Partners: Switzerland-Serbia 2020

Partner Business Partner

SWITZERLAND - SERBIA

SWITZERLAND

H.E. Philippe Guex, Ambassador of Switzerland to Serbia ● Majo Mićović, President of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce ● Ana Grujović, Execuive Director of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce ● Mladen Vukanac, General Manager, Sauter Building Control ● Aleksandar Milošević, 3ap CEO ● Branko Milikić, Managing Director, Sixsentix Serbia ● Jens Engeli, Regional Director for Eastern Europe, HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation ● Dominique Küttel, Founder & Chairman, BAD SISTEMS LLC ● Aleksandra Bućić, Area Sales & BD Manager CEE, Selectchemie AG

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CONTENTS

04 06

COMMENT

CHALLENGING & FASCINATING TIME IN SERBIA

H.E. PHILIPPE GUEX, AMBASSADOR OF SWITZERLAND TO SERBIA

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23 24

SUPPORT IN DELICATE TIMES

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14 15 CYBER SECURITY HAS BECOME A BUSINESS NECESSITY

MAJO MIĆOVIĆ, PRESIDENT OF THE SWISS-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

EMPOWER CHANGE

ALEKSANDAR MILOŠEVIĆ, 3AP CEO

SWISS EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY AN ANSWER TO MARKET DEMANDS OF TOMORROW

WINSEDSWISS

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UNIQUE TESTING APPROACH

BRANKO MILIKIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, SIXSENTIX SERBIA

SWISS NATURE

WE’VE ADAPTED TO THE CHALLENGES

ANA GRUJOVIĆ, EXECUIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SWISS-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SSCC

SMART AUTOMATION FOR IOT BUILDINGS

MLADEN VUKANAC, GENERAL MANAGER, SAUTER BUILDING CONTROL

EXCLUSIVELY NATURAL ORIGINS

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YOUR PARTNER IN HEALTH CARE SUPPORTING SERBIA’S REFORMS

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A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS REQUIRES ENTHUSIASTIC PEOPLE

DOMINIQUE KÜTTEL, FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN, BAD SISTEMS LLC

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ECONOMY

ADOC

JENS ENGELI, REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR EASTERN EUROPE, HELVETAS SWISS INTERCOOPERATION

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ONE OF THE WORLD’S WEALTHIEST COUNTRIES

34 38 40

EUROPE’S MODERN ARCHITECTURE MECCA

SWISS ARCHITECTURE

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THREE DECADES OF SUCCESS

LOGO D. O.O. (LTD.)

SSCC ACTIVITIES

THE MASTER OF KINETIC ART & NOUVEAU RÉALISME

JEAN TINGUELY, 1925 – 1991

THE BEST LUXURY WELLNESS RETREATS WELLNESS

PLANNING MARKET EXPANSION

ALEKSANDRA BUĆIĆ, AREA SALES & BD MANAGER CEE, SELECTCHEMIE AG

EDITOR IN CHIEF Ana Novčić a.novcic@aim.rs a.novcic@cordmagazine.com DESIGN Jasmina Laković j.lakovic@aim.rs PHOTOS Zoran Petrović COPY EDITOR Mark Pullen mrpeditorial@mail.com

PROJECT MANAGERS Biljana Dević b.devic@aim.rs Nataša Trifunović n.trifunovic@aim.rs Vesna Vukajlović v.vukajlovic@aim.rs Mihailo Čučković m.cuckovic@aim.rs OFFICE MANAGER Svetlana Petrović s.petrovic@aim.rs

EDITORIAL MANAGER Neda Lukić n.lukic@aim.rs FINANCE Dragana Skrobonja finance@aim.rs GENERAL MANAGER Maja Vidaković m.vidakovic@aim.rs PUBLISHER Ivan Novčić i.novcic@aim.rs

PRINTING Rotografika d.o.o.

Segedinski put 72, Subotica, Serbia BUSINESS PARTNER SWITZERLAND Published by: alliance international media Prote Mateje 52, 11111 Belgrade 17, PAK 126909, Serbia Phone: +(381 11) 2450 508

Fascimile: +(381 11) 2450 122 E-mail: office@aim.rs; office@cordmagazine.com www.aim.rs; www.cordmagazine.com No 19 ISSN: 2560-4465

necessary reflect the view of publications published by alliance international media THIS PUBLICATION IS FREE OF CHARGE

All rights reserved alliance international media 2020 The views expressed in this publication are those of the presenter; they do not

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BUSINESS PARTNER

COMMENT

SUPPORT In Delicate Times Switzerland is one of the top three bilateral donors to Serbia, and the only donor that has been continuously present in Serbia without interruption since 1991. During the times of COVID-19, Swiss support quickly found its way to those most in need

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n times when health and wellness count more than ever, Switzerland provided 600,000 euros to Serbia to help those most in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. This amount was channelled through local partners, which resonates will with the method of providing Swiss bilateral support to Serbia.

It pays equal attention to Serbia’s national goals related to Agenda 2030 and the EU integration process, as well as to the needs of municipalities and their vulnerable groups – the elderly, as well as men and women who lost their sources of income.

The Swiss Cooperation Strategy Serbia 2018–2021, the document that lays the ground for Swiss support, demonstrates this approach clearly. For example, Swiss support was instrumental in improving the capacities and resilience of key national public finance institutions, which is an important feature in times when national fiscal policies are tremendously challenged by the impacts of pandemics. At the same time, Switzerland provides continuous support to various measures related to the improvement of the business climate in Serbia at the national and sub-national levels, thus promoting local economic development. Swiss support also contributes to making Serbian entrepreneurs more innovative and competitive, thus increasing their ability to become members of global trade and value chains, and creating more and better jobs.

Swiss support is focused increasingly on the employability of young people and dual education programmes, as well as on young entrepreneurs who benefit from the development of inclusive and improved market-orientated skills, which results in employment. Furthermore, Serbia benefits strongly

from the Swiss backing of the opening of Science & Technology Park Belgrade, as well as similar new facilities in Niš and Čačak. Such opportunities create space for young IT experts to develop their innovative projects into start-ups and contribute to the prevention of the brain drain.

The full list of supported areas is, of course, much longer and contains interventions related to the enhanced capacities of local municipalities, CSOs and citizens for inclusive decisionmaking, as well as energy efficiency and the development of smart cities.

Over the past four years, the Swiss government has increased its support to Serbia to up to 24 million euros annually, making Switzerland one of the top three bilateral donors, and the only donor to maintain a continuous presence without interruption since 1991.

Yet not all of these initiatives proved to be equally successful. Building efficient and effective democratic institutions represents one of the key area of Swiss support to Serbia, but as the current state of affairs shows, much greater efforts are needed in that respect. As Swiss Ambassador Philippe Guex put it “no one has failed to see that the freedom of media is imperfectly fulfilled, as the ruling party could rely on disproportionate coverage among most major media outlets, including the TV channels with a national frequency.” Indeed, Serbia would benefit strongly from improved rule of law and increased freedom of press, both of which are key prerequisites for a society thar aims to secure unfettered democratic and economic development.

In that respect, Serbia clearly has to learn from Switzerland.

Even though Serbia has progressed in the EU integration process, there is room for strong improvement in terms of the rule of law, freedom of press and the overall process of democratisation

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BUSINESS PARTNER

INTERVIEW

H.E. PHILIPPE GUEX, AMBASSADOR OF SWITZERLAND TO SERBIA

CHALLENGING

& Fascinating Time In Serbia There are still many reforms to be carried out to strengthen democratic institutions and processes. The recent elections have given a good example. No one has failed to see that the freedom of media is imperfectly fulfilled, as the ruling party could rely on disproportionate coverage from most major media – Philippe Guex

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s he makes preparations to depart Serbia, Swiss Ambassador Philippe Guex says that he is satisfied with the fact that, during his term, Switzerland became the third largest donor in Serbia, and that bilateral cooperation programmes were aimed significantly towards young people, primarily through the encouraging of the introduction of dual education in schools. Ambassador Guex concludes his term by stating that Switzerland and Serbia “agree to disagree in their view of the status of Kosovo”, which he says is linked to the only unpleasantness he experienced in Serbia. He found fault with one minister for making “malicious comments” against Swiss football players originating in Kosovo. There was no such discomfort when it comes to economic cooperation. Swiss investors are generally satisfied with conditions in Serbia, but also cite shortcomings: lack of the rule of law, including within courts of justice, cases of corruption or lack of transparency of the tax administration.

Your Excellency, given that you’re approaching the end of your term in Serbia, how would you summarise the time you’ve spent in Belgrade?

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INVESTMENTS

EU

NEGOTIATIONS

Even though the business environment has improved, there is still scope to align it further with European standards

The door to the EU is open, but it is up to the political elites of the candidate countries to push this door by taking onboard the necessary reforms

I don’t want to prejudge any future negotiations, but I'm afraid that broad local autonomy is no longer an option

- I dedicated over 20 years of my career to Swiss-EU affairs in Brussels, Luxembourg, London and Paris. My appointment in Belgrade was certainly the most challenging and fascinating one, considering the wide scope of diplomatic and political issues an ambassador has to deal with.

I am particularly satisfied that during my time in Belgrade the Swiss government has increased its support to Serbia up to 24 million euros annually. Switzerland now belongs among the top three bilateral donors to Serbia. As a reminder, we are the only donor that has been present continuously, without interruption, since 1991. A highlight of the last four years is that our cooperation programmes have focused increasingly on the youth, with our dual education programmes, as well as on young entrepreneurs. After supporting the opening of Science & Technology Park Belgrade a few years ago, we are now doing the same in Niš and Čačak.

Such support provides opportunities for young IT experts to develop their innovative projects into start-ups, and doing so prevents them from leaving the country.

national parks, the meanders of the river Uvac. I could go on and on like that with dozens of other examples.

At the start of your residency in Serbia, you noted the people’s “chaleur humaine” and the large servings of food.

What else made an impression on you?

- What I said in a previous interview is that the generous servings of delicious food is a feature that illustrates the great sense of hospitality of the people in Serbia, their human touch or their “chaleur humaine”, as we say in French. The creative art scene and tourism potential of the country also impressed me when I first arrived. No wonder that Serbia was the cradle of numerous talented artists, the most famous living example of which is Marina Abramović. During the first year I spent all my holidays touring the country and I got only a glimpse of its tourism potential. Just a few examples of my fond memories: the Deliblato Sands, the splendid Studenica and Sopoćani monasteries, the quiet Roman site of Romuliana, the mysterious fortress of Maglić, the astonishing synagogue in Subotica, the snowy peaks of Kopaonik, the amazing prehistoric site of Vinča, the magnificent Fruška Gora and Tara

- From one day to another, providing assistance to Swiss citizens has become a priority for me and the staff at the Embassy. We have been in constant contact with the Swiss community and have tried to respond to each request.

