The Fourth Regional Roundtable
Economic cooperation in the region of former Yugoslavia - challenges and opportunities
On November 30, Serbian Association of Managers (SAM) organized the Roundtable "Economic Cooperation in the Region of Former Yugoslavia - Opportunities and Challenges". This was the fourth roundtable under the project Advancement of the Business Environment for Private Sector Development in Serbia, in cooperation with CIPE (Center for International Private Enterprise, US). Main goal of this roundtable was to contribute to a deepening and expanding of the cooperative framework and to a better understanding of the barriers that still have to be eliminated and thus, to increase the competitiveness of each country individually, as well as the overall competitive potential of the region.
More than 140 people attended the roundtable. Beside SAM members, present were business representatives from Serbia and the region, Serbian Government, other business associations in the country and from the region (Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Employers Association...), international community (World Bank, USAID, Embassies....), NGOs and media representatives.
The Roundtable was officially opened by Guest of Honor, Deputy Prime Minister Mlađan Dinkić, and the Key Speakers were Marina Wess, Lead Economist at the World Bank Country office in Serbia and Tim Judah, journalist from the distinguished British magazine The Economist. Panelists were the most eminent regional business leaders from Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro: Aleksander Svetelšek President of Slovenian Association of Managers MAS; Esad Čolaković, General Manager of Croatian Association of Managers CROMA; Ivica Mudrinić President of Croatian Telecom; Slobodan Vučićević President of SAM and Veselin Vukotić President of the Board of Directors of the Company 13. juli Plantaže from Montenegro, Bine Kordež Chairman of the Management Board and General Manager of Merkur; Emil Tedeschi President of the Atlantic Group; Slavko Carić President of the Executive Board of Erste Bank Novi Sad; Tatjana Fink General Manager of the company Trimo and Veselin Jevrosimović President of the ComTrade Group.
After the official part of the Roundtable, a cocktail for all guests was organized in Hyatt, under the auspices of the Company Gorenje. Serbian Association of Managers was honored by the presence of Belgrade Mayor Mr. Dragan Đilas.