by Cherie Blair, the wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who currently works as an advisor to

Albanian premier Edi Rama, was originally hired by the Albanian government in early 2015 to represent Tirana in a trade dispute with a consortium made up of two US companies who sued Albanian government for illegal breach of contract to the tune of $350 million in the arbitrage court in Paris. In the beginning, the government seemed determined to fight in court and hired Omnia Strategy for €495,000 in order to represent it in the looming legal battle.

However based on Cherie Blair’s advice, they decided to settle the case amicably in April 2015.

Cherie Blair’s work in Tirana comes to the heels of a similar contract in Kazakhstan, where her husband also worked as an advisor to the country’s president Nursultan Nazarbayev. Omnia Strategy, was paid almost €526,000 for six months’ work in Kazakhstan for reviewing its “bilateral investment treaties”, with Cherie Blair billing €1,280 an hour. Source: BIRN

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FOCUS

What Are the Winning

BUSINESS MODELS FOR 2016?

With a stagnating market awaiting us in 2016, the businesses that we surveyed base their modest optimism on a reliance on innovation, creativity, and strengthening internal resources

The more exposed they are to global trends, the more compelled local businessmen, bankers and financial experts are to think globally and regionally and locally in their operations on the Serbian market. Under such circumstances, according to our respondents, the most important anchor for a successful business lies in a well-established business model, serious consideration of, and long-term investment in, the development of one’s own products and the nurturing of relationships with partners and final consumers. Expectations from the state are twofold: to create the kind of market conditions that will be conducive to the use of neglected resources and will minimise the institutional risks that are under its control.

TOPIC: CONSOLIDATION OF THE REGIONAL BANKING MARKET

Concentration, Consolidation, and Stepping into the Digital Sphere  A characteristic of the Serbian market, like most of the countries in the region, is distinct bankocentrism number of potential clients with a tendency to availability at any time, and n the future, I don’t expect other segments with the aim of ensuring banking transactions can be performed faster, eaof the financial system (various types of insurance, securities/bonds market) to be able to be sier and with fewer costs.

JELENA GALIĆ serious competition against the banking sector, In the period that lies ahead, AIK Bank will continue to strengthen its EXECUTIVE BOARD PRESIDENT, AIK BANK but what can certainly be expected is more acute capital base, thus creating the potential for further growth and the expancompetition between the banks themselves. In this sion of its operations. The fact that AIK Bank expanded its activities to the sense, it is realistic to expect the consolidation of the banking market to EU market – by purchasing a 13.88% stake in Slovenia’s Gorenjska Bank follow, in the direction of greater concentration and enlarging banking from Kranj – does not just mean expanding into new markets, but also assets, i.e. reducing the number of banks. In addition to this, with the aim simultaneously a greater responsibility towards customers, partners of ensuring a sustainable growth strategy, banks will expand their produand shareholders in the bank, in terms of further increases in yield and ensuring greater certainty. In ct range, develop direct sales this context, all further concenchannels and strive towards the In the period that lies ahead, AIK merging of services with which they tration of the regional market Bank will continue to strengthen can meet the client’s every need. can contribute to the expansion its capital base, thus creating the In this regard, banks will invest of cooperation in the real sector in the further development of their potential for further growth and the of the economy, strengthening digital platforms and services, which the economic competitiveness expansion of its operations will enable direct access to a large of the entire region.

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TOPIC: THE BIGGEST PROS AND CONS OF THE WORKFORCE IN SERBIA

TOPIC: RECOVERY OF THE DOMESTIC CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

Empowering Young People for Ever More Demanding Jobs ALEXANDER RUŽEVIĆ

 The Coca-Cola system employs about 1,100 people in the country and indirectly provides work for another 11,600 workers throughout Serbia

his means that for each employee we support anoT ther 10 jobs in Serbia, which is best evidenced by the impact we have on the wider environment.

We have been one of the most desirable employers for years, as confirmed by AEISEC’s research. Given that we are recognised as a company that offers employees the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills, and to care about their colleagues, our hiring contests attract an extremely high number of interested people.

A problem that is recognised globally is the huge gap between skills acquired at university and those required in contemporary business. In addition to companies working together with the Ministry of Education on this problem – by enabling different work placements and education – it is vital for the entire economy that young people also take the initiative and start thinking about work before graduating from college. According to the research of Serbia Youth Voice, which we conducted in cooperation with AIESEC and GfK, the majority of young people state that they will only begin their job search after they complete their studies, which reduces their readiness to adapt quickly to the labour market.

GENERAL MANAGER, COCA-COLA HELLENIC SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO

We are building future business leaders through our new Career from the Bottle programme, through which we employ future managers and leaders of Coca-Cola Hellenic Serbia On the basis of years of experience, our colleagues from the HR sector have confirmed that younger candidates most commonly lack initiative, resourcefulness, courage in decision-making and innovation, while they demonstrate excellent results in terms of establishing and maintaining relationships, which is also extremely important for modern business. As such, the efforts we launched as a response to this challenge aim in two directions: on the one hand, with our long-time partners at the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth & Sport, and with student organisations and universities, we are working to empower students by providing the m with the opportunity to gain new knowledge through practical examples; in parallel with that, we are investing in the education of talented individuals within our company. We are also building future business leaders through our new Career from the Bottle programme, through which we employ future managers and leaders of Coca-Cola Hellenic Serbia.

Best testifying to the importance of the training we conduct and the knowledge we possess is the fact that a significant number of our colleagues from Serbia are today building successful international careers in the Coca-Cola Hellenic Group. Employees of Coca-Cola Hellenic believe in the importance of education to the sustainable development of communities. The Government of the Republic of Serbia, through the ministries of education and youth & sport, have recently launched a series of significant initiatives that we expect to yield results soon. In the belief that only synergy among all participants can ensure the best results are achieved, we are committed to continuing to empower young people for ever more demanding jobs.

More Leeway For Nacional Operators VLADIMIR MILOVANOVIĆ

 When concluding bilateral loan and pro-

ject financing agreements, care should be taken to enable, to the maximum extent, MANAGING DIRECTOR, Serbian companies to perform under conENERGOPROJEKT HOLDING A.D. ditions and at prices that guarantee prime profitability, with absolute respect for all laws and regulations that guarantee budgetary revenues, as well as providing regular funding and paying for works undertaken and VAT within reasonable timeframes

n individual financial arrangements between the Republic of Serbia and foreign creditors, the main contractors, foreign companies, have created an “imbalance” between the value of domestic and foreign components of works in favour of the foreign components. In this way, Serbian companies that carried out the domestic component of works were reduced to subcontractors providing cheap physical labour, or they “opted” to “relocate” part of the business to the “grey zone”, while foreign companies, as the main contractors, realised significantly more

I

Revenue generated by Energoprojekt last year reached in excess of one per cent of the GDP of the Republic of Serbia, while direct payments to the budget of Serbia exceeded €25 million profits than is appropriate for the types of projects that have been implemented. Only profitable operations for domestic companies can contribute to restoring the health of the entire construction industry, creating new jobs and gradually restoring the export activities of the construction sector.

Furthermore, it is particularly important for the implementation of major infrastructure projects and large investments that conditions of competition are secured whereby tenders only include companies that have an adequate operating capacity and references, and in today’s global crisis conditions it is also possible to show favouritism for domestic companies with special administrative measures and regulations – similar, to a great extent, to the “emergency economic measures” established by France.

Revenue generated by Energoprojekt last year reached in excess of one per cent of the GDP of the Republic of Serbia, while direct payments to the budget of Serbia exceeded 25 million euros. When you add to this the salaries of employees abroad and the export of the goods and services of subcontractors from Serbia, which are engaged by companies, Energoprojekt’s contributed directly to foreign currency cash flows in Serbia in 2015 in an amount exceeding 75 million euros.

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TOPIC: THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY AS AN ECONOMIC GROWTH FACTOR

TOPIC: HOW 2016 BUSINESS PLANS ARE AFFECTED BY THE GENERAL ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

Untapped Potential

Faithful Consumers Make us Optimistic

 The investment potential of insurance companies exceeds €600 million, which could represent additional impetus for the national economy.

That’s why it is important to create the prerequisites for their continuous growth

DRAGAN FLIPOVIĆ

hen it comes to expectations for 2016, it is important to note that in every country in the world the strengthening of the economy is supported by growth in the insurance industry. Economic growth is in direct correlation with the growth of insurance. The growth of insurance in our country will be influenced significantly by the inflow of foreign direct investments, as these are great projects that bring with them the necessity of insuring these projects. The more foreign investment there is, the more the insurance industry will grow. In retail it is essential to raise awareness of the need for insurance. Here I am primarily referring to household insurance (fire, water leaks, broken glass, burglary), as well as insurance against natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, droughts). Insurance of agriculture (crops) is very poorly developed, with only eight per cent of arable land in Serbia insured, and a lot of work has to be done to increase this percentage. The state has done a lot in this respect, by subsidising insurance premiums up to an amount of 40 per cent, and that should be retained because it increases the percentage of insured farms.

Overall, the share of insurance in Serbia’s financial system is not negligible, and the investment potential of insurance companies alone totals just over 600 million euros, which can represent an additional incentive for the national economy. That’s why it’s important to create an environment in which the insurance industry achieves significant growth every year, as this would also increase the total financial mass invested in government securities and bonds, from which the state gains a significant benefit.

The new Law on Insurance, which came into force as of 1st January 2016, largely aligns the operations of our insurance companies with European regulations. Enacting a new law on compulsory motor vehicle insurance remains to be done, and the future growth and stability of insurance companies on our market will depend largely on this.

GENERALI OSIGURANJE SRBIJA

W

ALEKSANDROS DANILIDIS

 We are optimists regarding 2016 and we continue to work hard in order to translate the optimism of our plans into very good results

HEINEKEN Serbia started operating in 2008 and, from a low single digit volume share base, managed to become one of the top breweries for growth in Europe in a short period of time by increasing our share and more than doubling our volumes.

We don’t underestimate the fact that the external environment is unpredictable and that uncertainty in the broader socioeconomic situation in Europe could influence the dynamics of the Serbian economy and beer market. On the other hand, we remain optimistic for several reasons: Serbia’s GDP achieved a moderate growth rate last year and the outlook for 2016 is even better; the beer market grew for the first time after many years of negative results and we believe consumers are giving us a clear signal that they are really interested in the progress of our category. The beer category offers a wide variety of products, tastes and pack types, and we already see consumers react very positively to this trend; at the same time, all major breweries in the country are supporting the role of our sector and bringing the rich heritage and the quality attributes of our products closer to Serbian consumers. We are getting closer to a time when consumers will discover the “magic of brewing“.

On the top of everything, we are optimists because we believe in our plans.

We believe in the strength of our portfolio and the value of our innovations. We believe in our plans to invest further in the continuous improvement of our production facilities.

We believe in the strong, talented team that leads our company and we are proud that more and more of our Serbian colleagues are pursuing their careers in HEINEKEN worldwide.

Overall, we are optimists because we believe that there is still room to improve and offer more to Serbian consumers and society, and this has proven to be the “secret” behind our continuous growth.

GENERAL MANAGER, HEINEKEN

TOPIC: BANKING SAVINGS vs. INVESTING IN LIFE INSURANCE: WILL TRENDS CHANGE IN 2016?

Systematic Education of the Population Needed

 As a result of the low demand on banks caused by the large amount of money and reduced demand for loans, interest on savings in most banks in Serbia is zero or close to zero, while in banking circles there are suggestions that socalled negative rates will be introduced

anks estimate that, despite this, citizens will not withdraw their money from banks and that reduced interest on savings will earn more, but will also provide room to reduce interest on loans and thus GORDANA BUKUMIRIC generate their growth. In such a situation, however, it PRESIDENT OF THE is to be expected that many citizens will withdraw theEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF UNIQA INSURANCE ir savings and opt for savings “under the mattress” or seek to re-invest their money.

On the other hand, following an initial boom around 2008, the economic crisis has slowed the growth of life insurance in Serbia, thus, according to the information available, life insurance is currently paid in Serbia by about half a million citizens, which is well below than the European average.

Investing through bank savings and investments in life insurance are not mutu-

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ally exclusive, but – comparing current conditions and benefits – it is far more cost-effective and rational to invest in life insurance than in bank savings.

I see the main reason why this is not so, first of all, in the absence of the systemic educating of the population about the importance of, and the need for, insurance in general. Promotions of all insurance products are also lacking, including life insurance as a form of long-term saving, which, in addition to serving this interest, also provides the user with life insurance. We have to work on this through the Association of Insurers, as well as within each insurance company individually.

Both the lives and investments of citizens are often risky, and citizens should know what the insurance industry could do for them. One of the medium-term solutions for stimulating demand for life insurance is to reduce tax, as an additional form of support and for the development of the behaviour of the population, to save will taking care of their own future.

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INTERVIEW

Respect for Differences

UNTIL A CONSENSUS BOJANA TODOROVIĆ ASSISTANT MINISTER AT THE SERBIAN MINISTRY OF TRADE, TOURISM AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Even after ten years, the Economic community of the countries of Central Europe respects diversity and fosters tolerance and compromise

■ This year formally marks the tenth anniversary of the signing of the CEFTA 2006 Agreement. In your opinion, to what extent has this agreement fulfilled the initial expectations?

A

fter ten years as a member of the Central European Free Trade Association, CEFTA, Serbia is satisfied with relations, procedures and projects, which undoubtedly ease the country’s path towards the EU. That which we do in respecting this agreement, the procedures we learn from and apply, are all good preparation for integration into the EU. A lot has been done in a decade and it could only be noticed that the enthusiasm of the first few years of the organisation has a little faded and that now the member states pay more attention to protecting the interests of their own countries, which is perhaps normal, but of course not at the expense of others, says Bojana Todorović, Assistant Minister at the Serbian Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications.

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- Given that I have been included in the activities of CEFTA from day one, I think this is the very good realisation of a positive initiative, which is fortunately still continuing.

Much has already been done. We have been unable to do some things to date, but I really think the result is positive, especially for Serbia. Due in particular to the major trade deficit we have with the outside world, especially with the EU, the surplus of between 1.5 and 1.8 billion euros that we have with CEFTA, and which is growing from year to year, provides us with a significant balance. Seen from a broader perspective, it can be seen that, in addition to its major regional significance, CEFTA’s share in Serbia’s trade is falling, while trade with the EU is increasing as the country’s EU integration process progresses.

■ CEFTA also has its own political function – stimulating co-

operation and dialogue in the region, as well as a multi-layered economic role.

- It should also be noted that all decisions in CEFTA are taken by

DIVERSITY

LIBERALISATION

LEGISLATION

All decisions in CEFTA are taken by consensus, which is good training for negotiating, tolerance and respecting the diversity of member states

The part relating to the liberalisation of trade has been completed and customs duties have been abolished, while now we face a new task of liberalising the services market

Serbia, like other member countries, must harmonise its legislation with the rules of the WTO and finalise negotiations with Brazil, Ukraine and the Russian Federation

consensus, which is good training for negotiating, tolerance and ative advantages and I think it will remain like this until the respecting the diversity of member states. At some moments it establishment of value chains and supply chains. However, we seemed like an agreement would never come, but in time we have already doing a lot of work on that and so far two areas have all grown accustomed to dialogue and been identified – the automotive inPolitics does not impact on now there is much less wrangling than dustry and non-alcoholic beverages. at the beginning and decisions are the work of CEFTA, although in A special study on this is being carmade much more quickly. Of course, as certain situations it is evident ried out by a working group of UK time progresses, each country wants experts, with recommendations on that the overall atmosphere primarily to meet its own targets, but how to exploit these defined chains reflects the current political also to find a compromise for that. to ensure final products are of a higher quality. circumstances in the region ■In contrast to that, how much of a ■For many years there has been talk about further liberalisafactor in attracting foreign investment was represented by the creating of a larger space for free trade?

- The initial idea was for CEFTA to be presented as a single investment destination and to promote the region as a whole, which is still just an idea requiring work to be realised. In the meantime, each country highlights and promotes its compar-

tion and the abolition of non-tariff barriers. You recently announced that things could finally start moving from a standstill.

- The part relating to the liberalisation of trade has been completed and customs duties have been abolished, while now we face a new task of liberalising the services market. Negotia-

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tions on the liberalisation of services should be finalised by the middle of this year, which will allow for the recognition of qualifications, diplomas and professional services. That could be significant for Serbia, because 60 per cent of the structure of the Serbian economy/GDP comprises services.

What is also new is that work is being carried out on a new agreement on trade facilitation, i.e., easing procedures at borders. Such an agreement exists within the WTO as the Trade Facilitation Agreement and it implies the unifying of customs documents, procedures, border inspections, limited waiting times etc. The first draft of that agreement, under the auspices of CEFTA, should be ready by summer.

When it comes to the abolition of non-tariff barriers, we are constantly working on that, but there are always individual examples.

They generally occur seasonally, when some countries impose additional measures under pressure from domestic industries.

■ How much are the disputes that

occasionally arise within CEFTA part of a deeper problem – i.e. the fact that many countries have not taken sufficient advantage of the opportunity to diversify their production and, thus, they seek to close their markets, mostly in the food domain?

- Serbia, as the largest country and the largest partner, is also the most competitive in that group and has no such problems, but some countries have not moved beyond old production methods and they still do a lot of work and produce goods in a traditional way. It is left up to every country to decide how to diversify production and in what way.

■ How do negotiations with Ko-

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towards the EU, but also as a stop on the way to Serbia entering the WTO. After years of waiting, how close are we to that objective today?

launched an initiative to review these procedures, which will ensure disputes can be resolved quickly and offenders punished appropriately

- Given that the problem of Kosovo’s representation in CEFTA has been resolved, we no longer have any kind of unclear situation, because it is presented with a star referring to UNSCR 1244, and when a decision is made it is necessary for UNMIK to participate as signatory of the Agreement. Kosovo has no more problems within CEFTA than other countries and it could not be said that these are a consequence of political re136

■ Back in its early days, CEFTA was seen not only as a path

- CEFTA is indeed seen as a path towards the EU, but not as a path to WTO membership. In the CEFTA preamble all basic principles are taken from the WTO, while some provisions directly refer to relevant WTO members.

Today the WTO has 164 member countries, which makes it an immense organisation in which decisions are taken by consensus and are now waited for longer than ever before. And, in addition to regular activities, within the framework of the WTO agreement has also been reached on the Trade Facilitation Agreement, after ten years of negotiations, which is the document that also provides the basis for negotiations within CEFTA. The fact is that the slowness of the multilateral trading system has prompted many WTO members to turn regional, instead of multilateral, cooperation, which certainly undermines the importance of this once powerful trading organisation. Serbia, like The system for settling disputes other member countries, must in CEFTA is not effective, because harmonise its legislation with there are no adequate sanctions the rules of the WTO and finalise negotiations with Brazil, Ukraine or compensation. Serbia has and the Russian Federation.

sovo influence relations within CEFTA, considering that until some time ago accusations had been levelled by Kosovo that Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia were blocking the export of goods from Kosovo?

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lations or situations, but rather only trade relations, in which every country protects its own interests.

■ Do you think that, despite the

possibilities of further liberalisation, the CEFTA agreement has actually more or less completed its mission?

- That certainly cannot be said, because we have launched liberalisation of the services market, so there is work and activities to be done for quite some time into the future. There will be many questions about this issue and a consensus must be reached regarding everything. And more work must be done for the services market, and then also on the new trade facilitation agreement, which has been agreed by the prime ministers of all CEFTA countries. When we finish that, some new ideas and demands for new agreements will probably emerge, which will make CEFTA an even stronger organisation, justifying its existence even more. ■

JANUARY BUSINESS LEADER’S MEETING POINT

PAGE 28

PAGE 36

ANDREA SIMONCELLI President of Management Board and CEO

PETROS GEMINTZIS Director, Hellenic Sugar

Market and Generalli to Grow Together

Challenging Vision

PAGE 32

PAGE 37

BOŽIDAR ALEKSANDROVIĆ owner of the Aleksandrović Winery

SVETLANA STOJŠIC Regional Manager at WIFI

Triumph of Vision and Dedication

Education Key to Success FEBRUARY

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INTERVIEW

ANDREA SIMONCELLI, GENERALI POLAND MANAGEMENT BOARD PRESIDENT AND CEO

Market and Generali to Grow Together Serbia is more than ready to join the EU in terms of insurance compliance, but it has yet to achieve full market freedom. Strong potential for industry growth provides for Generali’s further prospects

T

Andrea Simoncelli, who has led insurance company Generali osiguranje Serbia for five years, is leaving Belgrade to take on a new challaning post in Poland, after having achieved, along with his team, double digit growth and a total market share of 23 per cent in 2015. “This is the result of teamwork”, says Simoncelli in this interview for CorD Magazine.

sults in public tenders. As far as life is concerned, with a 40 per cent market share in the country, we are undisputed number one.

■ Generali’s total market share has

■ Generali Osiguranje Serbia is the founder of the Generali Voluntary Pension Fund – the first of its kind in Serbia – as well as Generali Reinsurance Serbia and a company for non-life insurance in Montenegro. How much have these moves contributed to securing Generali’s position as a regional leader?

- Generali voluntary pension fund, with a 28 per cent market share, recorded the highest yield in 2015 and this confirmed the good performance of our financial department. Nataša Marjanović in The Serbian insurance market particular, as general manager of the still has plenty of room to grow Pension Fund, reported once more the highest yield in the market and ■ Last year proved extremely sucand Generali will continue to this makes the Generali Voluntary cessful for Generali. Which factors play an important role in this Pension Fund a real gem within Gencontributed most to the growth of erali’s insurance activities in Serbia. premiums in both the life and nongrowth Moreover, Generali Reinsurance life insurance segments? has also contributed to the extraordi- We have witnessed the extraordinary - This 23 per cent is an extraordinarily growth of Generali osiguranje Serbia in good share of market, particularly in Sernary results of our insurance activities, both life and non-life segments. As far providing us with the best reinsurance bia – where the total market continues as non-life is concerned, we enjoyed contract, both in terms of capacity and to be quite stable, even though in 2015 – at least for the first half of the year in terms of placing risk outside the Rewe experienced double-digit growth for – a tariff increase in MTPL, which was the first time in the last five years. We public of Serbia. Finally, we have Generparticularly successful for the increare number one in life and number two ali osiguranje Montenegro. As I always in non-life, just because we don’t want to say, Montenegro may be a small country, mental presence of Generali osiguranje overly increase our exposure to the main but it is an extremely interesting insurSerbia, above all in the non-life, nonline of business, that is MTPL, which, as motor business line, and particularly in ance market. It is headed by Dejan Bajić, you know, implies some risk factors in property and accident insurance, and who is an extraordinarily good general the case that our portfolio enlarges. an increased presence of successful remanager.

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reached 23 per cent. Are you satisfied with this result and do you think Generali could progress even more and take a leading position on the market?

■ In which of the areas where Generali is

■ You were appointed Chairman of the

active do you see the greatest opportunities for growth in the coming period?

Supervisory Board of Generali Romania Insurance Reinsurance in 2013. Could you compare the Serbian market with the markets of the region?

- You know, Generali continues to build its reputation as the best company in terms of customer service. The result of the Transactional Net Promoter Score shows how close Generali osiguranje Serbia is to its customers, in terms of swift responses within 24 hours of customer requests, complaints or demands.

The recent statistics issued by the National Bank of Serbia show once more that Generali osiguranje Serbia is the quickest in terms of paying out on claims and, therefore, we continue to be the leaders in the claims handling process.

- Serbia is more than ready to join the EU in terms of insurance compliance, even if it doesn’t have compulsory adherence to Solvency II rules. Romania, as an EU member, already has all European principles embedded in its legislation.

■ Which successes of Generali Osiguranje Serbia, and your personal successes, would you single out as being the most prominent from 2011 until today?

- I like this question very much; it’s probably the best one I could receive. There My greatest achievements in is no personal success. When I these five years have been to arrived in Serbia five years ago, build a group of managers, Generali was one of a number of insurance companies; we still had particularly the members of a minority share of Delta and we the Executive Committee, were, let’s say, among the group and teach people how to work of service providers. Today we can together say that we are in the leading position, both in life and non-life, and The difference between Romania and that we can be considered the most Serbia is not in that legislation, which is efficient and most professional, and quite similar, but rather in the attitude the quickest in handling claims. So, of customers. Romanian customers are the reputation of Generali in Serbia, much more demanding in terms of prodwhich is now fully owned by Generali Group, has achieved growth in terms ucts and claims handling. This demand of both premium profit and customer sometimes does not correspond to the reputation. And the reason is not the same transparency and the same … let’s success of one, but the success of the call it “dialogue”, that I experience in 2,200 people who work at Generali. So, Serbia. Romania is still a market where probably my greatest achievements the customer expects much more from in these five years have been to build an insurance company than what they a group of managers, particularly the actually paid to receive. members of the Executive Committee, and teach people how to work togeth■ As of this year, you have taken on a er – with “teamwork”. top management position in the Generali

Group in Poland, where you once worked as president of Fiat Insurance, back in 2003. What challenges are brought by these kinds of markets that are much more developed than Serbia’s?