The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was very helpful in this regard. We had good cooperation in organising repatriation flights for stranded Swiss citizens in Serbia, as well as for Serbian citizens stranded in Switzerland. Another challenge was to respond swiftly to the Serbian authorities’ inquiry for support to manage the pandemic. Within a few days, we were able to make available 600,000 euros to help those most in need, including the elderly and men and women who lost their incomes. This amount was channelled through our local partners, including the Red Cross of Serbia.

Your final year in Serbia has been marked by the Coronavirus pandemic. To what extent did that impact on the plans you had until the end of your term?

Generous servings of delicious food is a feature that illustrates the great sense of hospitality of the people in Serbia, their human touch or their “chaleur humaine”, as we say in French

Even prior to the Coronavirus outbreak, economic cooperation between the two countries seemed to be experiencing a 7

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slight slowdown. Do you have a suggestion about what needs to happen in Serbia in order to make the country more interesting for investors from Switzerland?

- First I would like to state that most of the Swiss companies are, roughly speaking, satisfied with the business conditions that prevail in Serbia. The Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce carries out an annual survey among its members that confirms this fact. This is particularly true for the big “names”, like Nestlé, Novartis, Roche, Ringier Group, SGS or Sika. The complaints I am informed about come usually from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

They relate to the lack of the rule of law, including within courts of justice, cases of corruption or lack of transparency of the tax authorities.

As you prepare to depart the Western Balkans, do you see it as a future EU region or as an isolated island within the EU? - Europe would not be Europe without the Western Balkans.

From the dismantling of the Roman Empire to the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Western Balkans have always been a gateway between Western and Eastern Europe. The continent is today reunited, from Lisbon to Athens, from Stockholm to Rome. I would then expect this gateway role to fade away over time.

Under these circumstances, what would be the added value in the Western Balkans becoming an isolated island? The door to the EU is open, but it is up to the political elites of the candidate countries to push this door by taking onboard the necessary reforms.

You’ve advocated strongly for Serbia’s membership in the EU, emphasising that some Swiss donations were also awarded with the intention of strengthening the country’s capacity to navigate negotiations successfully and achieve EU accession. You’ve stated that these donations are about supporting the system of European values. Do you think that they can only develop within the EU; and if so, how should we interpret the fact that the Swiss have no intention of even considering membership?

- We tend to forget that the European Union is first and foremost a matter of values, which are identified as the rule of law, freedom of media, market economy, judicial independence or intolerance of corruption. Each value is important and forms part of the whole.

There is no cherry picking. Switzerland shares all these values deeply, even though our direct democracy system, as well as our specific history, prevents us from joining the EU. Serbia has decided to join the EU. That means that these values have to be shared and implemented. Switzerland therefore supports Serbia in achieving this goal, with the resources available as a nonEU bilateral donor. As EU progress reports show, Serbia is moving forward, particularly in economic sectors, but there are still many reforms to be carried out in order to strengthen democratic institutions and processes. The recent elections have provided a good example. No one has failed to see that freedom of media is imperfectly fulfilled, as the ruling party could rely on disproportionate coverage from most major media outlets, including the TV channels with a national frequency.

As your only negative experience in Serbia, you’ve mentioned that you recall “malicious comments” during the World Cup in Russia that were directed towards several members of the Swiss national football team who have origins in Kosovo. Didn’t it seem to you at the time that some of the members of your own national team were using football to meddle in politics?

- Let’s get facts straight. The “malicious comments” you are referring to were made by a Serbian Minister prior to the Serbia vs. Switzerland match. These “malicious comments” were broadcast throughout Switzerland before the match, as evidence that a member of the Serbian government was using football to meddle in politics.The two Swiss footballers did the same during the match. They have been rightly punished for what they did. I am not sure that the Minister was sanctioned.The Swiss football team is an illustration of what Switzerland is at its best, namely a blending of different cultures that live together in peace and with mutual respect.

Within a few days, we were able to make available 600,000 euros to help those most in need, including the elderly and men and women who lost their incomes

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When discussing the secret of Switzerland’s success, you mentioned three recipes, one of which is decentralisation – given that your country has 23 cantons and over 2,000 municipalities. Why couldn’t the decentralisation model, proposed as broad local autonomy, not also be a solution for Kosovo?

Switzerland was one of the first countries to recognise the independence of the Serbian province.

- Switzerland and Serbia agree to disagree on Kosovo, as we recognised its independence like the majority of countries around the world. For decades, including in the ‘90s, broad

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local autonomy could indeed have been a solution for Kosovo.

Throughout that time there were several missed opportunities in this regard. I don’t want to prejudge any future negotiations, but I’m afraid that broad local autonomy is no longer an option.

Having said that, Switzerland supports an inclusive negotiation process that has to lead to a comprehensive normalisation agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, the implementation of which has to be effective. We trust that both sides will use their leeway to have a significant positive influence on the process.

and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Serbia for the implementation of this dual education reform. A highly knowledgeable professor in dual education from the ETH Zurich has a leading role in that respect. Second, we are carrying out our own programme that’s focused on short term work-based learning courses. This programme targets the creation of new jobs in five cities and their surrounding municipalities. So far it has supported 12,000 young people with career advice and job placement, and facilitated 1,000 work-based learning

How does the Swiss-funded platform for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina function?

- Switzerland is funding one of the very few platforms for dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo. This platform is not only for NGOs, journalists and academics from Serbia and Kosovo to meet and hold a dialogue with each other, but also for members of parliament or key representatives of political parties, be that opposition or ruling parties. In the case of members of parliament, they usually meet up to three times a year in a neighbouring country. Pristina’s introduction of 100% tariffs for imports from Serbia froze these exchanges for understandable reasons. I am confident that they will now resume.

No one has failed to see that freedom of media is imperfectly fulfilled, as the ruling party could rely on disproportionate coverage from most major media outlets, including the TV channels with a national frequency

Like several of your predecessors, you also advocated for the introduction of dual education in Serbia. How would you rate it today, with the applying of that system having started?

- The trigger for us to make dual education a priority of our bilateral cooperation with Serbia was the strong interest expressed by President Aleksandar Vučić during a visit to Switzerland five years ago, in his capacity as then prime minister. His interest has never declined since then. On the contrary, in the meantime his government carried out a major reform, the first results of which are promising. There are currently 7,000 students on dual education programmes in Serbia, in 104 schools, getting knowledge for 37 profiles with 880 participating companies.

This year alone there were 3,000 places for freshmen in dual education, which is a very favourable trend, given the current economic and public health circumstances.

The role of the Swiss Embassy here is twofold. First, we bring qualified policy advice to the Ministry of Education

programmes in 120 companies, with a 60 per cent job retention rate for young men and women.

You launched the project “Private Value” three years ago, through which you gave young artists from Serbia the opportunity to mark the start of their careers with exhibitions in a specific gallery that you created in the scope of the Swiss ambassadorial residence. Will your colleagues continue this project?

- When I arrived in Belgrade, I decided to open the doors of the Ambassadorial Residence to Swiss and Serbian artists specialising in visual arts. I think it perfectly suits my first mission in Belgrade, which is to be a bridge builder between Serbia and Switzerland. Three to four temporary exhibitions have been organised each year, including “Private Value” exhibitions featuring only young Serbian artists. As this is my personal initiative, I can’t tell you whether my successor will keep going with a 4th edition next year. You can trust that I will encourage him to do so.

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INTERVIEW

MAJO MIĆOVIĆ, PRESIDENT OF THE SWISS-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

CYBER SECURITY

Has Become A Business Necessity The new government should do well to ease the level of tax liabilities, including reducing contributions to employees' salaries, and encourage banks to address support for the economy more substantially. Alongside that, with the further development of provided digital services, the state would significantly support the business operations of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Finally, cyber security should not be seen as an option, but rather an obligatory part of the digital transformation process

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he state of increased health security as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed companies operating in Serbia towards digitalisation, but the road from digitalisation to digital operations is an extended one, says Majo Mićović, president of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, investor and CEO of Sky Express, one of the leading companies in the field of cyber security in Serbia and the region. We spoke with Mićović about doing business in Serbia, the work of the Chamber and government measures that could help companies more easily overcome the challenges that lie ahead.

How deeply has digitalisation been taken on by different business segments of companies in Serbia?

- I would like to stress the distinction: it is important to understand that digitalisation, as a process, and digital business operations are not synonymous. Digitalisation, as a modern response to the tendencies of developing human communication, is generally an all-encompassing process that extends beyond

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narrow fields such as business, health or education. The transformation of all types of mass and individual communication into “bits & bytes” has been going on for decades already, since the beginnings of the mass use of personal computers and the internet. Digital business operations, on the other hand, which is the topic of your question, relates to the digitalisation of business communication, but not only communication as a form of mutually informing participants in the process, but rather beyond communication it also encompasses the complete line of business processes, from production to distribution, and alongside that all documentation, sales and marketing processes, analytics, data mining etc. If we look at your question from this perspective, the digitalisation of operations hasn’t been nearly as far-reaching as general digitalisation, and the COVID-19 pandemic and all measures, from the state of emergency to the post-Covid period, have confirmed the extreme importance of digitalisation. Many companies have “awoken” from their analogue dream, finding themselves facing extreme challenges such as compulsory work from home,

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web business orientation, facing market demands for digital communication and business operations in general.

In your opinion, how prepared was Serbia for this type of challenge, in terms of infrastructure and in the domain of e-government?

- With the information at my disposal, and I would say that no one has the most accurate insight into the preparedness of any country in the world when it comes to entering a pandemic crisis, Serbia was in a similar situation to most other countries in the region, with slightly better communication and IT infrastructure. What is actually a surprise, and an unpleasant one, happened in countries with much higher standards, such as Italy, France, the U.S. and Spain, and shows only that the strength of infrastructure isn’t the only response to emergency situations. I believe that the behavioral aspects of the individual citizen, and then the collective consciousness, is a much more important factor for successfully overcoming these kinds of situations. We have all witnessed that this same test was failed by much more developed economies and societies that are more advanced in terms of civilization. When it comes to the success and capacity of e-government of Serbia, I have different indications. Initiatives such as Digital Solidarity were to be commended wholeheartedly, then a couple of good portal projects such as COVID-19, as well as the efforts of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Serbia to use frequent webinars in order to raise the ability of businesses to cope with the newly emerged situation. On the other hand, I think The Office for IT and E-government had the opportunity to do somewhat more in the area of supporting the economy and citizens in this period, considering the exceptional support of its founder, the Government of Serbia, or rather the Prime Minister’s Office. I said this while bearing in mind that the Cabinet and the Government have really done a lot for the IT industry in the past few years; as a result, it is a well-known fact that Serbia’s IT industry is becoming one of the main engines of Serbia’s export economy.

precisely the type of risks that must be addressed with a high degree of priority, considering the huge scales of potential compromises and the relatively simple way in which systems can be compromised when converted from paper to digital resources. The protection measures you take will not by themselves deter an attacker from their intentions, rather carefully selected and applied correctly with other measures are those that contribute significantly to reducing and eliminating the risk of an attack being successful. This is actually the major task of our IT security branch, to help the user to understand the adequacy of technology and mutual harmonisation of protection resources, to avoid wasting budget resources in procuring incompatible systems. Cyber security is a field of high, narrowly specialised IT technology, primarily in an application sense, because it has been shown that only application solutions can quickly, efficiently and flexibly deal with organised cyber crime. Here I would point to the fact that although cyber security is the fastest growing branch of the IT industry and the fastest growing industry in the world, the need for digital data and communications increased by the pandemic and crisis made it all even more obvious in the global business circles. In Serbia, we have several companies that have really succeeded in evolving into serious subjects in this area, not only in our country but also in the Region, such as the company for whose business I am personally responsible, Sky Express, which is a leader in the area of the distribution and implementation of highly complex solutions in the field of cyber security.

