Business Partner Switzerland 2021 by CorD Magazine

FEATURE

SWISS 2021

FEATURE

SWISS 2021

06 LONGSTANDING 08 AND EXCELLENT RELATIONS

NEW WAYS TO PROMOTE GOOD

CONTENTS FEATURE

COMMENT

H.E. URS SCHMID, AMBASSADOR OF SWITZERLAND TO SERBIA

IMMEASURABLE CONTRIBUTION TO COMBATING THE GREY ECONOMY

MARINKO UKROPINA, SGS GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR SERBIA, CROATIA, SLOVENIA, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND MONTENEGRO

IN BUILDING 21 LEADERS AUTOMATION

ANA MANIĆ, SALES AND MARKETING AT SAUTER BUILDING CONTROL SERBIA

22 COMMITMENT RESULTS IN SUCCESS

TRUST 27 CONSUMERS NESTLÉ’S PORTFOLIO

MARJANA DAVIDOVIĆ, COUNTRY MANAGER NESTLÉ ADRIATIC SOUTH HUB (SERBIA, MONTENEGRO, NORTH MACEDONIA)

SANJA PEŠIĆ, ALMA QUATTRO CEO

TIME FOR THE NEXT iTestCOMING SOON 12 STEP IN SUPPORTING 18 THE IT SECTOR MAJO MIĆOVIĆ, PRESIDENT OF THE SWISS-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (SKY EXPRESS GENERAL MANAGER)

COMMITTED TO A 15 FLEET OF CO2NEUTRAL VEHICLES ŠTEFAN VÖRÖŠ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, STAR IMPORT (MERCEDES-BENZ)

BRANKO MILIKIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SIXSENTIX SERBIA

MORE STEP 28 ONE TOWARDS THE TOP DRIVEN BY 23 EVOLUTION INNOVATION

SARA NOVOSEL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BLUE OCEAN LAB

MILENA GAJOVIĆ SHRESTHA, GENERAL MANAGER, SR TECHNICS SERVICES

SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE IN FINDING DECENT JOBS

OLIVER STREIT, HEAD OF THE EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT PROJECT, NIRAS - IP CONSULT GMBH

TO BOTH 29 CLOSE CLIENTS AND TALENTS

CONNECTIVITY WITHIN THE ICT SECTOR IS OUR PRIORITY

ALEKSANDAR MILOŠEVIĆ, 3AP CEO

ANA GRUJOVIĆ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SWISS-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

30 SSCC ACTIVITIES HEALTH 33 DIGITAL STARTUP STORY IMPRESSUM EDITOR IN CHIEF Neda Lukić n.lukic@aim.rs ART DIRECTOR Branislav Ninković b.ninkovic@aim.rs PHOTOS Zoran Petrović COPY EDITOR Mark Pullen mrpeditorial@mail.com

PROJECT MANAGERS Biljana Dević b.devic@aim.rs Vesna Vukajlović v.vukajlovic@aim.rs Mihailo Čučković m.cuckovic@aim.rs OFFICE MANAGER Svetlana Petrović s.petrovic@aim.rs FINANCE Dragana Skrobonja finance@aim.rs

GENERAL MANAGER Maja Vidaković m.vidakovic@aim.rs PUBLISHER Ivan Novčić i.novcic@aim.rs DIRECTOR Ana Novčić a.novcic@aim.rs a.novcic@cordmagazine.com

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www.aim.rs; www.cordmagazine.com No 31 ISSN: 2560-4465 All rights reserved alliance international media 2021 The views expressed in this publication are those of the presenter; they do not necessary reflect the view of publications published by alliance international media

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SWISS 2021

COMMENT

NEW WAYS TO PROMOTE GOOD It is time to reflect on the past 30 years of the bilateral cooperation programme and seek new paths of collaboration. Switzerland’s longstanding commitment to supporting democracy and good governance, today via digitalisation, have an important role to play in harnessing bilateral relations in the years to come.

igitalisation is becoming a tool that strongly supports many aspects of the Swiss bilateral cooperation with Serbia. In the period behind us, digitalisation proved to be of outmost importance in providing many important services at the national and local level, as well as opening new paths of collaboration between the Swiss and Serbian economies. On the other hand, this period also showed areas of future collaboration in turning digitalisation into an inclusive process for growth and prosperity. If we talk about the importance of that support, three main paths are clearly visible. One is related to the development of e-services at the national, and particularly local, level, serving both the advance of democracy, such as through e-parliament, and e-services to citizens and businesses. Those services showed strong potential in improving approaches to challenges like the COVID-19 Pan-

Promoting good governance, a well-established priority of Switzerland’s cooperation with Serbia, is gaining a new shape via digitalisation demic, starting from administrative services to the vaccination process. Well-known Swiss support to innovation processes in Serbia is not only visible in the success of Science and Technology Park Belgrade (NTP Beograd), but also in the creation of an NTP network around Serbia. In the words of Swiss Ambassador Urs Schmid, “the goal of this support is to increase the competitiveness of the Serbian high-tech industry, thus contributing to increased revenues, exports and job creation”. Furthermore, Swiss support stands behind the new Raising Stars programme. Distributed via the state Innovation Fund, it is tasked with

securing a route to market for as many as 100 start-up companies in Serbia. Many experts have noted the critical importance of this programme for strengthening the increasingly attractive Serbian start-up eco system, where start-up companies at an early stage of development need support in bringing initial business ideas to fruition, as well as further investment via venture capital. However, in order to be embraced fully, digitalisation needs to be accessible to all, which has not been the case during the COVID-19 Pandemic, when many people who are not digitally literate or lack internet access have been deprived of the ability to exercise their rights to access personal documentation, process unemployment and social benefits and schooling. As such, Swiss support in the areas of personal data protection and continued access to information and services for groups without digital literacy is of the outmost importance to Serbia.

SWISS 2021

FEATURE

SWISS 2021

INTERVIEW

H.E. URS SCHMID, Ambassador of Switzerland to Serbia

LONGSTANDING AND EXCELLENT RELATIONS My primary goal is to further deepen this relationship. I will work towards increasing the number of high-level contacts, regularly conducting political consultations and supporting our bilateral cooperation programme, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year ~ Urs Schmid

he new Ambassador of Switzerland to Serbia arrived in our country after having served a four-year term in Kazakhstan. Although the COVID-19 Pandemic limited the possibilities of him immediately familiarising himself with Serbia and

the capital city, Ambassador Schmid nonetheless says that “Belgrade absolutely lives up to its reputation as the ‘Metropolis of the Balkans’”. In his first interview for CorD Magazine, Ambassador Schmid says that his wish, apart from improving political relations, is to

also to deepen economic relations, which would spark new Swiss investments in Serbia. He adds that he will continue the tradition of supporting culture through the new project “Culture for Democracy”, which will be orientated towards the alternative culture scene beyond Belgrade.

SUPPORT

LIBERTIES

DEMOCRACY

Our support has a strong focus on the local level, where Switzerland has rich experience due to its own decentralised way of functioning

In any society, the enjoyment of individual liberties also requires a high degree of personal responsibility, i.e., a responsible behaviour by every individual

In a democracy, it is important that opinions be openly exchanged, even on controversial topics. Only in such a way can different aspects be considered and a public opinion formed

Your Excellency, what are your first impressions of Serbia and Belgrade? I am grateful to my government for entrusting me with the responsibility of representing Switzerland in Serbia. When I arrived here during one of the COVID-19 peaks, in winter 2020, the pandemic put limits on my desire to discover the country and its people. In the meantime, the pandemic situation has improved significantly, also thanks to the rapid and well-organised vaccination campaign in Serbia. I am therefore pleased to now have the opportunity to get to know the city and the country better, through visits and direct interaction with the people. So far, my impression is that Belgrade absolutely lives up to its reputation as the “Metropolis of the Balkans”. The size and diversity of the city, the liveliness and the intense construction activity are impressive. It is a city on the move. Also pleasant is the friendliness and courteousness of the people, which makes it easier to settle in this city. I am very much looking forward to getting to know Belgrade and Serbia in all their facets over the next few years.

sification of the economic ties between our two countries by promoting Swiss investments in Serbia. Finally, I would like to further engage the large Serbian diaspora in Switzerland and foster human exchanges between Switzerland and Serbia, since they constitute the backbone of our bilateral relations.

of EU experts highlighting the insufficient power of Serbia’s institutions, the lack of transparency in the work of the government and shortcomings in the fight against corruption? The overall goal of the current cooperation strategy with Serbia is to contribute to efficient and effective democratic institutions and processes, as well as inclusive and sustainable growth, by supporting Serbia’s reforms on its path to European integration for the benefit of all citizens. Swiss cooperation is complementary and coordinated with the programmes supported by the EU and other donors. We consider the EU progress reports as a valuable source of information for

What did you define as the priorities of your tenure in Serbia? Let me start by saying that Serbia and Switzerland have longstanding and excellent bilateral relations and they share many similarities. My primary goal is to further deepen this relationship. I will work towards increasing the number of high-level contacts, regularly conducting political consultations and supporting our bilateral cooperation programme, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. With this long-standing commitment, Switzerland aims to assist Serbia on its reform path, particularly also in the field of fostering democracy and strengthening the rule of law. On the economic level, I would like to contribute to the inten-

Swiss state assistance to Serbia is directed towards the building of an efficient and transparent public administration. How would you assess the current state of affairs in that area? Promoting good governance is indeed a well-established priority in Switzerland’s cooperation with Serbia. Our support has a strong focus on the

The recently launched Raising Stars programme is an important component of this cooperation and provides pre-seed funding for more than 100 start-up companies local level, where Switzerland has rich experience due to its own decentralised way of functioning. We work together with the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government and the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities to improve policymaking and law making for all cities and municipalities in Serbia. Moreover, we have many other projects working directly with local governments in various thematic areas, such as citizens’ participation and decisionmaking, public finance management, administration, taxation, social inclusion, gender equality, energy efficiency and others. Through our projects and programmes, directly supporting cities and municipalities, we cover more than two-thirds of the entire country. Despite Switzerland not being an EU member state, how much attention do you pay to the reports

context monitoring and programme development, along with other reports of international and local organisations. Does Switzerland intend to continue its project to digitalise local governments in Serbia, which has proven useful during the COVID-19 Pandemic? The COVID-19 Pandemic has accelerated the use of digital technologies. Digitalisation offers many opportunities for the Serbian administration to become more efficient and widely accessible to citizens. While we are witnessing progress in digitalisation, the protection of personal data and continued access to information and services for groups without digital literacy deserve special attention. Bearing in mind both opportunities and challenges, Switzerland will continue to promote digitalisation as a means of achieving quicker and better development results. 9

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INTERVIEW

between citizens and the government. However, in any society, the enjoyment of individual liberties also requires a high degree of personal responsibility, i.e., a responsible behaviour by every individual. So far, it seems that most citizens are following the government’s recommendation and are seeking vaccination against COVID-19. Not least, this is also seen as an act of solidarity to protect others, vulnerable groups, from severe courses of the disease. In addition, the government, together with the scientific community, is doing a lot of work to explain the benefits of vaccination. In an open dialogue between government and the people, it should be possible to convince people of the usefulness of a COVID-19 vaccination.