- The Polish market, where I’m going to be working as of this month, is the largest market in Eastern Europe and one of the largest in Europe as a whole. Having said that, the presence of Generali is still marginal. Our reputation is very good, but, you know, in terms of ranking on the insurance market, we are not yet in a position that should be occupied by a name and company like Generali.

And my first duty wil be to grow both of them, in terms of premium and mainly in terms of profitability, in order to repay the trust placed in me by the shareholders of Generali and, mainly, Generali Insurance in Poland.

■ Which global trends in the

insurance field would you highlight in these turbulent times in which we live?

- At the worldwide level, insurance is becoming more and more a service for attaining so-called peace of mind; a service to cover both assets and personal issues in the case of any event that could happen during a lifetime.

In Serbia the trend that I found is to develop a more free market. The presence of Austrian, Italian and, let’s say, a Serbian company – in total six insurance companies that represent eighty per cent of the total market share – means that the market is not completely ruled by what could be called free competition. There are still some limitations, due to the present activities of “technical checks”, and this is an issue that has to be revised through new laws, in order to clearly divide the activity of “technical checks”, in terms of checking a registration, from the activity of insurance. Finally, I am convinced that the Serbian insurance market still has plenty of room to grow and that Generali will continue to play an important role in this growth. ■ FEBRUARY

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LOCAL

NEWS

LEADING BRAND

RAILWAY STATION

“Air Serbia is today the leading brand among Europe’s small airlines and, in addition to the announced direct flights to New York, it could also be offering flights to Toronto and Chicago in two to three years.” — JAMES HOGAN, President and CEO of Etihad Airways SALARY

Prokop Train Station Opens to Traffic A new eight-track railway station worth €25.8 million opened to traffic in Belgrade on Januarz 26. The project was completed in 420 days, the government said in a press release, adding that the ground-breaking ceremony took place 40 years ago.

The Prokop station was designed by Belgrade-based Saobracajni institut CIP Ltd, as the construction works were conducted by a consortium headed by Serbia’s Energoprojekt Holding.

Net Monthly Salary in Serbia up 1.5% The average net monthly salary in Serbia increased 1.5% year-on-year in real terms to 51,485 dinars €419in December, data of the country’s statistics office showed on end January. On a monthly basis, Serbia’s net average wage was 16.8% higher in real terms in December, statistics office indicated.

In November, Serbia’s net average wage dropped 1.4% on the year and increased 0.2% on the month to 44,166 dinars.

Source: SeeNews

DDOR NOVI SAD

High Business Standards Confirmed

The remaining construction works - on an office building, with a 100,000 sq/m retail area and a adjacent infrastructure - will be fully completed in 2018, a year ahead of the plan.

The project was financed with the proceeds of a loan extended by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, as preliminary estimates put the project costs at around €24 million.

Photo: TANJUG/ Srđan Ilić

DDOR Novi Sad has become the first insurance company in Serbia to add to its business profile the ISO 10002: 2007 certificate of standards for handling consumer complaints. Such a business process is fully orientated towards satisfaction for users of insurance services, while its goal is to establish and implement an efficient and effective way of resolving the complaints of policyholders.

DDOR is also the first insurance company in Serbia to possess the stamp “Protected consumer”, which is awarded by the National Union of

PKS

AGREEMENT

Serbia, S. Korea Sign Agreement on Avoiding Double Taxation Serbian Finance Minister Dusan Vujovic and South Korean Ambassador Lee Do-Hoon signed an agreement on avoidance of double taxation of income. The agreement is aimed at encouraging more efficient business cooperation.

The agreement is expected to take effect on January 1, 2017, by which time it must be adopted in both national parliaments.

It is “a significant contribution to improving bilateral economic and financial cooperation between Serbia and the Republic of Korea,” the Serbian Ministry of Finance said in a statement.

Source Tanjug

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Consumers.

This recognition is a guarantee of the highest quality of services on the market and represents a legally protected sign of trust as a guarantee that a particular company has reached the highest level of quality in the services it offers.

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Germany Supports Economic Growth of Serbia and the Region The German institutions and business community will back the sustainable development and growth of the Serbian economy through joint projects of dual education and incentives to entrepreneurship, it was said in meetings which President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) Marko Cadez had in Berlin.

He discussed further steps in implementing bilateral and regional initiatives in separate meetings at German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office, the foreign ministry, ministry for economic affairs and energy, and ministry for economic cooperation and development and the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry. In mid-March, another Serbia-Germany business forum will be held in Frankfurt, bringing together top state officials.

President of the Kosovo Chamber of Kosovo Safet Grdazliju is on the visit to Berlin together with Cadez.

RAILWAY

DID YOU KNOW?

“Works on the construction of the Belgrade-Budapest railway would begin in the second half of 2016.” — ZORANA MIHAJLOVIĆ, Serbian

Your brain is capable of having more ideas than the number of atoms in the known universe

Deputy Prime Minister

NIKOLA TESLA AIRPORT

Belgrade Airport Needs €1bln Investments

Placements & postings appointments@aim.rs

ANDREJ BESLAĆ

CEO of Carlsberg Serbia Group Andrej Beslać graduated from Hawaii Pacific University (BBA) in the U.S., before completing his Master’s degree at the Institute of Political Sciences in Paris, France. His professional career began in 2002 at Credit Lyonnais and he then worked for company Holcim from 2002 to 2004.

He joined Carlsberg Serbia in 2004, initially holding the position of national DSD Manager, before being appointed Director of Marketing in 2007.

Andrej held the position of General Director of Austrian company City Express from 2008 until February 2010. Prior to assuming the position of CEO of Carlsberg Serbia Group, Beslać was head of off trade channels customers at Carlsberg.

VOJISLAV LAZAREVIĆ The Belgrade Airport needs investments of about €1 billion, and it can get this sum only through granting concession rights or privatization, writes a daily.

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said that privatization of Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport might take place by the end of this year, “for the price of around €500 million,” the daily Politika writes.

French companies have been mentioned on several occasions as potential candidates to be granted a concession, but the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure said there are potential investors from all over the world.

The airport, meanwhile, has been successful over the past two years, with the 2015 profit exceeding RSD 2.6 billion, serving around 4.6 million passengers annually.

Chairman of the Executive Board of Piraeus Bank A.D. Beograd Piraeus Bank Group has appointed Vojislav Lazarević as new Chairman of the Executive Board and General Manager of Piraeus Bank A.D. Beograd, though this appointment requires the official consent of the National Bank of Serbia.

Lazarević, who holds a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration and an MBA degree, started his banking career at Societe Generale Bank in Athens in 1999. In 2001 he joined NBG Group in Serbia, which went on to acquire Vojvodjanska Bank A.D. Novi Sad, where he held various senior positions. Lazarević was appointed Assistant General Manager and Executive Board Member of Vojvodjanska Bank A.D. Novi Sad in 2006.

Lazarević’s predecessor as Executive Board Chairman and General Manager of Piraeus Bank A.D. Beograd, Neoclis Neocleous, leaves Belgrade after six years to continue his banking career with Piraeus Bank in Cyprus.

BULGARIA AND SERBIA

Cross-Border Cooperation Between Bulgaria and Serbia

We all have trouble getting a jump start to achieving our goals, but these tips from highly successful people could help you.

So take the time every morning to plan out your day, do a quick 20 minutes of exercise and think about what you really want in life.

RAFINERIJA NAFTE

Takeover of Oil Refinery Rafinerija Nafte Approved

Serbia’s competition council announce it has approved the takeover of Belgrade-based oil refinery Rafinerija Nafte by local wholesale companies Virom Group and South Frontier.

Virom and South Frontier will become joint owners of Rafinerija Nafte after purchasing 100% of the company, the competition council said in a statement.

The consortium agreement between the two buyers foresees that Virom will have a 51% stake in the oil refinery, while South Frontier will hold the remainder.

7 Things Highly Successful People Do Everyday

In order to contribute to the further development of cross-border cooperation between Bulgaria and Serbia, in the framework of the “Balkan Cluster” project, partner meeting was held on project proposals to access the fund INTERREG CBC BG-SER 2015/2016. At the meeting partnership agreements were signed between the following: Cluster of Health, Wellness and Spa Tourism in Serbia, Belgrade, NGO INNO Focus, Belgrade, Municipality of Kursumlija, Cluster House Nis, Textile Cluster Boto Kyustendil, Kyustendil KNCCI Tourist Organization and Cluster for accessible tourism (CAT), Sofia, on projects related to employment of youth in the field of tourism and textiles.

▶ 1. A Systematic Approach to Achieving

More by Doing Less 2. Goal Setting is The Key to All Success 3. Keep Your Goals Organized and Stay On Track 4. Learn how to reach big goals by taking massive action 5. Track Goals On Your Phone. Get Things Done On The Go 6. Learn how to reach big goals by taking massive action 7. Build Great Habits to Achieve Big Goals

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CORPORATE

BOŽIDAR ALEKSANDROVIĆ, OWNER OF THE ALEKSANDROVIĆ WINERY

Triumph of Vision and Dedication Thanks to its owner’s dedication, willingness to take on challenges and clear vision, the Aleksandrović Winery has grown to become a producer of top wine that are highly regarded both at home and abroad

T

he Aleksandrović Winery has spent more than two decades continuously building its business model, which is based on a commitment to producing top quality wines, innovation and the introduction of the highest standards throughout the production chain.

Owner of the winery, Božidar Aleksandrović, entered the world of wine in 1991, when he began to carefully match elements on his family’s estate near Topola that enabled him, over time, to establish solid foundations for this renowned wine house. Today this winery produces 300,000 bottles of premium wines annually, while its entire organisation – from the entrance to the building, through the entrance hall, tasting rooms and conference rooms, to the production facilities – appears to satisfy the requirements of serious winemaking, in combination with the latest technological solutions.

■ What is the secret of the success of your winery?

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- There is a proverb: Even though you are on the right track, if you stop then someone will overtake you. That is why we invest continuously in people, equipment and new technology. Today we have seventy-five hectares of vineyards, and I started with four.

The Aleksandrović Winery was the first in Serbia to produce barriqued white wine, we launched a premium line of wines and produced sparkling wine using the champenoise method that has won significant awards internationally.

Our best-selling wines in the U.S. are Charisma (Harizma) and Triumph Noir, in London Triumph (Trijumf) sells well, while consumers in Russia, China and Japan want powerful red wines, such as Regent and Rodoslov

■ How much risk is carried by introducing new products?

- That solid and sumptuous sparkling wine actually opened the story of one of the latest enterprises of the Aleksandrović Winery. After just a few years on the market, that line of sparkling wines started to live its own life, although our initial decision to launch production of this wine had seemed strange to many. The winery already had quite a wide range at the time, but this was another challenge – to produce sparkling wine from Serbian grapes according to a French winemaking philosophy.

■ How did you acquire the knowhow to produce sparkling wines?

- In Épernay, in Champagne, we met oenologist Pierre-Yves Bournerias, who became our consultant especially for sparkling wines. We wanted to apply best practices from the original production system, but with our own local base. Production of sparkling wine requires a special approach, because there are a lot of fine points, the grapes are harvested greener, with a smaller percentage of sugar, but it seems to me that when you master these skills it is easier to achieve continuity of quality than in ordinary, still wine. I think we succeeded in creating

a truly authentic sparkling wine, which we jokingly call “Šumadinac”. Our entire production of sparkling wine has been led since 2009 by our oenologist Vladan Nikolić.

changed the image of the Aleksandrović Winery as a treasury of good white wine.

■ How much of an advantage is having such a wide range of wines and how much of a challenge does that present for a winery?

in this way you give consumers a choice, especially when it comes to the export segment. For example, the best-selling of our wines in the U.S. are Charisma (Harizma) and Triumph Noir, in London nobody wants Charisma (Harizma), but Triumph (Trijumf) sells well, while in Russia, China and Japan people want powerful red wines, such as Regent and Rodoslov.

We have a lot of labels, but we are not overloaded. All of our wines are different and in different price categories.

A problem might arise if you had very similar wines and a lot of labels. In that case identity is lost.

■ And that’s not the end of this sparkling story?

- No, because it was soon followed by Triumph Noir, a sparkling wine made only from the Pinot Noir variety. Gentler and more elegant than its predecessor, it was an excellent introduction to the story of white wines. And, naturally, it began with Triumph.

Triumph (Serbian Trijumf)) was the first wine I bottled and it has been produced according to the same recipe since 1992. I was fortunate enough to get hold of a manuscript with the description of the king’s wine cellar The aim of our association is to show in Oplenac and I still adhere to that system today. Now we altourists from around the world all of so have Triumph Gold, a wine Šumadija’s beauty, tourist potential, that is fermented and aged in and the peculiarities of climate that Slavonian oak barrels with a make our wines specific volume of 4,000 litres. For me that is our dearest wine, as it has somehow marked this past twenty or more years of the Aleksandrović Winery.

■ There are also other equally compelling wines?

- It would be very easy to conclude that the wines Rodoslov grand reserve 2006 and Rodoslov grand reserve 2009 will play a prominent role in the market in the years ahead. Our current leading red wine was done in the style of a Bordeaux blend – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Prokupac in 2006, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc in 2009 – giving these wines a very complex aromatic fruity character, which is followed by a full body of great extractives, ripe tannins and an elegant long finish. This red wine

- It is a challenge to have different assortments and clones. As for the breadth of the palette, my opinion is that this is not a shortcoming. Some like chardonnay, some sauvignon blanc, and

■ How important is powerful marketing in your work?

- We are constantly active on the market, in all segments – whether that means fairs, evaluations, promotions, media coverage. This winery enables intensive contact with consumers and feels their pulse.

Winemaking is a highly professional job. Producing top quality is a high science, and ensuring continuity is even higher. It is only when you have made the wine and packaged it that the next stage comes – how to sell it?

For that you must listen to the market, because tastes change. At the same time you have to keep your identity and to do so by monitoring the market and not losing connection with what that wine is. I have always tried to construct my own style of wine, but for it be in step with trends in consumer tastes. You can produce wines that are one hundred per cent an expression of your dedication and approach to winemaking, but then you can’t count on occupying a significant market position in the long run. Anyone who produces large amounts must follow the market. ■ FEBRUARY

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REGIONAL

NEWS

AGREEMENTS “Neither Belgrade nor Pristina have implemented all of the agreements reached in the framework of the dialogue and it was in their interest to do so.”— ULRIKE LUNACEK, European Parliament Rapporteur for Kosovo BULGARIA

CROATIA

Seaplane Routes to Connect Adriatic Cities est cities from both sides of the Adriatic.

Investment in Sofia Metro Third Line

From February 1 com-

Bulgaria would invest

muters will be able to

BGN 848 million ( €433

take a seaplane from

million), VAT excluded, in

downtown Split to

the first stage of the proj-

Dubrovnik airport, and

ect for the construction of

vice versa. The jour-

a third line of Sofia Metro.

ney will take 45 min-

The

sum

includes

utes and one-way tick-

€350mln of EU funding

ets start from €39. At

under the Operational

the same time ECA will

Programme Transport and Transport Infrastructure 2014 – 2020.

launch flights between

Contractors have already been selected for the first stage of the proj-

After announcing the second of its

Zadar and island of Rab. Tickets start

ect that involves the construction of 7.8 km of underground rail-

new international routes earlier last

from €29. International route from

way and eight stations, most of them in the central parts of Sofia. At

month, seaplane operator European

Split to Pescara, Italy will be launched

present, Sofia Metro network is 39 km long with 34 stations.

Coastal Airlines (ECA) have con-

at the beginning of February and the

When completed, the third, or the Green Line, would extend

firmed that from February they will

price of the 59-minutes flight will

from the southwestern neighbourhood of Ovcha Kupel to Vladimir

begin to connect some of the larg-

start from €29.

Vazov Boulevard in the northeastern neighbourhood of Levski.

10 THINGS

FYR MACEDONIA

YOU CAN DO TO BUILD A BETTER BUSINESS IN 2016

Condotte to Build Hydro Power Plants Italian construction company Condotte is investing a total of €19 million in the construction of four small hydro power plants in Macedonia.

Speaking at a news conference, Minister of Economy, Bekim Neziri, said the hydro power plant on River Estericka near Probishtip had been completed and it was expected to start its operations in winter.

The two stations on River Zrnovska in the Kocani area and another one on River Kadina in the region of Skopje, are in different stages of construction.

The Italian construction company is one of the leading companies in the world. It entered the Macedonian

market in 2013. It receives so-called feed­ing tariffs from the state, the same as the remaining 64 concessioners in Macedonia.

ROMANIA

Transgaz Gets €179 mln EU Grant for Gas Pipeline

The European Commission said it will grant Romanian gas transmission company Transgaz €179 million in support of the development of an interconnector linking the gas networks of Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria. The project envisages the development of a natural gas transmission network with a total length of 550 km and a capacity of 1.5 billion cubic metres per year toward Bulgaria and 4.4 billion cubic metres per year toward Hungary. Its due for completion in 2019 and its cost is estimated at €560 million, data from Transgaz website showed. The EU financing is part of a €217 million package in support of key trans-European energy infrastructure projects, mainly in Central and Southeastern Europe.

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New Year presents a chance to get excited about what the future holds and set some things in place that will have ongoing benefits for your business. With that in mind, we came up with these 10 actions that might help you:

1. Carving out more space for doing what you do best 2. Create processes around one tasks each week 3. Schedule it in your calendar 4. Pay attention; listen more than you speak 5. Share people’s stuff 6. Reach out and tell people they’ve made a difference 7. Look after your existing clients better, let them know they’re appreciated 8. Create content that is helpful to your clients 9. Personalize your communications with your clients 10. Create products for your clients

RELATIONSHIP

BRANDS

“It is in Croatia’s interest to have a good relationship with Serbia, to do business and maintain economic relations.”— TOMISLAV

The top three most valuable brands in the world in order of worth are Marlboro, Coca Cola and Budweiser

KARAMARKO, Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leader

HUNGARY

Audi to Move Q3 Production to Hungary Volkswagen’s flagship Audi division will move production of the Q3 compact crossover vehicle to its Hungarian plant from Spain, Audi’s Hungarian press office said in a statement end of January.

It said the move was aimed at improving the efficiency of manufacturing and exploiting synergies within the Volkswagen group.

The Q3 will be the fourth vehicle built at Audi’s Hungarian plant in the western town of Gyor, which already makes the A3 and TT sports models. Last year the plant, one of Hungary’s top revenue earners and exporters, churned out 2 million engines and over 160,000 cars, the statement said. Source: Reuters

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Stanari TPP to Start Commercial Operations in May The 300 MW Stanari thermal power plant (TPP) in Bosnia, which delivered its first batch of electricity to the country’s power grid earlier last month, is on track to start commercial operations in May, the energy minister of the Serb Republic said.

TPP Stanari is undergoing final trials, having delivered its first 420 MWh of electricity to the country’s grid at the beginning of January. UK-based EFT Group - an energy trading and investment group was awarded a concession to develop the 300 MW Stanari TPP in 2008. The total value of the undertaking is estimated at over €560 million, as some €311 million has been invested to date.

The power station will have an annual output of 2,000 GWh while the annual coal consumption is planned at 2.3 million t.

MONTENEGRO

Bids for New Mobile Operator Montenegro’s Agency for Electronic Communications, EKIP, announced interest from several foreign companies in entering the country’s telecoms market. Despite only having slightly over 600,000 inhabitants, Montenegro has decided to call a tender for a fourth mobile telephony operator, although some analysts have said that the optimal number of operators in a single market is usually three.

The other three operators - the Norwegian Telenor, Crnogorski Telekom, which owned by Deutsche Telekom, and M:tel, an offshoot of the Serbian MTS - expressed unhappiness about the decision.

“The Montenegrin telecommunications market is covered by all the big regional players, and even bigger markets see a consolidation and decrease the number of providers to only Source: BIRN three,” said M:tel’s CEO Vladimir Lučić.

ALBANIA

EBRD Adopted a New Strategy for Albania The EBRD has adopted a new strategy for Albania, which lays out the Bank’s investment priorities over the next four years.

The EBRD will support corporates and SMEs directly through debt and equity financing and through advisory services. The Bank will also work with commercial banks and microfinance institutions to improve access to financing for companies in Albania. Finally, the EBRD will increase its support for the government’s efforts to improve the investment climate. Expand markets by strengthening regional linkages: The EBRD will work, alongside the EU and other multilateral partners, to promote regional integration and to improve cross-border transport and energy infrastructure. This will improve connectivity, support cross-border trade and investment and strengthen energy security. Furthermore the EBRD will support the deep restructuring of the power sector and finance municipal and environmental infrastructure. Since the start of its operations in Albania, the EBRD has invested almost €1 billion in over 70 projects in various sectors of the country’s economy.

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CORPORATE

PETROS GEMINTZIS, DIRECTOR, HELLENIC SUGAR

Challenging Vision Following an extremely tough year for the Serbian sugar industry, this company – headquartered in Greece – has managed to overcome current restructuring problems successfully and believes that it has the potential to become the biggest producer and supplier of sugar in the Balkan region

“W

e have just left behind an extremely difficult and most critical year for the sugar industry in Serbia,” says Petros Gemintzis, Director of Hellenic Sugar, which has taken extraordinary measures to maintain its competitiveness.

■ How can sugar factories improve their competitiveness?

- Considering the limitations in the purchase prices of sugar beet, higher incomes in primary production depend solely on the generating of much higher yields and higher polarisation approaching the average standards of Northern Europe. Sugar factories should, in turn, improve their yields and capacities significantly, reduce their fixed costs drastically and seek extra energy efficiencies, since energy consumption represents the second biggest cost component after sugar beet procurement. Improved commercialisation of sugar products could also add to the final value.

concentration of production in only one of two factories and a balanced commercial policy aided by higher sale prices – enabled the company to meet its obligations on time and convert last year’s losses into positive results for the Crvenka Factory, despite low production volumes.

■ Are you more optimistic about prospects for 2016?

- Having restored its market reputation as a reliable business partner, Hellenic Sugar - Serbia has already started preparing its next campaign by targeting a 50 per cent increase in activities and volumes. Such a target requires allocating production to both factories: Crvenka ■ What are the major challenges facing and Žabalj. In order to encourage the sugar industry? larger primary production of sug- A record low number of hectares The challenge of the industry lies ar beet, the company has – among in recent history, barely reaching solely in the rapid and dramatic many other activities – launched a 40,000, along with weak polarisation, resulted in the lowest ever sugimprovement of its competitive large scale project, in cooperation with a number of scientists and instiar production totals in the country, edge in all phases of the value tutions, which aims to bring science of approximately 280.000 tonnes. chain: primary production, closer to the fields and thereby enDespite slightly higher purchase pricprocessing and trade sure the sustainability of competitive es for sugar beet, moderate yields production in years ahead. Provided per hectare, combined with low po2016 is a successful year, the company ■ How are you addressing these challarisation for a second consecutive year, will continue to invest in higher volumes lenges? ensured producers were left frustrated in order to capture growing export op- Within this framework, the Hellenic about the future of the crop. portunities in neighbouring countries.

Sugar Industry in Serbia succeeded in On the other hand, last year’s exHellenic Sugar Industry is a recontinuing its activities in 2015 despite tremely low sugar prices serves to bring gional group of companies operating financial problems created by last year’s forward unequivocally the inexorable in Greece and Serbia. Given that the huge losses. In adverse conditions of an question of the competitiveness of the group is overcoming current restrucabsolute absence of financing and growcountry’s industry, as happened previturing problems successfully, it uning dissatisfaction among primary proously to all other neighbouring Balkan doubtedly has the potential to become ducers, the company finally defended its countries. Going forward, the challenge the biggest producer and supplier of share by contracting close to 600,000 of the industry lies solely in the rapid and sugar in the Balkan region, and 2016 tonnes of sugar beet and producing more dramatic improvement of its competitive can become the first year towards realthan 73,000 tons of refined sugar. A draedge in all phases of the value chain: priising this challenging vision. ■ matic reduction in fixed costs – thanks to mary production, processing and trade.

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SVETLANA STOJŠIĆ, REGIONAL MANAGER AT THE WIFI INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE

CORPORATE FOR ECONOMIC PROMOTION OF THE AUSTRIAN FEDERAL ECONOMIC CHAMBER

Education Key to Success Continuity, courage to innovate, “always on the cutting edge” through lifelong learning – these are the key qualities of Austrian companies that they also look for in their partners

edge that is easily to applicable in their everyday dealings?

- The name of WIFI is to be taken literally: The economy is powered by WIFI, with the knowhow that is relevant in practice.

All Austrian companies, as well as those in other CEE countries and in CIS Asia, benefit because of: IFI aims to consolidate and • WIFI as a platform and knowledge promote competitive and broker serves - in the fields of advertising, international partnerships public relations, internet, new educationthrough innovative and al products, technologies and innovation; efficient training.