When the Swiss economy adapts to the new conditions for doing business, it is to be expected that a healthy cycle of quality investments will be restarted, because the Serbian market offers good opportunities, especially in the fields of IT and services

Do you think that current level of cyber security protection has been sufficient when it comes to operations that have been relocated to the internet, and in which areas is strengthening needed here?

- The aspect of cyber security shouldn’t be considered an option, but rather an essential part of the digital transformation plan, which is defined by the positive legal regulations of the Republic of Serbia, as well as the acts of the European Union. Of course, every transformation carries with it some risks, and the risks of applying digital transformation are

To what extent will working from home, but also transferring part of operations online, be able to contribute to the preserving of production processes? What is the situation among your member companies in this regard?

- It is certain that in the initial phase of becoming accustomed to the new system of work, working from home will not contribute greatly to the preservation of production processes, especially in non-digital operations, in classic industries such as metal processing, wood and agricultural production. In the end, working from home isn’t a method of contribution but a necessary measure to improve employee safety, so like any necessary measure it should be observed as temporary. The transition to online operations certainly goes hand in hand with services, and when it comes to the manufacturing business, part of the business - such as sales and logistics, as well as supplies - will certainly gain strength through the digitalisation of operations.

Members of SSCC, in accordance with the aforementioned theses, they apply both the measure of working from home and 11

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strengthening online operations quite differently: software and general IT companies, and companies with digital services, have very easily and efficiently adapted to the new conditions of doing business, with a possible tendency to keep part of employees on remote working even after the waning of the pandemic, while the other hand, the classical businesses of Swiss companies in Serbia certainly suffer the same pressure on the efficiency of production processes as all other companies of that provenance, and that through the enforced measures like deploying more working shifts, shorter working days, more frequent holidays, the reorganisation of business premises and production lines etc.

We understand that there probably won’t be a second package of assistance to the economy from the Government of Serbia. What are your suggestions for the new government when it comes to improving the business climate?

- It wouldn’t be responsible if I were to comment in advance the measures that should be adopted by a government that has not yet even been selected, because we must accept that it will probably differ quite a lot from the current one, both in terms of composition and in the strategic goals of the state, so measures for economic recovery will depend significantly on the political and economic circumstances in which it will be formed. Judging by the topics the state is currently engaged in, primarily the issue of Kosovo, then international relations with neighbouring countries, which unfortunately aren’t progressing due to pandemic complications, general regional tensions and the complexity of relations with the EU, I believe that economic issues will be resolved following their importance rather than strategically, at least in the period until the end of the year.

In nutshell, the new government should ease the level of tax liabilities, including reducing contributions to employees’ salaries, and encourage banks to address support for the economy more substantially. Alongside that, with the further development of provided digital services, the state would significantly support the business operations of small and medium-sized enterprises. Finally, cyber security should not be seen as an option, but rather an obligatory part of the digital transformation process.

Immediately prior to and during the health crisis, Swiss companies arrived on the Serbian market. What are your expectations with regard to new FDI, considering the situation on the global market?

- Compared to some other international economies, Swiss companies don’t rank high in numbers and investments, so I believe this crisis will even further slow down the arrival of Swiss investors, except in a few industries like IT and services. On the other hand, the world economy, including the Swiss economy, is adapting to new conditions for doing business, so it is to be expected that, after getting used to the new way of doing business, a healthy cycle of quality investments will be restarted, because the Serbian market provides good opportunities for that, which we have also been convinced of at the Evolution Equity Fund from Zurich, a fund that has invested in Serbia with Sky Express, which is an SSCC member company as well.

What do you consider as the most important tasks of the Chamber in the period ahead?

- The SSCC, like most of bilateral chambers, is an active factor in the international cooperation between Switzerland and Serbia, as well as being a careful analyst of the economic situation in the country.

Add to that the integrative moment for our membership, actively connecting all members who express an interest in connecting with various economic organisations, government agencies and other chambers, then you will get a picture of the scope of activities that the Chamber has. In the coming period, until the end of the year, analysing the pandemic situation and how it reflects on the economies of Serbia and Switzerland will certainly be our primary activity, both in an advisory sense as well as through acting as a centre for information on administrative and economic measures and changes in the economic lives of the two countries. Alongside that, we are also continuing with all our daily activities, amongst which I would really like to single out the outstanding contributions of some of our member companies, such as Adecco, Confida Consulting, Sky Express, Smart Point and TSG Law Office, whose webinars on topics relevant to overcoming crises difficulties to operations are attracting ever more attention from both our membership and among the members of other Chambers.

Many companies have “awoken” from their analogue dream, finding themselves facing extreme challenges such as compulsory work from home, web business orientation, market demands for digital communication and business

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MLADEN VUKANAC, GENERAL MANAGER, SAUTER BUILDING CONTROL

BUSINESS

SMART AUTOMATION

For IoT Buildings

Sauter Building Control has been ranked at the top of the world in the field of pharmaceuticals and laboratory control for more than a hundred years, because it insists on high quality solutions and services, reliability, technological innovation and knowhow

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nlike the majority of other companies, Sauter is hiring new staff despite the unfavourable situation.

According to announcements of new investment cycles in the construction sector, the company is making plans for next year, which is expected to surpass the successes of 2019 and 2020.

Switzerland is known as a country with high technological and industrial standards. How do you succeed in justifying such a status through your work and in implementing all those values within projects?

- Precision, innovation, reliability, good management and high quality are just some of the values that are rooted in the national identity of Switzerland. When we add to that economic and political stability, and when we know that the Swiss federation is the best example of the development of federal relations in Europe, we are talking about a country that represents a positive example of social and economic order.

In our work we insist precisely on the high quality of solutions and services, reliability, technological innovations and knowhow, but similarly we also take care of socialisation through the systematic transferring of knowhow, skills and habits to new generations.

When you’ve spent over a hundred years at the very top of the world in any field of business, you have great social responsibility and an obligation to make your environment, and the country in which you reside, a better place to live.

here in Serbia for the use of your latest technological solution, “Modulo 6”, which is based on the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT)?

- We see them everywhere. Digitalisation is unavoidable in all fields, including the sector of Building Automation. What’s important is that we are fully prepared to respond to all the challenges posed by IoT buildings with our solutions. Sauter’s “Modulo 6” is a guarantee of efficiency and accuracy, while it also brings economic benefits.

Our country isn’t lagging behind in terms of technological solutions, and Sauter’s engineers in Belgrade aren’t lagging behind any European country in terms of experience and knowhow. I can confirm this because I’ve had many opportunities to acquaint myself with solutions and projects across Europe, and to convince myself of that.

The projects we’re working on in our country haven’t been stopped, and we are achieving a record turnover

By keeping pace with the latest trends in the fields of automation and digitalisation, where do you see possibilities

What are the biggest challenges facing Sauter today and how do you approach them?

- The current health situation is certainly something that causes concern. However, we are not waiting for better times, but rather are already actively involved in the fight against the virus, which is the biggest threat to society today. Specifically, Sauter is just completing the automation of the first factory for a Covid-19 vaccine, which is being built in Beijing. When the services of our company from Switzerland are being used for one of the Chinese state’s most important projects, that is impressive, but also certainly brings great responsibility.

We try to look at each situation rationally, and to do the most we can at all times. We certainly analyse events that we cannot influence, but we don’t unnecessarily waste energy and time that we need to do something useful wherever that’s possible.

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BUSINESS

ALEKSANDAR MILOŠEVIĆ, 3ap CEO

Empower

CHANGE

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Change has forever been important to mankind, since time immemorial. Being able to reflect on how you do things is extremely crucial personally. The question is “when” one actually does it; and, moreover, whether we even want to engage in change? These are probably among the questions that we can easily ask ourselves. However, it is slightly more difficult to start actually making those changes, since mankind is often naturally predisposed to being reluctant to change

he forces pushing for change are probably stronger now than ever, with 2020 acting as an accelerator for this, a test, or even the proof that change is possible.

It is a call that we need to change. The current time in which we are living is probably of similar importance to the time when the steam engine was invented, when horses were being rapidly replaced by steaming locomotives drawing extensive carriages along newly laid rail tracks. This was a time Empowering large scale change is essentially the core of disruption of the way mankind travels, which later changed responsibility of companies, institutions and authorities, which yet again with the introduction of flight. should also do so in a joint manner. To truly support ambitions Jumping to the 21st century, one of the fundamental contribuwith stability (through authorities), creating environments that tors is digitalisation and the information it can create. During contribute to expertise (through companies), and knowledge the last couple of years we’ve only scratched the surface of the (through education). true potential that exists in this revolutionary area.

At 3ap we live the ambition to introduce change and to do A simple look at the way we plan our days, supported by so fast! That’s not just because we are eager to work on this weather forecast apps, can show us how these changes have a change movement, but also because we want to be ahead of direct result in terms of ensuring we take more enjoyable trips. the game, to learn fast and manoeuThis is just one simple example of how ourselves successfully through the empowering access to available informaEmpowering large scale change vre pace brought to us by the world. We are tion can influence our lives drastically. is essentially the core dedicated to our company culture for Other apps contribute to us being more that. We organise ourselves strategically physically active with sport via tracking. responsibility of companies, and consider how we can actually manage Thus resulting in us living healthier lives. institutions and authorities, constant change. We are indeed fortunate Social media has also been seen to have huge importance for us in demographic which should also do so in a joint to be headquartered in one of the most innovative countries is the word, and to aspects. These are just a couple of exammanner. To truly support have access to the latest practices and ples that impact on our daily lives. ambitions with stability theories, as well as the renowned Swiss What will come in the years ahead (through authorities), creating educational system. We are also bridging is what I call, from my perspective, “the break of silos”. In other words, the ability environments that contribute to the gap by being a role model company Serbia, where we are bringing new apto connect different silos with each other expertise (through companies), inproaches and have the ambition to be the even further and provide information in and knowledge (through force behind companies rethinking how a more holistic way by changing or even they can function. creating new approaches. education)

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BUSINESS

SWISS EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY

An Answer To Market Demands Of Tomorrow

winsedswiss — world institute of service education, entered the Serbian and Adria markets to develop continuous creativity and innovation in the services and hospitality industries.

