INTERVIEW
OUR DOOR IS
ALWAYS OPEN Since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, and the supply chains difficulties it brought, we have been working actively to inform French companies that there is no need to go beyond Europe in search of high quality and competitive manufacturing SANJA IVANIĆ GENERAL DIRECTOR, CCIFS
T
he French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce is here to make it easier for all companies interested in Serbia and the region to enter this market, says CCIFS General Director Sanja Ivanić. Chambers of commerce have an important role in encouraging economic development, because they represent the voice of business and have the capacity and knowledge to turn its demands into concrete actions. “Our Chamber is a reference partner for all French companies, not only in Serbia but throughout the region – we operate directly in countries where there is no French Chamber, or we cooperate with partners, clubs or French chambers in countries in the region and beyond. We are also the operational partner of Business France, the French national agency that serves the internationalisation of the French economy. In that sense, we have a certain 'weight' with institutional partners in Serbia and the region, and they are always willing to listen to us and help. This
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BUSINESS PARTNER | FRANCE 2022
also enables our members greater visibility and access to 'first hand' information,” explains our interlocutor. ■ To what extent has CCIFS returned to its working mode from before the pandemic? What practices did the pandemic bring that you regard as a good experience worth keeping? - The most important factor that made this year successful in the activities of the Chamber is that we have completely returned to our way of doing business, we have adapted to the changing circumstances, and step by step we began to return to live events, which delighted everyone – organisers and guests. However, I would like to emphasise that this year we also held a series of online events, and attendance and interest was not lacking. This is an indication that we have chosen good topics and even better panelists, given the real oversaturation of online events. The good thing