• WIFI as an international interface for knowledge transfer, international pro■ What are the major characteristics grammes and new training concepts; of the Austrian business style that • WIFI demand as an SME partner to Serbian managers need to focus on in act on issues of corporate governance, order to establish successful cooperawhether in management or innotion with their partners?

WIFI offers language courses and vation issues; - Education is the key to suc• WIFI personal certificates, cess! Austrian companies incourses on finance control, leadership, which are transparent and reliavest increasingly in their own sales, quality management, EU ble qualifications that attest clearcompetitiveness, where marstandards, EU project management, ly defined competences and skills, keting & sales and technical exHR, international marketing, and are renewed at regular interpertise are the top issues for vals through recertification; them. international business, export • WIFI recognised qualificaWIFI offers innovative and management and professional training tions in the form of personal cerefficient training for businesscourses for welders, fitters and etc. tificates, which are an impores of all sizes, in order to help tant indicator to the economy of actualnew responsibilities. The WIFI - contracthem achieve success. With the changes in ly acquired skills and the ability to pertor academy offers continuing education the working world, the educational world form competently according to nationand caters to all knowledge levels. must change. People today need action al and internationally recognised marWIFI International is also involved in and problem-solving skills, to think entreket practices. Customers can rely on sethe implementation of international edpreneurially and act innovatively. As such, cured qualifications. The WIFI certificaucational projects in the North African, lifelong learning is of particular interest to tion body, accredited by the Austrian Asian and Arab regions, and offers added me. Learning should be fun and stay on the Ministry of Economics, has certified more value for the Austrian economy, especialball. We achieve this with vibrant and susthan 13,000 people. ly in the field of dual training, in cooperatainable learning methods that encourage • Skilled workers. “A sticking point for tion with AUSSENWIRTSCHAFT AUSTRIA. people to develop knowledge itself. functioning economies is the presence of skilled professionals”, which is why WIFI ■ How do you ensure that managers ■ What are the most sought after skills works to develop professionals. ■ receive the most up-to-date knowllocal managers in the region are look-

W

ing for when approaching WIFI? - We are focused on executives, top management, project management and their international strategies.

We live in a networked business world. In order to run, organise and achieve sustainability of a business, managers need “hard” and “soft” management techniques. Our Management training offers practical orientation instead of dull theory, project work rather than pure memorisation. Our experts / trainers come from top management positions in Austrian companies or are established consultants and lecturers.

Young entrepreneurs particularly need management skills to cope with their

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NEWS

BORDERS “Why shouldn’t we deal with securing the Schengen Area’s external borders at a European level, if the task is so urgent?. We cannot fail to address this problem because of a lack of funds.”

WORLD

— WOLFGANG SCHÄUBLE, German Finance Minister

FRANCE

Airbus Sold Most Jets in 2015

Airbus won hundreds more plane orders last year than rival Boeing, but the American company handed over more aircraft to customers. Airbus SA said mid last month that it exceeded its targets in 2015, taking

in 1,036 net orders and delivering 635 jets to airlines and other buyers. The manufacturer based in Toulouse, France, has a backlog of 6,787 aircraft worth $996.3 billion at list prices. Chicago-based Boeing Co. says on its website that it took in 768 orders last year and delivered 762 aircraft. While Airbus won the orders race, Boeing had more success selling big-budget wide-body jets such as the 787. Most of the planes Airbus sold were from the single-aisle A320 range of jets. The companies are battling especially hard to win market share in China.

UK

Tata Steel to Cut 1,200 Jobs in U.K.

India’s Tata Steel Ltd. Europe’s second-largest steelmaker, blamed imports for its decision to cut 1,200 jobs in the U.K. Shipments from Asia “threaten the future of the entire European steel industry,” said Karl Koehler, chief executive of Tata Steel’s operations on the continent. At the heart of steelmakers’ woes is overproduction in China, which since 2000 has built up massive steelmaking capacity to supply its appetite for bridges, cars and apartment blocks. The country now produces more steel than any other nation ever has, and its economic growth is slowing. Chinese steel demand is expected to drop to 685.9 million tons this year from 714mln tons in 2014, according to the World Steel Association. Meanwhile, Chinese mills are on pace to produce 811mln tons of the metal this year. The unsold Chinese steel is being shipped abroad, pushing prices down.

CHINA

Over 1,000 Coal Mines to be Shut Down China will shut down more than 1,000 coal mines in Guizhou, Yunnan, Heilongjiang and Jiangxi provinces as parts of efforts to trim production capacity.

“More than 1,300 coal mines were closed last year, and small coal mines with a scale of annual production of less than 300,000 tons that had major accidents will be gradually closed this year, as well as those mines that are operating illegally,” said Huang Yuzhi, deputy director of State Administration of Work Safety. The total number of coal mines in China stands at 9,624. China, the world’s largest energy consumer, plans to stop approving new coal mines for the next three years.

ITALY

Real Estate Market Attracts Foreign Investments

Lots of figures are currently suggesting that real estate market in Italy is boosting up on the right track. This trend has been confirmed by the conference held in London in mid-November, organized by Legance-Avvocati Associati. The event was named “Italy is back” and was entirely focused on Italian praiseworthy per-

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formance. In the first 9 months of 2015, more than €5 billion were devoted to Italian real estate market by foreign investors. This undeniable interest in the Bel Paese and the will to dedicate more resources into it was defined by Marco Gubitosi – director of Legance London branch – as a “chance Italians should not miss out”.

INDIA

Modi Offers $1.5 bil. Fund For Start-Ups

NARENDRA MODI

India said it will set up a 100 billion rupee ($1.5 billion) fund to encourage start-up businesses and pledged to ease regulations for entrepreneurs, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi strives to create the jobs needed in a developing nation of 1.3 billion people. Start-ups will get tax breaks such as income-tax exemptions for the first three years, quicker patent applications, a credit guarantee program and easier routes to wind up if they fail. The fund will be established over four years.

“The government should not interfere in start-ups. India’s youth should be a job creator, not a seeker. Start-ups will play an important role in India’s growth” Modi said.

10 WAYS

TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE A GREAT BUSINESS IDEA

In order to find startup success, you need a great business idea. But you have to make sure your idea is actually viable.

Here are 10 questions to ask yourself before pursuing your business idea.

1. Does it solve a problem?

2. Will people will pay for it?

3. What's your price point?

4. Is there a sizable niche market for it?

5. Are you passionate enough about it?

6. Have you tested your idea?

7. Are you open to advice?

8. How will you market your business?

9. Are you being realistic about your goals?

10. Can you explain your idea in the simplest terms?

DENMARK

VIOLENCE

DID YOU KNOW?

“The whole refugee situation won’t be without ugly scenes of violence and the EU should accept this fact without shifting responsibility to Turkey.” — SEBASTIAN KURZ, Austrian Foreign Minister

David Bowie declared himself gay in 1972 then bisexual in 1976, but ultimately admitted that those declarations were a mistake.

NIGERIA

IMF Rejects Nigeria's Loan Request

Wind Energy Breaking World Records

Energy produced by wind turbines in Denmark made up 42.1 percent of the total electricity consumption in 2015, reports Berlingske.

Denmark thus sets a new world record because the ratio is the highest compared to how much wind energy is produced anywhere else.

The country is well on the way towards reaching its target of producing 50 percent of energy from wind by 2020. In 2005, wind turbines in Denmark produced 18.7 percent of the total electricity consumption. In 2010, the share increased to 22 percent. And in 2014, the percentage jumped to 39.1.

SLOVAKIA

Auto Production Tops One Million Slovak car production exceeded 1 million vehicles for the first time in 2015, the country’s industry association reported. With a population of just 5.4 million, Slovakia is the world’s top automaker per capita thanks to plants run by Volkswagen, Kia Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen.

Production rose from 971,000 cars in 2014 although the exact figure for 2015 will not be known until Volkswagen’s Slovak plant reports final numbers in March, the Slovak Car Industry Association said. The industry body said the rise to over one million cars could be maintained. While most of Slovakia’s car output is exported, domestic demand is also growing, with new car registrations up 7.9 percent to 77,948 vehicles last year, the association said.

Jaguar Land Rover also aims to open a plant in Slovakia in 2018.

US-CHINA

China Buys First U.S. Crude Cargo

China’s state-run oil refiner Sinopec Corp has purchased its first ever batch of U.S. crude oil for export, a source told Reuters, a landmark transaction after the ending of a four-decade ban on domestic exports.

The cargo, due to be loaded from a Gulf Coast port in March, may mark the start of a sustained flow of U.S. oil to China, the world’s second-largest buyer, which is eager to diversify its energy sources. Unipec, its trading arm, also has the advantage of leased oil storage tanks in the Caribbean, which could allow it to blend U.S. shale with cheap, heavy Latin American crudes for a bespoke mix ideally suited to its plants back home.

While the first unfettered exports of domestic crude have already set sail to Europe, those cargoes are generally seen as one-off shipments by companies eager to make a point after fighting for two years to end the ban.

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde rejected Nigeria’s loan application due to the country’s potential for an economic rebound, according to AFP. In December, Nigeria announced such efforts as diversification and infrastructure investing—factors which bolstered the IMF’s confidence in Nigeria.

The organization will monitor the country’s budget and finances going forward.

The jury is out on whether new president Muhammdu Buhari can turn around the economy, but Lagarde seems President MUHAMMADU BUHARI and CHRISTINE LAGARDE to have more faith in the economy than the actual government by ruling out a loan package for the time being.

AUSTRALIA

Big Interest in ARENA Solar Round

A total of 22 solar projects representing 766MW of capacity have been shortlisted for the next stage of funding by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

The AU$100 million (€63 million) competitive funding round has received submissions for

projects in all mainland states, with all final submissions due by June this year. The ARENA funding will only meet part of the costs of the projects, with the balance to be determined by the market. The total value of the projects is AU$1.68 billion (€1,060 billion).

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CORPORATE MIODRAG JELIĆ, CEO AT LESAFFRE

Partnership Relations, Foundations of Success After 2015, during which Lesaffre further strengthened and improved cooperation with its partners, 2016 is continuing at the same pace in 2016. The company’s priority is to secure the leading position in the baked goods sector, investing in the development of the baking industry and strengthening partnerships of our baker centre that enables the transfer of knowledge and experience, Lesaffre invests in the development of esaffre strives to bring part of the bakery business primarily by investglobal baking industry trends ing in the cold chain, which is very imand innovations to our marportant when it comes to our range of ket, because the company valproducts. Here I am primarily referring ues the potential of the domestic bakto the strengthening of relations with ing industry and the fact that, in terms the best distributors, and as an example of knowledge and expertise, our bakers of the strengthening of these relations do not lag behind their European counI will mention that this year, for the terparts. second consecutive time, we delighted our best collaborators with delivery ■ How satisfied are you with the revans for faster and better transport, sults achieved in 2015 and what are your plans for this year?

We invest in the development and even greater success this year.

We know how important identify- Lesaffre achieved good results as of the bakery business ing the needs of partners and assoa company in 2015. The past year primarily in the cold chain, ciates is in the development of good was marked by the Louis Lesaffre which is very important for relations. That is why we intend to Coupe, the European Baking Championships, which our counour product range. That’s why continue in this spirit, particularly our partners have recognised this try participated in for the first time. this year we also delighted our as action as a great form of strengthBesides doing good business, we albest distributors with vans for ening cooperation. so had very significant promotionfaster and better transport al, media and business meetings, ■ Which principles form the babut what we’re most proud of in the sis for strengthening your compaespecially if you bear in mind the diveryear behind us is that we managed to ny’s cooperation with suppliers and sity of industrial and artisan bakery. It is further consolidate and enhance cooppartners? true that innovative products and moderation with our partners. We will con- We at Lesaffre believe that good coern equipment and technology are more tinue at the same tempo in 2016, where operation with business partners and encountered in the bakeries of develour priority remains gaining recognition colleagues is the key to achieving muoped countries, but Lessafre is also deas a leader in the bakery field, investing tual success and that’s why we contintermined to bring them to this market. in the development of the baking indusuously strive to contribute to its develtry and strengthening relations with our opment. Our partners also recognise ■ What is Lesaffre’s role in developpartners and associates. that and that’s why we have been recing the baked goods sector in Serbia? ognised in Serbia for two decades as a - In addition to the implementation of ■ How integral is the use of innovative reliable and secure partner, and why we international trends, the development products and equipment, has a stake are trusted. ■ of new products and the operations in the modern bakery business?

- As in other industries, in the baking industry it is also necessary to follow trends if you want to be at the top. The ingredients for the preparation of various products have remained the same, but the quality of raw materials is better today. Lesaffre excels in this area, as a world leader in the production of yeast. The preparation method is also different and has changed over the years thanks to new technologies.

Innovation is an integral part of the development of companies and industries,

L

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CORPORATE

JPMorgan to Pay $1.42 bln to Lehman JPMorgan Chase & Co will pay $1.42 billion in cash to resolve most of a lawsuit accusing it of draining Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc of critical liquidity in the final days before that investment bank’s September 2008 collapse

T

he settlement was made public on Monday, and requires approval by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Shelley Chapman in Manhattan.

It resolves the bulk of an $8.6 billion lawsuit accusing JPMorgan of exploiting its leverage as Lehman’s main “clearing” bank to siphon billions of dollars of collateral just before Lehman went bankrupt on Sept. 15, 2008, triggering a global financial crisis.

Lehman’s creditors charged that JPMorgan did not need the collateral and extracted a windfall at their expense.

Monday’s settlement also resolves Lehman’s challenges to JPMorgan’s decision to close out thousands of derivatives trades following the bankruptcy, court papers showed.

The accord would permit a further $1.496 billion to be distributed to the creditors, including a separate $76 million deposit, court papers showed.

More than $105 billion has already been paid to Lehman’s unsecured creditors, Lehman has said.

“While the Settlement Agreement is not a global resolution of all issues between the parties, it ends a significant portion of their disagreements,” lawyers for Lehman and its creditors said in court papers. “The compromises set forth in the Settlement Agreement are a fair and equitable resolution.”

JPMorgan declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Lehman also declined to comment.

The settlement is not expected to have a material impact on JPMorgan’s earnings, a person familiar with the matter said.

Both sides settled nearly four months after U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan ruled for JPMorgan, saying the largest U.S. bank had no obligation to keep Lehman alive and did not defraud it into providing collateral.

Once Wall Street’s fourth-largest bank, Lehman reported $639 billion of assets when it filed for Chapter 11 protection, making its bankruptcy by far the largest in U.S. history.

Lehman emerged from bankruptcy in March 2012, and has since been winding down. ■ FEBRUARY

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AFTER WORK

23 SIEMENS CELEBRATE ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL

DEC

YEAR

Last year saw Siemens’ business operations in Serbia marked by the continuation of good results, a large number of successfully implemented projects in all areas of business and constant technological advancements that have made the company one of the most successful on the local market for more than a century.

“I see great business potential in Serbia and look forward to being able to continue the course that has been established over Siemens’ long and very successful history in this area. Siemens will remain focused on continued investment, business growth and employment. We closed the year with 1,500 employees and in the first quarter of 2016 we will hire another 230 workers,” said Udo Eichlinger, Siemens Serbia CEO.

UDO EICHLINGER

08 CROWN PRINCESS KATHERINE PRESENTS JAN

DONATIONS TO NARODNI FRONT HOSPITAL

HRH Crown Princess Katherine, accompanied by Kathy Fanslow, president of humanitarian organisation LifeLine Chicago, and her daughter, Tracy Armstrong, presented an ul-

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trasound machine and hospital beds to the Narodni Front Maternity Hospital in Belgrade, marking a donation worth a total of $27,000.

The donors are humanitarian organisations LifeLine Chicago and LifeLine Canada, under the patronage of Princess Katherine. Princess Katherine thanked her friends and associates from humanitarian organisations LifeLine Chicago, LifeLine New York and LifeLine Canada, as well as announcing the arrival of new donations in the future.

29 COCA-COLA HELLENIC WINS “MY CHOICE”

DEC

Coca-Cola Hellenic Serbia has won the “My Choice” gold medal as the most responsible company in 2015 in the area of corporate social responsibility.

“The award for contribution to the society in which we operate motivates us to continue our LUPŠIĆ receives the ''My Choice'' award for Coca-Cola cooperation with many DRAGAN Hellenic Serbia partners in order to create a better future,” said Dragan Lupšić, director of public relations, communications and legal affairs at the company. The results of Coca-Cola Hellenic Group have even been recognised by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, which for several consecutive years has declared this company a world leader in sustainability among beverage producers.

During 2015, the company supported over 300 different organisations through donation of products, while 200 members of the volunteer club invested 800 hours in eight major campaigns implemented throughout Serbia.

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VISMEDIC DECLARED BEST START-UP IN SERBIA

The Association of Young Entrepreneurs of Serbia organised the second largest competition of start-up companies in the country, called “Ring Serbia”, held on the premises of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“VisMedic” – an online clinic that enables patients to consult with their doctors via online video chats and messaging – has won the title of the best start-up company in the country.

“VisMedic” owner Goran Ocokoljić will represent Serbia at the regional contest “Get in the Ring”, to be held in Sofia, and victory will see the doors opened to him for the world championships in start-up companies, to be held in South America.

Participants in this year’s competition prepared with the expert assistance of the USAID Sustainable Local Development Project, which is supported by the Serbian Ministry of Youth and Sport, the City of Belgrade and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Prizes for contestants were provided by Microsoft, ITC Hub and Link Group.

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PM’S ANNUAL PRESS CONFERENCE AND RECEPTION

Speaking at his annual press conference at Villa Bokeljka, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić said that his government’s main objectives this year are to preserve peace and stability in the country and the region, whilst also creating conditions to improve the economy through increased investment.

Following the conference, which was attended by many Serbian media editors and directors, Prime Minister Vučić hosted a cocktail reception, where he personally served those in attendance for a while.

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BANCA INTESA – MILLIONTH VISA CARD

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Banca Intesa has issued the millionth Visa payment card since the beginning of its cooperation with Visa. This anniversary is marked by an exhibition of all Visa cards designs in the bank’s portfolio, while the holder of the millionth card, Jasmina Misić, was awarded with a trip to Milan for two.

Banca Intesa has a total of 10 models of Visa payment cards in its portfolio, including credit cards Visa Classic and Visa Gold, Visa debit cards, Visa Electron and Visa Inspire, as well as Visa Classic Paralympic, the first charity card on the market, intended to create a stable funding mechanism of Paralympic sport in the country. Visa credit cards account for 75 per cent of the total number of payment cards in Banca Intesa’s portfolio. As of late 2015, Visa payment cards accounted for 75 per cent of the total number of transactions carried out by Banca Intesa cards in the country and 77 per cent of traffic.

STUDENT IDEAS TO IMPROVE SMALL BUSINESSES

Under the auspices of its strategic cooperation with the Belgrade Faculty of Organisational Sciences, Societe Generale Bank has organised a competitive case study on the subject of small businesses, within the elective Bank Management course. Participating students during the winter semester presented their ideas, with the winning team awarded a three-week work placement in the bank, where members will gain the business experience vital to their further professional development.

With mentor assistance from Societe Generale Bank’s experts, 25 students confronted banking business challenges. The study focused on identifying the needs of the market, competition, advancing a portfolio of long-term loans and customer loyalty, all with the aim of increasWinning Team: RASTKO DAMNJANOVIĆ, JOVANKA ing market share.

BEGENIŠIĆ, MIHAJLO BOŽIĆ, NATAŠA VLADISAVLJEVIĆ

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UNIQA MARKS 10 YEARS OF DOING BUSINESS IN SERBIA

UNIQA osiguranje, one of the five most successful insurance companies operating in Serbia, has marked the start of its tenth year of successful, socially responsible operations in Serbia.

Over the course of the past nine years, UNIQA has invested over €60 million in different spheres of business. It successfully completed the process of acquiring Basler Insurance, worth around €9 million, after which UNIQA Serbia boasts 730 employees, 33 branches and more than 400 points of sale.

“We start this jubilee year with a shift in business strategy, focused on the development of long-term cooperation with partners, as well as stronger and more connected relations with clients. We havbe formed our Department for Corporate Operations, which indicates one of the company’s main strategic directions this year,” said Gordana Bukumirić, President of the UNIQA Executive Board.

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CULTURE CALENDAR CONCERTS

Teofilovic Brothers 6th – Sava Centre – 20:00 The Teofilović Brothers, unique and authentic “artistic icons” of ancient Serbian and Balkan music, will perform on 6th February on the stage of the Sava Centre’s Grand Hall.

During the concert they will present their new album, while this will also be an opportunity for visitors to attend one of the most beautiful musical events, where the Teofilović Brothers will use their spiritual way of singing to evoke a world that we did not know existed, but which is always within reach while being far away in bygone centuries.

The Teofilović boys started their professional singing careers as a vocal duet in the early 1990s. The turning point of their career, however, was their 1998 debut album Čuvari Sna (Guardians of Sleep), which contains 15 cover versions of archaic songs. Their next album, Sabazorski vetrovi (Sabazor Winds), was released in 2002 and contains 16 new songs, while in 2007 they released an album of their Belgrade concert performances called Belgrade Live.

The Teofilovićs have held numerous concerts at many festivals and performed in almost all major cities in Europe, Japan, America etc.

Their live performances, at which the power of enthusiasm can be felt, offer a unique musical experience that is unforgettable.

Horkestar adapts easily to new situations, without modifying its original positions and concept. Horkestar has retained the Horkeškark part of its repertoire, which consists of revolutionary and workers’ songs, songs composed to the verses of local poets (Vaško Popa, Vinaver Stanislav, Duško Radović), cover versions of new wave bands (Šarlo akrobata, Paraf, Dobri Isak), the addition of songs composed to the texts of thinkers (Dr. Protić, Milena Marković, Ivan Glišić), as well as songs authored by choir members.

Horkestar also performs in concert halls and in places where choirs don’t usually performs – streets, squares, markets, orphanages, public transport, parks. Horkestar was also the initiator of the Choir festival “Everyone in Voice”.

On Saturday, February 6th February, at the

Americana Hall, Horkestar will perform with friends in Dom Omladina’s Americana Hall on 6th February, with this concert representing a kind of mini-festival of alternative bands and choirs.

Massimo Savic 14th - Sava Centre – 20:30 Massimo Savić, a singer with an extraordinary voice, is returning to Belgrade to perform for the lovers of the Serbian capital on 14th February, in a concert dubbed a “musical supernova” at the Sava Centre!

Last February, just after the release of his album 1 Dan Ljubavi (One Day of Love), his Sava Centre concert sold out about ten days prior to

Legende 20th - Sava Centre – 20:30 The popular group “Legende” will no doubt wow the Belgrade audience once again this February.

This concert group has repeatedly been declared the country’s group of the year and has amassed the most important music awards in our country, such as the Oscar of popular awards “MELKO”, “Zlatni Melos”, “Zlatni violinski ključ”, PGP, Beovizija, an award for the music for the film “Jesen Stize Dunjo Moja”, many gold discs, as well as numerous awards for charity concerts.

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26th – Madlenianum – 20:00

Federico García Lorca’s Drama Blood Wedding inspired choreographer Krunoslav Simić, who heard the music of this dramatic piece and sensed movement, a storm of passion and a whirlwind of emotions.

The actors of Lorca’s drama, deeply conflicting and contrasting, appear with moon and death as the main motives and elements – as symbols of fate.

Women and the female soul are the main elements of the drama and ballet dancing, which is shattered throughout by the greatest music of the event. This time, Massimo said ahead of his latest meeting with the Belgrade audience at his favourite venue that “the time has come for major changes in the arrangements”.

“I want to give the Belgrade audience a really unique way of presenting of all of my hits, with an emphasis on the latest album. The clash of Ivana Popeškić, as arranger, Alan Bjelisnski, as conductor, a classical orchestra and my band, will create a supernova,” explains Massimo.

Spanish composers and those who are inspired by Spanish folklore (Joaquin Rodrigo, De Falla, Ravel).

In Bolero, Ravel's famous work, orgiastic and sensual passion slowly takes virgin areas, growing and culminating in powerful and passion-charged areas of human sexuality.

Cosmos and cosmic, eternal and human, unlimited domains of eroticism are the only basis of passionate play and dances. Spanish gypsies, beautiful gypsy women, radiating knives in the moonlight, love, jealousy, suffering and desire – these are just the framework for exciting events that are expressed in the human body, action, dance and dramatic prose of higher charge.

An Operatic Gala Concert will be held at Kolarac on 4th February, with the audience able to enjoy the performances of numerous opera singers: Dušica Bijelić, a remarkable voice and charisma on stage, thanks to which she has acquired an impressive list of followers during her engagement at the Royal Opera House. She is considered as being an artist with a chameleonlike ability to transform into a new role, which is achieved by working with the director and studying each role intensively.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra 5th – Kolarac Endowment Hall – 20:00 Conductor: Christian Mandel Soloist: Johannes Moses, cello Programme: V. Mokranjac: Dramatična uvertira E. Lalo: Concert for cello and orchestra P. Hindemit: Slikar Matis

Horkestar & guests 6th – Dom Omladine – 20:00 Horkestar rounded off celebrations of its fifteenth anniversary with a concert at Belgrade’s Dom Omladine youth cwentre, where they were accompanied by colleagues and choirs who have marked their career through different periods.