Our advantage — the exclusive VET by EHL (Vocational Education and Training) program, specifically designed for hospitality and licensed by the world-famous hotel school, Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), Switzerland.

Our aim — transfer the Swiss Education model to create a bridge between the market needs and its craving for qualified personnel in order to attain excellence in service.

Additional services — higher education programs, professional education courses, hospitality recruitment services, consulting in service excellence & luxury lifestyle management. visit us at winsed.swiss

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BUSINESS

BRANKO MILIKIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, SIXSENTIX SERBIA

Since its foundation, the vision of Sixsentix has been to grow as a specialised software testing company. Owing to successful business, the company today has offices in Vienna, Frankfurt, Abu Dhabi, Wroclaw and Krakow, Belgrade and Novi Sad

UNIQUE Testing Approach

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f you don’t invest in the constant improvement of employees and their knowledge, the continual development of the services you offer and your approach, and if you are not dedicated to clients’ satisfaction and becoming recognisable on the market, you shouldn’t expect big things, says Sixsentix Serbia MD Branko Milikić.

Your company is headquartered in Zurich, but Sixsentix has offices in several European cities, and in the UAE. - The company headquarters are in Zurich, but we also have offices in Vienna, Frankfurt, Abu Dhabi, Wroclaw and Krakow. In Serbia we have offices in two locations, in Belgrade and Novi Sad, and here we have the highest number of employees. Considering that our clients are major corporations, we keep pace with the world market and expand our business in countries that recognise the necessity of high-level software quality and understand the need and importance of investing in this type of service.

The company in Switzerland is specialised in software testing, whereas the subsidiary company in Serbia is specialised in both software testing and development. What types of services are more in demand on our market?

- There are two companies in our group. Sixsentix is specialised 16

in software testing (quality assurance) and QACube is specialised in software development and it has its own product for visual analytics and reporting for DevOps. Developers are currently in demand worldwide, including Serbia. So, the companies are literally competing to win over employees in this field. When it comes to testing, it can be said that the situation is slightly better.

However, as time passes, many companies are becoming aware of the importance of quality assurance, so I expect the situation to be the same with testers very soon.

Your clients are the biggest global banks and enterprises in the fields of finance, insurance and telecommunications. Do they rely on your Managed Testing Service?

- We have implemented our Managed Testing Service for several clients, and it yielded impressive results. This type of testing service saves both time and money, as well as resources. The output is of high quality and there is no need for in-house test consultants. In this way, the clients have more time to focus on their core business. We also work with clients who have their own in-house testers, and even entire testing departments. In some cases we coordinate the projects, while in others the clients do the coordination. Both options bring great results, provided you work with people who are experts at what they do.

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Your core business is software testing. What makes your testing approach different and unique? What results does it achieve – flawless, high-quality software that fully satisfies the needs of customers?

- Since the foundation of the company, our vision has been to grow as a specialised software testing company. We didn’t want to test everything in any way, but we aimed at developing our own unique testing approach - Software Agile Testing (SWAT).

The SWAT approach defines our methodology and testing life cycle, and has predefined team roles with specific skill sets and responsibilities.

It is distinguishable due to our testing methodology, which includes risk-based testing of the system components according to priorities, thus enabling the highest risk coverage of the system under test with a relatively small number of automated test cases. As a result, the client gets a fast report about their readiness for product launch.

We all know that ‘time is money’, and, in a very competitive landscape, everyone working on a new product wants the fastest time-to-market, with software that has no errors or shortcomings that could result in dissatisfied users or in putting the product owner’s reputation at risk. We’ve already heard about large companies losing millions of dollars, even billions, due to the defects of their products already placed on the market. The worst-case scenario is to lose clients who will quickly direct their business towards the competition. In this scenario, a lot more is lost than just money.

With our expert knowledge and professional staff, we help clients avoid the potential problems of placing a low-quality product on the market. It is for all these reasons that we are constantly improving our business model and way of work.

Thanks to your testing services, the companies that hire you reduce their costs and shorten their products’ time-to-market. As time is becoming ever more expensive, will the need for your services grow? Are you prepared for that?

- Our approach becomes more recognisable to clients year-onyear, and we gradually expand our market share and increase the number of clients. As I mentioned, software quality assurance is a relatively young field and the demand for this type of service will continue to grow, especially for the specific way of testing

The SWAT approach defines our methodology and testing life cycle and has predefined team roles, with a specific skill set and responsibilities

How do you choose the right technology and approach to software testing? How much does it depend on the specific needs of each client and their industry?

- It depends on the client’s needs and system architecture, but also on the client’s business policies. In some cases customers have signed license agreements and only use the tools of those vendors, so we have to adjust to that. In cases with no such restrictions, we decide for ourselves which tool and technique we will use, and which method of working we will implement.

This brings the best results, because we determine the most adequate approach to the given requirements at that specific moment, based on our extensive experience.

such as ours. We already have in place developed systems and processes for onboarding, education and staff training.

With the help of experienced colleagues, we can easily adapt them and prepare for any new challenge in our field.

Is that one of the reasons, among others, why you invest a lot in the training and development of your staff? Are there enough available experts that fit your needs?

- There are not enough qualified experts in this field on the market. On the other hand, the constant advancement of technologies and systems requires the continuous improvement of knowledge and skills. It is also very important to have the right people in the right roles, and to nurture the company’s values and culture. That’s why we invest in all of it, starting from the hiring process itself, through the onboarding of new employees, to the education and training of everyone in the company on a regular basis.

I would like to conclude this interview with the following message: if you do not invest in the constant improvement of your employees and their knowledge, continuous development of the services you offer and your approach, and if you are not dedicated to client satisfaction and becoming recognisable on the market, you should not expect big things.

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BUSINESS PARTNER

BUSINESS

ADOC

YOUR PARTNER

In Health Care

ADOC is a family business that has been supplying medicines to all healthcare institutions in the country for the last three decades, while it also holds the position of market leader in the fields of diabetes care and laboratory diagnostics. In addition to that, ADOC also manufactures a significant number of medicines, medical devices and supplements

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Can you briefly introduce your company us to? t ADOC they follow market trends, plan the - We are a family-owned company, established in Dedevelopment of products and services stracember 1990, which means that we’ve been operating tegically, and expand their network of supplion the domestic pharmaceutical market for 30 years. ers and customers. They also simultaneously We deal with the import, storage work continuously on the personal distribution of medicines and and professional development of By respecting every agreement and medical devices. During this period employees, which, viewed in its entirety, is obviously a good direction, and contractual obligation, we we’ve cooperated with numerous considering that the company has have gained enormous trust world leaders in the pharmaceutical industry, such as Roche (Pharma & been operating successfully for three among all stakeholders Diagnostics), AstraZeneca, Merck decades already.

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BUSINESS PARTNER

KgaA, Novo Nordisk, Merck, Sharp & Dohme, but also with domestic manufacturers, i.e. Hemofarm and Actavis.

We are among the largest suppliers of medicines to all healthcare institutions in the country, and we would single out our market leader position in the fields of diabetes care and laboratory diagnostics.

ADOC is also a manufacturer of a significant number of medicines, medical devices and supplements, including some brands that are very well represented on the domestic market.

Thirty years is a long period of existing and operating successfully. How have you managed to last so long?

- There are many factors that exist in the successful operation of any organisation, including ours, but I would single out two key ones: respect for agreements and constant development. ADOC’s basic principle is to respect every agreement and contractual obligation, whether that relates to orders, financial obligations, delivery, the quality of products or services etc. In this way we’ve gained great trust among all stakeholders. On the other hand, we have always looked ahead, because we know that maintaining the existing situation isn’t possible in the long run.

WHO and local authorities immediately and fully, including protective equipment and resources, self-isolation, shift work and remote working.

As a large supplier of medicines and medical devices, we understood most seriously our role in ensuring the vitality and functioning of the entire health system, so there was no way we could allow any halts in operations and deliveries. Our primary goal was to keep work processes to a minimum, but we managed to maintain the full volume of operations. We are still continuously monitoring the situation in the country and the region, prepared to make a decision and adjust our operations to the given situation at any moment.

How do you manage to bring decisions under such short deadlines?

- Compactness and flexibility are significant advantages of our company. The complete organisation is situated in a single location and we do everything centrally, including decision making. In that way we are able to respond to every new situation, not only during extraordinary circumstances, but also during regular operations.

Did you have to abandon some of your principles of cooperation with clients during the How many employees does ADOC state of emergency? have?

By caring for every - No! There is no compromise in that.

- At present, counting only the pharma employee we’ve created a The quality of products and services, business, we have 170 employees.

However, a more important statistic strong and competent team of respect for deadlines and contractual obligations, and the requirements of is that departures from ADOC are negligible, which testifies to the fact professionals who can respond all market participants, remain ADOC’s priorities. That’s something we showed that our employees are satisfied with to every challenge the most during the extraordinary the conditions and see their future at circumstances, and we received recognition from all our our company. In addition to the continuous development clients. It wasn’t easy in the slightest during this period, of skills and education, as well as providing all employees but we managed to preserve the reputation that we’ve with opportunities to express themselves on a profesbeen building over the last thirty years. sional level, it is very important to have exceptional social responsibility and care for every employee that ADOC To conclude, can you reveal to us your plans for the comhas nurtured since its inception. In this way we’ve created pany’s future development? a strong and competent team of professionals who can - Our plans certainly include expanding our distribution respond to any challenge. portfolio, but we are currently placing an emphasis on the development of our production, the market strengthening Is the COVID-19 pandemic impacting on your operations? of the position of existing brands and the introducing of - This is certainly a global problem, the pandemic influences new quality products to the domestic market. We are also our company and the entire market generally. However, I focusing on Value Added Service, in terms of co-promotions believe we’ve responded in a timely and adequate man& outsourcing, market access, patient support programmes, ner at every juncture of the pandemic and events at the RA support and primary & secondary packaging, where global and local levels. There have been various obstacles we believe we can offer a lot to our partners. to doing business during the epidemic, from supplies and imports all the way to deliveries to end customers, Milorada Jovanovića 11, Belgrade but everything has been overcome successfully through www.adoc-pharma.com joint efforts. We adopted the recommendations of the 19

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BUSINESS

JENS ENGELI, REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR EASTERN EUROPE, HELVETAS SWISS INTERCOOPERATION

SUPPORTING Serbia's Reforms

Helvetas is an independent development organisation based in Switzerland and with over 100,000 active members in the country. It has a long history and track record in the Western Balkans dating back more than 20 years, and today Helvetas has offices in Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina

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ur goal is to assist Serbia in selected areas in which the country faces some challenges and sees some needs, as well as where Switzerland has some expertise and relevant knowledge. We are working together with local partners to support reforms in Serbia on its path towards EU membership, says Helvetas’ Jens Engeli.

