The Chamber’s new energy is focused on providing members with more tangible support, strengthening dialogue with institutions and creating new opportunities to connect the Swiss and Serbian business communities
The new mandate at the helm of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce brings an ambition to inject fresh business dynamism into a longstanding bilateral partnership. A more agile Chamber, more attuned to the needs of its members and more closely connected with institutions, should become an even stronger partner to companies in both markets.
You are taking over as Executive Director of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce at a time when it is entering a new phase of development. What changes do you want to introduce to its day-to-day work, and what would you most like members to associate with your mandate?
— I took the helm of the Chamber in January this year with a clear task: to revitalise it and restore its dynamism. As the newly appointed Executive Director, my vision is to respect the Chamber’s longstanding tradition, dating back to its establishment in March 2014, while at the same time positioning it as a modern and agile bilateral business association in the region. This means working to make the Chamber faster, more digital and more present in everyday business life, so that we can provide members with more tangible support. They should see this first and foremost through clearer communication and new activity formats, such as the “Swiss Way” reception that we recently organised on Kopaonik, as well as our regular CEO Breakfast meetings, where company executives have an opportunity to get to know one another better and exchange experiences in a more relaxed setting.
Your professional background spans medicine, international journalism, communications and cross-border business cooperation. How will these diverse experiences help you better understand the needs of companies and build dialogue between the business community, institutions and the public?
— Each of those experiences taught me the same skill, albeit in different contexts: to listen carefully to the person I am speaking to and translate complex matters into clear, understandable messages. Medicine taught me precision and responsibility towards facts, journalism taught me how to quickly understand very different industries and the people behind them, while my years working in international communications and cross-border cooperation taught me how to reconcile different business cultures, languages and expectations around the same table.
The Chamber should be a place that connects companies, institutions and the wider business community, rather than simply a formal address for membership fees
That combination today helps me understand both the language of companies and that of institutions, and to build dialogue between them based on trust rather than merely formal communication. This is best reflected in the platform that the Chamber represents – a place where companies, institutions and the wider business community connect, rather than simply a formal address for membership fees.
You have emphasised that the Chamber must provide companies with tangible business value, rather than merely networking opportunities. What new services, formats or support mechanisms are you planning for existing members, particularly SMEs?
— Networking remains important, but it is no longer sufficient in itself. Our goal is to provide members with tangible business value through networking, the exchange of experience, institutional support and the promotion of best business practices – the four pillars on which we are building the Chamber’s work.
For Swiss companies that are just entering the Serbian market, we are here to connect them with relevant institutions and legal and financial advisers, and to help them understand the local business environment, regulations and business culture. Through events, business forums and thematic discussions, both new and existing members can quickly build networks of contacts and gain useful market insights.
We place particular emphasis on SMEs, for which practical support and rapid access to the right contacts are far more valuable than simply another networking opportunity.
Swiss companies increasingly view Serbia as a market of talent, innovation and advanced services, rather than merely a manufacturing location with competitive costs. What most encourages them to enter the Serbian market today, and what concerns does the Chamber need to help them overcome?
— Switzerland and Serbia are marking 110 years of diplomatic relations this year. The Swiss economy has long been renowned for its innovative capacity, while Serbia has a highly educated and talented workforce, particularly in the IT sector, making this combination a major opportunity for new projects and investments. Increasing attention is also being devoted to the start-up ecosystem, research and development, and cooperation between universities and companies.
Administrative procedures and regulatory predictability remain the issues that cause Swiss companies the greatest uncertainty. The Chamber’s role is therefore to maintain regular dialogue with the Serbian Government and advocate greater regulatory predictability through formal recommendations, as this is a prerequisite for long-term Swiss investment.
One of the priorities you have announced is strengthening communication with members and expanding the business community. How do you intend to raise the Chamber’s visibility among companies in Switzerland that are not yet present in Serbia, while also encouraging existing members to become more actively involved in its work?
— By the end of the year, we are planning several business forums, sector-specific workshops, CEO Breakfast meetings and encounters with Swiss business delegations, with a particular focus on promoting investment opportunities in Serbia among Swiss companies and connecting Serbian businesses with the Swiss market. The CEO Breakfast format has proven an excellent way for members, as well as companies that are considering joining the Chamber, to get to know one another better through smaller, more informal gatherings and build business relationships more easily. We are also planning events dedicated to innovation, sustainability and cooperation in education, alongside preparations for Expo 2027. Switzerland was the first country to officially confirm its participation, and the Chamber is working closely with the Embassy of Switzerland to ensure that this presence is both visible and substantive.
Source: cordmagazine.com