Blood Wedding - Bolero

Binicki 14th – Kolarac Endowment Hall – 11:00 Conductor: Pavle Medaković Soloist: Pavle Krstić, piano Free entrance

Metropolitan Octet 21st – Kolarac Endowment Hall – 11:00 Members of the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra, Vienna Free entrance This will be another opportunity for the many admirers of this group’s music to once again enjoy their beautiful musical creations, ranging from of old tunes to ethno-pop.

OPERA

Opera Gala Concert 4th – Kolarac Endowment Hall – 20:00

Milijana Nikolić, a graduate of the Belgrade Faculty of Music, has won several awards in international competitions, as well as gaining a two-year scholarship in 2001 to study at the Menuhin Academy of Soloists. She has performed leading mezzo-soprano roles across Europe, America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Her Teatro alla Scala debut was in the role of Cuniza in Verdi’s Oberto, while she has also performed in Rome, Bergamo, Catania and Cagliari.

In 2014 she sang Carmen in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. For the last few seasons she has performed in the operas Aida and Tannhauser at the Sydney Opera House. Rosario La Spina was educated at the Music Conservatory in Queensland and at the Royal College of Music in Manchester. He has amassed performances in operas in America, Asia and Australia.

La Spina won first prize for tenor at the Teatro alla Scala Academy and made his operatic debut with Samson and Dalila, performing

alongside Placido Domingo and Olga Borodina.

He has won first prize at the Mario del Monaco International Operalia competition.

Nikola Mijailović, a Serbian baritone with a rich operatic career, has been on the international scene since the mid-1990s. He has had many notable performances, one of which was alongside Luciano Pavarotti at the Philadelphia Opera. Đorđe Nešić is a New York resident who is engaged almost exclusively in operations with opera singers, from playing recitals to preparing singers for opera roles, concerts and auditions.

Through the organisation “Opera America”, Nešić is engaged in the promotion of operatic art, educating young singers across the country, as well as organizing and staging concerts. As a pianist and teacher, he has performed in famous opera houses, but also at schools, universities and festivals, including the Tanglewood Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, the Greenwich Music Festival, Houston Grand Opera, the San Francisco Opera, the Juilliard School, the Lincoln Center and the United Nations General Assembly.

broken doll – Coppelius forgives the trick and, as a creator and artist, joins the youth centre which had previously rejected him and participates in a celebration of life and youth. Our Coppelius is a bit of a Don Quixote, a dreamer, an idealist who yearns to give life to his creation, to breathe into it everything that he knows.

26th February – 6th March – various locations in Belgrade

The Nutcracker 4th – National theatre – 19:30 The score for Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker was commissioned by the director of the Russian Imperial Theatre, following the resounding success of The Sleeping Beauty in 1890.

Marius Petipa created the scenario, which is based on a fairytale by E.T.A. Hoffmann, while Lev Ivanov provided the choreography. The Nutcracker was

BALLET

Coppelia 2nd – National theatre – 19:30 Adhering to the beautiful music of Leo Delibes, and with certain modifications of the libretto

by Charles Nuitera, the National Theatre has reproduced the ballet Coppelia, convinced

FEST

first performed in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. Initially poorly received, its combination of enchanting choreography and unforgettable music eventually led to it becoming one of the best-loved of all ballets.

Russian Imperial Ballet:

The first FEST, under the headline "Brave New World", opened on 9th January 1971 at Dom Sindikata, with Robert Altman’s film “Mash”. Conceived as an annual cross-section of the best films of the season, the Belgrade International Film Festival, FEST, has grown to become one of the most On 24th February, the Russian Imperial Ballet will perform Romeo and Juliet, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy of the same name, at Belgrade’s Sava Centre. This classical ballet brings tragedy, passion and one of the most beautiful love stories of world literature, the story of the lovers from Verona’s feuding Montague and Capulet families.

MUSICALS

Les Misérables 19th – Madlenianum – 20:00

Romeo and Juliet

that this is one of the most beautiful pieces that is perfect in its essence. Strange Doctor Coppelius’s dream to give life to his creation, a mannequin, becomes a universal theme about someone who is different from us. Swanhilda disguises to make him believe that this is possible, bringing him happiness, but his dreams collapse when he realises it is just a lifeless doll. Left all alone and desperate, with just his creation – a

24th – Sava Centre – 20:00 The Russian Imperial Ballet is an ensemble that was formed by the greatest and most famous ballerina of all time, Maya Plisetskaya.

Belgrade this year has the privilege of hosting the biggest stars of world ballet – the starts of the Bolshoi Ballet. The Russian Imperial Ballet is at the very top of the world ballet scene and has over 40 artists from Russia’s best ballet schools.

It is characterised by its rich repertoire and the virtuosic dancing skills of the members of this ballet ensemble, as well as numerous world performances.

The Imaginary Invalid 19th - JDP – 20:00 The Imaginary Invalid by Molière was first performed on in February 1673, at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris.

Molière himself was in the lead role as Argan, a hypochondriac. During the fourth performance of the play, Molière began coughing up blood on the stage and died hours later at his home.

The play is generally classified as a comedy of manners. Throughout the play, the author brilliantly blends satire

after it and was the driving force of the Belgrade Drama Theatre in its glory years and the birth of the Atelje212 Theatre.

THEATRE

The Merchant of Venice 27th - JDP – 20:00 A fortuneless nobleman, Bassanio, asks for a loan from the merchant Antonio so that he can pursue Portia, a wealthy heiress, in order to restore his fortune. Shakespeare piece played across the World will feature in Belgrade’s JDP on 27th February.

JDP will provide English subtitles.

FILM

Magnificent 7– Festival of European Documentary Film Seen by more than 70 million people in 44 countries and in 22 languages around the globe, Les Misérables is still breaking box-office records everywhere. Set against the backdrop of 19thcentury France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit.

Ex-convict Jean Valjean is hunted for decades by ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks his parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.

Featuring the songs “I Dreamed a Dream”, “Bring Him Home”, “One Day More” and “On My Own” – Les Misérables is the show of shows.

Little Secrets and farce in a fast-moving plot that lampoons doctors.

JDP will provide English subtitles.

important film festivals and a major event in the cultural life of Belgrade, with which many younger generations grew up.

What has graced all the past years is the fact that festival was wide open for all cinematography from all around the world, and for all relevant authors, but also for films not found in cinemas.

The importance of FEST is reflected in the fact that the Belgrade audience had opportunity to encounter great movies for the first time at FEST – works of some of the greatest directors of our time, such as Theo Angelopoulos, Bob Rafelson, Volker Schlöndorff, David Cronenberg, Ken Russell, Wim Wenders, Kieslowski, Herzog and many others.

29th – Madlenianum – 20:00 The plot of this play revolves around a true story of a theater troupe, a drama group created before World War II, worked during the war and

29th January – 4th February – Sava Centre PROGRAMME: 1st February - 20:00 LAMPEDUSA IM WINTER Austria, Italy, Switzerland, 2015.

93 minutes Director: Jakob Brosman 2nd February - 20:00 DON JUAN Sweden, Finland, 2015.

92 minutes Director: Ježi Šlatkovski 3rd February - 20:00 BRACIA Poland, 2015.

68 minutes Director: Vojćeh Staron 4th February - 20:00 PALIO UK, 2015.

92 minutes Director: Kozima Spender

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FACES & PLACES 18th December 2015

Qatari National Day

H.E. SHEIKH MUBARAK FAHAD J.M. AL-THANI

H.E. SHEIKH MUBARAK FAHAD J.M. AL-THANI, RASIM LJAJIĆ, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister, and members of the diplomatic corps in Serbia

H.E. Ambassador of Qatar to Serbia, Sheikh Mubarak Fahad J.M. Al-Thani, hosted a reception to mark his country’s national day, at which he said that the two countries have very friendly relations. Noting that many Serbian people are among the more than 1.5 million foreigners working in Qatar, the Ambassador reminded attendees that Serbian company “Energoprojekt” has been doing business in Qatar successfully for 25 years already.

The reception, held at Belgrade’s Hyatt Regency Hotel, was attended by representatives of the Serbian government, the diplomatic corps, religious communities, and other figures from political, cultural and public life.

14th January 2016

Minister Dacic Hosts New Year Reception

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Ivica Dačić, hosted a New Year’s reception at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for heads of diplomatic missions and international organisations, as well as media directors and senior editors. Speaking on this occasion, Dačić said that Serbia’s international position has strengthened in the past year.

According to the SPS leader, Serbia’s priorities remain regional cooperation, strengthening relations with neighbors and furthering the policy of reconciliation on the regional front, which he said will significantly contribute to Serbia’s success on its journey towards the EU.

H.E. YOSSEF LEVY, Israeli ambassador (left), H.E. MICHAEL KIRBY, US Ambassador and IVICA DAČIĆ, Serbian Foreign Minister and Deputy PM

H.E. ARNE SANNES BJØRNSTAD, Norwegian Ambassador (left), Swedish Ambassador in Belgrade, CHRISTER ASP, and IVICA DAČIĆ

14th January 2016

Serbia and Korea Cooperate on E-governance Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State Administration and Local SelfGovernment, Kori Udovički, met with the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, H.E. Lee Dohoon, and agreed to cooperation between the two countries in the field of e-government.

This cooperation will be of great importance to Serbia, considering that Korea’s e-government has been ranked number

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one in the world for three consecutive years by the United Nations.

Ambassador Do-hoon pointed out that Korea is ready to support Serbia and focus on specific segments of e-governance, such as e-customs, e-taxes, ebudget and similar.

It was agreed at the meeting that a memorandum on cooperation would be signed between the two countries soon.

15th January 2016

Opening Ceremony for Renovated Goethe-Institut

MATTHIAS MÜLLER-WIEFERIG (left), H.E. AXEL DITTMANN, BRUNO GROSS and IVAN TASOVAC

After months of renovation, the Goethe-Institut in Belgrade has reopened to the public. Serbian Minister of Culture and Information, Ivan Tasovac, German Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Axel Dittmann, Bruno Gross, member of the management board of the Goethe-Institut, and Matthias Müller-Wieferig, Director of the Goethe-Institut in Belgrade, jointly cut the ribbon to reopen this cultural institution in an entirely new light. The opening ceremony was attended by a number of significant and distinguished guests including, among others, regional director of the Goethe-Institut network in Southeast Europe, Matthias Makovska, Culture Secretary of the City of Belgrade, Vladan Vukosavljević, the directors of culture centres of EU member states in Serbia (EUNIC) and other guests.

H.E. AXEL DITTMANN

21st January 2016

Nordic Business Alliance: Encouraging Investment in Serbia The conclusion of a recent meeting between members of the Nordic Business Alliance in Serbia and ministers in the Serbian Government could be summarized as being that predictability of doing business, rule of law, a good legislative framework and the implementation of law represent the basic conditions for the promotion of investment and doing business in Serbia.

Speaking at the meeting, Telenor Group President & CEO, Sigve Brekke, and members of the Economic Caucus of the National Assembly spoke about the preconditions necessary to encourage further Nordic investment in Serbia.

The Nordic Business Alliance currently has more than 30 member companies that operate in Serbia.

OVE FREDHEIM, CEO at Telenor Serbia (left), MARIJA VUJANIĆ, Director of Communication at Telenor, H.E. ARNE SANNES BJØRNSTAD, Norwegian Ambassador, VLADIMIR MARINKOVIĆ, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, and JASMINA VIGNJEVIĆ, Chairwoman of the Board of Governors of the Nordic Business Alliance

22nd January 2016

Kustendorf 2016 Opens

KUSTURICA and JACQUES AUDIARD, French film director

The Ninth Kustendorf International Film and Music Festival, which is held annually on Mokra Gora, has been officially opened by Serbian Culture Minister Ivan Tasovac and the festival’s founder, celebrated film director Emir Kusturica.

The festival’s main programme, for the Golden, Silver and Bronze Egg awards, saw competition among 17 films by young direc-

SIGVE BREKKE, CEO of Telenor Group

Photo: Iskra.co, Zoran Šaponjić

tors from Bulgaria, China, Croatian, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Mexico, Palestine, Russia, Serbia and Spain.

The jury comprising Claudie Ossard, a French producer, Amanda Nevill, the CEO of the British Film Institute and Alex Garcia, a film producer from Mexico, decided about the winners: The Golden Egg – Giacomo Abbruzzese for the film Stella Maris; The Silver Egg – Marko Sopić for the film The Bag and the Bronze Egg – Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson for the film Whale Valley.

EMIR KUSTURICA and IVAN TASOVAC

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FEATURE: PUBLISHING

B y JA M E S C H A M B E RS

New Chapter for

BOOK PUBLISHERS? In the U.S., Germany, the UK, Indonesia, Hong Kong and China, renewed interest in the printed word means more books are being dusted off and fewer e-readers are being turned on. Is this a new chapter?

A

re we on the same page? Did you really expect to be book divisions. Meanwhile, e-book reading is indeed plateauing reading on paper 10 years after Amazon’s Kindle and the market for e-readers is being consumed by smartphones launched? Well, here we all are. Each of us will have as consumers balk at carrying multiple devices. our own reasons for holding onto paper but we are Alas, a happy ending for books in any form is not guarannot alone. Print will be getting an injection of youthful teed as the overall number of adult readers has dipped. But vigour in 2016; data, that cold, hard, digital source of information, the demographics make better reading: those aged 18 to 29 tells us so. So sit back; the story you are about to read is a global are the most likely to have read a book, both in print and digijourney through publishing full of ups, downs, twists and turns. tal form. Some in the industry speculate that “digital natives” Page one begins in September 2015 with a titillating headexposed to screens all day cherish an opportunity to turn away line in the New York Times: “The plot and turn off. There is a new consentwist”. E-book sales are falling in the sus in the industry that print and eIn the publishing world’s US; at the same time, independent books have a complementary rather bookshops are on the rise. For added biggest market, print is still the than cannibalistic future among intrigue, major book publishers are readers. most popular format according younger buying warehouse space for larger inProfessor Naomi Baron of the to the Pew Research Centre. ventories. But think twice before you American University in Washington throw your Kindle on the fire: let’s has surveyed 400 university students Meanwhile, e-book reading first find out what’s really going on in five countries for her recent book is indeed plateauing and the with American readers.

Words Onscreen: The Fate of Reading In the publishing world’s biggest in a Digital World. “What amazed me market for e-readers is being market, print is still the most popuwas how many millennials all over the consumed by smartphones lar format according to the Pew Reworld believe that reading in print is a as consumers balk at carrying different and preferable experience to search Centre. Yes, numbers tend to move up and down each year but reading in digital,” says Baron. A stagmultiple devices gering 92 per cent of those surveyed publishers report stability in adult 48 |

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said their concentration is highest when reading in print. co-publishing is proving a profitable addition to its core foreignAcross the Atlantic, the digital-book business in the UK and language training books; the Japan Foundation, for example, is Germany – Europe’s two largest publishing markets – is getting financing a book on how to learn Japanese. a makeover. In 2015 the UK’s biggest bookseller, Waterstones, Back in London we meet Shumi Bose, the founder of the Real stopped selling Kindles due to lack of demand. A year earlier Review alongside Jack Self. “As digital publishing reaches maturity Pearson, the world’s largest publisher, sold back its stake in we have got better at processing different kinds of information Barnes & Noble’s Nook e-reader for a third of the original price. in different formats at different times of day; it is not one or the Back in 2013, a competitor to Amazon’s Kindle platform emerged other anymore,” says Bose. Their high-quality print publication, in Germany. Tolino is a digital reading device and platform crelaunching in 2016, owes its origins to a decision by the Architecated by Deutsche Telekom and four German booksellers. Offline tural Review to discontinue its review section (the world’s oldest booksellers can use it as an extension existing architectural publication is goof their own shop, avoiding the showing solely digital soon). Writers will be room effect (browsing in store and paid using a crowd-funding campaign buying from someone else online). that easily exceeded its target.

It is attracting other German bookBookshops themselves face a sellers and expanding into Belgium, mixed future. More than one million Italy and the Netherlands; the brand people attended the consumer-driven accounts for about 40 per cent of the Hong Kong Book Fair, a few months afGerman e-book market. ter book chain Dymocks closed the last Richard Charkin, an executive of 10 shops in the city due to unafforddirector of Bloomsbury Publishing able rents. Taiwanese bookshop Eslite, and president of the International however, is in expansion mode. Its Publishers Association, is unmoved store in Hong Kong turned three in Auby US data charting a digital downgust 2015 and a new shop in Suzhou, turn. Self-publishing and genres such near Shanghai, marks its first foray into as romance and westerns remain the mainland market. China is now the hugely dependent on digital sales, he second-biggest market for books in says: “Taking the totality of the world, terms of revenue and titles published. digital reading is going to grow and “When we create a space we think grow.” During the first half of 2015, how to make people comfortable,” The book stalls exist mainly for print sales generated 79 per cent of says Allen Su, vice-president of Eslite. the weekend consumer crowd, “When people feel comfortable, they Bloomsbury’s revenue and 77 per cent of the year-on-year revenue inwho still want to leaf through stay. When they can get something crease. Even so, Charkin says publisha book, like wisdom, they buy a hardback. The feeling is that from ers are intellectual-property traders, it.” Eslite has never stocked Kindles the book industry in Europe has because e-reading has so far failed not manufacturers of books. Customers will ultimately decide which way avoided the disaster that hit the to grab the eye of consumers. A verthe industry goes. sion of Tolino called Super Book City music industry and is enjoying a launched at the same time but it has Juergen Boos agrees: publishers are not talking about format, says not enjoyed the same success. period of healthy stability the director of the Frankfurt Book Time for one last cliffhanger. Just Fair (FBF). During the week, the FBF is for trade; the chat is as the global book world began to ponder a bright 2016 the old about content and rights. The book stalls exist mainly for the adversary has opened a bricks-and-mortar bookshop in Seattle. weekend consumer crowd, who still want to leaf through a Amazon may not have matched its US digital dominance in the rest hardback. The feeling is that the book industry in Europe has of the world but its actions are talking points the world over. Brett avoided the disaster that hit the music industry and is enjoying Wolstencroft, manager of Daunt Books in Marylebone, London, is a period of healthy stability. worried for the independent-bookshop revival in the US: “PublishMorale is high and Boos’ attention is piqued by possibilities in ing has only just begun to move back their way,” he says. Still, sales international markets. Under his decade-long tenure of the fbf the growth at Daunt has been as good lately as it has ever been in its majority of German exhibitors have become international. Large 25-year history. Expansion is back on the table in 2016. numbers now travel to the fair from Asia and Latin America; InWolstencroft provides a thoughtful epilogue: what if Amazon donesia was made the guest of honour at the latest FBF. He has finally learns what it means to run a bookshop? It will have to recently returned from a trip to Southeast Asia to meet the young provide trusted reviews by knowledgeable staff; curate a range people getting into publishing. of unusual editions; connect the right books on display; and One of those is Laura Prinsloo, who was 27 when she left stage community readings. No algorithm can explain why book her finance job in New Zealand to join down-at-heel Indonesian fans travel from all over the world to visit Daunt. Forget 10 years print publisher Kesaint Blanc. Now she’s 32 and the company from now: few readers will travel to Seattle to buy a bestseller has grown 200 per cent under her direction. Indonesia’s envifrom Amazon in 2016. Especially not when they can get the same able adult literacy rate is kept busy by a social-media frenzy but experience online.

Soorce: Monocle ■ FEBRUARY

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FEATURE

B y R A D M I L A S TA N KO V I Ć

Double CROWN DRAGAN VELIKIĆ WINNER OF THE 62ND NIN AWARD FOR THE NOVEL ISLEDNIK (CORONER)

The novel Islednik (Coroner) has brought writer Dragan Velikić his second NIN Award, a feat previously achieved only by Dobrica Ćosić and Oskar Davičo

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of their everyday life unwound and they gained life experience.” ith his first novel, Velikić generally writes about the cities in which he has lived, Via Pula, he entered since he recognizes in them what James Joyce called – street furnithe NIN finals. He repeated that achievement five or six times, and then, in 2008, he ture. He has been translated into 15 languages and has more than received the NIN Award for best novel in 2007 for his work The 50 foreign editions of his novels. Speaking about Pula, the town of Russian Window. Speaking at the time about the importance of his upbringing, he says: awards, he said that a person in our country reads, on average, two “Whenever I come to Pula, my body marks an adrenaline rush. books a year, one of which is the NIN Award winner. What more Of course, the city has changed, but I can walk through all those can a writer wish for? layers that I remember from when I was a kid, student, young Well, it turned out that he wished for another NIN Award, and man... The Pula I created in my books is also inscribed there. My he got it. His novel Islednik (Coroner), with three votes from a total Pula is actually the big film studio, Ćinećita, where I set most of my of five, as many as there were members on the jury, was voted the novels. If I lived in that city today, I certainly wouldn’t use it in the best novel in 2015. And thus, following Dobrica Ćosić, Velikić has way I use it in my literature.” become only the second writer in the 62-year history of this award When talking about the country in which he spent his formative to ne NIN laureate twice. They are only bettered by Oskar Davičo, years, and whose president was Josip Broz Tito, Velikić is very precise: who won the award three times.

“That country of which Tito was the president was not demoAccording to critics, Islednik is the best work to date of the Belcratic, nor did I participate in anything there that would now mean I yearn for it. On the contrary, when I grade-born, Pula-raised Velikić (63).

Readers will only follow me if merely remember my journal from This is a work of confessional prose the army, which I still have and which from the perspective of a man who is in they find a part of their own Budapest and who receive news there world in Islednik, not in terms of was reason for imprisonment during that time. However, that state set aside that his mother has died. This provides the mere copying of scenes and substantial funds for culture, because the occasion for the opening of an emotional black box and everything that events, but rather recognising it was known that we had to present ourselves to the world in a good light, follows is a masterful confession about situations in which the precisely through culture. a time and a country that no longer development of their everyday “And, what is most important, we exist. He speaks boldly about that we life unwound and they gained knew the difference between culture would prefer to remain silent about. and entertainment. A long time ago I said Speaking about his own book, life experience that Tito had Krlež as a confidante, and Velikić says: you can recall who the confidantes of his successors were, it wasn’t “Islednik is no more or less confessional than any of my other long ago. I really do not know who those intellectual giants are who novels. Mother, or someone called my mother, has appeared in are confidantes to the people in power today are. Do you know?” several previous novels and has some characteristics of my acVelikić’s biography notes that he was also editor of publishing activitual mother and some that are not. Of course, everything a writer writes about he has experienced. Even imagined is experienced. I ties at Radio B92, a columnist for numerous newspapers and, from 2005, don’t know where this need to detect the veracity of novels comes an ambassador of Serbia & Montenegro, and then Serbia, in Austria. from. The value of a literary work in its persuasiveness to offer us He has authored the novels Via Pula, Astrakhan, Hamthe illusion that what we’re reading happened just as it is written. sin, North Wall, Dante’s Square, The Case of Bremen, Dossier Thus, readers will only follow me if they find a part of their own Domaševski, The Russian Window, Bonavia and Islednik. He is world in Islednik, not in terms of the mere copying of scenes and also the author of several books of short stories and essays. He events, but rather recognising situations in which the development graduated in world literature. ■ 50 |

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COMMUNICATIONS 2016 SECTOR IN SERBIA

S P E C I A L

E D I T I O N

INTERVIEW

An Ever Faster World In times of abundance, consumers want even faster gratification, through the means of novel real-time products, services and experiences. Agencies that are still focused on the TV centric world need to reconstruct fast and find the talent required to turn big data into creative campaigns

DOMINIC LYLE, DIRECTOR GENERAL, EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNICATIONS AGENCIES (EACA)

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lthough economic problems in China and the immigrant crisis in Europe negatively impacted business, global spending on advertising in 2016 might get some growth – predominantly from BRIC countries rather than from Europe - with funds mainly going on digital and especially mobile as the Generation C overtakes the scene, says Dominic Lyle, Director General of the European Association of Communications Agencies.

EACA is an association that brings together the advertising, media and sales promotion agencies across Europe, enabling international experience and

erised, community-oriented, always clicking consumers who live in a time of abundance of products, brands and experiences, and want everything now.

Second, there is a rise of a sensory emotive Web (Web 5.0) and new types of online social and business networking where quality is much more valued than quantity, and members are very selective about whom we share that experience with.

Such development ask for a new approaches in communication including much more reliance on big data sets and application of data-based knowledge as the ultimate need for

the industry in order to stay on top of the advertising trends. Furthermore, such developments open many questions regarding data security and data measurement.