What was the main motive for your organisation to start activities in Serbia?

- We worked in Serbia in the early years of the 2000s and came back in 2015. Our current support is focused on socio-economic development, as we believe these areas are of high importance for both Serbia and Switzerland. Our mission is to support poor and disadvantaged women, men and communities, in developing and transition countries, in their efforts to improve their living conditions. Together with our partners in Serbia - ranging from civil society organisations to the private and public sectors - we implement well defined and targeted projects of the Swiss Government.

administration in Serbia. The project “For an Active Civil Society Together – ACT” aims to contribute to an active civil society for the benefit of all people and to increase citizens’ engagement in decision-making. The ACT programme is implemented by the consortium of Helvetas and the NGO “Civic Initiatives” and will support around 100 civil society organisations with different grants that are combined with tailored capacity building.

How will the projects that you are implementing bring change to some areas in Serbia?

- One example is the Property Tax Reform project, which enabled the introduction of a national, unified, digital tax system, based on ICT-supported technology. Thanks to this system, citizens and companies can now pay property taxes online in one central location. In our ACT project, we are currently selecting civil society organisations that will receive institutional support as well as some more project-based grants to CSOs throughout the whole of Serbia. With this Swiss support we aim to strengthen civil society so that it can have a better say and involvement in decision making and democratic processes, mainly at the local level.

We aim to strengthen civil society for it to have a better say and involvement in decision making and democratic processes

What projects is Helvetas currently implementing in Serbia?

- We are currently implementing two important projects of the Swiss Government. The first is “Property Tax Reform” and the second is “For an Active Civil Society Together - ACT”. These two projects have a combined financial value of over 10 million euros. The Property Tax Reform project aims to improve trust between citizens and local governments. We believe that through transparent tax management, combined with the national digital tax system – which was set up thanks to this project – we are contributing to the further harmonisation of the tax 20

You came to live here a little less than a year ago. What did you expect and what did you get?

- The great hospitality, high living standards, cultural life and, very importantly for my wife and I, the beautiful nature, ensure our stay here is a really pleasure. We are both well-established here, enjoying our time both professionally as well as personally, and we hope to make our contribution and profit from our time here over the years to come.

BUSINESS PARTNER

DOMINIQUE KÜTTEL, FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN, BAD SISTEMS LLC

BUSINESS

A Successful Business Requires

ENTHUSIASTIC PEOPLE It takes more than a plan to develop an IT business successfully. It takes immense effort, time and confidence to get to the right formula for success. Endless enthusiasm, faith in people and a constant need to help your clients resolve their problems motivate us to approach digitalisation from the human side, and give the meaning to our product for the best user experience

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AD SISTEMS LLC was founded in 2016 in the southern Serbian city of Niš, with the idea of bringing together young people who are ready to develop digital products to cater to the needs of modern man.

What inspired you to decide to invest in a business in Serbia?

- It was a straightforward choice, as me and my business partner had a great business concept that required IT skills.

Since we have done business in Serbia for over a decade, we set up a company, hired three people and got started within a few weeks. Now we are a team of specialists in many different areas.

- As a general principle, the clearer the business case for a product or project, the easier it is to determine points of actions. At the very beginning of any project we place an emphasis on how to best bring the product to the market, the budget and time needed to gain traction. We want to avoid our customers developing a digital product and only thinking about how to market it during the development process. You would be surprised to see how many companies fail to do that.

Extremely useful in that context has been the usage of the Business Model Canvas, invented by Alexander Osterwalder in 2005, which forced one to look at a business from various angles.

We have observed how the stance of many industries towards digitalising their products and workflows has led to a strong surge in IT-related business opportunities. This trend will continue, as many pieces of the puzzle are now coming together and IT companies are - and will be - centre stage.

It took us a few years to combine the strength of the Swiss and Serbian cultures, and I’m now proud to say that we have a very enthusiastic team working on a couple of projects

What are the most significant advantages and qualities of owning an IT boutique in Serbia?

- Owning a company doesn’t mean a lot if you don’t have the right people on whom you can rely and trust. We created a business environment with like-minded people and talented youngsters eager to learn and progress. In the end, it all comes down to whether you have a good business plan, i.e. a sponsor, and the right people. It took us a few years to combine the strength of the Swiss and Serbian cultures, and I’m now proud to say that we do have a very enthusiastic team working on a couple of projects. An additional advantage is the abundance of good people across the country, particularly in southern Serbia.

What difficulties of business development is your company facing, and how do you see them improving?

How do you see the future development of your business on this market?

- Success breeds success. The happier the customers we have, the more visible we will become. Our ambition is to develop an in-house product that we think can make a difference and be the partner of trust for our clients. As such, we actively welcome crazy business concepts and discussions with clients to support them in any business aspect. We can only achieve this, of course, with the right quality people and enthusiasm.

And with that we will succeed.

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BUSINESS PARTNER

BUSINESS

ALEKSANDRA BUĆIĆ, AREA SALES & BD MANAGER CEE, SELECTCHEMIE AG

PLANNING

Market Expansion Selectchemie AG is a Swiss company that has spent half a century distributing more than 5,000 pharmaceutical and food products to customers from almost 100 countries around the world. The company is headquartered in Zurich, while one of its most successful representative offices is located in Belgrade

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he company has built a huge international reputation thanks to the fact that it doesn’t deal only in trade, but rather provides customers with support in various forms, from scientific, via commercial to regulatory support. It is precisely for this reason that the company plans to conquer new markets and expand its customer network in the period ahead Selectchemie has existed for half a century and has offices in 16 countries. How did the company develop and expand?

- Selectchemie was founded exactly 51 years ago in Switzerland, when four young, intelligent guys recognised an opportunity to connect East and West. Following their vision, as far back as 1980 they first went to China, where they opened their own representative office and engaged local experts. After seeing that this type of cooperation worked very successfully, later, in 2004, they opened a representative office in India.

The symbiosis of top quality, competitive prices, advanced technologies of the East and knowledge of the regulations and guidelines of the West, formed the foundation on which Selectchemie based its successful business over the course of decades.

In addition to offices in China and India, our company has representative offices on all continents. Through them we operate on local markets, because an unconditional understanding of the needs of our clients as certainly our basic goal.

How significant for the company is its representative office in Serbia? How many employees does it have, which regions does it cover; which market is most important to you, who are your main customers etc.?

- The representative office in Serbia is strategically one of the most important representative offices for the company,

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because the Belgrade office covers the entire markets of the former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Israel, as well as certain clients in Spain and Portugal.

The company had its own representative here before, while our office was reopened in April 2017 and since then has been one of the most successful within the scope of the company.

We currently have five employees and intend to expand the office in the future.

Can the reputation you enjoy be explained by the fact that Selectchemie is not merely a trader, but rather provides customers with different forms of support, from scientific, via commercial to regulatory support?

- That’s right; that’s what sets us apart and represents the motto that leads us. The headquarters of our company is located in Zurich, where complete logistics, part of the customer service, the Quality Department and, of course, part of the sales team are located. The entire chain is ready to support the needs of clients in every sense - from commercial, via documentation, to regulatory needs - and we are also available if someone needs friendly advice and suggestions when launching new projects.

What are your plans for the period ahead? Do you expect to expand, conquer new markets and win over new customers, both globally and locally?

- Conquering new markets and expanding our operations is undoubtedly something we will strive to achieve. Despite the wide network that the company already has, there are still many markets in which we see great potential and which have yet to be conquered. This will definitely be one of our leading aims for the future, as will be strengthening our position on existing markets, in terms of launching new projects with existing customers and expanding our customer network.

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SWISS NATURE

BUSINESS

EXCLUSIVELY

Natural Origins

The quality of the final product is a priority that also implies implementation of the highest technological achievements

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wiss Nature was founded in Serbia in 2010 as a foreign company with majority Swiss capital. The idea was to promote the development of innovative products of the highest quality, in collaboration with partners and renowned companies from Switzerland. Two categories of dietary products are integrated into the Swiss Nature business model – dietary supplements and nutrition in the form of functional food.

Swiss Nature dietary supplements are based on selected bioactive components of exclusively natural origins, nutritional substances and standardised herbal extracts. The bioactive compounds act in such a way in the body that they promote good health and deliver real benefits. They are being studied in the prevention of different conditions and diseases, while their safety and efficacy is scientifically proven and clinically tested.

We want to highlight our programme for diabetes and diabetes prevention. Diabetes is a global epidemic that affects an estimated 382 million people worldwide. It will be the 7th leading cause of death by 2030. It is estimated that four million people die from diabetes complications annually. This disease affects people of all ages, genders and races. The most eminent experts in the field of diabetes were involved in the process of developing our products Diabetwell capsules and Diabetwell cream, for the prevention of diabetic foot.

Together with our portfolio of functional food, which has been specially designed for people with diabetes, and prevention, the complete solution is presented.

Diabetes was our first objective, and we continue to actively foster the sustainable development of different products with positive impacts on certain issues.

One very important area we’ve been working on is strengthening immunity. We were prepared for the global COVID-19 pandemic with our product INFLAMAWELL. It is a combination of turmeric and vitamin C, the best ingredients combined with the latest technology - NovaSol. Our business framework is global and our orientation isn’t just focused on the domestic market in Serbia, but rather also represents significant export potential.

We will continue to promote healthy ways of living, following global trends and technologies and being prepared for increasingly demanding consumers

OUR UNIQUE PRODUCT PROPOSITION IS BUILT ON SWISS QUALITY 100% Natural • Bioactive Components • Standardised Herbal Extracts • Nutritive Substances

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BUSINESS PARTNER

INTERVIEW

ANA GRUJOVIĆ, EXECUIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SWISS-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SSCC

WE'VE ADAPTED To The Challenges

So far, our webinars have been implemented in cooperation with membercompanies, but as of September 2020, we will provide new insights about the situation in the region and in Switzerland as well, in cooperation with S-GE and Swiss bilateral chambers from the region

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We’re trying to extract the maximum benefit out of the existing situation, i.e. to minimise the negative consequences of COVID-19 on our members, says Ana Grujović, Executive Director of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SSCC). Like all other organisations, since the outbreak of the pandemic the SSCC has respected the prescribed rules of safe behaviour, with the aim of ensuring the protection of health. Many members have switched to the mode of remote working, while most SSCC activities take place via applications for webinars, online communication and video conferencing.

“One of the first measures taken, immediately upon the declaring of the state of emergency, relates to the joint initiative of 12 bilateral foreign chambers of commerce and organisations in Serbia, including amongst them the SSCC, in the form of sending an open request to Finance Minister Siniša Mali for the implementation of additional support measures for small and medium-sized enterprises,” says Grujović.