Besides e-parliaments, Switzerland has supported the introduction of e-services at the local level, particularly in the area of social inclusion and upgrades of local websites to provide more transparent and user-friendly information. The introduction of the Unified Tax System is facilitating the payment of property taxes for legal entities and natural persons, which contributes to more stable local budgets during times of the pandemic. In the coming period, our support will primarily consist of expertise in shaping digitalisation processes, while paying attention to ensure that digital tools include proper governance standards allowing for accessible and inclusive information and service provision. Speaking about the pandemic, how has Switzerland – as a country 10

In the coming period, our support will primarily consist of expertise in shaping digitalisation processes, while paying attention to ensure that digital tools include proper governance standards allowing for accessible and inclusive information and service provision where vaccination is not generally mandatory – accepted the advice that vaccination against this novel coronavirus be made compulsory? In Switzerland, we generally attach great importance to the respect of individual liberties. This also explains the high level of trust that exists

Switzerland supported the establishment and development of Science Technology Park Belgrade (NTP Beograd), while you are now providing additional funding to support the creation of an NTP network around Serbia. It has been announced that you will help with the establishment and development of as many as 100 start-up companies in Serbia. What is behind this great assistance? Innovation is a key driver for boosting competitiveness and economic development. I am therefore very pleased to note that the Government of Serbia has declared innovation a strategic priority, to which Switzerland is contributing through several projects. One of the “flagships” is our support to Science Technology Park Belgrade, which proved to be very successful and is now being replicated in Niš and Čačak. The goal of this support is to increase the competitiveness of Serbia’s high-tech industry, thus contributing to increased revenues, exports and job creation. The recently launched Raising Stars programme is an important component of this cooperation and provides pre-seed funding for more than 100 start-up companies. With this new financial scheme, Switzerland is contributing to bridging a critical gap that start-up companies at an early stage of development typically face,

i.e., bringing an initial business idea to a level of maturity that’s attractive for investment. I am confident that this support will further contribute to strengthening the Serbian innovation eco-system. Your predecessors in the position of Swiss ambassador to Serbia also supported the country’s art scene, particularly creative young people just starting out in their careers. Do you intend to continue that practise? Culture expresses the meaning that people attach to their own existence and development. As a source of identity and dignity, and as a generator of social capital, culture fosters self-confidence in individuals, and cohesiveness and resilience in groups. Against this backdrop, Switzerland has a long tradition of supporting culture and art in Serbia. It is my strong intention not only to honour this tradition, but to take our engagement to the next level. I am very pleased to announce that Switzerland is currently preparing a new programme, entitled “Culture for Democracy”, which will support the cultural and artistic scene in Serbia in a longer-term perspective. This project is expected to go beyond the sole production of art and culture, towards valuing exchange and learning processes for exploring the social dimension of art. The “Culture for Democracy” programme will have a specific focus on the independent culture scene outside of Belgrade. I am looking forward to continuing our legacy of supporting creative people, including the youth, in Serbia. You stated in another interview that an open society can be recognised due to the fact that controversial and engaged discussions are led on many issues. Do you have the impression that such discussions are lacking in Serbia? In a democracy, it is important that opinions be openly exchanged, even on controversial topics. Only in such a way can different aspects be considered and a public opinion formed. In the best case, the encounter of arguments leads

Culture expresses the meaning that people attach to their own existence and development. As a source of identity and dignity, and as a generator of social capital, culture fosters self-confidence in individuals, and cohesiveness and resilience in groups to a better mutual understanding and to solutions supported by a majority. The willingness to listen to each other and to treat each other with respect are indispensable prerequisites for any constructive, democratic discourse. Every country, and I include both Switzerland and Serbia, must work constantly to ensure that these conditions are met, precisely because we need broad societal consensus in order to find solutions to major challenges, such as economic recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic or climate change. Switzerland is known as a country in which decisions on many issues are made directly by citizens through referenda. If Switzerland was Serbia, do you believe citizens

would be asked if they want a Rio Tinto mine to be opened in their neighbourhood? It is difficult to compare two political systems, based on a different historical development and a differently structured state. The Swiss political system is characterised by direct democracy, as you mention, but also by federalism and subsidiarity, i.e., the insight that decisions should be taken at the lowest possible level. This bottom-up approach is typically Swiss. Our system thus offers citizens a large degree of political participation and co-determination. This requires that citizens actively monitor developments and get politically involved. For politicians, this means that they must take into account the sensitivities of the population at an early stage, because they will need the support of voters either to avoid a referendum or to get any project through a required referendum. That is the reason why, in Switzerland, all important stakeholders in political processes are involved from the outset, because a referendum - and a possible rejection of a proposal at the ballot box - requires a lot of time and resources. It is therefore better to listen to and involve people’s concerns and sensitivities already during the initial development of a project. 11

SWISS 2021

INTERVIEW

MAJO MIĆOVIĆ, President of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (Sky Express General Manager)

TIME FOR THE NEXT STEP

IN SUPPORTING THE IT SECTOR

The pandemic has served to confirm the huge importance of digitalisation, while it will continue to have a significant impact on companies’ daily operations. During the previous period, thanks to an excellent internal e-government development policy, the Government of Serbia succeeded in bringing dynamism to digitalisation, while it should now provide that same kind of support to various successful clusters of ICT businesses, which are ever-increasing in number in Serbia.

udging by the results of an online survey on the impact of COVID-19 on the operations of companies, which was conducted by the SwissSerbian Chamber of Commerce among its members in November 2020, it seems that many of them managed to handle the challenges well. “The aim of this research was to gain insight into the main chal-

lenges confronting the SSCC business community as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, but also to gain a better understanding of the needs of these companies and the issues of interest to them. According to the results of the research, more than half of respondents (approximately 60%) stated that, until that point in time, the COVID-19 Pandemic had not influenced

their investment plans in Serbia for 2021. Likewise, 63% of respondents had resorted to digitalising their operations (to a greater or lesser extent) due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the need to adapt to the new situation,” says SSCC President and Sky Express General Manager Majo Mićović. Our interview with him focuses on the digitalisation and development of the IT

DEVELOPMENT

In order to attain a European level of prosperity, Serbia should accept the more innovative motivating of foreign investors and focus on internal investment programmes that are crucial

sector, which Switzerland supports through its bilateral support to Serbia, and the advancement of the domestic economic environment.

amounts to 4.5% of GDP. Mention was also made of the importance of Serbia’s ICT sector to companies’ successful operations. It was with this in mind that Director Vesović noted that the services sector is one of the drivers of the country’s economic recovery, and that the 2020 surplus in exchanges of this sector with foreign countries amounted to 1.1 billion euros, while the ICT sector provides a significant contribution to the realising of that surplus.

Recently, together with other bilateral business associations, you organised a meeting with the Serbian Ministry of Finance and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Serbia. What are the key issues highlighted by your members today when it comes to the climate for doing business? Ognjen Popović, acting assistant minister of finance in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, participated together with Mihailo Vesović, director of the CCIS Department for Strategic Analysis, Services and Internationalisation, in the online working meeting “Macroeconomic Trends of the Economy in the Context of COVID-19”. The key issues of companies related to the state’s economic support measures aimed at enabling the more successful overcoming of business challenges during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Speaking on that occasion, Acting Assistant Finance Minister Popović stressed that the total value of state assistance to the economy in 2020 amounted to 12.9% of GDP, while this year’s third support package

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić recently noted that Serbia expects Switzerland’s assistance in advancing the development of Serbia’s innovative and sustainable economy. What can be provided by the corporate sector on this front? Switzerland is one of the most important investors in the Serbian economy. Over recent years, cooperation between Switzerland and Serbia has been focused on investing in education, science, research and development, innovation and digitalisation, and it should continue in that direction. The IT industry is currently among the fastest growing branches of industry in Serbia and is bringing the potential to develop its own sophisticated software solutions and services, thanks to the growing number of technological start-ups, the entrepreneurial

INVESTMENTS

SWISS 2021

SUPPORT

Cooperation between Switzerland and Serbia in recent years has been focused on investing in education, science, research and development, innovation and digitalisation, and it should continue in that direction

More than half of surveyed member companies of our chamber stated that the COVID-19 Pandemic had not influenced their investment plans in Serbia for 2021

spirit and growing interest in IT sciences among youngsters. Serbia has embarked on an accelerated path of digital transformation during COVID-19 - albeit from a lower starting point - when it comes to both e-government and enterprises. However, cyber security challenges are now growing. In your opinion, what are the most important steps to take in response to this challenge? The pandemic has served to confirm the huge importance of digitalisation, while it will continue to have a significant impact on companies’ daily operations, with a focus on supporting remote work, virtual events, an orientation towards online operations and new platforms for productivity. Cybercrime has become one of the most lucrative “grey” jobs and a serious threat, so cybersecurity shouldn’t be seen as an option, but rather as an indispensable part of every company and organisation’s digital transformation plan. In order for us to reduce the risk of data being compromised, the first step is for us to primarily be aware that cybercrime is on the rise year on year, and that information systems must be protected with adequate technologies, and it is only in this way that can oppose the hacker mafia. Considering that this is an extremely

SWISS 2021

INTERVIEW

specific branch of the IT industry, I wouldn’t single out concrete unifying steps, because it isn’t necessary for us all to be cyber security experts. I would rather direct companies and organisations to turn to those who are cyber security experts, in order to help them preserve one of the most valuable things that companies have – digital data. We have several companies that specialise in the domain of cyber security in Serbia and the region, such as the company whose operations I’m responsible for, Sky Express, which is a regional leader in the IT security domain. What is the greatest strength of Serbia’s IT sector, given that many are today warning that it is no longer a cheap professional workforce? How, in that context, do you view the gaming industry, blockchain and AI in Serbia, which, according to some announcements, should repeat the success of the country’s IT sector? The branches of the IT industry that you mention have to date contributed a significant share to the overall revenues of the IT sector, so I don’t expect that success to be “repeated”, but rather to evolve and develop into a referential ecosystem that will generate new “unicorns”. Blockchain, AI, Big Data and other technologies have become an indispensable part of the “connected world”, and they represent a brilliant opportunity to create new, applicable solutions that will improve the functioning of societies globally. Viewed from that perspective, it is essential to kindle applied creativity – to motivate colleagues to accept new technologies as quickly and with as much commitment as possible, to identify spheres of life that it is possible to improve and to combine and apply those technologies in the right way, with the aim of advancing. Such a milieu enables their even better emergence and the creation of completely new technologies. The role of IT in the modern world, in business operations, in life, in short, is indispensable, even when that isn’t immediately evident. Modern communications, transportation, electricity and water supplies – all these aspects of life are heavily dependent on information technology, and they have become widely available and easy to operate thanks largely to IT. Such positive dependence will undoubtedly

resources required to ensure the adequate security of their information systems.