- Our priorities in 2015 were focused in three main areas: legislation, where the revision of the Data Protection Directive was a key milestone in the European Commission’s drive to create the Digital Single Market; fighting for a positive outcome absorbed a lot of our time & energy! education, where we have continued to develop our various training products aimed at young professionals, academics & students; and working with IAB Europe towards industry-wide, consistent standards of practice on a range of issues to be published in 2017 - trading on Viewable Ad Impressions, Brand safety (piracy, fraud), non-human traffic (fraud, spiders/bots, malware) and the delivery of ad impressions to specific target groups.

For the year ahead, we will be working on the revision of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Euro Effies and relaunching the corporate identity for EACA and our education and training portfolio in February.

• What were EACA’s priorities in the past year and what will they be in the year ahead?

• The EACA has just made public its European Advertising Business Climate Index report. In which ways do changes

THE ACCUMULATION, INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION OF DATA-BASED KNOWLEDGE WILL BECOME THE KEY GOAL FOR THE INDUSTRY issues to be shared and dealt with on a pan-European basis.

There are many new trends that are shaping our world and they have great influence on how the communication agencies must deal with new customers’ needs. First there is a rise of Generation C, connected, communicating, content-centric, comput-

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in the global economy and geopolitical tensions impact on this index?

- To a considerable extent. It was very noticeable that the economic problems in China and the confusion created by the immigrant crisis in Europe, both had an immediate impact on European business confidence levels – the next report will be issued end January , so we can then see whether the impact has lasted.

• What is the prognosis like when it comes to global spending on advertising in 2016, and towards which communication channels is that funding gravitating?

- The prognosis seems to be gradually upwards, but growth is more likely to come from BRICS countries than Europe; the trend is still toward digital and especially mobile.

a need for ever shorter product / service development cycles; Generation Connected – or Generation C — are connected, communicating, content-centric, computerized, community-oriented, always clicking. As a rule, they were born after 1990 and lived their adolescent years after 2000. This is the first generation that has never known any reality other than that defined and enabled by the Internet, mobile devices and social networking.

The link between them is that Generation C lives in a time of abundance

• What will the future trends in the communications industry be like?

- Data-driven. The accumulation, interpretation and application of databased knowledge will become the key goal for the industry.

• What are the biggest problems and obstacles facing communications agencies today?

- Many agencies are still modelled on a TV-centric world – the biggest challenge is to restructure for the new era, but also to find the talent required to turn the understanding & interpretation of data into creative campaigns.

• Would you explain the terms Nowism and Generation Connected, and the link between them.

- Now-ism describes consumers’ ingrained desire for instant gratification, which is being satisfied by a host of novel, important (offline and online) real-time products, services and experiences. Giving consumers what they want is not a new development – what is new is the required speed.

Consumers live in a very fluid present, and that is where brands needs to be, to adjust to consumer culture at the fastest possible speed. The result is

ing for in the next phase of online social and business networking is to get a real human experience and to be very selective about whom we share that experience with.

In order for that to happen we need quality profiles, not just showing words, but also profiling rich material such as video and photos, using tools to directly interact by voice and (online) personal presence if possible (web-conference and sharing).

Up to now these tools have been very immature, technical by nature and hard to install or use on our computers. Most of the new technologies seemed to have to go through a 'trough of disillusionment' but are now in a maturing phase.

The next generation internet is very transparent, it will show exactly where you are, who you are and what you are doing or want to do using those new maturing technologies.

So it is time to really think about the message you are sending out with your online profile.

Ning.com is a first example where people can create their own

IT IS A GREAT SHAME THAT, DESPITE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, THE AGENCIES IN SERBIA SEEM UNABLE TO AGREE ON A FORMULA WHICH ENABLES THEM TO COLLABORATE AND FORM ASSOCIATION of products, brands and experiences.

There is no need for them to wait for anything because they can get it immediately when they want (NOW).

This is partly possible due to the fact that they are always connected and that the majority of things are available to be bought or acquired online.

• What is Web 5.0 and what does it bring us?

- Although affections, feelings and emotions have been gaining relevance in society and scientific thought for more than a decade now, in the future, we will be dealing with a sensory emotive Web (Web 5.0) more than ever before. Web 5.0 is the environment where every aspect is holographic, including senses.

En route to that, what we are look-

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social niche network. Small niche networks are very targeted, offer rich profiling and that is where the value is even if there are just a handful of members there. It's the quality of members that count.

• How would you comment on the fact that there is no association that gathers together communications agencies in Serbia?

- It is a great shame that, despite numerous attempts, the agencies in Serbia seem unable to agree on a formula which enables them to collaborate. EACA has national association members in 30 countries and Serbia is conspicuous by its absence from that group. EACA is willing to assist in any way to help overcome whatever obstacles are causing the hold-up. ■

COMMUNICATIONS

SECTOR IN SERBIA

3

SOCIAL MEDIA

Key Social Media Trends in 2016 The digital challenge in 2016 is the managing of the increasing complexities and opportunities of social media to strike a responsive sweet spot. To better understand the current mechanics of engagement, it is essential to map which social media trends are likely to continue to grow in 2016.

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hile social media will and does change the face of your business, few small and mid-sized businesses understand how to go about it.

Most common is the belief that posting selforientated content on social media will instantly build a Twitter, Linkedin or Facebook audience.

Here are 5 key 2016 social media trends that you should look out for that we are molding social media strategy around in the upcoming year: FACEBOOK IS SHUFFLING THINGS UP It would be no surprise actually since Facebook continues to dominate the social media world. For many businesses, Facebook is turning out to be a boon with the one-click ‘Buy’ button feature where users can directly purchase anything on the sponsored post directly from their app.

Another important feature that will increase Facebook engagement is the Instant

time you are launching a Facebook ad, scour through the data on their website to create targeted campaigns.

LIVE STREAMING WILL GET BIGGER If you thought Snapchat stories were taking the world by storm, you should watch out for Periscope.

Getting acquired by Twitter is the first step towards changing just how real-time the world is about to get.

Now you can shoot a video and instantly post it for the world to see unlike earlier where you would shoot and later post it. It’s already become a rage with over 2 million Periscope viewers collectively watching somewhere around 40 years of video every day!

Periscope will particularly work well for small businesses that are looking for inexpensive ways to advertise and reach out to their customers. It doesn’t just provide a scope for

EQUIPPED WITH UPCOMING SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS FOR 2016, AND AN INTELLIGENT IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY, YOU SHOULD BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO TAKE PROFITABLE DECISIONS AND CREATE SUCCESSFUL DIGITAL CAMPAIGNS Articles feature where you can read content directly on the Facebook app without getting directed to the host website.

For instance you want to check out the current news on The Independent, and you click on their link on your Facebook app, the article would pop right up on your Facebook app.

Also, there’s been a shift in demography when it comes to Facebook users. As the younger users continually shift to platforms like Instagram and Tumblr, Facebook is being actively used by baby boomers now. Next

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creating quick product guides, sales pitch, and tutorials, but it also humanizes the brand and adds a fun interactive element to it.

APP USAGE WILL BECOME BIGGER Google’s Equipped with these upcoming social media trends for 2016, and an intelligent implementation strategy, you should be in a better position to take profitable decisions and create successful digital campaigns update that hashed rankings of top websites because it wasn’t mobile friendly is just one way to show just how im-

portant Google deems handhelds to be.

Having a mobile version of your website just won’t cut it anymore. You need to put the same – if not more – focus on your business app as you do on your website. And this goes not just for your apps but also how your apps are linked with various social media platforms. We frequently optimize your apps to rank better and make sure these function flawlessly and browsing and transactions are both quick and safe.

RISING PRIVACY CONCERNS Whether it is the Ashley Madison aftermath where personal data was hacked and released, or the fact that users are already turning to platforms like Snapchat that promises secure ways of sharing details, privacy and safety concerns are at an all-time high. We recommend you ensure and assert your users that their data – personal and financial – are both safe and secure with your website.

E-COMMERCE WILL KEEP INCHING UP Almost everyone shops online, and some users only shop online. E-commerce will continue to be on a rise, so if you are a new e-commerce venture starting out, make sure you leverage your marketing and advertising efforts right and reach the prospects because the prospects are increasing in number. The ‘Buy’ button feature on social media is a great way to both reach out to customers and give them the option of directly purchasing.

Equipped with these upcoming social media trends for 2016, and an intelligent implementation strategy, you should be in a better position to take profitable decisions and create successful digital campaigns. ■

Sources: Britannia Communications

ANY 2012

INTERVIEW

Low Budgets and (too) High Expectations A challenge, again, in the coming year will be the (mostly) unrealistic expectations of clients that it is possible to achieve excellent results with minimal budgets, as well as an most common expectation that a company can develop itself thanks to increasing sales rather than investing in education and training!

NATAŠA PAVLOVIĆ BUJAS

Founder&Managing Director at Blumen Group d.o.o.

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gencies, today, often fail to take the place of being the most important partners of the clients overall growth, believes Nataša Pavlović Bujas, Founder&Managing Director at Blumen Group.

• Which channels of communication could be utilised to improve the efficiency of budgets intended for advertising?

- By doing business in integrated communications for many years in the past, we have been convinced numerous times that advertising is only one aspect of informing the public, and does not mean proactive communication between stakeholders. Because of that fact, the success of every campaign depends on the knowledge and skills of those who create it to effectively integrate all the elements of marketing communications and public relations, as well as all elements of offline and online communications.

• What do you consider as being the “golden rules” of market communication?

- The “Golden Rules” of marketing communications change in accordance with the requirements and expectations of the market. Consumers today are very conscious, critically approaching both products and the way producers communicate with them. The quality of products and services is now more of an imperative than ever before, and communication guided by the true identity of a company and its products is the highest guarantee of successful market positioning.

• What are the current issues of the profession and the future challenges that will have to be faced by local agencies in the fields of marketing communications and public relations?

- Local agencies, like our whole market, are a little bit autistic. Today, when communication is considered one of the mandatory skills of each manager, and positioning in the market is treated as a basic business discipline regardless of your core business activities – agencies should be the most important partners to companies and institutions in defining and implementing

your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

- For many years ago we have dealt with strategic communication only as a one segment of the strategic planning and business goals of our clients. And that’s what makes us different. We have been consultants to many small and medium-sized enterprises, for more than 15 years, and that’s why we’re listed as a consultant in the Small Business Support Programme developed in Serbia by

WE HAVE BEEN CONSULTANTS TO MANY SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS, AND THAT’S WHY WE’RE LISTED AS A CONSULTANT IN THE SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAMME DEVELOPED IN SERBIA BY THE EUROPEAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS A CERTIFIED CONSULTANT FOR SME DEVELOPMENT BY THE FORMER NATIONAL AGENCY FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT – TODAY’S DEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF SERBIA business goals on the Serbian market, as well as on international markets. It seems to me, however, that they are not fully aware of that fact, nor are they sufficiently prepared for this role today. The vast majority of them are focused only on certain segments of communication – such as advertising activities, media relations, event management and social media.

• How do your activities differ from those of

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the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as well as a certified consultant for SME development by the former National Agency for Regional Development – today’s Development Agency of Serbia.

For our clients we create communications platforms, channels and tools that result in growth in profits and the overall growth of companies, and that is what we are recognised for on the Serbian market. ■

COMMUNICATIONS

SECTOR IN SERBIA

5

INTERVIEW

Extremely Exciting Communication in 2016 It becomes increasingly difficult year after year to predict the trends and what awaits us in the year ahead. The reason for this lies primarily in the rapid development of technology that results in changes in how businesses operate, as well impacting on the evolution of our industry – public relations MILENA AVRAMOVIĆ-BJELICA

Executive Director, Chapter 4 Communications Consulting

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hanks to the development of technology, entirely new channels of communication have emerged in just the last few years. It started with social media, via blogs, YouTube channels etc., up to Ericsson’s announcement of its Digital Dude service, which will – with the help of sensors no larger than a shirt button and a smart app – create personal virtual assistant – a socalled digital butler for various things.

However, let’s get back to what awaits us in 2016 in the field of communications.

For many years there has been talk about the traditional, written press release statement and how it will disappear as a PR tool, due to the development of the internet and social networks. I’m certain that still won’t happen in 2016, and probably not in the foreseeable future. But the way of communicating – the way Apple and many other companies have applied for years, through video conferencing, webinars, video tutorials and the like – will certainly develop further.

Companies will increasingly communicate with their customers in this way.

the content being promoted, which should also contribute to reducing their impulsive reactions, especially on social networks, which can inflict serious harm on companies (perhaps the best example is the case of Tonus, which we had recently).

Google Search has become the first step in personal and professional informing, and there’s no need to discuss the importance of online reputation any further.

At agency Chapter 4 we are continuously conducting training with clients, including cross-border campaigns. We advise them on how to create their internet presence in a controlled manner, and how the content can be planned strategically, systematised, attractive, and well adapted

CONTENT, WHICH HAS BEEN THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT FOR AS LONG AS PUBLIC RELATIONS HAS EXISTED, WILL THIS YEAR BE ADJUSTED EVEN MORE TOWARDS TARGET GROUPS (TARGETING AUDIENCES), USING THE MOST VARIED PLATFORMS AND TOOLS

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Content, which has been the most important element for as long as public relations has existed, will this year be adjusted even more towards target groups (targeting audiences), using the most varied platforms and tools. Likewise, care must also be INTERNATIONAL GERMANY 2012 to ensure users are educated through taken

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to target groups. I would also highlight a relatively new target group, the so-called Millennials, who are becoming increasingly important year on year, because during these years they are actually the largest consumers of what companies offer, regardless of what those companies do.

As such, 2016 is key year for them to be included in communications efforts, if you haven’t done so already, as well as adapting your campaigns to their digital habits.

Something I see as one more challenge for communications this year – though it has lasted for years – is the impossibility of placing information in the media if you are not an advertiser. This is a serious problem and we understand the media houses, on one hand, because advertising is the only form of financing for most of them.

However, on the other hand, this practice means media consumers remain deprived of information and the media loses its primary role of informing. Unfortunately, there is no end in sight. I hope media companies will be more flexible and that important news released by companies (such as, for example, support for local communities, research relevant to the market etc.) as positive examples will be reported regardless of whether the company is an advertiser or not, and that, on the other hand, companies will – given the importance to them of their news also appearing in the print media – find room in their advertising budgets to include print in their campaigns.

The public relations industry has undergone extreme changes in recent years and continued to develop very dynamically.

Working in the sphere of communications today is extremely exciting and challenging, and – given the aforementioned technological developments that open up new possibilities – we must monitor changes and trends constantly and carefully, and additionally educate ourselves in order to be successful. ■

INTERVIEW

Short, Powerful Messages Needed More and more clients are talking about their return on investment in advertising. We at Communis use the same shortcut for relevance, originality and impact, as our base approach in creating successful marketing communication LEA STANKOVIĆ

Digital Creative Manager at Communis

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e are still in the midst of an economic crisis, which is reflected hugely on our clients – their business decisions, as well as communication – says Lea Stanković, Digital Creative Manager at Communis.

• How do you envisage the business climate for the functioning of agencies in 2016?

- It is, and will continue to be, challenging - Serbia is a small market, budgets are modest and payments are often late.

Our industry is very competitive and making things even more difficult is a lack of regulation, especially in terms of bids and pitches. We are awaiting the new Law on Electronic Media, which will set up rules and hopefully create some order in the world of advertising, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.

• Which channels of communication could be utilised to improve the efficiency of budgets intended for advertising?

- Effectiveness depends on how certain channels of communication are used. If we send a generic message, which blends in with the majority of advertising slogans or other commercials – then it will not be effective.

4 | INTERNATIONAL GERMANY 2012 Luckily, many companies are aware of the importance of communication in building their reputation and achieving

success in business. At the moment, everyone is talking about digital as a cheaper and more effective channel of communication, but the fact is that anything can become effective when used creatively.

• What do you consider as being the “golden rules” of market communication?

- Creativity, originality and relevance are elements that are important for every type of communication. All these together should lead to an efficient advertising message.

More and more we hear clients talking about ROI, which represents the basic measurement for every penny invested, even in advertising. Our ROI stands for something else, but also ensures that the clients get theirs. ROI, as in Relevance, Originality and Impact, is the basis for the creation of our marketing communication messages.

• What are the current issues of the profession and the future challenges that

of an agency. Needless to say – this is not good, neither for agencies, nor for clients.

Secondly, there is content and promptness of reaction, and new solutions agencies have to deliver quickly.

Consumers are easily bored and this has led to shortening of information, which has forced us to become more creative in order to grab the consumer’s attention.

Another big challenge for us is finding young, talented people that want to work in advertising. It is an exciting, creative and rewarding profession, but its downsides often prevail – stressful work, under pressure, with tight deadlines and long hours.

• How do your activities differ from those of your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

- We at Communis believe in good and different communication and partnership with clients. We don’t rush after the latest fads, but consider the channels we use

WE AT COMMUNIS DON’T RUSH AFTER THE LATEST FADS, BUT CONSIDER THE CHANNELS WE USE CAREFULLY SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AN INTEGRATED AND POWERFUL MESSAGE. THAT ALSO BROUGHT US THE AGENCY OF THE YEAR 2015 AWARD will have to be faced by local agencies in the fields of marketing communications and public relations?

- The economic crisis introduced new rules to marketing. Nowadays it is the procurement departments that play a major role in the process of choosing a marketing or PR agency to cooperate with, and it is people without a marketing background who make decisions about the quality and creativeness

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carefully so that we can provide an integrated message, which will be noticed by our specific target audience.

This is not something that just sounds nice. We talk the talk and we walk the walk. The results of our work have been recognised by our clients, but also among our colleagues, who named Communis Agency of the Year 2015, as part of the UEPS annual awards. ■

COMMUNICATIONS

SECTOR IN SERBIA

7

INTERVIEW

New Tools for Successful Campaigns Everywhere in the world, and especially on our market, marketing is facing pressure to rationalise budgets and secure the greatest possible return on investment. In such conditions, our experience is that the best results are achieved through a sophisticated combination of Science and Art in the dimensions of advertising

JOVAN STOJANOVIĆ

Managing Director at Direct Media

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ome advertisers recognise the crisis as a time when it is necessary to make a long-term invest in its position on the market, so I believe that in the future we will also be a good ally of companies and brands in making informed and timely decisions, says Jovan Stojanović, Managing Director of Direct Media, who expects another challenging year in the domestic advertising industry.

• How do you envisage the business climate for the functioning of agencies in 2016?

where in the region. Total consumption in Serbia is not recovering at a pace that we would like, as a result of the harsh fiscal consolidation measures, and many companies are facing reforms and also turnarounds in operations, due to the process of harmonising domestic legislation with that of the EU. In such circumstances, it is logical that there is a sense of caution in the implementation of business strategies, which can reflect on the communications industry in the form of a smaller number of campaigns and budget cuts for advertising.

THE TWO KEY DRIVERS OF CHANGE IN OUR ADVERTISING INDUSTRY THAT WE EXPECT IN THE FUTURE ARE THE GROWTH OF “ECOMMERCE” AND, CONSEQUENTLY, ON THE BASIS OF COLLECTED ONLINE CONSUMER DATA, “AUDIENCE BUYING” - The business environment has not supported the players in the communication chain for a number of years.

And 2016 will be no less challenging, judging by the macroeconomic indicators and the general developments on both the domestic market and else-

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However, it has turned out that some advertisers recognise precisely such a situation as their chance to utilise the crisis conditions and additionally investment in order to occupy a position that they will collect on during the years ahead.

• Does Serbia have adequate infrastructure that would enable agencies to implement global trends and standards, and thus effectively service the needs of advertisers?

- Absolutely. The resources exist – both technological and human. The famous multidisciplinary qualities and proactivity of our profession is increasingly apparent in specific campaigns and projects. I would remind you that Programmatic buying came to fruition on our market very soon after its global launch. That advanced model of digital media leasing, as well as advertising on Twitter and Instagram, was introduced first in our region by Direct Media. Apart from that, in the project “Telenor banker”, for which we last year won important regional awards, we apply multiple technology platforms, such as virtual reality, which are currently also the latest trends in the world. In agencies we have the knowledge and people who can implement the most sophisticated projects that become examples of successful campaigns at the level of large international groups.

It turned out that it was precisely this innovation and implementation of the latest trends, that was crucial to the pitches final outcome.

• Which channels of communication could be utilised to improve the efficiency of budgets intended for advertising?

- I would say that the whole mindset of agencies should change and thereby generate greater efficiency of advertising messages more than communication channels that are limited to individually placing messages could do.

Our understanding of our clients’ businesses, and also advertising, results in our focused being on our clients’ results – on their ROI. Everywhere in the world, marketing is now facing pressure to rationalise budgets and provide a greater return on investment. On the other hand, media fragmentation and the wealth of information on the internet today provide incomparably greater creative space than when we had less media and scarce information about consumers.

Our approach to advertising is based precisely on a model which combines Science and Art dimensions. It is based on precise mathematical analyses formulated through tools that predict the

relations between brands and consumers, as well as in cooperation between agencies and clients. We are witnessing the fate of many major brands that have succumbed to pressure to make change in the communications environment and have not remained true to their identity, thereby losing the confidence of consumers. The same analogy can be applied in business communications, where each party wants to know what it can count on in the long term.

Staying true to your own values, and building relationships of trust in which both sides will grow in the long term only through such a partnership, is the only winning combination.

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS HOW TO ADAPT TO THE CURRENT MOMENT OF MARKET DEVELOPMENT… THE ADVERTISING INDUSTRY SOMETIMES LOSES THE RACE AGAINST TIME, AND IS SOMETIMES WAY AHEAD OF ITS TIME IN RELATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN THIS REGION result of sales and other effects of advertising. At the same time, it draws on the breadth of creativity for the best placement of advertising messages, because the ultimate goal is to find the user and to communicate with him in a way that suits him. As far as channels of communication are concerned, the potential of digital advertising in Serbia is high, although it is still below the trends in Europe, where in some markets internet advertising has already surpassed investments in advertising on television.

• What do you consider as being the “golden rules” of market communication?

- Consistency and confidence – both in

4 | INTERNATIONAL GERMANY 2012

• What are the current issues of the profession and the future challenges that will have to be faced by local agencies in the fields of marketing communications and public relations?

- The biggest challenge today is not only understanding the so-called “Consumer Journey”, i.e. the way the consumer, in this era of networked communications, decides to buy a product and become a loyal customer, but rather in knowing how to use this insight. In this sense, it is essential to have more education of everyone in the field and to work continuously on improving existing models of communication. One of the challenges is

adequately adapting global trends to the local market. The era of digitisation and hyper-personalisation has brought new channels of communication. However, the greatest challenges are how to adapt to the current moment of market development. When monitoring international trends, the advertising industry sometimes loses the race against time, and is sometimes way ahead of its time in relation to the development of new technologies in this region. The focus of our industry will continue to be on the consumer and understanding what his drivers are. The sector has begun, and will continue, to move towards a clearer definition of its impact on ROI and the direct measurability of this parameter. The two key drivers of change in our advertising industry that we expect in the future are the growth of “ecommerce” and, consequently, on the basis of collected online consumer data, “audience buying”.

• How do your activities differ from those of your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

- We are a local “self-made” agency that has grown for the past 15 years and we are proud of that fact. We have grown from a media agency into a media system that can today manage the communication process from the emergence of an original product idea, to participation in the creation of the product and its sale to consumers through an advertising message.

Thanks to our partners – some of the largest advertisers on the market – we have an opportunity to realise some of the most innovative campaigns. World leaders, the ones that dictate trends in the global advertising, engage us in collaboration on the markets of the region where we operate, because they, like us, believe that our network of employees can deliver on such serious projects. I expect that we will very soon be able to offer, again as the first in the region, a unique tool for measuring the performance of campaigns based on an econometric model that we are developing completely in-house, as was the case with all previous tools to date. ■

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INTERVIEW

Time to Create New, Fresh and Bold Ideas Knowledge, hard work and dedication are the universal answers to the challenges of this industry, in which new trends – and the speed at which they change – represent a test for all of us

NEVENA KURTOVIĆ

Managing Director at Fusion Communications

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ike never before, advertisers and agencies have the opportunity to listen to the consumer, the audience, and engage them in two-way communication that will lead, if executed properly, to the growth of the position of their brand, as well as brand loyalty, says Nevena Kurtović, Managing Director at Fusion Communications.

• How do you envisage the business climate for the functioning of agencies in 2016?

- Every new year represents a new challenge that we face in this industry. Even though it might seem that it will be a tough year to face, I think anything can be overcome if you are armed with knowledge, hard work and dedication to your business. As years pass, so trends seem to move faster, thus we all have to be versatile and to handle this and

tening to the consumer has become a must in any communication. We now have the possibility to fully hear the consumer, the audience, engage them and have two-way communication that, in the end, leads to growth in the position of a brand, as well as brand loyalty. Fair play among all of us in this industry can only lead to a strong market, emphasising quality and strengthening our profession.

• What are the current issues of the profession and the future challenges that will have to be faced by local agencies in the fields of marketing communications and public relations?