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In addition to this, the chamber took on the role of an info-centre in order to inform the business community in a timely manner about regulations adopted during the pandemic, economic measures to support the economy, as well as all current information relevant to the conducting of business activities.

How have you been able to help Swiss companies that are newcomers to this market, such as Regent Lighting, which only recently started operating in Svilajnac?

- The latest Swiss investment in Serbia relates to company Regent Lighting, based in Basel, which is engaged in the production of electric lighting. The investment is worth approximately 10 million euros, and the symbolic laying of the foundation stone for the construction of the factory in Svilajnac was carried out in June this year.

With regard to the advisory function of the chamber, the SSCC has a signed cooperation agreement with SwitzerlandGlobal Enterprise (S-GE), the Swiss organisation for the promotion of investments and exports, within the scope

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You’ve announced that the results of a survey on the consequences of COVID-19 for Swiss companies operating in Serbia will be revealed in September. Can you nonetheless tell us what kinds of issues members most often asked for your assistance with?

- Yes, the survey is planned for the second half of the year, in order for us to gain better insight into the impact of COVID-19 on the operations of our member companies. Most of the inquiries we received were related to economic measures for supporting the economy, ways of ensuring the protection of the health of workers at work, as well as conditions for travel between Switzerland and Serbia.

from home. Then there is the series of HR webinars in cooperation with company Adecco, as well as webinars on digital business, in cooperation with agency Smart Point. In addition to this, we organised more detailed explanations of economic measures to support the economy thanks to the active participation of member companies TSG Law Office and Confida Consulting.

For the second half of the year, we will provide members with insight into the situation in the region, thanks to cooperation with bilateral Swiss chambers from the region. Furthermore, it is also my great pleasure to announce a webinar that we plan to realise together with Switzerland Global Enterprise in September 2020, which will provide us with additional insight into the situation on the Swiss market.

What are the most important topics of the webinars you organise and for whom are they intended?

- Our webinars are realised in cooperation with member companies, such as the Cyber-security webinar in cooperation with company Sky Express, aimed at providing additional support to members in ensuring safe work

To what extent can SSCC plans for 2020 that were made prior to the outbreak of the pandemic be adjusted to the conditions of online activity, and which objectives will have to wait for better times?

- We’re trying, of course, to extract the maximum benefit out of the existing situation, i.e. to minimise the negative

of which we’re obliged to provide free initial consulting for Swiss companies showing an interest in the Serbian market.

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that, it is to be expected that consequences of COVID-19 on our We will continue striving - with with the volume of business travel will be members. At our General Assembly in fresh information, webinars reduced, especially considering the February 2020, we announced a focus on HR topics this year, and we are very and individual support, - to existing travel restrictions. The reachappy that we have maintained and tions of governments to the unfolding make it easier for members situation continue to change, thus implemented this direction of action in the form of webinars. to re-organize their business our recommendation is to frequently We introduced, for the first time this check the news and publicly available operations in the best year, the electronic publication “Memlinks to government websites, in order possible way, but also to get the latest information. ber2Member”, in cooperation with the Belgian Business Association in Serbia to learn from their peers How much room has there been in the and the Hellenic Business Association. from Switzerland previous period for cooperation and In this way, members are provided with exchanges of experience on organisthe opportunity to additionally promote products and services, and to do so within the scope of ing work between Swiss chambers around the world? What the wider business community. Likewise, members of the is the most important lesson when it comes to maintainBoard of Directors and the office itself remain available for ing active communication with members? all questions and consultations over the phone or through - Our strategic plan for this year implies liaising with Swiss online communications. bilateral chambers in the region. In accordance with that, Of course, the part of activities related to physical gathin cooperation with the Bulgarian-Swiss Chamber, we are preparing joint activities for the second half of the year, erings of members or visits to member companies will be while we are working intensively on also connecting with realised again once adequate conditions have been created the other chambers in the region. to ensure health protection and health safety.

In addition to this, we have offered our member compaFlights between Switzerland and Serbia were reintronies additional online media visibility through the project “SSCC success stories”, in the form of interviews to be duced recently. Do you expect there to be more physical published on the business portal and the SSCC website. contact between businesspeople in the period ahead, or The first interview was published with Mr Mićović, SSCC are they reserved only for exceptional cases? president and Sky Express CEO. I’m glad that the mentioned - We are witnessing that conditions of travel are changing project has attracted great interest among members, and on an almost daily basis and that, as a result of the Coroall interviews published to date can be found on the official navirus (COVID-19) outbreak and its health consequences, SSCC website. changes to travel plans are often being made. In accordance 26

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LOGO D. O.O. (LTD.)

BUSINESS

Three Decades Of

SUCCESS

CONSULTING | DESIGN | PRODUCTION | ENGINEERING | MAINTENANCE

Logo has been among the region's leading companies in information and communication technologies for three decades. It offers customers the best combination of great experts, superior technology and its many years of experience in creating integrated solutions

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uccessful project solutions are based on understanding a project’s vision, the expectations of clients, planned budgets and recording the real situation with the user.

When a project is accompanied by an optimal solution and superior service, success and the satisfaction of users are guaranteed.

Since way back in 1990, when Logo was founded, technologies have changed on an almost daily basis, the market has constantly brought new challenges that this company has boldly accepted and, whenever necessary, has taken new paths.

Today company staff are proud of the fact that, even after a full three decades, the company is still among the leaders of the ICT sector in the region. From the very beginning of operations, Logo’s innovative solutions have been used in ICT systems in the sectors of telecommunications, energy, legal, banking, education, healthcare and many others, thanks to the reliability and efficiency of its operations based on turnkey solutions.

Through consulting, project design, the execution of works and maintenance, with state-of-the-art technologies and maximum commitment to the client, Logo constantly confirms its superiority in creating the most complex integrated solutions in the field of the ICT industry.

At the company they point out proudly that their greatest strength is the team of over 170 exceptional individuals, with more than 80 engineers and technicians.

At Logo they listen carefully and analyse the desires, needs and expectations of their clients, using these inputs they are able to create and implement personalised solutions based on superior technology and many years of experience.

Solid foundations of many years of successful opera-

tions form a synergy with the experience of top experts, the highest quality products, great services, an optimal price-quality ratio, reliability etc. Many decades of experience in the ICT industry, satisfied customers and numerous successfully implemented projects, many of which were pioneering, are the company’s best recommendation! Logo was the first in Serbia to launch its own production plant for the manufacturing of connector and predetermined optic cables, in cooperation with Swiss company Huber+Suhner, implementing the largest private optics network that connects 84 buildings of the Clinical Centre of Serbia and the Medical Faculty. Logo installed the complete infrastructure for the needs of the technical protection system in the Sozina Tunnel in Montenegro, as well as various other critical infrastructure facilities, implemented the first FTTH (fibre to the home) network in Serbia, connected the base station to several locations in Serbia with optic links etc.

As the most demanding projects from the area of structural cable systems, Logo staff single out the networking of 1,680 digitalised school cabinets and over 300 school wi-fi systems, 1,600 dispensaries in 158 health centres, 63 branches of the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund, 253 institutions of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, 170 branches of the Ministry of Finance...

Many decades of experience in the ICT industry, numerous successfully implemented projects and satisfied customers are the company’s best recommendation!

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SSCC Activities May/June 2020 SSCC/SMART POINT DIGITAL TUESDAYS

The purpose of these webinars was to help member members to learn how to use digital marketing as a tool for companies’ growth and business development in the Covid-19 period. During these webinars, the following topics were addressed: opening a functional web shop as a new sales channel, digital team building, virtual events, e-commerce and performance marketing and social media, among others. All SSCC webinars are offered free of charge to SSCC members.

March, April, May, June, July 2020 SSCC ADECCO WEBINARS ’’HR THURSDAYS’’ The first webinar, co-roganized with Adecco, ’’ The importance of HR resources during the state of emergency’’ took place on Thursday, March 26, 2020. Since then, SSCC

members are invited to join HR interactive panels led by HR industry leading experts, every Thursday, at 15h00.

Among these HR experts, Mrs. Jovana Uzelac, Head of HR SEM (South East Market) – NESTLÉ ADRIATIC S D.O.O., also participated in these webinars.

March, 2020 SSCC MEMBERS REUNION

April 2020 SSCC/SKY EXPRESS WEBINAR- COVID-19 AND CYBER-CRIME

SSCC and Sky Express organised this online event with the aim to equipping member-companies with vital information on how criminal gangs are exploiting the current, pandemics situation and how to stay cyber-safe while working from home. In light of COVID-19, it’s important to share with everyone how to keep employees safe while working from home. About 90% of successful network breaches were caused by user error, meaning the employees! No industry is safe from cyber security threats – even experts are targeted by cyber criminals, even now, in the COVID-19 Pandemic era.

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SSCC Members’ Reunion was held on March 10, 2020 in the premises of a member-company ’’Mokgrogorska škola menadžmenta’’. On this occasion, the following corporate presentations were held: ’’Codetribe’’ , ’’IT Werke’’ and ’’Mokra Gora School of Mangement’’. The presentations were followed by a working breakfast.

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February 2020 SSCC GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SSCC General Assembly was held on February 26, 2020 in the premises of Nestle Adriatic. On this occasion, Mr. Nikola Milosavljević, Sales Director Adriatic, Adecco, was re-elected for the Board member. Also, Ms. Grujović, SSCC Executive Director, presented the activity plan for Y2020, together with the planned budget both approved by the General Assembly.

than 130 years, ABB has four customer-focused, globally leading businesses: Electrification, Industrial Automation, Motion, and Robotics & Discrete Automation, supported by the ABB Ability™ digital platform.

November 2019 SSCC SWISS BUSINESS NETWORKING

January 2020 SWISS RACLETTE EVENING

SSCC’ traditional ’’Swiss Raclette Evening’’ took place on January 31, 2020 in the Swiss Residence in Belgrade.

The event was hosted by the Ambassador of Switzerland to the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro, H.E. Philippe Guex. On this occasion, SSCC members had the opportunity to network while enjoying Swiss cheese specialties.

December 2019 SSCC VISITS MEMBER-COMPANY ABB SERBIA SSCC members visited the company ABB Serbia. Mr. Aleksandar Cosic, ABB General Manager, welcomed the guests and presented the company. ABB is a technology leader that is driving the digital transformation of industries. With a history of innovation spanning more

The SSCC Swiss Business Networking event was held on November 14, 2019 in the Swiss Residence and was hosted by H.E. Ambassador Guex. Besides SSCC members, representatives of other foreign, bilateral chambers of commerce in Belgrade also attended this event, such as representatives of AHK Serbia, French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Belgian Business Association in Serbia, Japanese business club. The overall purpose of the event was to create more networking opportunities not only within the Swiss business community, but with other business associations as well.

