Business Panel “5 Pillars of Business”

As is now tradition, this past autumn, on October 22, we held the business panel “5 Pillars of Business” at the Metropol Hotel, together with partners from banking, business, tax consulting, insurance, HR, and legal services.

The world we live in calls for constant alertness and adaptability. Some might call it an era of continuous crises, others an era of rapid change. Such conditions demand a fresh perspective on change, from simply managing it to truly embracing it. Managing change is like putting out a fire, while embracing change means seeing it as a natural part of our environment, using it as a space for innovation and creating new paths forward.

That’s why we brought together experts from key areas that support business development and have a strong impact on operational excellence across companies, who shared their insights and experiences on the panel.

The first part of the panel was dedicated to banking, featuring the interview segment “Up Close with the Bank” with Violeta Ivanković, Executive Board member at Procredit Bank. The conversation spanned topics from leadership to the practical applications of artificial intelligence in banking.

Expertly and engagingly moderated by attorney Bojana Drobnjak, founder of Drobnjak Legal & Partners, the discussion also highlighted the Net Zero Calculator, developed this year by Procredit Bank, Serbia’s first green bank. Participants explored global trends and financial challenges in today’s unstable market, providing valuable insights for navigating a changing economic landscape.

Jelena Hadžić, Director of the Audit Department at TPA Serbia, shared the latest trends and key insights from the company’s annual survey of financial directors in Serbia with attendees. Conducted annually as a tradition, the survey offers valuable insights into current developments in financial management, the challenges companies face, and the outlook for the future business environment.

The following segment was a pleasant surprise for our guests, as Ivanka Novaković, psychologist and senior HR expert, joined to discuss how to invest personal energy and find a healthy balance between professional ambition and individual well-being.

In the final official segment, we spoke with Aleksandra Raca, Director of Renomia’s Belgrade insurance brokers’ office, about how the insurance sector responds to change, whether the traditional “firefighting” approach still prevails or if a more proactive mindset is emerging, as well as innovations in insurance and risk management. We also had a conversation with Srđan Botorić, Head of Legal at Manpower Serbia, about balancing employee expectations with employer capabilities, HR solutions likely to be in highest demand next year, and, naturally, the anticipated impact of salary increases on the cost of services and products.

After the formal program, guests continued their discussions with panellists and company representatives in a relaxed, informal setting, rounding out an engaging and insightful business gathering.

We want to thank TPA Serbia, Manpower Serbia, Renomia, Procredit Bank, Drobnjak Legal & Partners, Genesec, and Hotel Metropol for their support and collaboration.