- I believe that new trends, and the speed at which they are changing, are a challenge to all of us. The “millennials” are a very important target group and we all have to strive

THE “MILLENNIALS” ARE A VERY IMPORTANT TARGET GROUP AND WE ALL HAVE TO STRIVE TO UNDERSTAND THEM AND THEIR NEEDS, WHILST CONTINUING TO COMMUNICATE PROPERLY WITH OTHER TARGET GROUPS stay in touch with novelty, integrating it into our initial, core businesses.

• What do you consider as being the “golden rules” of market communication?

- Fair play and innovation. I think that bold steps lead to change, thus I will always encourage that be taken one step forward.

Without that, I don’t think anybody can truly communicate the full value of the brand. Lis4 | INTERNATIONAL GERMANY 2012

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to understand them and their needs, whilst continuing to communicate properly with other target groups. It is important for all professionals in the marketing industry to be in touch with the audience, to truly hear them and to create new, fresh and bold ideas.

• How do your activities differ from those of your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

- I think we have a very strong and big market and it would be very unprofessional to talk about what we do better or, to put it in true words, what we do different. Last year was a challenging year for us, as we had the integration of two companies – Direct Media Public Relations and Spark, BTL and event. This led to the mutual name of Fusion Communications, offering clients integrated marketing services. I believe strongly that our employees and clients are the key indicator of our success and that investing our knowledge in them is the key to ensuring a successful and operational business.

• How ready are companies in Serbia to invest in the education of their communication employees or to pay for the services of professionals in this field?

- Every professional and successful company invests in their employees and education is definitely one of the most important segments to provide growth in any sector, especially in the communications segment, allowing them to follow trends and implement them in the right way, which can only benefit the company.

• What are your plans like for your further development?

- Our concentration is on creating interesting integrated campaigns and, while staying loyal to our core business – namely PR, BTL and Social Media Marketing – continuing to push forward, creating new and interesting things. ■

ANY 2012

CORPORATE

Eight trends to Shape the Year Grayling aims to remain tech-savvy, forward thinking PR advisors able to help clients attain their goals and live up to current market requirements GRAYLING’S 8FOR16 TRENDS

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e at Grayling think that 2016 will be full of good opportunities, and we will try to remain tech-savvy, forward thinking PR advisors who can help clients reach their targets and keep up to date with the current requirements of the market.

The good thing about communication in the digital era, on social media platforms, is that it does not matter if you sit in Belgrade, London or New York. It is happening globally, everywhere.

Here are the eight communications trends we would like to present: #1 Brands will have to establish social relevance, as well as product relevance. #2 We will see consumers take ownership over their personal data and become more sophisticated in the way they integrate, benchmark and compare it, to gain insights into their behaviour and improve their wellbeing. #3 Video is going to kill just about every other medium in 2016, as it continues its seemingly unstoppable takeover of the global web. #4 We will see rapid changes in consumer behaviour, as the shar-

GRAYLING HAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED ITS “8FOR16” STUDY ON COMMUNICATIONS TRENDS IN 2016, TO HELP CLIENTS STAY RELEVANT ing economy mainstreams across markets. #5 People will shift from broadcasting content on public newsfeeds to more intimate connections with small fluid groups via messaging apps, text and email. #6 As mobile becomes the dominant platform for communications globally, and contactless payment figures soar, 2016’s consumers will demand instant gratification and ever more frictionless experiences. #7 People will continue to make the shift from consumer to citizen as they work together to demand transparency, mobilise support and affect change. #8 Relationship marketing has never been more important, and in 2016 art will triumph over science and imagination will matter at least as much as effective data crunching. ■ For more information about the “8for16” study, please visit http://www.grayling.com/us/insight/.

You can contact the Serbian Grayling team on: Tel +381 (0)11 328 7080

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COMMUNICATIONS

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INTERVIEW

Communications Industry as a Driving Force Despite the expectation of even lower advertising budgets in 2016, I&F McCann Grupa expects a successful year, because it manages to offer clients a unique quality of service on eight markets in SEE TIJANA ŠKORIĆ TOMIĆ

Executive Director at I&F McCann Grupa

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his year will be even more challenging for agencies than last year, says Tijana Škorić Tomić, Executive Director at I&F McCann Grupa.

• How do you see the previous period and how do you envisage the business climate for the functioning of the agency in 2016?

- Last year was a successful one for I&F McCann Grupa. Despite the bad economic indicators, the constant reductions in advertising investments, the development of new services and

sition process for McCann and Universal McCann in Croatia. That was a very intensive process, with which we finalised our strategic position in the 8 countries in the region.

I am proud of the awards we received, which bear witness to the fact that, even in difficult times, we remain faithful to the quality of service that we provide to our clients. Here I am primarily thinking of the SAM Award for Regional Project, as well as McCann Beograd being recognised as the most successful agency of the year on Festival “Kaktus”.

In 2016, unfortunately, I don’t think there will be significant changes. The investment activities of advertisers

CONSTANT DEVELOPMENT OF OUR TEAMS, EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE, AS WELL AS THE TOOLS WE POSSESS, ENABLE US TO OFFER CLIENTS COMPREHENSIVE AND HIGH-QUALITY SERVICES BOTH IN SERBIA AND SEE the provision of the best service to our clients, we succeeded, in business terms, to complete the year successfully. The crisis did not discourage us, but rather inspired us to develop further. Last year was also marked by the successful completion of the acqui-

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|

will remain at a similar or slightly lower level. The trend of budget reductions will continue, while the absolute focus in the selection of agencies will continue to be focused on price. Our preliminary internal estimates indicate that the market will be 10-15 %

lower compared to 2015. The struggle continues and we will continue with the strategy of growth through export and the detection of new synergies.

• Companies operating in the market of Southeast Europe increasingly demand an integrated service on multiple markets from agencies. I&F McCann Grupa operates successfully on eight markets. How do you respond to these demands from companies?

- The idea of I&F McCann Grupa founder Srđan Šaper, to build a system that operates in multiple markets, has influenced us to constantly move towards selection of the best personnel, while on the other hand we work on efficiency and build relationships with business partners that will exceed the standard of a specific market. Our comparative advantage is that to each and every client, in multiple markets, we can provide services of the same quality – from strategic planning, creative, media buying, to digital and production. A unified, integrated team, constant education and the experience we have, as well as the tools we possess, enable us to provide comprehensive high quality services to our clients.

An additional challenge is that we don’t only operate on markets that are linguistically close to us, but rather also for other European markets. An example of that is Schweppes, for which we work on 23 markets, and Air Serbia on some campaigns for 16 markets.

The consolidation of our operations in SE Europe, positioned us to become one of the world’s biggest affiliate partners of McCann Worldgroup. That is a confirmation of our long-standing partnerships with one of the leading international companies, which see us as a reliable and successful partner.

• Does Serbia have adequate infrastructure that would enable agencies to implement global trends and standards, and thus effectively service the needs of advertisers?

- I believe that adequate infrastructure exists, or could exist. The question is how much of its profits each company wants to invest in constructing that.

We are doing that, and doing so continuously. Our clients recognised us as a partner that can provide services for their brands on various markets

proprietary tools, strategic planning, where necessary forming of regional teams, providing best in class integrated or specialised services. Client satisfaction is measured by agency evaluations that are carried out according to a previously agreed schedule. That is an excellent process that constantly indicates what can be done better.

Where clients do not insist – we insist.

The second parameter is familiarity with a client’s business model.

Then an agency also receives the role of a business consultant. We monitor clients’ goals and understand their consumers and users, and thus we participate in building the company’s brand, whether this relates to creative

OUR PRELIMINARY INTERNAL ESTIMATES INDICATE THAT ADVERTISING MARKET WILL BE 10 TO 15 % LOWER COMPARED TO 2015, BUT WE ARE CONTINUING WITH OUR GROWTH STRATEGY THROUGH EXPORT AND THE DETECTION OF NEW SYNERGIES that are characterised by specific economic, social and cultural contexts. We are characterised by the possession and use of global know-how, which we combine with a profound knowledge of local markets and consumers.

• What do you think are the key factors for clients when selecting an agency? And what is required to forge good relations between advertisers and agencies?

- One selection parameter is the quality of service, which is reflected in the satisfaction of clients with the service they receive. This entails, strong and educated team with experience, our investment in research, use of various

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campaigns, media placements, digital or creating a specific content . In the end, clients have their own KPIs that they must satisfy. We are part of this strategic process from their side.

The third is certainly prior experience and the trust that is essential for long-term, high quality cooperation.

We constantly monitor the results of clients’ campaigns and compare them to their business results. Their success is also our success.

• Where do you see the future of advertising?

- In personalisation, which does not mean rejecting the use of traditional media, but rather integration with

digital media. We are bombarded on a daily basis with different messages and contents. The modern consumer today has the “right to vote” through content sharing and comments, through which they are involved in the process of creating and changing brands through social media networks. It is no longer enough to be innovative and interesting. It is necessary, in this “forest” of different messages, to get through to the consumer.

It’s all about discovering and taking advantage of that relevant moment.

This requires experience, expertise, intuition and creativity in order to discover and “target” that moment. And we have that and are capable of that.

• What are the current issues of the profession and the future challenges that will have to be faced by local agencies in the fields of marketing communications?

- We have invested a lot in communication that relates to our industry, our agencies, projects, but primarily is focused on our people. We educate the public through our constant activity in professional and business associations, because it is important for the public to understand that marketing is definitely not “selling fog”. Also we are very dedicated in improving our industry’s legislature and ethical standards, we have actively participated in composition of new Advertising law that will be in harmonisation with EU regulation. Further, as one of the initiators and future founders, we are working on establishment of advertising selfregulatory body. Industry representatives should contribute additionally to improving overall awareness, in order to ensure better understanding of the fact that marketing is an essential link in the successful operations of any company in the world. It is not sufficiently known how much the communications industry, as part of the creative industries, contributes to GDP, how many people it employs, and in which way it represents the driving force that inspires and launches further development. ■

www.ifmccann.com

COMMUNICATIONS

SECTOR IN SERBIA

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INTERVIEW

More Creativity with More Modest Resources Competition is fierce, budgets are small, and all agencies are fighting for their survival by offering some corporate advantage. In such circumstances, it is imperative to find time for creativity and to take advantage of all the communication channels offered to us MARINA GRIHOVIĆ

General Manager of PR agency Headline & partner at digital communications agency Dkit

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n the eight years it has been present on the market, Headline has managed to attract clients among large multinationals, local companies and domestic and foreign institutions. We build our success on the premise that we do not only offer clients expert assistance in the field of communications, but rather a primarily friendly approach and readiness to assist in resolving all the dilemmas they face, says Marina Grihović, General Manager of PR agency Headline and partner at digital communications agency Dkit.

• How do you envisage the business climate for the functioning of agencies in 2016?

- The first part of the year ahead will be marked

cussing budgets and the allocating of ever less money for promotional activities, and the fact that we will have to adjust and save even more during 2016. However, through new channels and the synergy of activities, we are also trying to convince clients that we are indispensable to them and that we impact on their business success and results. To conclude - the business climate is not good, but that is just one more business challenge. The most important thing for Headline is to preserve the quality of services and – by following trends in this area – offer good communication through new channels.

• What are the current issues of the profession and the future challenges that will have to be faced by local agencies in the fields of marketing communications and public relations?

- I won’t be saying anything new if I emphasise that it is necessary to define the rules of the game within our profession. A shift in the last year or two can also be seen among some enthusiasts from PR companies who are really launching initiatives that should help us in this.

Competition is fierce, budgets are small, and we are all fighting for our survival by offering some corporate advantage. As such, I think the second current question is how to allocate and find time for creativity.

• What do you consider as being the “golden rules” of market communication?

• How do your activities differ from those of your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

- Headline has already been present on this market for eight years and it collaborates with large multinational companies, local enterprises and domestic and foreign institutions in Belgrade and beyond. Our clients know that they do not only have communications experts, but also friends who are always there to help and resolve the business dilemmas they face constantly.

What sets us apart are, first and foremost, people – wonderful colleagues dedicated to their job, but also to good socialising. Without them, this story would not have lasted almost a decade. The second factor is our dear colleagues from other agencies and the desire we share to exchange experiences and knowledge, and to raise our whole communication story to a higher professional level. ■

DURING 2016 WE WILL HAVE TO ADJUST AND SAVE EVEN MORE, BUT ALSO TO TRY – THROUGH NEW CHANNELS AND THE SYNERGY OF ACTIVITIES – TO CONVINCE CLIENTS THAT WE ARE INDISPENSABLE TO THEM by elections and that will have a major impact on activities in the field of communications.

Although major changes are not expected – based on the experience of previous election cycles – some companies are retreating and waiting until this process has been completed, while some continue to communicate according to the timeline established for 2016. This applies primarily to multinational companies.

And when it comes to agencies, they will have to adapt to both social trends and the business plans of their clients.

4 |The INTERNATIONAL GERMANY 2012 fact is that we are increasingly dis-

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- Be clear, be honest and be consistent. It is important to add to these familiar rules that which is brought by the technological revolution that we are all witnessing – the need to monitor and adjust to developments in the world of communications. I personally think that the essence of everything is good news – that’s how it was a hundred years ago and it is the same now. What has changed and is one more golden rule is the speed at which we now release news into the ether. With a good selection of channels, we can achieve what ever we want.

INTERVIEW

Hybrid Thinking - Key to Success The final destination of our clients’ business is growth achieved in a profitable way. Our agency exists to provide the shortest, and preferably most remarkable, journey to that destination VERA LLOYD-THOMAS

owner of Kreativa New Formula / customer experience strategist

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n order to understand the complex dynamics of that journey, agencies need to employ hybrid minds, says Vera Lloyd-Thomas, owner of KREATIVA NEW FORMULA.

• How do you envisage the business climate for the functioning of agencies in 2016?

- I think politics and global contracts will dictate where the majority of advertising budgets go. Budgets will more and more go to digital media and digital communications platforms.

The falling purchasing power of consumers will continue to influence brand spending. The less they spend, the more demanding clients become! But this is situation we have learnt to live with. So, every year again we take on the challenge.

• Does Serbia have adequate infrastructure that would enable agencies to implement global trends and standards, and thus effectively service the needs of advertisers?

- I think that the creative industry, including those dealing with business consulting will, by the nature of things, follow the latest trends. And with the internet that shouldn’t be a problem.

It would be great if the communications industry was more interconnected via an independent industry organisation. Larger markets are more organised and industry interests are better represented.

We have tried to have that kind of organi-

sation and there are good people still working in our common interest.

The truth is that common interest is hard to find. I believe this is due to the way our “market” was constructed, the involvement of agencies in politics, and other transition issues.

• Which channels of communication could be utilised to improve the efficiency of budgets intended for advertising?

- The essence of marketing is “customer centricity”, so there is no unique channel or

fields of marketing communications and public relations?

- Our industry has to face the same challenges as other industries. For the digital transformation of business that companies and agencies need to apply, some money needs to be invested in education, and economic uncertainty doesn’t make that decision any easier.

• How do your activities differ from those of your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

THERE ARE NO GOLDEN RULES, THERE ARE ONLY INDIVIDUALISED SETS OF SOLUTIONS THAT ARE DIFFERENT FOR EVERY CLIENT AND ARE BASED ON MEASURING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE strategy for all businesses. We decide on the channels once we determine the problem of a particular client.

• What do you consider as being the “golden rules” of market communication?

- When I plan a campaign, I try to act as if there are no rules. There are only individualised sets of solutions that are different for every client and are based on measuring the customer experience.

• What are the current issues of the profession and the future challenges that will have to be faced by local agencies in the

ERMANY 2012 4 | INTERNATIONAL GERMANY 2012

- Creativity that can be measured: everything we do for our clients brings positive change to their business, which can be measured, from transitive measures like “awareness”, You Tube views (our TVC for Tempo had more than 400,000 views), up to direct commercial results in sales increases, leaps in market share etc. Just look at the results of Societe Generale Serbia, for example.

That’s “hybrid” thinking: business understanding that leads to powerful marketing strategies; a creative force that turns our advertising into content that people enjoy and like to share, and the overall result is positive for our clients. ■

COMMUNICATIONS

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15

INTERVIEW

New Challenges – New Market It is unlikely that the domestic market will recover financially this year. In these conditions, the boldest agencies will turn towards the global market the fastest, with a fully integrated approach and the strategic management of talent MIRO ANTIĆ

Partner and Co-Founder, M2Communications further development of communications services. The boldest agencies will also turn towards the global market the fastest, with a fully integrated approach and the strategic management of talent.

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onsumers are the ones who increasingly rapidly process information and make decisions, and our industry is the one that should, in an original way, create a bridge between brands, products or services, and consumers. In this regard, our domestic market is at least a decade behind some neighbouring countries, says Miro Antic, Partner and Co-Founder of M2Communications.

• How do you envisage the business climate for the functioning of agencies in 2016?

- Advertising agencies have been confronted by great operational challenges in recent years. The constant trend among customers is: more, faster and better for less invested funds and resources. The slogan “the strongest survive” has forced agencies to raise their standards, change their mindset

• Does Serbia have adequate infrastructure that would enable agencies to implement global trends and standards, and thus effectively service the needs of advertisers?

- This is the age of instant communication and the great din emanating from the endless waves of information that wash over us every second. Consumers are the ones who rapidly process information and make decisions, and to ensure that decision is the best it is not enough to be just an impulse, rather you also need a certain type of experience, or interactions between brands, products or services, and consumers. What our industry can offer in the best way are precisely models for the creation of experiences, or experiences and sharing them.

From the perspective of a creative and “event” agency, the domestic market is at least a decade behind some neighbouring

WE ARE ALSO RECOGNISED ON OTHER MARKETS WHERE WE OPERATE AS A “HIGH-END” AGENCY, FOR WHICH ORIGINALITY AND QUALITY REPRESENT A UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION and learn to cope with many difficulties. It is thankless to predict whether there will be a noticeable shift for the better in 2016. It is essential to advance the business climate in our country and for Serbia to gradually fix 4 | INTERNATIONAL GERMANY 2012 its competitiveness on the global market.

As things stand, agencies must themselves create new markets and the potential for

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countries, while any comparison with the biggest and the leaders is almost unimaginable. The problem is not only in technological and infrastructural capacities or budgets, but rather also in the perception or incomplete understanding of specific areas of market communications, among those in this process who are often the decision makers.

Customer requirements are high, and the level of development of communications services must have adequate growth in order to provide efficient, innovative and original solutions. In order to ensure this growth, it is necessary for companies to more clearly oversee their own market potential in relation to the importance of the role of the marketing industry in society and the economy of a country. As such, greater investment is also essential.

• How do your activities differ from those of your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

- A specific “coolness” factor, as part of the company's overall culture, is something that customers and partners recognise and is a reason why they like to be involved in our story, which is comprised of imagination, ideas and good “vibes”. We nurture friendly relations with clients and have a distinctive approach to work. Creative power, artistic sensibility, the view that something that acts beyond the boundaries of feasibility should not be reduced to a reasonable level, but rather push back those boundaries, as well as attention to detail, are some of the key features in the work of our teams. We constantly look ahead and utilise effective solutions in a unique way, such that we can boast of a rich portfolio and recognition in the world of communications. It is important for us that we are also recognised on other markets as a “high-end” agency, for which originality and quality represent a unique selling proposition. With a high level of quality of operations, we shape trends and transform ideas into communication projects that inspire and drive to action. ■

INTERVIEW

PR as a Means of Creating a More Humane Society Although we live in the digital era, it has never been more important to show a human face, empathy and honesty, which creates the space for the media and the public to respond in kind.

“Good” companies will have a better reputation than those that are “successful”, while only those that are good will be successful

BRANKA CONIĆ

PR Director at Agency New Moment

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f you have a good idea you will also have good PR, says Branka Conić, PR Director at agency New Moment. That is a recipe for success that is valid regardless of market changes.

• How do you envisage the business climate for the functioning of agencies in 2016?

- Ever more company managers are taking over regional functions, while those agencies that provide support to their clients on as many markets as possible will have an advantage over others.

For the client this means reducing costs, centralising concepts, implementation by local teams of agencies and clients, and consolidated oversight.

• Does Serbia have adequate infrastructure that would enable agencies to implement global trends and standards, and thus effectively service the needs of advertisers?

- The central infrastructure of an agency is comprised of its creative potential, ideas and a strong thought behind each of them. If we establish things in that way, young creative people from our country can undoubtedly stand shoulder to shoulder with leading experts and big names elsewhere in the world. Last year our New Moment network alone won two Cannes Lions at the city’s festival of creativity, where over 40,000 ideas from all over the world compete, and four awards at Golden Drum, the largest regional festival.

Digitisation has contributed to an increasing number of our people creating ideas for foreign markets, thus one advert created by our creative team in Belgrade will find itself featured in the ANY 2012 best known media in New York.

• What do you consider as being the “golden rules” of market communication?

- The fact is that the media do not want to write about products and their characteristics. They want to write about what is new and innovative, because if you have a good idea you will also have good PR. Creating content that is sufficiently alluring and attractive to media serves to draw attention and provoke strong emotions, but also to promote a company or its brand, and that is what we want to achieve in PR. • What are the current issues of the profession and the future challenges that will have to be faced by local agencies in the fields of marketing communications and public relations?

- Companies are increasingly under pressure

tion than those that are “successful”, while only those that are good will be successful.

• How do your activities differ from those of your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

- At the heart of our company are creativity and a belief in the power of good ideas to change the world.

In the last few years we are proud to have received awards for projects that help resolve important social problems, and here we come to one of the most important goals of our profession. One of our most awarded projects was the one to promote Serbia’s Paralympic champions,

THANKS TO THE PENETRATION OF DIGITISATION, AN INCREASING NUMBER OF OUR PEOPLE ARE CREATING IDEAS FOR FOREIGN MARKETS, THUS ONE ADVERT THAT WAS CREATED BY OUR CREATIVE TEAM IN BELGRADE WILL FIND ITSELF FEATURED IN THE BEST KNOWN MEDIA IN NEW YORK to operate transparently, with everyone able to contact you directly, comment on your work, have an opinion and share it with others, and that’s why control is becoming increasingly difficult. Although we live in the digital era, it has never been more important to show a human face, empathy and honesty, which creates the space for the media and the public to respond in kind.

Otherwise, with cold and depersonalised statements you are yourself establishing the tone with which other will communication with you.

“Good” companies will have a better reputa-

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while through communication we helped to find a new home for the Children’s Shelter, and last year we tried to provide our contribution to resolving the problem of human trafficking...

On the other hand, we work for the biggest and most successful companies, for which we create a complete strategy of relations with all target audiences, and we are always expected to do that in a unique and original way.

One of our main postulates is to promote PR as a means of creating a better and more humane society. ■

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INTERVIEW

Golden Rule of Communications: Reject Golden Rules!

If we want our clients and brands to be able to move ahead of the competition, we need supply diversification, which is proof that “golden rules” should be rejected MARKO PEŠIĆ

Client Service Director @ OvationBBDO

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he field of marketing communications is anything but calm and stable, but is this market uncertainty discouraging? For Marko Pešić, Client Service Director at advertising agency OvationBBDO, these challenges should be used as incentives for improving the quality of services agencies provide.

• Does Serbia have adequate infrastructure that would enable agencies to implement global trends and standards, and thus effectively service the needs of advertisers?

- The mission of every agency in Serbia is to fight for a position in which it would be able to set new trends and create standards

use mainstream media in the right way.

On the other side, our market longs for adequate use of online channels and that’s something that should be considered by both agencies and clients. In our opinion, we need to explore the existing scope of opportunities, accept specific client demands, utilise that experience and then craft unique, tailor-made solutions for every brand separately.

• What do you consider as being the “golden rules” of market communication?

- Every agency should have its own operating rules. That would help in establishing a more competitive business environment and, consequently, increasing the quality

AT OvationBBDO WE ARE GUIDED BY THE FORMULA: LEARN FROM THE BEST, BUT BEFORE THAT – CREATE PRODUCTIVE AND EFFICIENT ECO-SYSTEMS IN-HOUSE applicable to the market in which we operate. In that sense, efficiency depends on how capable we are of responding quickly to clients’ needs, using standards we have primarily set for ourselves. That’s why we, at OvationBBDO, have developed this formula: learn from the best, but before that – create productive and efficient ecosystems in-house.

of the services we providing. The effect of this approach is supply diversification, which is proof that “golden rules” should be rejected. In the long term, that would provide an opportunity for clients and brands to move ahead of the competition. That’s why we least like to hear “we want this kind of campaign” or “we want the campaign you crafted for that other client”.

• Which channels of communication could be utilised to improve the efficiency of budgets intended for advertising?

- There is no concrete answer to this, since there are still plenty of opportunities to 4 | INTERNATIONAL GERMANY 2012

• How do your activities differ from those of your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

- This is a question our clients would answer better. What we are proud of is our corpo-

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rate culture, based on the simple approach that all of our employees are free, creative and responsible, first of all to themselves, then to their colleagues and, at the end of the day, to our clients. Self-esteem is the root of mutual respect and that is something we at OvationBBDO firmly believe.