We have several companies that specialise in the domain of cyber security in Serbia and the region, such as the company whose operations I’m responsible for, Sky Express, which is a regional leader in the IT security domain grow, and that’s precisely why we need to develop, strategically and systematically, both the IT sector and associated services which accompany that sector. The digital transformation has also changed the skills that the workforce needs to have. To what extent are Swiss companies currently able to find suitable personnel? The altered working environment caused by the pandemic has led to the accelerated adapting of both companies and personnel at the global level. The demands of the market are becoming increasingly challenging and companies and workers are being compelled to adapt in order to survive, and this is generally the case for all industries. Given that I also work in the area of digital data security, I can confirm that the workforce is in exceptionally short supply at the global level, in terms of cyber security engineers. Research shows that there is a shortage of 3.12 million such experts globally. This is a worrying fact, considering that cybercrime is rising exponentially and that companies generally lack the human

In your personal opinion and that of the SSCC, what are the most important steps that can be taken today in order for Serbia to maintain its current growth rate? According to the EBRD report, GDP in the first quarter of the current year increased by 1.7% compared to the same quarter of last year, as a result of the development of the construction sector, industrial production, trade, transport and tourism. In order to attain a European level of prosperity, Serbia should accept more ambitious programmes, primarily economic, and then general social reforms that are harmonised with EU recommendations. More innovative motivating of foreign investors, as well as a more focused attitude towards internal investment programmes, are crucial. In my opinion, the following items are crucial for the Government. The first is to finance companies that are undergoing expansion. Access to credit is the key difference between the expansion of operations or stagnation for smaller businesses or start-ups that have innovative ideas and an entrepreneurial spirit, but which lack financial resources. Serbia’s ICT sector is among the most promising. Just as the state succeeded in bringing dynamism to digitalisation through an excellent internal e-government development policy, via its Office for IT and eGovernment, so communication should be established with, and support provided to, various successful clusters of ICT businesses, which are ever-increasing in number in Serbia. The second key item is to create an incentivising business environment. Among the most important issues are increasing the transparency of administrative procedures, simplifying excessively complex laws, improving the management of large systems and combating corruption. And the third item is to foster and enhance competition. The competition policy should not only imply the combating of practises that undermine competition in the private sector, but also include an even more comprehensive reduction of measures resulting in state influence on the freedom of the market.

SWISS 2021

ŠTEFAN VÖRÖŠ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, STAR IMPORT (MERCEDES-BENZ)

BUSINESS

COMMITTED TO A FLEET OF CO2 NEUTRAL VEHICLES

Mercedes-Benz has dictated trends and set standards from the very beginning, and that continues to this day. It recently also announced the launch of sales of fully electric vehicles on the Serbian market, under the EQ brand, thus confirming its commitment to sustainability and the ecological future.

n 2021/2022, the company will start selling the EQA and EQC models and, in the luxury sedan segment, the EQS model. The plan for the coming years is to offer a full range of electric vehicles, announces Star Import’s managing director with pride

The global pandemic has also impacted the car market, leading to falling sales. Does Serbia differ from the rest of the world in that respect? The previous year was like no other, with almost no sphere of life left unaffected by the pandemic. This situation, both around the world and on our markets, has impacted strongly on sales and the maintenance of cars. As a consequence, a fall of around 20 per cent has been recorded in sales of new passenger vehicles in Serbia. Signs of recovery are visible this year, but we plenty of challenges ahead of us. We are not expected to return to the level of 2019 until 2023. The Serbian car market has great potential, which can be seen in the aged fleet and in the beginning of electromobility. How do you, at Mercedes, view the need to develop new models that will help reduce the polluting of the environment? The issue of sustainability has been current for some time. At the global level, Mercedes-Benz has expressed its commitment to a CO2-neutral fleet of vehicles. We are definitely set to receive vehicles with various propulsion units, from classical to hybrid, electric and engines that run on fuel cell units. Part of our offer includes plug-in hybrid vehicles, which

predict what awaits us in the coming years, but change is definitely inevitable and coming faster than we thought. In the world of new technologies, at a time when the needs of our customers are changing constantly, it’s important for us to focus on the most important ideas that have formed part of our brand since its creation, for the last 130 years - safety, innovation and luxury. We have added the topic of sustainability to this, and that is driving our initiative to electrify, which is in full swing. Mercedes-Benz has always been, and remains, synonymous with the world’s most desirable cars.

It’s important for us to focus on the most important ideas that have formed part of our brand since its creation, for the last 130 years - safety, innovation and luxury are the perfect combination of electric and conventional drive systems and represent an important step towards the development of technology for driving without emissions of exhaust fumes. From the Mercedes perspective, how do you see the future of the automotive industry? The automotive industry is under constant development and has a tendency to change due to different environmental regulations and new needs for the use of vehicles. It is difficult to

A car rental trend currently exists in Europe. What else is trending? The trend of renting cars has existed in Europe and around the world for a long time. The most common ways to rent a vehicle are long-term rentals lasting longer than 24 months, which are most often used by companies, and shorter ones of up to 10 days (tourists, rentals for special purposes). That process stopped under the impact of the crisis. In our country there’s currently a noticeable trend of using vehicles on the basis of operating leases for a period of 24 to 36 months, which is particularly suitable for companies. Instead of simply buying a vehicle, today’s companies focus on the full service (financing, maintenance, registration, insurance), whilst also demanding a reduction in costs. That’s why we’ve developed our special Business Solution programme for business users, under the scope of which they can find the right mobility solution that’s in accordance with their needs. 15

SWISS 2021

BUSINESS

MARINKO UKROPINA, SGS GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR SERBIA, CROATIA, SLOVENIA, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND MONTENEGRO

IMMEASURABLE CONTRIBUTION TO COMBATING

THE GREY ECONOMY

SGS is the world’s leading company in the provision of inspection, verification, testing and certification services. It operates as a global leader and innovator, and is recognised by the world’s leading companies, financial corporations and international institutions

peaking in this interview for CorD Magazine, Marinko Ukropina, SGS MD for the region, reveals that the company has - through an investment of 2.4 million euros - equipped a modern laboratory for the purposes of monitoring fuel quality and successfully implementing acquired works, as well as

expanding the scope of accreditation for new testing methods. Many companies are engaged in inspection, verification, testing and certification services, but SGS is the world leader. Could you tell us more about SGS Group?

SGS Group operates under the framework of a network of more than 2,600 representative offices and laboratories and has 93,000 employees worldwide. SGS Beograd was founded in Serbia in August 2001 as a full member of this Group, which has spent more than 140 years building its reputation. SGS Beograd is this year commemorating 20 years of successful operations and significant results achieved in inspecting, testing, verifying and monitoring trade in goods and investments in the domains of agriculture, industry, mining, petrochemicals, trade in consumer goods and product certification. We achieved great success with the introduction of the National Programme for Labelling Petroleum Derivatives back in February 2014. This programme represents the best example of how an independent and neutral company that operates in accordance with the highest ethical, business and technical standards and integrity can contribute to fulfilling the interests of all stakeholders. SGS Beograd has already proved itself to be a reliable partner of the Serbian Government for seven years, as the leader of the consortium and a designated provider of services for the labelling of petroleum derivatives and monitoring of the quality of petroleum derivatives in the Republic of Serbia. This is the first anti-corruption pro-

gramme of its kind in the fight to combat the grey economy in Europe, and one of only 20 worldwide. The key objective is to use the marking of derivatives during production and upon import, as well as verifications at filling stations on the territory of Serbia, to ensure the successful monitoring of the legality of trade in petroleum products. The national project for labelling petroleum products represents the most successful anti-corruption programme in the Republic of Serbia, which has also received high praise from officials of the European Union. What have you achieved by monitoring the legality of trade in petroleum products? The consumption of legal fuels in the Republic of Serbia has increased by more than 30%, while the grey economy has been reduced to less than 1%. The inflow of revenues into the budget of the Republic of Serbia from the collection of excise duties on petroleum products has increased by approximately 1,200 million euros. An increase in the consumption of petroleum products, resulting from an increase in GDP, also influenced this increased budget inflow. Furthermore, with the fight against illegal additives to petroleum products, within the scope of the labelling and monitoring of petroleum products, we have contributed to the quality of fuels being at the level of EU standards. From an ecological aspect, regular monitoring of the quality of petroleum products has ensured the protection of consumers, whilst also improving environmental protection. Does everyone know about these results? It is clear to us that the only ones who wouldn’t favour the labelling and monitoring project are those who’ve benefited massively from the illicit trade in fuel and have become rich at the expense of the state and citizens. The facts and results of the programme to date are quite sufficient as arguments that prove this claim. The programme provides the state, oil companies and consumers with direct and very significant benefits.

The previously cited data provide the best indicator of the programme’s positive results. We also mustn’t overlook the positive environmental impact that results from trade in high-quality fuels. What is included in everything that’s been done since this programme began in 2014? The programme is implemented in accordance with the Agreement signed with the Ministry of Mining and Energy, the Decree on the Labelling (Marking) of Petroleum Products and the Instruction Manual for the Labelling of Petroleum Products that was issued by SGS. Throughout the course of these seven years, more than 21 million tons of petroleum products have been marked

The consumption of legal fuels in the Republic of Serbia has increased by more than 30%, while the grey economy has been reduced to less than 1% and, in cooperation with the competent state authorities, verification of the concentration of markers has been carried out on more than 40,000 petroleum product samples. In light of the planned advancement and automation of the fuel marking process, SGS has developed an automatic marker injection device (AMID) and proposed a comprehensive solution for the entire marking system. The implementation of this solution would prevent any form of physical interaction with the marker and would have a significant impact in terms of increasing the precision and accuracy of marking, thus contributing to further suppressing illegal activities and increasing budget revenues, on the basis of increased turnovers in legal trade flows, and environmental protection. In our country, we often hear complaints that the quality of fuel in Serbia is worse than in neighbouring countries. Do those tales hold water? In parallel with the Programme for Marking Petroleum Products, since 1st

December, 2015, in accordance with the Decree on Monitoring the Quality of Petroleum Products and Biofuels, the implementation of the Programme for Monitoring the Quality of Petroleum Products in Serbia has also been underway. Apart from buying fuel from legal sources, citizens finally also have the opportunity to know what kind of quality the fuel they use has, because the monitoring of the quality of petroleum products has very clear objectives. The aim is to continuously evaluate the quality of petroleum products and biofuels within the entire distribution chain, gaining insight into the state of the quality of petroleum products on the market and reacting accordingly, depending on the values of the monitored parameters. In accordance with the Rulebook on the Content and Manner of Implementation of the Annual Programme of Monitoring Quality, 360 to 380 samples are tested on a monthly basis, or more than 4,000 samples annually. Reports on the results of testing are regularly submitted to the competent state authorities. To conclude, could you explain to our readers the key to your more than successful operations? Investing in equipment, people and the training of personnel is one of the keys and development goals of any company. SGS doesn’t lag behind in that sense, but rather leads the way. We monitor the relevant requirements of quality standards and changes to them. Part of the investment is always directed towards monitoring changes, while we set aside part of the investment for the development of new methods that would be interesting to clients. We monitor trends and requirements that appear around the world and work to make it possible for them to be satisfied, because they will inevitably also come to the Serbian market. Experience from around the world has shown us that the process of marking and monitoring is the most effective way of bringing order to the petroleum products market, and the Republic of Serbia, by following this trend in cooperation with SGS, has built trust both within our country and beyond its borders. 17

