USA 2021
INTERVIEW
IVAN MILETIĆ, FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF AMCHAM SERBIA
TIME FOR OPTIMISM Almost two-thirds of AmCham members have realized or even exceeded plans for the first quarter of the current year, and as many as 65% of them believe that they will achieve growth in their operations, compared to both 2019 and 2020. In addition to this, 27% of members plan to hire new colleagues. The activities of our members show that the economy is really recovering faster than we expected
but also thanks to fiscal and monetary incentives, expressing myself in the spirit of the current European Football Championship, on home soil,” says our interlocutor.
I
’m an optimist despite the pandemic, and my optimism is shared by AmCham members - says AmCham Serbia First Vice President Ivan Miletić. This optimism is based on the results of a survey conducted by AmCham among its member companies during April. The optimism of AmCham members for this year is reflected, first and foremost, in the fact that almost two-thirds of them realized or even exceeded their plans for the first quarter of the current year. The situation is the same when it comes to employment. Optimism is not waning, because 37% of members plan
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to hire new colleagues, while 57% plan to maintain last year’s level of employment. Additionally, this good news is complemented by the fact that as many as 65% of AmCham member companies believe that they will achieve growth in their operations, compared to both 2019 and 2020. “Judging by the economic results for the first quarter of 2021, we are awaited by a more successful year, with more favorable growth projections. The economy is recovering faster than we expected. As we know, there are both external and internal reasons for that from the recovery of the world economy,
What is different from the previous period in the so-called “new normal”, and what has remained the same? Apart from ensuring conditions to maintain health, safety and security, with which I mean personal, family and team safety and security, the absolute winner of the “new normal” is flexibility. All of us who recognized that immediately and adjusted quickly, and continue to do so, will maintain our business advantage over the long run. Of course, nothing can replace the time that we spend together with colleagues, and it could be said that, in this “new normal”, we must take even more care to ensure that team spirit and company culture do not become collateral damage. I hope that the high number of vaccinated people, as well as adherence to basic measures like social distancing and the disinfecting of work areas and surfaces, will enable us all