• What are the current issues of the profession and the future challenges that will have to be faced by local agencies in the fields of marketing communications and public relations?

- Adaptation, innovation and investments.

Most of the business circumstances are given, which requires constant improvement and innovation at every level. OvationBBDO investments are based on something we like to call a smart approach – acquisition of fresh talents with different backgrounds, integrating them into existing settings, permanent specialisation and education. This works both for our employees and the people we mostly cooperate with – our clients.

• How do you envisage the business climate for the functioning of agencies in 2016?

- I do not expect it to necessarily be different from last year, even having in mind early elections that will most certainly occupy the mainstream media in the spring.

Clients’ activities will be relocated to other channels, but expectations will not be reduced. Our job is to propose adequate solutions and keep campaign efficiency at the expected level. ■

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INTERVIEW

Think Pink and – Red Continuous improvement is the best way to deal with the challenges of digitisation and the constant economic crisis that makes it even more difficult for us to follow world trends. Adaptation to change will define our future success DANIJELA POPOVIĆ

General Manager & Owner, Red Communication

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lthough online media have opened up unimagined possibilities for communication, Danijela Popović, General Manager & Owner at Red Communication, is convinced that the winning campaigns are those that rely on everything, including traditional channels of communication, television and the press.

• How do you envisage the business climate for the functioning of agencies in 2016?

- An interesting year in every way is ahead of us; one more year filled with challenges. New forms of communication, advertising, new technological solutions, and many more interesting possibilities are waiting for us to take advantage of their full potential in 2016. What is essential in order for us to stay in the game is to constantly inform and further improve ourselves in the dynamic and challenging field of marketing.

earn I will invest in people. Well-established infrastructure is a very important factor in the work of a successful PR agency, but I am of the opinion that people are still a much more important factor. High-quality, well-informed individuals willing to cooperate and eager to learn are a much more important factor in fulfilling and professional servicing the needs of clients. When it comes to what’s actual about Serbia’s relationship towards the outside world, it is a fact that our experts are not lacking when it comes to familiarity with technologies, trends and information. Poor operations and the leading of clients is more likely to be a result of the incorrect application of knowhow than infrastructure.

• Which channels of communication could be utilised to improve the efficiency of budgets intended for advertising?

- The world of advertising has changed with the expansion of digital channels of communication. We started to think “online” and to esti-

THE FACT THAT WE LOVE OUR “CRAZY JOB” IS SOMETHING THAT DRIVES US EVERY DAY TO BECOME EVEN BETTER AND MORE SUCCESSFUL The business climate will not be much different than in previous years, in some places “cloudy and rainy”, and extremely variable, but I believe that with good ideas and creative thinking it will be a mostly sunny year. It is important to think pink, not to say think red.

mate, from the devising of each campaign from the start, how it will fare on social networks. Although I believe in new media and the limitless possibilities offered by the implementation of good ideas, I am convinced that the winning campaigns are those that succeed in integrating their message through a range of different • Does Serbia have adequate infrastructure channels that consumers encounter, and that that would enable agencies to implement also includes traditional media, such as televiglobal trends and standards, and thus effec4 | INTERNATIONAL GERMANY 2012 sion and print media. tively service the needs of advertisers?

- People, people, people... people are an agency • What do you consider as being the “golden and I constantly repeat that. And every penny I rules” of market communication?

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- For a good market, as well as for any type of communication, I think two things are necessary – careful listening and honest speaking. If you are not a clear, concise and emotional communicator, you may be able to mask that temporarily and achieve momentary success, but in the long run that will not lead you to success.

• What are the current issues of the profession and the future challenges that will have to be faced by local agencies in the fields of marketing communications and public relations?

- Budget shortages bring lots of problems and challenges. Likewise, social networks, which influence public opinion increasingly, also bring with them problems and major crisis situations. Constant improvement is the best way to deal with the challenges placed before us by the accelerated digitisation of everything and the constant economic crisis that makes it more difficult for us to follow world trends. Adaptation to change will define our future successes, and the public relations sector is facing changes more than ever. The further professionalisation of PR and higher quality education will encourage positive changes and the accepting of ever more frequent innovation in our field.

• How do your activities differ from those of your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

- We laugh and sing a lot. I’m joking a little, but it’s true. We have a wonderful and creative team that is dedicated to customers, which has allowed us to double in size in less than a year. We enjoy cooperating with the media and I have to admit that this love is mutual. The fact that we love our “crazy job” is something that drives us every day to become even better and more successful. Business is like love – if you love, you give yourself fully, if you don’t, then nothing. That’s why our trademark is a heart. ■

INTERVIEW

How to Catch and Keep Consumer Attention The biggest challenge is how to apply the golden rule – be in context, be relevant and be loved – in this time of the atomised attention of consumers. The Serbian market is very late in implementing new approaches, such as social listening and brand intelligence

MIRKO MANDIĆ

Managing Director and Co-founder of SVA

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ards, and thus effectively service the needs of advertisers?

- The challenge for which we are seeking a response is the atomisation of the attention of consumers. Social listening and brand intelligence are becoming increasingly indispensable approaches for maintaining the sprinter’s pace at which consumers receive, reject and handle old and new needs and messages. The Serbian market is lagging far behind in this respect, although there are some interesting attempts.

The challenge is SMEs. The infrastructures of agencies in Serbia were developed for “large” advertisers. This

arketing agencies face numerous challenges on the market. Some of them are local, where constantly reducing budgets dictate the trend of constantly reducing costs at the expense of compromising business models and creative solutions. Others are global, as is the case with the ever more fragmented attention of consumers, who it is hard to catch and keep for a particular product or service. The third is systemic in nature and also local – most domestic agencies are focused on major advertisers, while SMEs do not fit into this offer format.

Each of these three challenges requires agencies constantly improve their techniques and adapt to the latest dictates of the market – in which the Serbian market is generally lagging.

At the end of the day, everything boils down to the golden rule of the profession – be in context, be relevant and be loved. How that works in practice has been demonstrated successfully by SVA for over 25 years – all information, if you know how to package it, can be made irresistible, says Mirko Mandić, managing director at SVA.

• What do you consider as being the “golden rules” of market communication?

- Be in context, be relevant and be loved.

• Does Serbia have adequate infrastructure that would enable agencies to implement global trends and stand-

• What are the current issues of the profession and the future challenges that will have to be faced by local agen-

cies in the fields of marketing communications and public relations?

- The trend of buying as many agency services as possible for the lowest possible amount of money is a trend that we follow superbly in Serbia. The danger exists that we will commit collective business suicide and contract creative impotence if we continue rushing in that direction.

• How do your activities differ from those of your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

- There is a simple way of creating information so that it becomes irresistible under certain circumstances, no mat-

THE INFRASTRUCTURES OF AGENCY IN SERBIA WERE DEVELOPED FOR “LARGE” ADVERTISERS AND IGNORE SMALL AND MEDIUMSIZED ENTERPRISES. WE WILL THIS YEAR TRY TO RESPOND TO THIS BUSINESS CHALLENGE WITH AN INNOVATIVE CONTENT PLATFORM year we will try to respond to this systemic frustration and business challenge with an innovative content platform.

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ter if that seems almost impossible at first. All you have to do is to package it irresistibly. We have been confirming for 25 years that we are excellent in doing that. Last year, for the #biramzivot (#Ichooselife) campaign for the Ministry of Transport and ABS, we showed once again how that is done in public interest campaigns, and the campaign “Sa Sikom nema sikiracije” (With Sika there’s no bother), with Boda Ninković in the profit sector. ■

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INTERVIEW

Creativity Moves the World Communication channels will differ and there will be new ones, but the branding process and good ideas will always be crucial. A good tune sounds good on any instrument TIJANA ADAMOV

Managing Director, Scholz&Friends Belgrade

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lobal marketing strategies are effective only if they are executed with consideration for the fact that local clients need local people and local practice. Only then are they truly effective, says Tijana Adamov, Managing Director at Scholz&Friends Belgrade.

• How do you envisage the business climate for the functioning of agencies in 2016?

- Change is always the result of an idea.

Creativity moves the world, which is why it will survive in a changing world. Agencies will have an opportunity to establish new markets, create new content, impact public opinion and improve people’s lives. Scholz&Friends Belgrade, the

global marketing strategies with centrally established rules and standards to the specifics of the local market. Local clients need local people and local practice. That is more relevant. We should give our best in terms of creativity and local insights, and the technology will follow.

• Which channels of communication could be utilised to improve the efficiency of budgets intended for advertising?

- Solutions should not be “ready-made”; solutions must be “tailor-made”. Communication through multiple channels is already a standard, but integrated communications is not a matter of trend. The choice of communication channels is the result of thinking and the conclusion of quantitative and qualitative analysis.

The most efficient and the most effective meeting points with target audiences determine the mix of communica-

LAST YEAR WE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL. WE WON THE FINALIST AWARD AT THE DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AWARDS IN BERLIN, THE GOLDEN DRUM AWARD AT GOLDEN DRUM IN PORTOROŽ, AND 14 PRIZES AT THE UEPS AWARDS Orchestra of Ideas, will continue with sustainable projects that make a difference. Last year we initiated the completion of the unfinished work of Stevan Mokranjac, thereby giving a timeless contribution to Serbian culture.

• Does Serbia have adequate infra4 | INTERNATIONAL GERMANY 2012 structure that would enable agencies to implement global trends and standards, and thus effectively service the needs of advertisers?

- Scholz&Friends Belgrade is transferring

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tion instruments. On top of that, having a good idea is the most important element. If you do not have a good tune, it will not sound good on any instrument.

• What do you consider as being the “golden rules” of market communication?

- Efficiency is the most important thing in communication. Creativity matters because it presents a tool for effective communication. Last year we were very successful. We won the Finalist Award at the

Digital Communication Awards in Berlin, the Golden Drum Award at Golden Drum in Portorož, and 14 prizes at the UEPS Awards (Association of Serbian Market Communications), including the prestigious Dragan Sakan New Idea Award.

• What are the current issues of the profession and the future challenges that will have to be faced by local agencies in the fields of marketing communications and public relations?

- I don’t think agencies will ever stop delivering in terms of strategic thinking.

Channels will differ and the new ones will emerge, but the branding process and good ideas will always be crucial. That is similar to being human. Technology will improve, the revolutions will happen, but that does not interfere with our essence and uniqueness. That is why I think our most important mission is to nourish creativity and strategic thinking.

• How do your activities differ from those of your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

- We are the only agency that can offer the unique combination of German efficiency and local creativity. Our trademark method – “Orchestration” – is based on one strong conducting idea and the harmonious integration of different communication channels. Orchestration ensures effective use of the entire communication spectrum and adaptability to the everchanging market environment. A strong conducting idea leads to a higher degree of campaign success and efficiency, preventing the waste of both the client’s resources and communication messages. ■

INTERVIEW

In Our Desire for Uniqueness We Must Not Forget the Essence Today both clients and agencies are striving to be special and different, and in that pursuit they often forget the essence – why consumers and partners love and value them. We believe in the principles of ethics and creativity and communicating essential messages NATALIJA RACKOVIĆ

General Manager at V+O Communication Serbia

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ur task and responsibility – as someone who has an opportunity to create, shape and change public opinion – is to constantly shift the boundaries of professional communications, says Natalija Racković.

• How do you envisage the business climate for the functioning of agencies in 2016?

- Viewed analytically, 2016 will be a very challenging year, in economic terms, but also in the sense of the market and politics. We are awaited by parliamentary and local elections, the opening of some negotiation chapters and the announced restructuring of the public sector, while there is also the migrant crisis, as well as changes in the political and economic directions of the activities of

• What do you consider as being the “golden rules” of market communication?

- Communication can contribute significantly to the value of a company and its brands. However, only ethical, professional and responsible handling of communication can provide the basis for a company’s long-term success, growth and development.

We’ve all witnessed the lightning fast success of individuals and companies that end up, after a certain period of time, experiencing equally dramatic falls and failures. The reason lies in the fact that these successes were not based on real values and professional business principles, as well as communicating. That’s like when you have a nice colourful balloon that everyone admires for a moment, but that is empty inside and is so “thin” that it threatens to burst and explode into

OUR TASK IS TO LEARN ABOUT OUR CLIENT’S BUSINESS DEALINGS AND INDUSTRY, AND TELL THEM NO UNRESERVEDLY IF WE NOTICE THAT A DESIRE FOR INSTANT SUCCESS IS LEADING THEM TO A DEADLOCK, BUT ALSO TO BRING NEW GLOBAL MARKETING AND PR TRENDS TO OUR MARKET neighbouring countries. Agencies that deal with communication are not isolated islands and cannot operate in isolation from the environment on the market in which they are located. Just as each challenge carries a particular opportunity, it is crucial to scrutinise, monitor and adapt to changes on the market and in global marketing and communications trends. Under such circumstances, it is essential for our agency to retain its basic course of action, but also to remain or become a catalyst for growth, together with our clients.

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a thousand pieces at any moment.

Our task and responsibility – as people engaged professionally in this business and with an opportunity to create, shape and change public opinion – is to constantly shift the boundaries of professional communications.

It is also necessary for us to say NO to the client when we see that they have an idea or desire for an instant, quick-fix solution that could lead to deadlocks. Our task is to learn from our clients about their industry and their op-

erations, but also to bring to our market global trends, innovations and examples of good marketing and communications practices.

• How do your activities differ from those of your competitors and what makes you stand out on the market?

- Today everybody is trying to be different, to be special, but I’m afraid that in that desire clients and agencies sometimes forget the essence. They forget the reasons why consumers buy and love their products, why their partners and customers value them; they forget what it is that makes their business operations successful and why their employees believe in them...

Guided by this consideration, we did precisely what we advise our clients to do by posing the right questions, discovering our essence and, on the basis of that, set a new V+O slogan – “Hub of creativity, catalyst for growth” – and the values that guide us in our daily operations.

1. One: We are one. One team of passionate, diverse, creative individuals.

2. True: We are true to ourselves, to our clients, to the community.

3. Drivers: We are drivers of engagement, of success, of change.

4. Ethical: We are ethical always. This is something that we do not negotiate in our everyday work.

The slogan and values of the agency were created as a result of contributions from team members in all eight countries where V+O Group operates, and they illustrate in the best way what we believe in and what sets us apart on the market. ■

SPORT

By MARK R. PULLEN

Serbian Rugby League

GOES GLOBAL

January began with a famous Australian rugby league coach visiting Serbia, and ended with Serbia’s top rugby league players heading to Australia, where the boys from the Balkans are currently showcasing their skills on the biggest stage in the sport, in a bid to boost Serbia’s upcoming World Cup qualification campaign FEBRUARY

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coach at Super League club Wakefield Trinity Wildcats – to sign an agreement with the Serbian Rugby League Federation making him national team advisor for the upcoming world cup qualification campaign.

As Serbian Rugby League Federation (SRLF) President Predrag Pantić confirms, “we hosted Mr Brian Smith in Belgrade, with the support of companies Air Serbia, Harrisons Solicitors and KCTT. He attended a session of the national team, which was in the process of preparing for the tour to Australia that is part of the build-up to the qualifying stages of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. Smith and the SRLF agreed that he will take on an advisory role during preparations for the 2017 RLWC qualifiers and for the qualifying campaign itself (October 2016).”

This vastly experienced coach (he has coached eight top Australian and English clubs!) will certainly help the national team progress and prepare to take on Wales and Italy (and perhaps also Russia) in its final world cup qualification matches in October 2016, but the PR aspect of his engagement cannot be undermined either, and is sure to enhance Serbian rugby league’s profile in the sport’s traditional strongholds…

I

t all started on a crisp, clear, freezing New Year’s Day, overlooking a cloudless Belgrade from the heights of INGE Sports Centre, high on the hill in Zvezdara Forest, exhaling condensation clouds to a chorus of crows as we awaited one of the world’s top rugby league coaches, who didn’t just happen to be in Now we have contact with players who are very keen the Serbian capital by chance. to play, but also top players in Australia, such as the “I never thought I’d find myself on a Serbian footy field talking to local SerTrbojevic brothers (Manly Sea Eagles) and young bian players who are now ranked 11th Brisbane Broncos star Tom Opacic, who has all but in the world!” admitted Brian Smith, as confirmed that he wants to play in October he addressed 14 select players from five Belgrade clubs, following a short, impromptu training session on 1st January. like Australia, for instance, where eight players and a support “I’m looking forward to working with you boys in getting staff of two arrived recently from Belgrade, on a mission to adSerbia to the next world cup,” added a freezing but enthusiasvance the cause for Serbian rugby league in Australia.

But wait. How did it come about that amateur rugby league tic Smith, who flew in from the UK – where he is currently head

WHO IS BRIAN SMITH?

Brian Smith spent his playing days of the 1970s at the two biggest clubs in the history of Sydney rugby league – St. George Dragons and South Sydney Rabbitohs – but it is as a coach that he has earned global renown in the sport. After earning his first head coach position at the Illawarra Steelers in Australia’s NSWRL competition in 1984, he has gone on to enjoy a diverse coaching career in both the UK and Australia, coaching, chronologically, Hull FC (UK), St. George Dragons (Australia), Bradford Bulls (UK), Parramatta Eels, Newcastle Knights and Sydney Roosters (all Australia) and, as of 2015, the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats (UK). Brian is the older brother of fellow rugby league super coach Tony Smith, current head coach at the Warrington Wolves in the UK Super League and a former head coach of the Leeds Rhinos and the Great Britain and England national teams. Brian is also the father of two sons who are also involved in the sport professionally: Rohan Smith, a former Tonga national team coach, and independent rugby league strength and conditioning coach Keegan Smith.

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TOM OPAČIĆ - BRISBANE'S HOTTEST YOUNG PROSPECT

players who mastered their trade on the football fields of Serbia ended up on a flight to the sport’s veritable ‘Mecca’?

In the end it was a case of necessity, with experience teaching the Serbian Rugby League Federation that, when major tourna-

“Regardless of the quality of our players and the fact that we are the champions of European Group B, that doesn’t represent the maximum we could achieve if we had the help of players of Serbian origin who come from Australia.” - Blagoje Stojilkovic, leader of the SRLF’s Project Australia

ment qualification is up for grabs, the countries against which Serbia competes will pull out all the stops to strengthen their squads with so-called “heritage” players, particularly from the rugby league hotbeds of the UK, France and Australia.

As Blagoje Stojilković, leader of the SRLF’s Project Australia, explains: “our pioneering rugby league federation decided, after last year’s Balkan Cup defeat against Greece, to launch this project.

VOJISLAV DEDIĆ - THE RED STAR CAPTAIN SHONE AGAINST RUSSIA

That’s because we know that, regardless of the quality of our players and the fact that we are the champions of European Group B, that doesn’t represent the maximum we could achieve if we had the help of players of Serbian origin who come from Australia. In the end, all nations do this. That was shown by Greece and also Italy. They come with a local team and we beat them, so they come with a team of Australians to beat us. In that Balkan Cup match that we lost against Greece they had ten players from Australia, and it was after that we decided to launch this project.”

Stojilković’s initial visit to Australia on behalf of the SRLF led to the setting up of the Australian-Serbian Rugby League Committee, and he set about finding support to further Serbia’s development in the game among the Serbian diaspora community in the Sydney area – where rugby league is the number one sport! However, as he himself admits, “that didn’t prove so successful, because those people didn’t really have links to rugby league, but rather came together due to some kind of inertia. What was most important, though, is that we established contact with players… Now we have contact with players who are very keen to play, but also top players in Australia, such as

JAKE and TOM TRBOJEVIĆ - ALREADY IN THE MANLY FIRST TEAM

the Trbojević brothers (Manly Sea Eagles) and young Brisbane Broncos star Tom Opačić, who has all but confirmed that he wants to play in October.”

After establishing support groups in Australia and later the UK, where Serbia also has rugby league “heritage” players, Stojliković spearheaded plans for participation in a rugby league nines (9-a-side version) tournament and an international test match against the Philippines, in which a combined Serbia team of home-grown players and heritage talent would be able play together for the first time.

Fast-forward to late January 2016 and we can return to the eight amateur players from three Belgrade-based clubs and a support staff of two that are now in Sydney.

Alongside SRLF officials Stojilković and Radoslav Novaković, the players that have carved their names into the history books of Serbian rugby league by embarking on this tour are Dalibor Vukanović, Stefan Nedeljković and Steva Stevanović (all Dorćol Spiders RLK), Miloš Zogović, Miloš Ćalić, Vojislav Dedić and Vladislav Dedić (all Red Star RLK) and Džavid Jašari (Partizan FEBRUARY

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RLK). However, they will not be alone, as Stojilković explains: “On this tour we expect 12 Australian-born players to compete for Serbia. That, of course, doesn’t represent the full potential of our national team in Australia, because some of the top prospects are now in the middle of their pre-season training for the NRL (Australia’s elite professional league) or the state leagues, and the weekend when we play against the Philippines is also when the Auckland Nines will be played. We are current-

and Australian Ambassador Julia Feeney personally, for going out of the way to ensure everything went without a hitch. The Australian Embassy in Belgrade has provided lots of support to the development of our sport over the last few years and we are grateful for every contribution,” said SRLF President Pantić.

After meeting up in Sydney, the team will first compete in the annual Cabramatta International Nines tournament, which sees emerging nations from around the world compete against club

ly collecting documentation proving that these 12 players have the right to represent Serbia, but what is most important is that they are all extremely proud that they will be able to represent the land of their parents or grandparents.”

The selection of the players to travel to Sydney may have been tough, but the logistical preparations and visa approvals went smoothly, and the SRLF was keen to give thanks for that.

“We would like to thank the Australian Embassy in Belgrade,

teams from the Queensland and New South Wales leagues in this short, dynamic version of the game. Not a great deal is expected of the team in this one-day, 34-team tournament, primarily because they will still be suffering from the effects of jet lag, but it will help them prepare for the main event – a full international test match against the Philippines on 5th February, after which Serbia will hopefully find itself even higher in the world rankings, and one step closer to the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. ■

After meeting up in Sydney, the team will first compete in the annual Cabramatta International Nines tournament, which sees emerging nations from around the world compete against club teams from the Queensland and New South Wales leagues

“Supporters” of Serbian Rugby League

Rugby league is a sport that is adored by those who grew up with it, so much so that it is known popularly in its heartlands as “The Greatest Game of All” However, the game’s traditional working class roots have also traditionally limited its global appeal. Today, though, with rugby league having shaken off its tag as the poor man’s code of rugby and been introduced to universities and the armed forces, it is finally gaining the popularity it deserves. Here in Serbia there are only a few people, the

Mark Harrison (Harrisons Solicitors)

I was born and bred in Yorkshire, the heartland of Rugby League in England. I lived and worked for many years in Leeds, and from 1992 onwards became a supporter of the Leeds Rugby League Club, which became the Leeds Rhinos in 1997.

Prior to moving to Leeds, I was a supporter of regular football, but after seeing my first Rugby League game live I realised what a fantastic game it was to watch. Rugby league is a fast and dynamic game, which involves great strength, stamina and skill.

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author of this article included, who consider rugby league to be the greatest game of all, and who are ready to exert the effort required to grow the game here. Here we have gathered the comments of three of the most prominent supporters of the game in Serbia regarding their love of the game and its development in Serbia.

After moving to Serbia in 1998, I lost contact with the sport until 2007, when I was asked by the British Embassy to help on a trip to Serbia by an English team. As the only English Law Firm in the country, I was delighted to help out, both from a purely personal point of view, but also as part of our drive to give something back to Serbia through Corporate Social

Serbian Rugby League needs help to develop. Everyone who is involved is very committed, but they do need assistance of all sorts

Responsibility. It was clear that the Serbian Rugby League lacked funding, but there was a great spirit and camaraderie amongst the players and it felt great to help out.

After hosting a few trophies and doing various sponsorships, I became involved with Red Star Rugby League Club, who we sponsored and where I served as club president for three years.

The next natural move was to help at the national level, so we have been sponsoring Serbia for the last three years, through both shirt sponsorship and ad hoc tour assistance.

In essence, Serbian Rugby League needs help to develop.

Everyone who is involved is very committed, but they do need assistance of all sorts. They have done incredibly well in the way they have developed over the last few years and I am proud to see them now ranked 11th in the world. Serbia has a great chance to make the World Cup in 2017 and I want us to do everything we can to help them achieve their dream.

Serbia is a great sporting nation and it would be fantastic to see the country also recognised for its Rugby League achievements.

Dane Kondić (Air Serbia): It’s hard to be a Sydney-sider and not have an interest in the game. With me it’s not just an interest, but rather a passion and a life-long journey of support. I love the game and am a passionate, die-hard St. George supporter [NRL club St. George-Illawarra Dragons] and that’s inextricably tied to who I am as a person.

We Australians are lovers of all sport, but growing up in Sydney you had to be part of the game, because “League” is just in the blood. I remember the pre-NRL days, when News Corp got involved. That tore the heart out of the game and divided families. A group of teams broke off from the traditional clubs and were trying to lure St. George into their Super League competition, simply because it’s one of those legendary clubs for reasons that we all know [for those who don’t know, St. George has won 16 Australian Premierships (league titles), including a Golden Era of 11 consecutive premierships from 1956 to ’66], and that was a very tough time to be a rugby league supporter, with the game tearing itself apart from within.