November 2019 CONFIDA WORKING BREAKFAST The annual Autumn Business Breakfast is organized

by Confida Consulting d.o.o. and supported by SSCC, German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbia) and Commercial Section of the Austrian Embassy. The presentation and panel discussion on the topic “Changes in tax regulations – what can we expect in 2020?” were 29

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held by members of the Tax team of CONFIDA Consulting.

Within this topic, the following aspects were addressed: the most important amendments to the Law on VAT and other novelties in tax regulations, tax treatment for lump sums entrepreneurs, tax relief for new employees, as well as the New Accounting Law and Audit Law, which will be in force from 2020. The event was attended by over 100 guests.

capability to recognize the critical points for the further development of bilateral relations between Switzerland and Serbia by organizing the second Conference on the topic of dual education. This Conference is gathering all relevant stakeholders: private company representatives of both countries, members of the diplomatic core, business associations and public administration. The Swiss VET system provided significant instructions for the development of the Serbian model of the dual education system by enabling the synchronization of the demands of the national economy with capacities of the education system and interests of young people in our country. The awareness about the intense market changes, technology development and digital era has been raised, and the local society can now better recognize the need for qualified and adequate labor force., said Majo Mićović, SSCC President.

October 2019 SSCC CONFERENCE ON DUAL EDUCATION 2019

Over 6.100 students and approx. 900 companies are involved in the dual education system in Serbia, not only in Belgrade and Novi Sad, but in over 50 cities in Serbia, said Majo Mićović, President of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, in his opening speech of the Conference “Dual Education Serbia 2019: the role of the private sector”. The Conference was sponsored by SSCC members “Adecco” and “Standard Furniture Serbia”. The conference was part of the ”Week of dual education in Serbia’‘ which took place from October 21-25, 2019 in Belgrade, in organization of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Serbia (PKS) and the Ministry for Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, and in partnership with the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKO), Austrian Development Agency (ADA), Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SSCC) and the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK). ‘’For the second time, SSCC is demonstrating its 30

Jean-Luc Oesch, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of Switzerland, Embassy of Switzerland to the Republic of Serbia and to Montenegro stressed that the topic of dual education is very important for bilateral relations between Switzerland and Serbia.: ‘’Today, education is one of the most essential factors for securing technological progress and innovation, thus it is most important to ensure that the standard of education develops alongside technological progress. This is particularly true when it comes to digitalization, a sector where Serbia has a brilliant future, and so relevant for the world of tomorrow. “

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Dr Ursula Renold, Head of Division Comparative Education System Research, ETH Zurich, is the only international honorary member participating in the Serbian Government Commission for dual education.

“CCIS, SSCC and its member companies are the most important stakeholders to help improving the productivity of the companies and train the next generation of talents. Furthermore, research shows that companies are facing a fast change of qualification requirements due to digital transformation. Therefore, all countries that invest in dual education may have a comparative advantage in the future.“, said dr Renold

corporate services and innovative solutions in data protection and information security.

During B2B meetings, participants presented their products and services to potential business partners through 8-minute meetings, exchanged their experiences and expanded the business network.

August 2019 SWISS NATIONAL DAY

The event provided a platform for the public-private discussion about the role of the private sector companies in developing and implementing the dual education system.

October 2019 SPEED BUSINESS MEETING

Hotel Royal Inn in Belgrade welcomed over 40 member-companies of four bilateral business associations: Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Italian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Croatian Business Club and Belgian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce. The event was sponsored by SSCC member-company Sky Express, regional leader in data protection, which recognized the importance of this event and supported the initiative.

After Ms. Grujovic’s welcoming speech, Sky Express representatives held a presentation about the company’s 31

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ECONOMY

One Of The World's

WEALTHIEST COUNTRIES

For centuries Switzerland has adhered to a policy of armed neutrality in global affairs, which has given it the access and political stability to become one of the world's wealthiest countries, with an efficient market economy

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ts standard of living, industrial productivity and quality of education and health care systems are among the highest in Europe. Economic growth slowed to 0.9% in 2019 (IMF estimates), due to a global economic slowdown, especially an economic downturn in Germany, its biggest trading partner, and weak domestic consumption. The biggest risks for the Swiss economy stem from Italy’s fiscal policy, a significant cooling of the European economy and the possibility of a global trade war, which could impact Switzerland’s externally-oriented economy, appreciating the franc and eroding competitiveness in less-productive sectors. According to the updated IMF forecasts from 14th April 2020, due to the outbreak of the COVID-19, GDP growth is expected to fall to -6% in 2020 and pick up to 3.8% in 2021, subject to the post-pandemic global economic recovery.

Public debt continues to drop (38.6% of GDP in 2019) and is expected to follow a declining trend in the coming years.

However, budget surplus decreased slightly to 1% in 2019 and is expected to drop to 0.4% in 2020 and 2021. Price inflation is estimated by IMF at 0.4% in 2019 and should remain modest over the next two years (-0.4% and 0.6% respectively), which are well below the Swiss National Bank objective of 2% and influenced by the outbreak of the COVID-19. Household consumption is gradually picking up (1.2% in 2019 and 1.5% in 2020, according to OECD estimates).

Switzerland remains high atop the list of preferred tax havens due to its low taxation of foreign corporations and individuals.

The flow of overseas wealth to the country has come in for much criticism in past years, due to concerns over tax evasion, and in 2018, the Tax Justice Network, an international group campaigning for transparency, chose Switzerland as the capital of bank secrecy in the world. However, after signing an agreement on the automatic exchange of information with the European Union, Switzerland put an end to bank secrecy in 2019. Since then, Swiss banks are required to share their clients’ information with foreign tax authorities. Finally, Switzerland is one of the most environmental friendly countries in the world, and pledged to phase out nuclear power by 2034 and reduce energy consumption by 35%.

A weakening of the Swiss franc helped boost economic growth, creating more jobs. The Swiss unemployment rate fell to 2.3% in 2019 and is expected to maintain the similar low level in the coming years - 2.7% in 2020 and 2.6% in 2021 - despite the negative economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020 World Economic Outlook IMF). According to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), all of Switzerland’s French-speaking cantons saw unemployment decline, however the large difference with German-speaking Switzerland remained (3.6% vs 2.2%).

7.5% of the population suffers from income poverty, but only 0.9% experienced it for four years or more.

MAIN SECTORS OF INDUSTRY Switzerland is one of the most competitive economies in the world due to its strong added value services, its specialized industries and a motivated and highly skilled workforce of 4.9 million people out of a 8.5 million population. Agriculture represents 0.6% of GDP and employs 3% of the active population. The primary agricultural products are livestock and dairy products, though the country is also home to over 9,000 wineries. Swiss authorities grant numerous direct subsidies to farmers in order to meet strict ecological criteria, such as soil protection. The country has hardly any mineral resources.

Despite the small size of the overall agricultural industry, organic farming has experienced considerable growth (14.5% of farm land, according to Federal Statistical Office), but with big cantonal differences.

Industry employs 20.1% of the workforce and constitutes 25% of GDP. Switzerland is renowned worldwide for the high quality of its manufactured products, which include watches, motors, generators, turbines and diverse high-technology products. The strong industry sector is driven by large exporting groups. Basel, in particular, is home to a very dynamic and powerful chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Electricity is generated chiefly from hydraulic and nuclear power. Hydroelectric resources provide almost two-thirds of the country’s energy.

The service sector represents 71.3% of GDP and employs 76.8% of the workforce. The banking sector alone represents 9.1% of the GDP and is in a moderately good shape despite considerable headwinds. Well-developed and globally competitive sectors, such as banking, insurance, freight and transport, have contributed to the development of international trade across Switzerland. Tourism, which adds significantly to the economy (more than 21 million foreign visitors in 2018, according to Swiss Tourism Federation), helps to balance Switzerland’s trade deficit.

Switzerland is one of the most competitive economies in the world due to its strong added value services, its specialized industries and a motivated and highly skilled workforce of 4.9 million people out of a 8.5 million population

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SWISS ARCHITECTURE

Europe's Modern

ARCHITECTURE MECCA

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This Alpine nation has quietly collected dozens of innovative, eye-popping buildings by internationally renowned architects

PHOTO BY VALENTINA LOKUMCU, COURTESY OF MONTE GENEROSO

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rt Basel, the Alps, CERN, the Red Cross Museum, the trains, the lakes, Reichenbach Falls, chocolate, cheese, wine—all of these are excellent reasons to visit Switzerland. But a criminally overlooked one is the country’s wealth of modern architecture. Yes, it’s home to an impressive sweep of medieval buildings (the entire old city of Bern is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for Gott’s sake), but in contemporary times Switzerland has realized a world-class collection of major architectural projects. Herewith, some of our favorites—all open to the public.

Botta’s striking cylinder replaced this village’s 15th-century

PHOTO BY CHRISTOF SONDEREGGER, COURTESY OF SWITZERLAND TOURISM

church, which was destroyed by an avalanche in 1986. Two types of regional stone form stripes on the outside and checkerboard patterns inside, and you’re not mistaken if you think it all looks familiar. Botta’s San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, also designed in the mid-1990s, has a similar central tower.

Monte Generoso has been drawing tourists since 1890, when its cog railway (still running!) first chugged up the scenic peak. Botta used to come here himself as a teenager. His 2017 “Stone Flower”—named for the way its towers open and then close toward the top—houses two restaurants, a gallery, and 35

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MONTE GENEROSO

a video about the construction of the precariously perched building. Spoiler alert: To load in materials, they built a cableway.

Swiss-born Zumthor is renowned for many accomplishments: his thermal baths at Vals, his upcoming redesign of LACMA, and his Pritzker Prize, to name a few. But this intimate museum-like space is an underrated treasure. Out of the way in an industrial area, it’s accessible only by a special key. The key is available at the tourist information office, but you have to know to ask for it—and most people don’t.

This swooping, low-slung museum complex—honoring artist Paul Klee, who lived and is buried in Bern—seems to grow right out of the grassy field. Each of its three steeland-glass “hills” creates a space for the Zentrum’s three-part mission: art collection, education, and research. As far as Piano’s museum work in Switzerland goes, his Fondation

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHUR TOURISM 36

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHUR TOURISM

Beyeler near Basel gets more attention; in fact, it’s about to get an extension by Peter Zumthor. But this swooping, low-slung complex—honoring artist Paul Klee, who lived and is buried in Bern—is arguably a more impressive work.

It seems to grow right out of the grassy field, and its three steel-and-glass “hills” create spaces for the Zentrum’s three-part mission: art collection, education, and research.

Don’t overlook it.

Oscar-winning Alien-monster-maker H.R. Giger originally planned his immersive bar for NYC, but when vision overreached budget he moved it to his hometown of Chur.