SWISS 2021

BUSINESS

BRANKO MILIKIĆ, Managing Director of Sixsentix Serbia

iTest COMING SOON Sixsentix is a Swiss company that specialises in software testing and has branches across Europe. The company’s expertise is already recognised by clients, so it comes as no surprise that it is expanding its network of partners and clients, while increasing the number of employees, year-on-year.

but it is important for clients that a model like this enables them to save more, or at least receive a bigger team for the same investment. We currently have 145 employees in Serbia, while the entire group has more than 300.

peaking for CorD Magazine, Sixsentix Serbia MD Branko Milikić explains that innovations, new ideas, products and start-ups come on the basis of the company’s experience, constant development, work with clients from various fields and cooperation with research centres and other companies

Sixsentix Serbia is a subsidiary of the eponymous Swiss parent company, which has branches throughout Europe. How are the Belgrade and Novi Sad offices that you head rated in that strong competition? The Serbian part of the company represents the “Nearshore Centre” for all of our locations (Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary and the UAE). 18

The company’s policy is to have a specific number of employees at each location, but for most of the employees to work from Serbia. The model that has proven

Our success stories demonstrate how the Sixsentix approach and services save between 30-50% of our clients’ annual budget itself to be the best in working with clients is to have mixed teams on projects, i.e., a number of employees working at the location where the client is located, with the larger part of the team from Serbia. When it comes to delivering quality, it remains on the highest level,

The IT sector is attractive to everyone, but mostly open to developers, while you offer opportunities to both mathematicians and physicists who’ve proven themselves to be excellent during testing. Is that possible without additional training and continuous improvement? Constant improvements and investments in additional education, certifications and training is required. Candidates who think analytically fit into our working method very well. We have possibilities to retrain candidates who possess some experience that isn’t strictly related to IT, because we have internal education that’s coordinated by the Education team that was founded six years ago and has numerous coaches, educators and mentors. We invest in methodological and analytical approach to work, consulting skills, agile ways of working, understanding different areas of operations, communication skills, training for the different tools and languages that we use etc. Each of our employees receives regular training throughout the year in various fields, not only from the technical aspect, but rather we also invest in improving various skills. From the very outset, Sixsentix aimed to develop its own unique approach to testing – software agile testing (SWAT). What makes it special and superior?

We are constantly considering and improving this model, because we want to develop software testing in parallel with innovations in software development. SWAT implies a methodological approach to work, identifying risks in a system, defining priorities for testing and creating an appropriate number of automated test cases (not all possible combinations, because that takes too much time) with which we can cover a large percentage of systems or applications. We thereby reduce the time needed, which is very important to clients, because everyone wants to their new product or version to appear on the market as soon as possible, but we also reduce the capacity needed for further maintenance. We are currently developing our new iTest (intelligent testing) product, which is based on machine learning, and we are heading in the direction of artificial intelligence. Our second product, QA Cube, is already working well and delivering results in the world’s leading companies. You engage in software testing, but also in the development of software for the needs of clients. Who are those clients? From which sectors and areas of industry do they mostly come? The greatest number of clients come from the banking, financial and investment sectors, but we also have clients from telecommunications, energy, sports organisations, medicine and the like. We’ve recently been receiving ever more requests from IT companies that develop products for different areas. Not as much was previously invested in software testing, which was somehow an integral part of development and it was taken for granted that the company developing a product would also test it in parallel. However, this proved to be a very poor approach and it turned out to be better for one company to develop a product and another to test it. Over the past few years, more companies have been earmarking funds for testing and seeking companies like us that are specialised in testing the quality of applications. Is the work you do measurable? Do your clients know exactly how much you reduce their costs and

We have possibilities to retrain candidates who possess some experience that isn’t strictly related to IT, because we have internal education how much you shorten the time they need to go to market? Certainly. We work with large corporations that regularly evaluate your work. They demand constant improvements in the quality of work, but for costs to be reduced and delivery times shortened. Good examples can be seen in the fact that we’ve been working with the majority of our clients for many years and that we are constantly expanding our cooperation. We thereby enable manifold reductions in the annual budget that they allocate to develop and test their products and systems. Our success stories demonstrate how the Sixsentix approach and services save between 30-50% of our clients’ annual budget. Clients are demanding, while their needs and expectations differ greatly. Does this mean that you have to constantly improve your business model and ways of working? Definitely. If you want to be the best at something, and for others to recognise your work, you must constantly innovate

and develop your approach to work and the models you’re able to offer. The reason for constant improvement mustn’t solely be the needs and expectations of clients, rather you must monitor new technologies, research and monitor the development of various systems and areas, be creative and bring innovations. You also need to be ahead of the market’s current needs. Only in that way will you also be able to offer the client more than what’s expected of you. We collaborate with research centres and universities, have partnership relations with several companies that develop testing tools, and introduce new technologies to our work, all with the aim of having a good range of possibilities and options that we can offer clients. What are your plans and goals when it comes to the further development of the parent company and the Serbian branch? We took a break from our growth and expansion to new locations during the previous year, but we are slowly starting to hire new employees at all locations, including those in Serbia. New projects are being launched, new clients are coming and the market is slowly returning to normal, so we expect the third and fourth quarters to have the most investment. Plans also include expanding to new markets, such as those of the UK, the U.S. and the Benelux countries. 19

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BUSINESS

OLIVER STREIT, HEAD OF THE FROM EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT PROJECT, NIRAS - IP CONSULT GMBH

SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE IN FINDING DECENT JOBS From Education to Employment (E2E) is a partnership project between the Government of Serbia and the Swiss Government that’s building alliances between the public, civil and private sectors involved in youth employment Work-Based Learning (WBL) of labour market skills required by companies, which will help young people secure a decent job faster. Through NIRAS - IP, the project creates opportunities for

It is a real pleasure for Switzerland to be part of this successful project, which includes vulnerable youngsters who face more difficulties when entering the labour market

young jobseekers from selected regions of Central and South Serbia. In order to better match private sector needs with the labour supply, it cooperates with six local partners from Novi Pazar, Knjaževac, Pirot, Kruševac, and Kragujevac who facilitate the training programmes and offer career guidance and matching services for both young people and companies.

What concrete measures included in the project with the Government of the Republic of Serbia would make it easier for young people to gain employment? At the national level, E2E supports the evidence-based development of youth employment policies, while at the local level it facilitates practical employment and learning opportunities for young people in Serbia. The E2E project provides

What stands behind the E2E workplace training/learning model? Through E2E, Switzerland promotes modern training in companies, career counselling and other labour market measures that provide young people just embarking on their careers with better chances to gain employment. WBL training is an ideal opportunity for youngsters, through a combination of theoretical and practical training, to acquire precisely the experience, skills and knowledge that employers are seeking, and hence find a job faster, resulting in economic independence.

ntil June this year, more than 1,500 young people were given an opportunity to train for occupations that are in short supply, with 70% of them immediately finding a job for which they’ve been trained and many of them gaining their first work experience through the project, says Project Head Oliver Streit.

WBL is a real-life work experience (traineeship) for youngsters in companies, implemented with the support of in-company trained mentors. The Government of Switzerland supported the E2E programme with 14.7 million euros. What does it mean for young people? We contribute to the improvement of both national and local policies and legislation in the field of youth employment by giving concrete proposals through the testing and implementing of many innovative methods, such as the WBL approach and Career Guidance Counselling (CGC) instruments. Through such support, embedding these elements into local youth employment policies has been ensured and the capacities of professional counsellors strengthened. Through E2E, the Swiss experience of top-modern CGC instruments has been successfully adapted to the Serbian context, and Serbia now has the 1st web-based competence assessment and a matching tool in the Balkans, which is raising the employability of young people. Over 16,000 youngsters have so far received advice on how to continue their professional careers. It is a real pleasure for Switzerland to be part of this successful project, which includes vulnerable youngsters who face more difficulties when entering the labour market. Thanks to our E2E partners throughout Serbia, who have built up trust between actors at the local levels, youngsters can now make informed career decisions and ultimately find decent jobs easier.

SWISS 2021

ANA MANIĆ, SALES AND MARKETING AT SAUTER BUILDING CONTROL SERBIA

BUSINESS

LEADERS IN BUILDING AUTOMATION Your direct partner for the last 30 years. Sauter Building Control Serbia comprises a team of Swiss-trained specialist engineers who provide maintenance services according to Sauter standards. One of their priorities is ensuring the satisfying of the client, who should be provided with ideal ideal comfort conditions at all times

he operations of Sauter Building Control Serbia have faced many challenges over the past three decades. Job would be boring without challenges, and the job needs to be fun at least in part in order for one to be able to do it successfully in the long term, says Sauter Building Control Serbia Sales and Marketing Ana Manić.

Sauter has been continuously present in Serbia for 30 years. What were the biggest challenges you faced ,from the time the company was founded in Belgrade back in 1991 until today? Our parent company, Fr. SAUTER AG from Basel, established its first office in Belgrade, which was then the capital of the much larger country of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, with the intention of it being the centre for the entire region. Belgrade was chosen because of the numerous referential buildings implemented since the early 1950s and representing the result of excellent cooperation with our renowned project design and construction companies of that time. I just would like to mention the Military Medical Academy was realised in 1980 and the Sava Centre a couple of years later, while the Hotel Yugoslavia building emerged two decades prior to that. Your company has always been in step with innovative technology and the latest developments in the field of smart buildings. How important is the modernisation of such systems

Sauter technology implemented fifteen or more years ago. Apart from that, one should also take care when it comes to spare parts that cannot be sourced after a long period. We have a chance to annually modernise three or more projects that that used Sauter technology of previous generations. I can state that our market recognises the importance of modernising systems.