I love the game and am a passionate, die-hard St. George supporter, and that’s inextricably tied to who I am as a person I went to a school where we played rugby union. That was one of those things you just did at school, like soccer on the weekends, but out of school it was all about “League”. Rugby union was then still amateur and a minor sport, and wasn’t commercialised like it is now.

As for my experience in Serbia, I was visiting Belgrade

once, walking on Kalemegdan, when I saw these guys wearing New South Wales rugby league jerseys. I was shocked to say the least. I asked them what they were doing here and they explained they were representing the New South Wales Universities team and they were in Belgrade to play against the Serbian national team.

They invited me to the game and, of course, I went. It was there that I first met the guys from the Serbian Rugby League Federation and that was a real thrill for me. I’ve been a supporter ever since.

Colin Kleyweg (KCCT): There are many who would know better than I how strongly rugby league is interwoven into the fabric of Sydney, but I learnt how rugby league conjures up emotions when I was living in Sydney and the South Sydney team was removed from the competition. I remember walking from Redfern to Sydney Town Hall for our rally to save the club. Reports on the number of people vary, but there were plenty that supported the Rabbitohs, plus many who came from other clubs, including buses from Newcastle.

This to me typifies the spirit of rugby league.

The story of Serbia’s success in the last 3 to 5 years should be spread as an example of how we should grow the game The story in Serbia is very similar. We have a wonderfully committed team that is supported by increased financial support from the RLEF. The story of Serbia’s success in the last 3 to 5 years should be spread as an example of how we should grow the game. The development of the Serbian Australian Rugby League helps us to spread the word of the development of the sport in Serbia and in Australia, where future support is vital.

The first area we became interested in was the support of junior development in Serbia. Our goals in Serbia should not be limited to World Cup Qualification on a four-year cycle. We should be focused on developing the sport into the fabric of Serbia, and that can happen through a mix of success at international level, developing a home ground for rugby league in Belgrade, and developing the juniors. These are the core requirements for success in any sport.

Our interest is in supporting this wide range of activities that will help the team in Serbia build a strong foundation. We see qualification for 2017 as a small step. It is not the defining legacy of the hard work of a generation of Serbian Rugby League people.

In summary, we think every person who has been involved in a rugby league training session in Serbia should be thanked for their input to the success of the current team.

We hope the very small part we are playing will help bring more people to this great game!

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REVIEW: BEST OF CES 2016

From TV Streaming Refrigerators to The first week of the year saw plenty of announces coming from Consumer Electronics Show - CES 2016 in Las Vegas. If there were an unofficial slogan for the CES year, it would be Evolutionary, Not Revolutionary The good just got better. Drones are still commanding the air space. Cars continue to work hard on driving themselves. Virtual reality keeps on climbing and homes are getting smarter and smarter. Technology continues to become more personal as self quantification is still all the rage. And at the core of our world, our namesake even,

ROBOT DOGS

the mighty PC still looms large, albeit slightly smaller and sleeker than the year before.

With thousands of products, and plenty of opinionated analysts and editors at CES, it wasn't easy to finalize our top picks, but we did our best to bring you this list of ??? standouts.

Many of these products will be key in

shaping the tech landscape for the next 12 months. And some of them might not even make it to market. A good number of CES 2015 winners we CorD presented last year were top performers, while some vanished into the ether.

Here are the most interesting, innovative, and important things we choose for you from this year’s CES 2016.

Samsung Family Hub Smart Fridge PRICE: $5,000 The futuristic tech fridge has become a cliche in science fiction..

What makes this fridge so smart is the touchscreen on the door that has a larger display than most home computers. The Smart Fridge can set reminders, play music, and stream TV. The fridge even takes a picture of its contents each time its closed to prevent having to indecisively hold its door open… which you can view from your phone. So, from now on you’ll never wonder “Do we have any food?”.

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HP EliteBook Folio G1 PRICE: £1,892 Thinner and lighter have always been the mantra for the laptop makers, but very few competitors are able to match the 1.25 cm height and 1 kg weight of HP’s EliteBook Folio G1. This laptop is probably the best in show by integrating features (a 4K UHD display, sleek metal body, USB-C with Thunderbolt 3) with technologies you need for work (TPM, Intel vPro, enterprise-class management and security). It’s a business laptop that looks and feels just the like the ones you’re buying for yoursel

Mio Slice PRICE: $99 Health trackers and devices at CES this were either complicated multi-item bundles or unwieldy armbands that take forever to deliver a result. The Mio Slice was far and away the best health trackers in show. More than just hardware, it uses a software platform that can save your life. Instead of striving toward a generic daily 10,000 step goal, the Slice focuses on your PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) score, an algorithm based on the comprehensive Hunt Study that found links between heart rate and cardiovascular health.

ZeroUI PRICE: TBA Ziro is a modular robotics kit made up of individual mechanized motor modules that are controlled by a wireless smart glove. Design and construct your robots out of any material you have available, attach the Ziro modules to animate your creations using continuous rotational or hinge movements.

Use the smartphone app to configure the modules using the pre-made programming templates or input your own custom gestures. Control your creations remotely using the Ziro smart glove.

Your hand gestures send commands to the modules so that when you move, they move.

Dish Hopper 3 PRICE: TBA DISH Network L.L.C. today unveiled Hopper 3. Dish’s newest Hopper DVR isn’t only 4K-ready, it packs in 16 tuners. Powered by the Broadcom 7445, a quad-core Arm processor, the company says the new DVR operates at seven times the speed of Hopper 2. It’s got 2 terabytes of internal storage, enough to save up to 500 hours of HD content, and is the first DVR to use USB 3.0 connectivity for external storage expansion, which allows for 10x faster transfer speeds. Hopper 3 itself will be released in “early 2016.”

Huawei Honor 5X PRICE: $199.99 Huawei’s Honor 5X looks like an amazing value. With its all-metal body, sharp main camera, 5.5-inch screen and fingerprint sensor, it feels like a $350 phone. In fact, it’s very similar to Huawei’s own GX8. Squint a little, and it looks just as nice as $500-$600 phones like LG’s G4 and Huawei’s Mate 8. There were several intriguing phones at CES, from an Android-powered flip phone to a screaming-fast Chinese phablet, but the incredible value for money here means the Honor 5X is the one most likely to push the U.S. market forward.

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Cassia Hub PRICE: $100 This Bluetooth router extends the standard’s range by up to 1,000 meters and connects as many as 22 BT-enabled devices. With the Cassia’s companion app, users can control all those devices from anywhere in the world. And given that the hub is retailing for a mere $100, it’s little wonder that the Cassia is Engadget’s pick for Best Connected Home device for 2016.

Casio WSD-F10 Smart Outdoor Watch

Mcor ARKe 3D Printer PRICE: $5.995

PRICE: $500 It is powered by the easy-touse and intuitive Android Wear and blessed with 50 meters water resistant, built and tested to U.S. military standard MIL-STD-810. As a smartwatch, it is naturally outdoor-centric, equipped with a host of sensors to do things like measuring the changes in the natural environment, track activity levels, ability to display in monochrome or colour, timepiece mode, slip-free finish large buttons for easy operation, lithium-ion battery with magnetic charging terminal, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, and soft urethane plastic wristband.

The Mcor ARKe was the best 3D printer at CES, for bringing full-color 3D printing to the desktop. The ARKe can print photorealistic models at resolutions up to 4,800 by 2,400 dpi. It prints with paper. Individual sheets are bound together using an adhesive to create strong and stable 3D models. Mcor has used this Selective Deposition Lamination (SDL) technology in its industrial 3D printers. It’s meant for creative professionals—but it offers the hope that full-color 3D printers for schools, hobbyists, and households may be on the horizon.

Nixie PRICE: TBA The Nixie is a tiny wearable camera that can transform from a wrist band into a quad copter that flies, takes photos or video and then returns to you. When you’re ready for your close-up, it launches off your wrist, reorients to frame you in the shot, and then hovers back over for you to catch it and place back on your wrist.

Unfortunately it is far from complete so the vain are going to have to wait a while for this.

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ChiP The Robot Dog PRICE: $199 Wow-Wee Toys has finally brought a childhood dream of many to reality. They are the first to bring an intelligent robotic dog to the market, Their CHiP can recognize its owner, makes its own way to its charging station when it senses low battery, can slide in all directions, and even plays fetch.

LG OLED G6 PRICE: $6,999

Yuneec Typhoon H Drone PRICE: $1,799 The Yuneec Typhoon H drone has a sixrotor design, a 4K camera that can rotate 360°, support for dual operators (one to fly, one to operate the camera), and a promised 22-minute flying time. Yuneec plans on selling this in a few different configurations, with one of the upgrades being a collision avoidance system powered by Intel’s RealSense system.

LG’s TV lineup for 2016 includes eight new 4K OLED TVs in addition to the new LCDs, including an 8K model that it announced earlier. They come in various shapes. Some of them are flat, while others are curved -- sizes, designs and components. The 77 and 65-inch G6 series and the 65 and 55-inch E6 series flagship models are extremely thin with a depth of a 2.5 mm behind the screen, translucent glass backs, barelythere bezels and forwardfacing soundbar speakers.

DAQRI Smart Helmet PRICE: TBA DAQRI, the Augmented Reality company that is transforming the future of work, unveiled the next-generation DAQRI SMART HELMET™, powered by the 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m7 processor and Intel® RealSense™ technology. It is an industrial-grade, human-machine interface that inserts real-time information – including Augmented and Mixed Reality work instructions, safety information, mapping and more – to maximize safety, productivity and well-being for workers in a variety of industrial settings. It will be available for purchase beginning in Q1 2016.

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CHILL OUT AUSTRALIA

ELVIS PRESLEY FESTIVAL 2016 ▶ Elvis isn’t dead; he’s alive and well in the small town of Parkes in Australia. Many incarnations of the the King of Rock’n’Roll boarded the Elvis Express at Sydney’s Central Station, bound for the annual Parkes Elvis Festival.

The festival features performances from tribute artists, Elvis and Priscilla lookalike contests, a street parade and – of course – lots of fans wearing familiar Elvis looks from across his career.

Now in its 24th year, the festival is timed to coincide with Elvis’s birthday on 8th January. About 20,000 people attend the festival, nearly tripling the population of Parkes, a town whose other claim to fame is the radio telescope that played a vital role in the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, as seen in the film The Dish.

JAPAN

JAPAN’S ASPIRING ZERO-WASTE TOWN

▶ We’ve heard many stories of indi-

viduals across the world who’ve adopted a zero-waste lifestyle, but it’s not often that we come across an entire community that is trying to become waste-free. The residents of Kamikatsu, Japan, take recycling so seriously that they actually hope to become the nation’s first zerowaste community by 2020.

Kamikatsu has no garbage trucks – so residents need to compost their kitchen scraps at home. They also have to wash and sort the rest of their trash into 34 different categories, and bring it to the recycling center themselves where workers make sure that the waste goes into the correct bins. It apparently took some time for the residents to get used to this rule, but they eventually managed to adapt to the drastic changes and are now seeing them as normal.

GERMANY

STRADIVARIUS VIOLIN LEFT ON GERMAN TRAIN ▶ An American violinist who left her

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was “more than relieved” when officers retrieved it moments before it left the station.

The woman forgot the 1727 “General Dupont Grumiaux” edition of the famous violin brand on a luggage rack while travelling from Mannheim to Saarbruecken in western Germany.

Realising her error after leaving the train, she alerted the police.

One minute before the train departed, officers found the violin and returned it to the musician.

UK

They then carefully cut the delicate five cm stems of the aubergine and potato plants in half at an identical angle before grafting them together. The lower end of the potato plant and the top part of the aubergine then naturally fused together and grew on.

The end result is a batch of about four big purple coloured vegetables and two kilogrammes of potatoes under the soil.

‘EGG AND CHIPS' PLANTS ▶ Horticulturalists have spent

RUSSIA

WINTER SWIMMING IN SIBERIA ▶ Mikhail Sashko, chairman and one

of the founders of the Cryophile winter swimmers club, bathes in cold water during a flash mob, part of a celebration of Polar Bear Day at the Royev Ruchey Zoo in a suburb of the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

“The moment of immersion is a sensation of delight. Afterwards there’s a rush of energy and my entire body feels relaxed,” says Sashko, a director in the construction industry. “My wife says I am crazy.” The air temperature was about minus five degrees Celsius.

years carrying out grafting trials to produce the dual-cropping plant named “Egg and Chips” which grows aubergines from its stem and potatoes from its roots.

Experts experimented with more than 20 varieties of aubergine, commonly known as egg plants, before selecting one that was deemed best for size and performance.

The ‘Egg and Chips’ plants are now being sold by British seed company Thompson & Morgan for the first time.

SPAIN

NO PANTS SUBWAY RIDE 2016 ▶ The No Pants Subway Ride, initiated by Improv Everywhere, began as a prank in 2002 and has grown ever since. Commuters around the world have taken to baring their thighs for their ride.

This year, the event was held on 10th January, and despite freezing temperatures, many commuters braved the cold and went about their businesses without their pants on.

The goal is for riders ride the subway train dressed in normal winter clothes without pants while keeping a straight face. On the photo above, a man in underwear walking inside the metro in Madrid, during the annual ‘No Pants Subway Ride’.

10 Things to Quit Doing in 2016 ▶ Here is a list of changes you might want to consider making to your life this year. If you take them seriously, you just might make something memorable out of 2016.

1. Quit Making Long To-Do Lists: Make short to-do lists, and get round to them quick.

2. Quit Being So Serious 3. Quit Excusing Bad Behaviour: Forgive where you need to, but never allow others to cross your personal boundaries.

4. Quit Being Half-Hearted : If there’s something you decide to do, give it your all. Or else, nothing at all.

5. Quit Being Disorganised 6. Quit Trying To Fit The Mold: Disregard those pesky labels that others may try to place on you.

7. Quit Self Doubt or For Some, Self Conceit 8. Quit Being Cynical 9. Quit Being Bored 10. Quit Staying Put: Make it your aim to travel as often as you can.

CANADA

INTERNATIONAL MASTER OF MEMORY ▶ A Canadian high-school stu-

dent was awarded the title of “International Master of Memory” after competing in the World Memory Championships.

Evan Xie, 15, a Chinese 10th-grader from Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada returned to China becoming 1 of 151

people in the world to hold the title after completing 10 memory tests over a three-day period.

Evan passed the tests by memorizing 1,180 numbers in an hour and memorizing the order of a standard deck of 52 cards in 32 seconds, which was nearly double his personal best time of 18 seconds.

spect and honour and it’s completely wrong to subjugate them with violence and scorn. Chrysostomos’s bold statement was issued right after another bishop of the church of the town Kalavryta, Metropolitan Ambrosios, which lies in proximity of Messinia, lambasted gay people saying “Spit on Them, Beat them Up, They Are Not Human” The harangues of the bishop was to express his extreme dissent to the new legislation set by the ruling party to extend domestic partnership status to homosexual couples which continues the tradition of giving equal rights to the married heterosexual couples.

CHINA

TRADITIONAL ICE FISHING IN CHINA

GREECE CHINA

HARBIN ICE FESTIVAL 2016 ▶ The 32nd Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival opens with a theme “Happy Ice Snow, Exciting City” on 5th January in 2016. The festival is featured by grand opening ceremony, fireworks display and a series of theatrical performances, ice snow activities in Sun Island, Ice and Snow Amusement World, Zhaolin Park and more venues around ice city Harbin. Set in Harbin’s coldest months, this festival features breathtaking temporary works of art, all created with ice from the Songhua River.

Between the four primary parks and amusement zones, there are a few thousand pieces, not to mention all the ice architecture created throughout the city. Over the course of a hurried half-month, more than 15,000 people carve (by hand or laser) more than 130,000 cubic metres of ice.

CHURCH OF GREECE: DISAGREEMENT ABOUT LGBT

BUSHOP CHRYSOSTOMOS

▶ Chrysostomos of the Metropolitan

of Messinia, a major church in Southern Greece said, in an interview, that homosexuals, like all humans, are a creation of God and they deserve the same re-

▶ About two hundred fishermen gathered on Chagan Lake, Jilin province in China to capture fish in a traditional way that has been practiced for nearly a thousand years.

Fishermen cast thousand-meterlong net through holes that they’ve drilled on frozen lake. They later use horses to winch the net and harvest the fish. This old fishing technique attracts tourists to visit Chagan Lake where a Guiness World Record was created for the largest amount of fish capture with one net weighing 84,000 kilograms.

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FASHION: CASUAL BUSINESS ATTIRE

How to Look Professional and February is the month when, after weeks of rest, a “regular” working atmosphere actually returns to a large number of companies in Serbia. This is a similar period to September – after the end of the summer holidays.

The return to the business routine – from slippers and tracksuits to business suits, ties and leather shoes – has never been easy. As such, this is a good opportunity to remind ourselves of the basics of business dress code ethics.

Longstanding colours, such as blue, black, grey, or brown, are the colours of choice for successful woman in business.

On the other side, men should wear business suits/ blazers/sports coats/tweed jackets, dress shirts, and leather shoes.

We would admit that this seems rather conservative.

So, what’s the secret of those office colleagues of ours who act differently and more attractive? The trick is to wear professional attire, but to simultaneously achieve an attractive appearance.

This trick is not easy to achieve, but here are a few tips that might help you.

Attractive Vince Stretch Knit Sheath Dress This three-quarter-sleeve stretch knit sheath dress will be your workweek secret weapon, ready to serve you well from morning coffee to after-dinner espresso.

PRICE: €317

PRICE:

€75

Black And White Slim Pant The fine fit, comfortable stretch fabrication and the black and white geo pattern open up a big, bold world of styling possibilities.

Givenchy Medium Tote Punctuated with signature silver-tone hardware, this grain leather handbag has enough room to store all your on-the-go essentials and more.

PRICE: €2,000

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Polo Ralph Lauren Striped Shirt

PRICE:

€965

Crafted with the finest pure cotton, it boasts a super-soft chambray design and is accented with a smart button-down collar and the signature embroidered pony logo.

PRICE: €€115

Ted Baker Long Wrap Coat

PRICE:

A warm and luxurious choice for your winter styling, this coat is a chic addition to any of your work.

PRICE: €410

€550

Shinola 'The Runwell' Leather Strap Watch

Fleurette Wool Stand Collar Car Coat This Loro Piana wool contemporary take on the car coat will see you through many winters ahead.

PRICE:

€310

The 46-piece quartz movement powers the time, while a doublecurved sapphire crystal face protects the clean display.

Classic One Button Shirt Bring some refreshing classic simplicity to your wardrobe wearing this one button shirt.

BOSS 'Jabina' Stretch Wool Suiting Jacket A favorite one-button suiting jacket is updated in a slightly longer length, but still impeccably tailored from seasonless stretch wool with gently curved lapels.

PRICE: €545

Salvatore Ferragamo Silk Scarf This pure silk scarf by Salvatore Ferragamo is adorned with a colourful giraffe print with a black border.

PRICE:

€335

PRICE:

€715

Eskandar Wide Leg Trousers

Kate Spade Gloves Logo-etched hardware highlights a signature bow detail on smooth leather gloves that make for an essential cool-weather style.

Cut from luxurious silk crepe, these wide leg trousers from Eskandar offer a beautiful, softly flared silhouette .

PRICE:

€115

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FASHION: CASUAL BUSINESS ATTIRE FOR MEN

How to Look Professional and

Attractive 2 Frederique Constant Slim Line Automatic Watch

PRICE:

This watch is exclusively manufactured by hand and made for the discerning gentleman who wants an ageless timepiece he will wear for years to come.

PRICE: €2,050

€130

Oliver Spencer Shirt

Armani Sport Coat Modern microfiber construction updates a classic two-button sport coat with soft, touchable texture.

PRICE: €910

Crafted in crisp cotton, this versatile piece will lend itself to everything from a full suit to rolled jeans.

Allen Edmonds Oxford Shoes Subtle yet striking, sixeyelet cap-toe balmoral features full-leather lining, single oak leather sole and custom heel.

PRICE: €350

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PRICE:

€1,000

Versace Wool Suit Smooth grey wool is tailored into a slim-fitting suit that pairs a classic two-button, notch-lapel jacket with sharply creased flat-front trousers.

PRICE:

€75

Paul Smith Silk Pocket Square Bold blocks of color radiate from the center of a handsome, Italian-woven silk pocket square.

PRICE:

€35

Floral Silk Tie

Victorinox Swiss Army® Briefcase Perfect for an overnight business trip, this sharp briefcase features TourMax ballistic nylon for reliable durability in the face of an on-the-go lifestyle.

PRICE:

A subtle floral pattern marks a lustrous tie cut from pure silk.

€228

Bosca Front Pocket Wallet A sturdy, wrapped money clip fronts a slim front-pocket wallet crafted from high-shine leather with a rich grain.

PRICE: €60

PRICE:

€320

Solid Wool-Blend Overcoat The perfect, sleek topper to accent proper suiting.

Make a statement in an essential overcoat from London Fog.

PRICE:

€350

Double-Faced Herringbone Coat This single-breasted style has a soft shoulder line and smart internal patch pockets.

Unlined for a comfortable fit, it’s ideal for layering over blazers and chunky knits.

PRICE: €680

Magnanni Oxford Shoes Exquisite burnished leather elevates a stylish Spanish oxford stamped with a distinguished toe medallion.

Fitbit Wireless Activity & Heart Rate Tracker PurePulse heart rate monitoring keeps a continuous tab on your heart rate and offers simplified rate zones for easy tracking.

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PROFILE

Woven with Love and Style Dedicated to creating timeless, enduring pieces – as opposed to ‘disposable’ fashion – Marija Ivanković Jurišić, the founder of Marija Handmade, is inspired by nature and colour

MARIJA IVANKOVIĆ JURIŠIĆ Technical design engineer and founder of Marija Handmade

M

arija Ivanković Jurišić, the founder of Marija Handmade, fell in love with fashion as a little girl growing up in Šabac in the 1980s, watching her grandmother make textiles by hand on an old-fashioned weaving loom and learning traditional methods. She later came to Belgrade to study design, where she was formally trained to make leather shoes and handbags, and where she investigated much more about fabrics. Then came the big challenge facing every aspiring fashion designer – how to turn her ideas into reality, and her skills into production?

A talented improviser, Marija wove everything together in an innovative way.

She saw that she could make original textiles from natural fibres – like wool, silk and linen – and combine them with details like leather and fur to make distinctive women’s clothing and homewear.

So Marija moved back home to Šabac and set up her fashion business in one room, with her mother’s help. Step by step, the business grew. In 2006 Marija Handmade opened at the local shopping centre in Šabac, and five years later she opened her flagship store in the central Belgrade’s Choomich Design District.

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Along the way her designs have featured in international fashion shows in cities like Chicago, Bern, Melbourne, Sydney and Amsterdam. Marija has clients as far afield as London, Vienna, Amsterdam and Israel, who return over and over again to buy her creations for themselves, their families and their homes. She also enjoys a loyal support base of local women who want something authentically Serbian, rather than mass made or globally branded products. Where possible, Marija sources materials like linen and wool from small producers in places like Leskovac and Mačva, and is an active mem-

Marija has clients as far afield as London, Vienna, Amsterdam and Israel, who return over and over again to buy her creations ber of the Serbian Women’s Business Association. Last summer she had the honour of being invited to create a hat collection for the King Aleksandar Equestrian Festivities in Šabac, whose guests included HRH Princess Elizabeth Karađorđević. “That Marija Handmade collection of hats was a huge success. I sold all of them and they created a very happy sensation on twitter and among bloggers,” Marija remembers, laughing, “So for me, hats are here to stay!”

Marija is dedicated to creating timeless, enduring pieces instead of

‘disposable’ fashion. Her products are certified handmade, which makes her one of only 300 certified craft producers in Serbia.

Her clients generally range from their 30s to their 70s, and she takes as much pleasure from seeing an elegant woman in Belgrade wearing a dress she made ten years ago as from the excitement of each new collection. All Marija Handmade collections combine much loved, tested models with new pieces that are never repeated. The designs are inspired by nature and colour, what Marija sees on the street and her own travels. One collection featured an Aboriginal theme after she took her work to fashion shows across Australia as part of the official Days of Serbian Culture. And Marija’s customers are also a constant source of positive influence. “I realised from the start that I needed to work for a smaller group of people; that my fashion was not for everyone. I have a particular kind of woman in mind when I design¬ – her wishes, her needs and her special style,” says Marija.

Today there’s also a new men’s line, modelled by Marija’s husband and brother ¬– with their beloved family dog – for the Winter 2015/16 collection. Fully committed to ensuring her business continues along its trajectory of success, Marija is clearly motivated as much by love as by money. “My clients are all very special people,” she confides, “and the truly magical thing is that somehow we all take care of each other!” 

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