Opened in 1992, it was the most Gigeresque bar you could’ve imagined . . . until he unveiled the Giger Museum Bar in Gruyères, where spines line the vaulted ceiling. Both locations crawl with all the spooky biomech you’d expect, including

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASSOCIATION MAISON BLANCHE

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PHOTO BY HANS SCHARMANN

versions of the Harkonnen Capo Chair Giger designed for Jodorowsky’s failed Dune film.

Also in Chur, Barcelona architects Estudio Barozzi/ Veiga added an expansion to the Graubünden Museum of Fine Arts in 2012. The museum’s original building is an 1870s ivy-covered classical building in the Palladian style. The new one is a cement cube. From the outside, they look like a structural oxymoron, but underground they mesh into one fluid exhibition space.

Le Corbusier is Switzerland’s most famous architect—and fittingly, his first- and last-realized buildings are here. His first solo commission, the Maison Blanche, emerged right in his hometown (also known for its watchmaking and urban planning). He built it for his parents, and it’s now a museum restored to what it looked like when the family lived there.

PHOTO COURTESY OF H.R. GIGER MUSEUM

A 15-minute bus ride from Basel, Switzerland, delivers you to a design lover’s playground: the headquarters of Swiss-owned furniture company Vitra, an awesome collection of buildings

by Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Tadao Ando, and other big names.

Take a tour, visit the Vitra Design Museum, or ogle a gallery of famous chairs (including Eames chairs, which Vitra is licensed to produce if you want to buy one). There’s even a slide.

Calatrava has a solid presence in Switzerland, including his Stadelhofen train station in Zurich and his Tabourettli theatre in Basel. But this library is a literally hidden gem—it’s completely embedded in another building. Anyone is welcome to visit the soaring academic space, where open floors face a central atrium topped by a glass dome, but you might have to ask a student to help you find it.

PHOTO BY THOMAS DIX, COURTESY OF VITRA

By Billie Cohen

PHOTO BY BILLIE COHEN 37

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JEAN TINGUELY, 1925 – 1991

THE MASTER

Of Kinetic Art & Nouveau Réalisme

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orn in 1925, in Fribourg, a city in Switzerland, Jean Tinguely grew up in Basel where he carried out an apprenticeship as a shop-window decorator in a department store during his teens. Aged fifteen, he enrolled in evening classes at the Art School (Kunstschule) where he studied under the tutelage of Julia Ris, who introduced Tinguely to the Dadaist collages of Kurt Schwitters, a German artist most commonly associated with the Dada movement. Schwitters’ Dadaist collages made of discarded ticket stubs, pieces of old newspapers and magazines, buttons, gears, and other objects assembled into compositions made a deep impression on Tinguely’s constructions. After World War II, he began painting in a Surrealist manner, but he soon abandoned painting to concentrate on sculpture made of junk.

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One of the most important artists in the development of Kinetic art, as well as Nouveau réalisme, Jean Tinguely was a Swiss sculptor widely recognised for his thought-provoking and playful pieces that he liked to call metamechanics.

Using ordinary everyday objects, rusty iron and waste material, he created a wide range of intriguing artworks that make barbed satirical points both about technological development and modern society.

The leitmotif of his works is a movement that can be actively experienced both acoustically and visually

SCULPTURE BY JEAN TINGUELY Tinguely and his first wife, Swiss painter and sculptor Eva Aeppli, relocated to France in the early 1950s, where he became involved with the Parisian avant-garde movement, meeting artists such as Yves Klein, Arman, and Daniel Spoerri. They were part of the Nouveaux Réalisme (New Realism) which can be seen as a European counterpart to pop art. Subsequently, Tinguely began creating his most famous works - sculptural machines, known as metamechanics, which incorporated a vast array of materials, including wood, metal, fabric, gears, musical instruments, and found objects into moving or static constructions. Highly skeptical about the potential of technology to improve human life, he used his pieces made of industrial machinery to express an anarchic,

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JEAN TINGUELY HIPPOPOTAMUS 1991 PHOTO CREDITS MUSEUM TINGUELY

JEAN TINGUELY HEUREKA 1964 PHOTO VIA WIKIMEDIA

JEAN TINGUELY MENGELE TOTENTANZ 1986 PHOTO CREDITS MUSEUM TINGUELY

JEAN TINGUELY DRAWING MACHINE IMAGE VIA TAGES WOCHE

JEAN TINGUELY HOMAGE TO NEW YORK DETAIL 1960 PHOTO VIA STUDY BLUE

JEAN TINGUELY AND NIKI DE SAINT PHALLE STRAVINSKY FOUNTAIN 1983 PARIS

satirical attitude to machines and industrial development. Some of his pieces were designed to self-destruct and others were made in a way that predetermined a malfunction, culminating in an unpredictable finale.

META-MATICS - TINGUELY’S PAINTING MACHINES Tinguely was one of the pioneers in the field of art that engenders social engagement. In the late 1950s, he designed a series of automatic drawing machines, the Meta-Matics, which use chalk or markers to make abstract drawings through a mechanized process. These were portable machines with drawing arms that allowed the spectator to produce abstract works only by pushing the button. The “painting machines” were exhibited at the Biennale de Paris in 1959, resulting in almost 40,000 paintings produced by visitors in two weeks. However, not all of the Meta-matics functioned properly, and Tinguely destroyed some of them. He then began to incorporate electric motors into his works, taking as his models Marcel Duchamp’s Roto Reliefs.

HOMAGE TO NEW YORK Jean Tinguely is perhaps best known for his 23-foot high and 27-foot long conceptual piece Homage to New York that was supposed to destroy itself in the garden of The Museum of Modern Art. On 17th March 1960, several hundred of invited people attended the event which was unsuccessful as the complex assemblage of motors and wheels failed to operate properly and only partially completed its task—its flames were put out by the fire department. The machine paid homage to NYC’s ability to constantly

renew itself. Tinguely’s next two self-destroying pieces entitled Study for an End of the World detonated more successfully.

STRAVINSKY FOUNTAIN In 1955, Tinguely met French sculptor, painter, and filmmaker Niki de Saint Phalle whom he befriended before they decide to live together in the early 1960s. During the 1970s, he had embarked on a series of fountain projects, and, in collaboration with Niki, who became his wife in the meantime, created the notorious Stravinsky Fountain (La Fontaine Stravinsky, 1983) - a whimsical public fountain adorned with sixteen works of sculpture, moving and spraying water, representing the works of famous Russian composer, pianist and conductor Igor Stravinsky. Located between the Centre Pompidou and the Church of Saint-Merri, it is one of Paris’s most photographed fountains.

MASTER OF ART IN MOVEMENT This artist, who died in Bern on 30th August 1991, was one of the icons of kinetic art, widely recognised for his witty, humorous, and ironic moving sculptures of waste material that work as machines but don’t have any useful purpose. Since his first oneman show in Switzerland in 1962, his work has been included in numerous important exhibition throughout Europe, the United States and beyond. In 1996, the Museum Tinguely opened in Basel.

His unpredictable mechanised sculpture-machines that often included music recordings and performances left an indelible mark on 20th-century art.

By Bojan Zlatkov 39

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WELLNESS

COURTESY OF CLINIQUE LA PRAIRIE

The Best

LUXURY WELLNESS RETREATS When you picture a holiday in Switzerland, chalets in the alps and cosy fireplaces tend to spring to mind. But the country’s wellness offerings go above and beyond a simple ski break

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COURTESY OF GRAND RESORT BAD RAGAZ

COURTESY OF ALPINA GSTAAD

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rom luxury spas to leading medical resorts, there’s something for every type of wellness traveller to enjoy. Struggling to narrow down your search? We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite luxury wellness retreats in Switzerland to help you on your way.

CLINIQUE LA PRAIRIE Since opening its doors in 1931, Clinique la Prairie has developed a reputation as one of the best luxury wellness retreats in Switzerland and one of the world’s leading medical spas. Housed in the Alpine village of Verbier, the resort counts more than 50 doctors among its staff, ensuring wellness visitors receive the best care possible.

Its five-night Revitalisation programmes are inclusive of accommodation, nutritious meals and limousine service,

COURTESY OF LA RESERVE GENEVE

while the key aim of the programme is to boost your immune system, improve both physical and emotional wellbeing and to leave you feeling like your youthful self.

GRAND RESORT BAD RAGAZ Built around the ancient Tamina Gorge in the 200-yearold spa town of Ragaz, the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz is renowned as one of the top luxury wellness retreats in Switzerland. A comprehensive medical health centre and spa, the retreat focuses on holistic healing using clinical, science-backed therapies in its 80,000-square-foot facility, the largest in Switzerland. Specialising in therapeutic thermal spa treatments, like thalassotherapy and beauty rituals using the natural detoxifying and purifying qualities of the thermal spring water.

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COURTESY OF THE DOLDER GRAND

ALPINA GSTAAD Alpina Gstaad is a boutique luxury property overlooking a small ski village in Gstaad, Switzerland. With just 56 rooms and suites, intimacy and privacy are of the utmost importance here. The hotels on-site Six Senses spa offers a wide range of relaxing, restorative retreats. Its five-day Mountain Detox programme is inclusive of accommodation and select meals, numerous detoxifying massages and treatments, a pampering experience in the hotel’s traditional Hammam and a colonic cleanse.

LA RESERVE GENEVA This five-star hotel and spa on Lake Geneva is housed on 10-acres of private property, granting it a unique sense of privacy and intimacy despite its central location. Each month, it hosts yoga retreats led by acclaimed yoga teacher and life coach Jeff Grant. Two-night retreats are inclusive of accommodation, sound baths, yoga and meditation workshops and guided walks, all with the aim of providing relief from your daily stresses and pressures.

THE DOLDER GRAND Perched on a hill overlooking Zurich, The Dolder Grand is a regal looking property that has a history dating back 42

COURTESY OF TSCHUGGEN GRAND HOTEL

over a century. Known to have been frequented by royals in the 1950s and ‘60s, it has since undergone a large-scale restoration and reopened in 2008. Today, it retains its oldworld charm while proving itself to be an innovative facility, boasting a Michelin two-star restaurant and a new wing designed by renowned pioneering architect Lord Norman Foster. The resort holds seasonal retreats ranging from restorative yoga to mindful running and more, with guest retreat leaders from around the world.

TSCHUGGEN GRAND HOTEL The Tschuggen Grand Hotel offers a range of spa and wellness-focused retreats, but its Spa Week retreat offers visitors a sampling of everything on offer. Sevennight retreats are inclusive of accommodation and select meals, a facial, massage, manicure and pedicure, and the piece-de-resistance: access to the Tschuggen Bergoase.

The resort’s 5,000-square-metre wellness facility was designed by acclaimed architect Mario Botta. Featuring glass sails flooded with light, dedicated relaxation spaces, an outdoor pool and terrace, plus access to a wide range of sport and fitness programming, you’re guaranteed to leave feeling restored.

By Amanda Sheppard

BUSINESS PARTNER

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