We have a chance to annually modernise three or more projects that used Sauter technology of previous generations and what are the benefits for users? All our projects have an implemented Sauter technological solution that was high-tech at the time of implementation. Some projects were realised more than 20 or 30 years ago, so it is certainly important to consider their modernisation. Although our systems operate impeccably, we always recommend modernisation. After so many years, a situation can occur in which the latest technology in some other segment that the user wants to apply to the building is not aligned with

How important is the maintenance of systems that you have only recently installed and put into operation? Everything must be maintained, including our systems. We are proud of the fact that our users often tell us that there is no need to maintain their Sauter system, as it has been working flawlessly for years. We take this as a compliment, but it is also trap for the system user. Maintenance is an important investment, and investment maintenance must be planned in order to extend the life of the equipment and thereby save money later. All analyses show that regular maintenance leads to a significant increase in the service life of equipment, reducing possible problems in the functioning of a building to a minimum and achieving significant additional energy savings. All this justifies investments in maintenance, even without mentioning the fact that it ensures satisfied users who have ideal conditions at all times and the kind of comfort that such facilities deserve. This latter element has always been the most important for us during these 30 years that we’ve had a direct presence on the Serbian market. 21

SWISS 2021

SANJA PEŠIĆ, ALMA QUATTRO CEO

BUSINESS

COMMITMENT RESULTS IN SUCCESS At Alma Quattro, a company that has spent almost three decades operating successfully in Serbia, they hope that they’ve taken a cutting of longevity from the Swiss founder. They have combined their way of working, financial and work discipline, with the Serbian spirit of entrepreneurship and ability to overcome challenges, which is a recipe for success

think that our good interpersonal relations and employee loyalty are what set us apart from other companies. We are recognised more for that than for the certificates given to us by credit rating agencies and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, says the CEO of one of Serbia’s most successful companies. Decades pass and everything changes, but not your position at the top of the list of the best companies for outdoor advertising. How do you endure and become ever more successful? In the spirit of the National Day of Switzerland, which was established back in 1891, I would like to point out that Alma Quattro was founded in 1994, and since then it has officially celebrated this important date for Switzerland as a holiday. There is some symbolism in that, because our parent company, APG SGA, has existed for more than 100 years, and we are currently in the third decade of our successful work. Our success is the result of long-term planning and a daily commitment to micro work activities, but also to work on improving relationships with clients and agencies, and all this, at an overall level, results exactly in this position that we have today. Like every overnight success that has now been continuing for 27 years already. What reflects the specificity of your integrated marketing approach? Regardless of the level of the budget, it is important to clients that they are able

habit of consumers spending more time outdoors is a consequence of a dynamic lifestyle in urban areas.

Many major world brands are also our clients, and our portfolio enables them to present their creative solutions throughout Serbia to realise everything that out-of-home (OOH) can offer in one place - from classic billboards to digital media of small and large formats. The breadth of our portfolio guarantees that we can tailor high-quality campaigns for every client. Over the last three years, OOH has recorded growth compared to the previous period, and that growth has exceeded that of other market segments, which testifies to the fact that confidence in the efficacy of our media is also growing and that the

Does the fact that Alma Quattro is part of a large international family ensure that the latest technological solutions are more accessible to you? Being part of a large international family makes us very proud, while at the same time it encourages and stimulates us to operate at the level of quality of such an innovative system as JCDecaux and APG SGA. The latest technological and creative solutions that you can see on the streets of Belgrade and other Serbian cities are on a par with those visible on the streets of London, Paris or New York. Many major world brands are also our clients, and our portfolio enables them to present their creative solutions nationwide throughout Serbia. The different technical solutions, dimensions and great coverage of our network of advertising media provide broad opportunities to creative agencies, media buying agencies and clients who implement their advertising campaigns independently. When it comes to our team, in most cases we’ve been working together for over 25 years. That says plenty about the values and culture that we nurture, and about the attitude of employees towards work and the company, as well as the company’s attitude towards the people who work for it. I believe companies that succeed in striking a balance between profit and good interpersonal relationships and loyalty can consider themselves as being successful.

SWISS 2021

MILENA GAJOVIĆ SHRESTHA, GENERAL MANAGER, SR TECHNICS SERVICES

BUSINESS

EVOLUTION DRIVEN BY INNOVATION With a tradition and experience dating back more than 80 years, SR Technics is a company that’s become synonymous with Swiss quality, commitment, safety, precision, reliability and ethics. From its headquarters in Zurich, SR Technics gathers around 2,000 employees at locations around the world

peaking in this interview, SR Technics Services General Manager Milena Gajović Shrestha reveals how the company is traversing these extremely challenging times for the civil aviation industry and the kind of growth that its Belgrade support centre has been experiencing over the last six years.

What can you tell us about your company? SR Technics is one of the largest independent providers of MRO [maintenance, repair and overhaul] services, with a primary focus on servicing CFM-56 and P&W4000 engines, as well as line & base maintenance. We service most Airbus and Boeing aircraft types. The ’Swiss factor’ certainly enhances the value of our global brand, and that’s why we’re focused on continuously setting benchmark values of the industry and achieving the highest performance, while following all safety standards for our employees and the natural environment. Innovations are the key to evolution in this industry. Our new component services brand STRADE, launched in 2021,exists as an independent unit within the scope of the Group and provides customers around the world with sales, leasing, lending and replacement services on all major aircraft platforms. With the aim of expanding our portfolio of aircraft engines, we are working to secure the provision of LEAP-1B MRO services by Q1 2022. SR Technics Services quickly grew beyond its own capabilities in pro-

continuously provide technical, leadership and Lean CI training courses, as part of the plan for the professional development of our employees. The bar is set high for us, but our aim is to always achieve the highest possible performance, and remain a reliable partner to SR Technics’ entire organisation.

With the aim of expanding our portfolio of aircraft engines, we are working to secure the provision of LEAP-1B MRO services by Q1 2022 viding support to global operations. Are you still exceeding your aims? With slightly over 250 permanent employees who provide mostly administrative support, but also operational support, to our global operations, we are working to continuously improve our processes. We have introduced the Robotic Process Automation, which enables the reducing of costs and errors, accuracy of the process, increased retention and satisfaction of customers, an improved focus on value-added activities etc. We

The pandemic has had major consequences for civil aviation. How is SR Technics handling the crisis? We are now focused on servicing aircraft engines and line & base maintenance in Switzerland. Our global customer base comprises passenger and cargo airlines, leasing companies and VIP operators. SR Technics remains focused on delivering high-quality, integrated MRO solutions for civil aircraft, components and engines, as well as on building long-term partnerships with a diverse base of global clients. When the pandemic started, we introduced essential financial, strategic and personnel measures in a responsible and consistent way, and thus managed to ensure our sufficient liquidity and maintain a highly qualified professional workforce that is crucial to our operations, especially now that we see indicators of stable growth in terms of demand. The crisis sparked initiatives related to digitalisation in our company, as well as the improving of processes and cooperation in the fight against everything superfluous and complex. This crisis provides us with an opportunity to evolve and work according to the principle of cross-functional teams, with lean methodology, within the scope of our MRO company. 23

SWISS 2021

ANA GRUJOVIĆ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SWISS-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

INTERVIEW

CONNECTIVITY WITHIN THE ICT SECTOR IS OUR PRIORITY By recognising the importance of digitalisation even before the outbreak of the pandemic, the Swiss-Serbian Chamber was prepared to face the new circumstances and organised a series of activities of interest to the membership, including networking with colleagues from the region and dialogue with the Government of Serbia and other actors. In the period ahead, special emphasis will be placed on the further development of Swiss-Serbian cooperation in the economic sector.

witzerland and Serbia are this year commemorating the 30th anniversary of the establishing of development cooperation between the two countries. The 2014 establishment of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce primarily provided a significant contribution to strengthening business cooperation between companies from the two countries. In addition to this, the SSCC plays an active role in promoting Serbia’s domestic market as an attractive destination for potential Swiss investors. As the latest example of successful work in the area of networking, SSCC Executive Director Ana Grujović notes the arrival in Serbia of Swiss company Regent Lighting, which has launched the construction of a factory for the production of lighting elements in Svilajnac. Our interlocutor emphasises in particular that the work of the SSCC – through the implementation of various activities, from gathering members together, to staging conferences that enable public-private dialogue – has enabled the creation of a dynamic and firmly connected Swiss-Serbian business community. “And finally, we strive, in cooperation with member companies, to promote the concept of “Swissness” and the implementing of basic Swiss values, such as quality, reliability, integrity, transparency and others, in the daily

business activities of companies,” says Grujović. You have contributed to the advancing of digitalisation through bilateral cooperation and through your own work. What would you single out as future goals where the Chamber can provide a significant contribution in these areas? The ICT sector is acknowledged as being one of the leading sectors for the further improvement of SwissSerbian economic cooperation. The great potential of business activities in this area is confirmed by the fact that the SSCC membership includes a large number of companies from this sector. Our basic goal during the current year is to form an ICT Working Group, in order to enable exchanges of experience between member companies, but also to enable them to have a dialogue with the state and other relevant stakeholders. Then, in November, we are planning to stage the second webinar covering the topic of Serbia’s ICT sector, which will be organised in cooperation with Switzerland Global Enterprise, our institutional partner from Zurich. During the course of this event, the benefits offered by the Serbian ICT sector will be presented to Swiss companies. Finally, I would like to mention last year’s conference “Digital Transformation of Health Ecosystems”, which was held at the initiative of SSCC member company Roche.

guest appearances of experts from Switzerland, such as representatives of Economiesuisse and Swissmem, on the topic of the impact of COVID-19 on the Swiss economy. Organising this type of event in the form of an “offline” conference would certainly be more demanding in an operational sense, because it would require greater

Our basic goal during the current year is to form an ICT Working Group, in order to enable exchanges of experience between member companies, but also to enable them to have a dialogue with the state and other relevant stakeholders logistical effort. The way the SSCC works moving forward will depend on the course of the pandemic. We certainly also plan to organise in-person gatherings among members, with respect

for all healthcare rules, as well as online events. One of the main challenges that we’ve faced during the pandemic is compensating for the loss of connections that are built through direct contact. Did that impact negatively on your cooperation with the Government of Serbia, domestic institutions and other bilateral chambers, and, if so, to what extent? The opportunity to meet with business partners, and even friends, is indeed one of the basic challenges imposed on us by the pandemic. I have the impression that it is due precisely to this kind of unexpected situation, which none of us has previously encountered, that all SSCC business and institutional partners have exerted additional efforts aimed at maintaining and strengthening cooperation. For example, an online working meeting was held in May 2021 with representatives of the Serbian Ministry of Finance and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce &

What have your most important activities been when it comes to supporting members? The SSCC recognised the importance of digitalisation to the further development of Swiss-Serbian economic relations even before the outbreak of the pandemic, and accordingly organised a series of events on that topic. We have endeavoured, since the beginning of the pandemic, to utilise the benefits of doing business online, which was imposed on us by the pandemic. Among other things, webinars were held with 25

SWISS 2021

INTERVIEW

about the topics of these future events? One of the goals of our work, defined prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, was to establish cooperation with the Swiss bilateral chambers of the region. I can state with satisfaction that this goal has been achieved and that, for a start, we’ve established extremely important cooperation with our colleagues from Swiss chambers in Bulgaria, Romania and North Macedonia. We also had honour of our online event “Operations of Swiss companies in Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania and North Macedonia”, held in April 2021, being attended by four Swiss ambassadors from the region, including Swiss Ambassador to Serbia H.E. Urs Schmid. When it comes to the topics of future events, they will certainly include digitalisation and the application of innovative business solutions.

Industry, entitled “Macroeconomic developments in the Republic of Serbia in the context of COVID-19”. This event was co-organised together with other bilateral chambers: the Hellenic Business Association in Serbia, the Slovenian Business Club, the Croatian Business Club and the Belgian Serbian Business Association. The publication “Member 2 Member” was also prepared in cooperation with the aforementioned bilateral chambers and contains special offers of products and services that are available to the member companies of these associations. This publication was created with the aim of offering support to companies in the precise area of compensating for the loss of 26

We’ve established extremely important cooperation with our colleagues from Swiss chambers in Bulgaria, Romania and North Macedonia links that are built through direct contact with potential business partners, and ensuring their additional visibility. You recently held the first regional event entitled “Operations of Swiss companies in Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania and North Macedonia”, as well as announcing that similar events will be held in the future. What can you tell us

You recently organised the first in-person gathering of members since the pandemic began. From today’s perspective, in your opinion, what is the best formula for combining offline and online resources? Every type of event has its own pros and cons, and it is necessary to find the right formula that will maximise the usefulness of both physical gatherings and online working meetings. Our first physical gathering since the outbreak of the pandemic was held in the form of the SSCC Business Networking working lunch, which was held in Vrdnik. Our guest of honour on this occasion was H.E. Ambassador Schmid. In addition to this, staging webinars that include guest appearances of top experts reduces the costs of logistics and the time required to organise events, and this type of gathering has its convenience. For September this year, the SSCC is planning to implement both online and offline events, in cooperation with member firms and institutional partners, both in our country and in Switzerland.

Nestlé is a company that grows constantly thanks to its portfolio. In terms of facts and figures, this means that it occupies the number one spot in the categories of instant coffee, with a 66.2% market share, food products, with a 32.8% share, and cereals, with 20.8%

ur global aim is to use electricity solely from renewable sources, while our strategic ambition is to halve emissions of greenhouse gases by 2030 and eliminate them completely by 2050, announces Marjana Davidović, Country Manager Nestlé Adriatic South Hub (Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia) in this CorD interview. You took the helm of the company in November 2020 and achieved excellent results in the first quarter of this year, while you are also preparing to achieve record growth. How would you explain all of that? The credit for the good results of this year primarily belongs to the dedicated team that worked on the preparing of plans throughout the whole of last year. The next important item is the Nestlé product range, which reflects the changes among consumes that occurred during the pandemic, and we immediately adapted our business strategy to the newly emerging situation. We have updated numerous and launched completely new products such as Starbucks coffee in capsules, for instance. Likewise, new sales channels have also additionally contributed to us growing even more. The epidemic was a challenge to operations during this period, but owing to timely reactions at several levels – in the supply chain, distribution, and through coordination with our partners – that we managed to ensure continuous production and the delivery of our products to shelves even during the most difficult moments. The pandemic compelled us to adapt ourselves. Is adaptation actually the word that marked the period that’s behind us?

BUSINESS

CONSUMERS TRUST NESTLÉ'S PORTFOLIO

SWISS 2021

MARJANA DAVIDOVIĆ, COUNTRY MANAGER NESTLÉ ADRIATIC SOUTH HUB (SERBIA, MONTENEGRO, NORTH MACEDONIA)

operations, while being simultaneously adapted to the position and the breadth of knowledge brought by that position. This is just one example of increasing efficiency, particularly under new circumstances when changes occur on an almost daily basis. Our colleagues very quickly grasped the seriousness of the situation and reacted swiftly, and - most importantly - showed solidarity, which forms an essential part of our corporate culture.

An important pillar of our environmental objectives is represented by the transformation of packaging aimed at eliminating plastics Adaptation is actually the key word – not only in extraordinary situations, rather it will also be key in the period ahead. Business operations have changed under the new circumstances, but we succeeded in adapting quickly and overcoming the challenges. We have kept pace, and continue to do so, when it comes to market trends like the digitalisation of operations and modified communication with consumers. For example, we organised a digital eBusiness academy for our employees – which provided excellent training on the basics of digital

Environmental protection is something else that is currently in the focus of all of us, including your company. Could you tell us more about your environmental objectives? The Nestlé factory in Surčin is the first plant in Serbia to have stopped depositing waste at landfill sites, or, more precisely, it was the first to achieve the goal of “Zero Waste to Landfill”, which means that not a gram of waste from the factory ends up in landfills. We also possess a cutting-edge wastewater treatment facility, which purifies and returns as much as 65,000 litres of clean water per day to the Serbian nature. Our global aim is to use electricity solely from renewable sources, while we’ve already achieved that in Serbia through a contract signed with EPS on the purchase of 100% green energy from hydroelectric power plants. An important pillar of our environmental objectives is represented by the transformation of packaging aimed at eliminating plastics. Smarties represent Nestlé’s first confectionery brand to introduce paper packaging, thanks to which 250 million plastic packages a year will be removed from circulation, and by 2025 the entire Nestlé portfolio will have 100% recyclable packaging. At the local level, we are already 86% of the way to achieving that goal. 27

SWISS 2021

SARA NOVOSEL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BLUE OCEAN LAB

BUSINESS

ONE MORE STEP TOWARDS THE TOP BAD SISTEMS is a company that fosters a culture of developing digital products and brings an analytical overview of data that you didn’t even know existed. In accordance with the growth trend dominating the IT sector, and in support of its aspirations to reach the top, BAD SISTEMS has launched its own subsidiary company: Blue Ocean Lab

n order to present the Blue Ocean strategy to us, its managing director, Sara Novosel, compares it to the ocean itself, as a vast territory of opportunities that are gained by opening a new market devoid of competition, because its service hasn’t been created relative to other business models. BAD SISTEMS is a company that the public already knows as an inexhaustible source of ideas and digital products. And this time you are once again bringing innovations. Could you familiarise us with what this is all about? Technological growth and development are certainly important parts of our business, but I would emphasise that people, who contribute to the development of the business with their skills and qualities, are also a precondition for success. I would like to hereby announce yet another step of BAD SISTEMS towards the top, and that is the launch of subsidiary company Blue Ocean Lab. Considering that the growth and success of employees is one of the main postulates of BAD SISTEMS, on this occasion I had the honour of being promoted to the position of managing director of Blue Ocean Lab. What will Blue Ocean Lab work on specifically; what lies behind such a name? The Blue Ocean Lab name of the company stemmed from a business strategy that’s called Blue Ocean around the world. This strategy seeks to launch new markets

The Blue Ocean business model is directed towards setting its own criteria and rules of the game on the market in order to create new demand. Competition doesn’t have much significance in this domain, because this business model implies that we create the need for a service by creating that service. The basic objective of Blue Ocean Lab as a company will be to develop data analysis services and raise awareness of the importance of data collection, in an era of high technological advancement, for digital products that use machine learning as part of artificial intelligence. We already use machine learning as a data analysis method at BAD SISTEMS and will also apply the same method at Blue Ocean Lab. Artificial intelligence based on the machine learning method represents the ability of a system to

learn and improve the user experience through the identifying of patterns of user behaviour and decision making, with minimum human intervention. The Blue Ocean business model is directed towards setting its own criteria and rules of the game on the market. In order for us to familiarise you with what’s going on that’s contrary to the Blue Ocean strategy, we need to clarify the term Red Ocean. Red Ocean represents a business model that’s entering into a market battle with a large number of competing firms. Companies are on a market with predefined rules of the game that must be respected, and the same product created by different producers doesn’t differ in the slightest, nor can it be distinguished from others. What plans await Blue Ocean Lab and you personally? The launch of the Blue Ocean Lab adventure is linked to the date of 2nd August 2021. It will represent one of the foundations of BAD SISTEMS’ boutique of digital products, most of which will rely on data sourced precisely from the Blue Ocean Lab service. Blue Ocean Lab strives to open new markets and offer high-quality and comprehensive analysis of data that you didn’t even know existed, with the aim of implementing digitalisation more efficiently and quickly in Serbia and beyond. It is a great pleasure for me, as managing director of Blue Ocean Lab, to have the opportunity to continue contributing to the development of the BAD SISTEMS ecosystem, and I look forward to new successes and challenges.

SWISS 2021

ALEKSANDAR MILOŠEVIĆ, 3AP CEO

BUSINESS

CLOSE TO BOTH CLIENTS AND TALENTS It was when company 3ap discovered potential in Serbia beyond the confines of the country’s known “IT Hubs” that it came up with its “Micro Offices” concept. This resulted in 3ap opening its first micro-office in Kruševac – as kind of a first mover in the area

in a Box® approach, which methodically drives a vision of a solution to a scalable version – and the importance of company culture are right. It underlined what we believe.

s 3ap CEO Aleksandar Milošević explains for this CorD Magazine special, supporting people who want to be closer to their homes correlates with the company’s approach of being close to both talents and clients. And by working in such a way, these people can help their “homes”. What is at the foundation of your ideology of IT decentralisation in Serbia? Our thinking about “decentralisation” generally started five years ago, when we made the strategic decision to be close to both clients and talents. If there is a concept in place COVID-19 has proven, even to the greatest doubters, that results can also be achieved by working remotely, and our “Start-up in a Box®” addresses exactly this. Talented people can be located anywhere, as our results are mostly digital. They only need to be well-educated and close to the “digital” world. Education will happen from anywhere in the future, and again COVID-19 has shown options in this regard. Why do you think decentralisation is important for this region? From an employee perspective, why would you want to spend time on public transport if you can reach your work space within minutes? In the case of families, how can you make sure you spend more time with your kids and be successful in your profession? It is important that you have flexibility, and you decide whether you use it or not. During the past, especially in the Balkans, people had to move to other cities, away from “home”, due to differ-

How do you plan to execute your decentralisation strategy and do you already have some locations in mind? We want to support people who want to move “back home” or who want more flexibility in their work. We just need to make sure that the internet connection is top notch. Our first office beyond Belgrade is in Kruševac, and we would like to grow there for sure. For the approach to select a location, we rely on just two to three people who are in that city. That’s it. Our People and Culture team takes care of the rest and as a company we have our “Platform in a Box” to provide amazing experiences

Our first office beyond Belgrade is in Kruševac, and our plan is to grow further across Serbia for sure ent reasons, such as education, conflicts, factories etc. The IT industry can support people, especially in the Balkans, who want to be closer to their home, and this correlates with our approach of being close to talents and clients. How much of an impact did the pandemic situation have on your decision? COVID-19 has just proven that our concepts – like “Micro Offices”, or our Start-up

Do you see something as a challenge for this mission? Infrastructure is a key to success. Thankfully, Serbia is investing in this area. We saw during this pandemic, when everybody was at home, that actively engaging our teams is also key, and by doing so we lifted the happiness of our colleagues, which was already at a high level, even higher. So, we ended up having part of the team in the same office, while the remaining colleagues of the same team were at home, in a kind of a hybrid model. With all that we saw, we used our own methods to explore this challenge and will soon release our first app that will drive the cohesiveness of teams distributed around the world. Stay tuned. 29

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SSCC ACTIVITIES JUNE 2021

SSCC BUSINESS NETWORKING LUNCH

SSCC’s first in-person gathering since the outbreak of the pandemic took place on 9th June 2021 at the Vrdnička Kula Ethno Village. The SSCC guest of honour on this occasion was H.E. Urs Schmid, Swiss Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia and to Montenegro. This event provided an opportunity for SSCC members to share experiences and explore potential business cooperation in an informal and pleasant atmosphere near Belgrade.

APRIL 2021

SWISS BUSINESS IN BULGARIA, ROMANIA, SERBIA AND NORTH MACEDONIA

MAY 2021

DIALOGUE WITH THE SERBIAN MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND THE SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SCCI)

An online working meeting was held on Tuesday, 25th May 2021, between member companies of five bilateral business associations in Serbia: the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SSCC), the Hellenic Business Association, the Croatian Business Club (CBC), the Slovenian Business Club (SBC) and the Belgian-Serbian Business Association, with representatives of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI). Participants of this working meeting, entitled Macroeconomic Trends in the Economy of the Republic of Serbia in the Context of COVID-19, were addressed by Ognjen Popović, Acting Assistant Minister of Finance in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, and Mihailo Vesović, Director of the Division for Strategic Analysis, Services and Internationalisation of the SCCI, who presented current and expected trends in the domestic economy. 30

This occasion provided us with the pleasant opportunity to welcome four Swiss Ambassadors from the region: • H.E. Urs Schmid, Swiss Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia and to Montenegro • H.E. Muriel Berset Kohen, Swiss Ambassador to Bulgaria • H.E. Arthur Mattli, Swiss Ambassador ao Romania • H.E. Sybille Suter Tejada, Swiss Ambassador to North Macedonia Thomas Foerst, Head of the Global Network of the Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE), also presented the Swiss perspective of the region, as well as the results of cooperation established with the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and other participating chambers from the region. In his speech, SSCC President Majo Mićović welcomed this initiative by emphasising that this event marked the beginning of regional cooperation and that more similar events would take place in the future.

MARCH 2021

FEBRUARY 2021

The Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the Joksović, Stojanović |+|AMP|+| Partneri Law Office (JSP) organised a webinar on the new Law on Digital Property, which regulates the use of virtual currencies and digital tokens in the Republic of Serbia for the first time. The 4th March 2021 webinar was jointly organised together with the Italian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the Slovenian Business Club and the GermanSerbian Chamber of Commerce.

SSCC member company Sky Express, a regional leader in digital data protection, has been organising numerous webinars covering the field of IT security throughout the year. In February, SSCC members learned more about the identification and elimination of threats and the protection of existing company infrastructure. These webinars are offered free-of-charge to SSCC members.

WEBINAR: NEW LAW ON DIGITAL PROPERTY

CYBER SECURITY WEBINARS

DECEMBER 2020

ONLINE CONFERENCE “DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE HEALTHCARE ECOSYSTEM”

This online conference was organised by the Swiss Serbian Chamber of Commerce, together with Roche Serbia, an SSCC founding member, and opened by H.E. Urs Schmid, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Republic of Serbia and to Montenegro. Ambassador Schmid underlined the fact that, thanks to strong economic relations, Switzerland and Serbia can have quality cooperation in the area of digitalisation, while he also noted that Switzerland already supports initiatives aimed at promoting the digital economy in Serbia and cooperation with the section of the Swiss business community that invests in ICT, believing that it is possible to additionally promote trade in digital services and hardware, as well as mutual exchanges of knowhow and talents between the countries. Also speaking at this conference, Dejan Kovačević, Digital Health Advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, said that the Serbian Government has identified the need to cooperate with the private sector in setting strategic goals and progressing towards such goals, including the higher quality of healthcare, the improved efficiency of the healthcare system and opening the door to research and innovations in healthcare through the use of modern IT solutions and tools. Other panel participants included SSCC President Majo Mićović, Roche Serbia and Montenegro CEO and SSCC Vice-President Ana Govedarica, Digital Serbia CEO Nebojša Đurđević and Dr Nick Guldemond, senior researcher at the Leiden University Medical Centre (Netherlands). 31

SWISS 2021

OCTOBER 2020

WEBINAR - OPPORTUNITIES AND LEGAL CHALLENGES FOR GROWING E-COMMERCE IN SERBIA

OCTOBER 2020

DUAL EDUCATION

The online conference “Dual Education – Challenges and Opportunities during and after COVID-19” was organised as part of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation project “Support in the Development and Establishment of the National Model of Dual Education”, in cooperation with the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development and the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce. The event was opened by Professor Gabrijela Grujić Ph.D., Assistant Minister for Dual Education at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Derek George, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the Swiss Embassy in Belgrade, and SSCC President Majo Mićović.

SEPTEMBER 2020

WEBINAR ‘’THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE SWISS ECONOMY’’

On 9th September, 2020, the SSCC organised a webinar entitled “The impact of COVID-19 on the Swiss Economy”, in cooperation with Switzerland Global Enterprise, the Bulgarian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and the Romanian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce. The expert guests included, among others, representatives of Economiesuisse and Swissmem.

SWISS 2021

DIGITAL HEALTH START-UP STORY Switzerland has an increasing number of start-ups in the field of digital health. They focus primarily on technology-orientated offerings and on doctors, hospitals, insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies as customers. This is the conclusion of a new study by ZHAW and Health-Trends illustrates how important high-tech skills are for innovations in the digital health environment. Many start-ups use forward-looking technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing and the internet of things.

witzerland has a dynamic, rapidly developing startup landscape in the digital health sector. Of the current total of around 180 to 200 start-up companies, the majority are active in the “data health” and “tech health” segments: they offer, for example, digital solutions for the evaluation of health data or digitally controllable medical technology products. More than half of the start-ups included in the survey are located in the Zurich area and employ a maximum of five people. These are the findings of a survey conducted by the ZHAW School of Management and Law and Health-Trends, a Swiss think tank for digital health. The survey is based on an online survey of 42 Swiss start-ups that was conducted between July and December 2019.

The high proportion of start-ups in “tech health” and “data health” also illustrates how important high-tech skills are for innovations in the digital health environment FURTHER GROWTH EXPECTED “We assume that the digital health sector and the associated start-up scene will develop rapidly in the coming years. The COVID-19 Pandemic is likely to accelerate this trend even more,” says Alfred Angerer, head of the Department of Management in Healthcare at the Winterthur Institute of Health Economics at the ZHAW School of Management and Law. “The high proportion of start-ups in “tech health” and “data health” also

WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES Around three-quarters of the startups offer digital products and services in core medical areas, such as prevention, symptom recording, information search, diagnosis and therapy. These can be digital symptom testers or online information platforms, for example, for searching for doctors and therapists. In terms of content, the solutions are often aimed at chronic illnesses like diabetes or cancer, or at psychological complaints. As the survey further shows, 80 per cent of the start-ups are active in the B2B sector and focus on hospitals, doctors, health insurance companies or pharmaceutical companies as customers. “This is mainly due to the fact that the willingness of private customers to pay for digital health offers in Switzerland has been rather low to date,” explains Matthias Mettler, coinitiator of Health-Trends and expert on the digital health and innovation scene in Switzerland. Around half of the start-ups already have a well-developed product or service offering. Another quarter has at least one offer in the form of prototypes, whose market demand is currently being validated by the companies concerned. Almost 85 per cent of the start-ups have entered into cooperation agreements with academic partners to develop their offerings. 33

SWISS 2021

FEATURE

BY GEORG E. RIEKELES / PROJECT SYNDICATE

SWITZERLAND’S BREXIT MOMENT Many in Switzerland have failed to recognise that their exorbitant privileges vis-à-vis the European Union could not continue. The Swiss government’s recent withdrawal from talks on an EU framework agreement could reduce the country’s single-market access and prompt a fundamental rethink of its relationship with the bloc

he Swiss government’s recent withdrawal from negotiations on a framework agreement with the European Union has triggered a deep crisis in bilateral relations. For the EU, the fallout is manageable: economic relations will erode, but the Union will carry on. For Switzerland, the consequences could be more dramatic. With Switzerland’s future access to the EU’s single market in jeopardy, its walkout

might now require a Swiss rethink of its relationship with the bloc almost as fundamental as the United Kingdom’s after the 2016 Brexit referendum. Switzerland is not an EU member state, but in many respects it comes close. Through some 120 bilateral agreements, Switzerland is a member of the border-free Schengen Area, is closely integrated with the EU in areas such as transport, research, and the Erasmus

student-exchange programme, and enjoys full access to the single market in sectors from finance to pharmaceuticals. All told, Switzerland probably benefits more from the single market than any other European country, and pays little in return. A 2019 Bertelsmann Stiftung study found that the single market boosts Swiss annual per capita income by €2,900 ($3,515) per year – well above the EU average of €1,000

– whereas Switzerland’s corresponding financial contribution (when it is paid) in effect cost the Swiss less than €14 per capita per year. Switzerland’s free lunch is not only economic. The main problem with the “bilateral way,” cherished by the Swiss since they voted “no” to the European Economic Area (EEA) in a 1992 referendum, is the lack of continuous updating of single-market law in Switzerland. Swiss public opinion has long held that “foreign judges” should have no role in interpreting the country’s laws. Yet, this clashes with the single market’s requirement of uniform application of supranational rules. The Institutional Framework Agreement (IFA) that the EU and Switzerland reached in 2018, after five years of negotiations, was a belated attempt to put bilateral relations on a sustainable footing and pave the way for further Swiss access to the EU market. To secure it, the EU again made significant concessions in the face of Swiss sovereignty concerns. Rather than requiring automatic incorporation of single-market law, the EU allowed for three years of internal Swiss procedures to adopt it (including possible referendums). And instead of insisting on sole jurisdiction for the Court of Justice of the European Union, the EU agreed to an arbitration-based dispute-settlement mechanism that would seek the CJEU’s intervention only for interpreting concepts of EU law. Significantly, the EU also conceded that the IFA would cover only five market-access agreements, from transport to the free movement of persons. The 1972 bilateral free trade agreement remained off-limits, with the two sides issuing only a statement of political commitment to its future modernisation. But despite these concessions – which would place at risk the single market’s level playing field – the Swiss government never signed the IFA, or even defended it. On the contrary, the Swiss strategy was always to come back for more – until they walked away. The talks had been made difficult because of disagreements over state-aid

rules. Under the IFA, the EU offered a two-pillar arrangement whereby the EU rules would apply in Switzerland but would be implemented through an autonomous Swiss surveillance mechanism with powers equivalent to the European Commission’s. But when the EU negotiated its post-Brexit relationship with the UK, some in Switzerland thought that the UK received a “better” state aid deal. This “Brexit envy” is entirely unjustified. Whereas Brexit involved the UK’s complete departure from the single market, the entire purpose of the IFA was for Switzerland to remain within it.

This “Brexit envy” is entirely unjustified. Whereas Brexit involved the UK’s complete departure from the single market, the entire purpose of the IFA was for Switzerland to remain within it The even bigger thorn in the EU’s side has been Switzerland’s remonstrations against EU citizens’ freedomof-movement rights to Swiss social security benefits, and its concerns about downward pressure on domestic wage levels. Here too, the Swiss have a weak case. Following the Swiss 2014 referendum “against mass immigration,” the EU conceded that Swiss law could require Swiss employers to give priority to domestic job seekers. The IFA grants exceptions – provided these are non-discriminatory and proportionate – to protect Swiss wage levels. And the CJEU has recognised that freedom of movement is not absolute and that economically inactive EU citizens may be excluded from other member states’ social benefits. The EU could not concede more. Precisely because these tricky issues are not unique to Switzerland, the EU cannot give the Swiss a free pass. Treating all countries alike matters not only for the integrity of the single market, but also for the EU’s political viability. If the EU were to give non-members

privileges that even members don’t have, more might head for the exit. The EU and Switzerland must find solutions within a common framework of rules, not outside them. Many in Switzerland fail to recognise their exorbitant privileges vis-à-vis the EU, and that this cherry-picking cannot continue after Brexit. All in all, the Swiss government has shown little interest in a fair single-market settlement with the EU, and, having broken off talks, now faces some immediate economic consequences. For starters, future single-market access in electricity and health is off the table. And on 26th May, Switzerland lost access to the EU market for new medical devices, because the EU-Swiss Mutual Recognition Agreement was not updated. Machinery and chemicals are next in line. Bit by bit, the two economies will decouple in these sectors, at an estimated cost to Switzerland of up to €1.2 billion per year. The EU must soon make other hard choices, not least concerning Switzerland’s participation in the bloc’s Horizon Europe research programme. Research cooperation is obviously mutually beneficial. But with the Swiss holding up their financial contributions and spurning efforts to find viable institutional solutions, the EU seemingly has little choice but to put its foot down. The EU-Swiss rupture comes as the UK government is also brazenly confronting the Union by stepping away from key provisions of the IrelandNorthern Ireland protocol and asking the EU to adapt. With Norwegian support for the EEA increasingly unstable, several of the EU’s wider economic partnerships are in play. But it is the Swiss who face the most difficult choices. A recent opinion poll showed that more than 60% of Swiss are in favour of the IFA. But similar majorities support the EEA model, or even the model of EU-UK and EUCanada agreements. As the Commission reminded the Swiss government after it broke off the talks, the bilateral relationship urgently needs modernising. Instead, it is now entering the unknown. 35

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SWISS PRODUCTS

THE 12 BEST SWISS WATCH BRANDS FOR MEN By Leena Kim and Sam Dangremond From Baume & Mercier to Vacheron Constantin, here are the top Swiss watch brands worthy of any timepiece enthusiast’s collection

s James Bond creator Ian Fleming once said, “A gentleman’s choice of timepiece says as much about him as does his Savile Row suit.” While the best suits may come from England, the best watches, without a doubt, are Swiss. Any timepiece enthusiast should have at least one (preferably more) exquisitely crafted watch in his arsenal. So, whether you’re shopping for the most important man in your life, or are simply adding to your own growing collection, below are the best Swiss watch brands on the market.

REVERSO CLASSIC Jaeger-LeCoultre

$6,450.00 As the story goes, the Reverso was developed in 1931 after a British army officer, who had broken the glass of his watch during a polo match in India, challenged Jacques-David LeCoultre to come up with a watch design that could survive a similar athletic endeavor. LeCoultre came up with this model, whose face flips over to protect the front of the watch from, among other things, errant polo mallets. It’s become one of the brand’s signatures, and this one features a small second dial and a calfskin strap from Casa Fagliano, the celebrated Argentinian bootmaker.

ALTIPLANO ULTIMATE AUTOMATIC WATCH Piaget

$29,800.00 As one of the thinnest automatic watches in the world, Piaget’s Altiplano Ultimate 910P is just 4.3 mm thick (the watch’s movement is visible through its case). The brand, of course, is no stranger to setting records—its Altiplano 900P is the world’s thinnest mechanical watch.

CLIFTON BAUMATIC 10399 Baume & Mercier

$2,850.00 For an automatic movement, Baume & Mercier offers a great price point. The Clifton Baumatic 10399 features a 40 mm case with a date window and a smooth black dial. The black alligator strap is interchangeable, and the stainless steel bezel and rhodium-plated hands of the dial make this model a sleek choice.

SEAMASTER AQUA TERRA 150M CO‑AXIAL MASTER CHRONOMETER Omega

$5,700.00 Tributes to Omega’s maritime heritage abound in this Seamaster Aqua Terra, from the waveedged design on the back to the elegant blue dial, which has a unique horizontal “teak” pattern inspired by the wooden decks of luxury sailboats. Plus, any watch that’s good enough for 007 (namely, Daniel Craig’s Bond) is certainly good enough for you (or your man).

GMT-MASTER II Rolex

$9,700.00 Perfect for the jetsetter, Rolex’s GMT-Master II is designed to tell time in two different time zones during intercontinental flights. The blue and red dial lends a patriotic flair.

PORTOFINO CHRONOGRAPH IWC

$16,800.00 Be transported to the dolce far niente lifestyle of the Italian Riviera with IWC’s Portofino Chronograph collection. This particular model has been given quite the luxurious upgrade, with its gold case (the applied indices and Roman numerals are also of solid gold) and hand-painted black alligator strap.

SWISS 2021

SWISS PRODUCTS

CARRERA AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH TAG Heuer

$5,750.00 With its sleek black dial and ceramic black tachymeter bezel, Tag Heuer’s Carrera watch strikes a fine balance between being both sporty and elegant, an accessory that would look just as good on the racetrack (for which this collection was made, in 1963) as it would paired with that aforementioned Savile Row suit.

LONGINES SPIRIT Longines

$3,100.00 The glory days of aviation were the inspiration behind Longines’s Spirit collection. It’s the best of both worlds: the watches have an appealing vintage aesthetic, but are made for the 21st century.

PILOT TYPE 20 TON UP Zenith

$7,200.00 This watch is dedicated to the café racer motorcycle community, also known as Ton-up boys, which originated in the United Kingdom in the 1950s. The case is black stainless steel and the strap is black nubuck leather with a rubber lining designed to protect it from anything, including any dirt and grime that might result from a motorcycle ride.

ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE DIVER Audemars Piguet

$21,300.00 The legendary Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is given the rubber treatment in a chic beige color, perfect for summers in the Hamptons.

GOLDEN ELLIPSE Patek Philippe

$50,460.00 Inspired by the “golden ratio” of great works of art, Patek Philippe’s Golden Ellipse design was a significant departure from everything else available on the market when it launched in 1968. This model includes a striking blue dial and band with a platinum case.

FIFTY SIX SELF-WINDING Vacheron Constantin

$12,000.00 This model is part of a collection for Vacheron Constantin inspired by vintage timepieces. The most notable factor here is its material—steel— offering a previously unheard of price point for coveted entry into the Vacheron owners’ club.

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TOURISM 40

THE BEST SCENIC TRAIN RIDES IN SWITZERLAND

There really is no better way to explore the incredibly beautiful country of Switzerland than by train

ll of the country’s best natural sights - from verdant valleys to dramatic waterfalls and sheer mountain peaks - are train accessible, with a number of these journeys considered the most scenic in the world. So come along for the ride!

THE BERNINA EXPRESS

Connecting Chur to Poschiavo in Switzerland, and to Tirano in Italy by crossing the Swiss Engadin Alps, the Bernina Express features breathtaking views from its panoramic, red carriages. The two main lines on the Bernina Express route - the Bernina line and the Albula line - were jointly declared a World Heritage Site in 2008. The Bernina line through this site is a spectacular four-hour journey across 196 bridges, through 55 tunnels and across the stunning Bernina Pass at 7,391 feet above sea level. The first section of the Bernina Express, from Chur to Pontresina, also crosses the famous Landwasser Viaduct, a dramatic, curving single-track viaduct made of limestone and featuring six massive arches. This iconic journey continues to be one of the most popular in the country.

THE GLACIER EXPRESS

The Glacier Express - known as the ‘Slowest Express Train in the World’ (and arguably the most scenic) - connects the mountain resort towns of Matterhorn adjacent Zermatt, and St Moritz in the Swiss Alps. Much of the train’s spectacular journey passes through the same World Heritage Site as the Bernina Express and boasts equally as impressive views, including the Matterhorn and the Matter Valley, the massive rock walls through the town of Visp, and the sparkling river Rhone, just after departure from Brig. Because the train routes feature similar, but different vistas, many visitors make it a point to ride both the Glacier and Bernina Express during their time in Switzerland. THE BERNINA EXPRESS 41

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TOURISM

erage gradient of 35%. The Cogwheel Railway operates between May and November, while at other times the top can be reached via a spectacular aerial gondola and cableway. At the top, you’ll find the historic Pilatus Kulm Hotel and restaurant where you can enjoy refreshments, or discover one of the numerous walking trails with stunning views of the surrounding area.

THE GLACIER EXPRESS

GORNERGRAT COG RAILWAY

JUNGFRAU RAILWAY TO JUNGFRAU MOUNTAIN

The historic Jungfrau railway line takes visitors to Europe’s highest railway station, a whopping 3,453 metres above sea level. The snow-capped Jungfrau Mountain is sandwiched between the huge peaks of the Monch and Eiger Mountains, and part of the Jungfrau railway line tunnels through these two mountains, with spectacular views through windows carefully carved into the mountainside. Once you reach the top, marvel in awe at the amazing views, which can extend as far as the Black Forest of Germany and France on a clear day. The mountain peak features an ice sculpture gallery and the opportunity to take a walk on a glacier, as well as a restaurant and what is believed to be the world’s highest chocolate shop. On the way back down the mountain, the route descends through the village of Lauterbrunnen and boasts gorgeous waterfall views.

of the ‘Steepest Cogwheel Railway in the World.’ The 30-minute journey begins in Alpnachstad and has an av-

The Gornergrat cog railway is considered a marvel of modern engineering, climbing from 1,603 metres above sea level near the town of Zermatt, to 3,089 metres at the top in just 33 minutes. From the top, visitors experience one of the most spectacular panoramas in all of Switzerland - the iconic outline of The Matterhorn as well as the surrounding peaks and glaciers. Enjoy a stroll at the top through the nature reserve and sample a fondue in one of the lovely, panoramic view restaurants. Take the same route back down to Zermatt where you can enjoy the numerous small bars and restaurants on the car-free roads of this beautiful village.

COGWHEEL RAILWAY TO MOUNT PILATUS

The cogwheel railway to Mount Pilatus in Switzerland boasts the title 42

GORNERGRAT COG RAILWAY

FEATURE

SWISS 2021

Business Partner Switzerland 2021

Articles inside

SSCC ACTIVITIES

ONE MORE STEP TOWARDS THE TOP

DIGITAL HEALTH STARTUP STORY

CLOSE TO BOTH CLIENTS AND TALENTS

CONSUMERS TRUST NESTLÉ’S PORTFOLIO

CONNECTIVITY WITHIN THE ICT SECTOR IS OUR PRIORITY

EVOLUTION DRIVEN BY INNOVATION

COMMITMENT RESULTS IN SUCCESS

SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE IN FINDING DECENT JOBS

IMMEASURABLE CONTRIBUTION TO COMBATING THE GREY ECONOMY

COMMITTED TO A FLEET OF CO2NEUTRAL VEHICLES

TIME FOR THE NEXT STEP IN SUPPORTING THE IT SECTOR

NEW WAYS TO PROMOTE GOOD

LEADERS IN THE AUTOMATION OF BUILDINGS

LONGSTANDING AND EXCELLENT RELATIONS

iTestCOMING SOON BRANKO MILIKIĆ