Member News

Financial Magazine “EMEA Finance“ Awards Raiffeisen Banka the Title “Best Bank in Serbia“

Raiffeisen banka has been awarded the title “Best Bank in Serbia“ for the fourth year in a row at the annual competition “European Banking Awards“, organized by renowned British financial magazine “EMEA Finance“.

Apart from this title, the Raiffeisen Banking Group was awarded a total of 23 awards for all the markets where it operates, including “Best Bank“, “Best Foreign Bank“, as well as “Best Investment Bank“ titles.

“Awards from globally renowned financial magazines are proof that the quality of our business has been recognized beyond the borders of our market. In 2019, we realized excellent business results and improved our service significantly by introducing some of the most innovative banking technology solutions. This award is especially important because it comes at a moment when not only our economy, but also the whole world is facing an unprecedented challenge, a virus pandemic. This award will give us further motivation and strength to continue investing into the digitalization of our services, so that we continue to be a reliable partner for our clients – entrepreneurs and citizens of Serbia – in these changed circumstances“, Zoran Petrović, CEO of Raiffeisen banka, stated on this occasion. 

In the process of choosing the best banks, the magazine’s jury of specialists took the following basic criteria into account: the bank’s market share, growth in the share of certain products in the market, the bank’s profitability, quality and offer innovation, as well as the business strategy quality.

“EMEA Finance“ is a British financial magazine which covers the dynamic financial markets of Europe, the Middle East and Africa in its expert analyses.  

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Raiffeisen banka a.d. Beograd is a member of Raiffeisen Bank International, one of the leading banking groups in CEE. It began its business activities in Serbia in 2001 and is now developing its activities in three segments: retail banking, corporate banking, treasury and investment banking.

For additional information, please contact the Marketing & PR Department of Raiffeisen banka at phone No. 011/2207-306.

Fitek Serbia is officially rebranded to Unifiedpost Group

The leader in financial automation processes, known in particular for developing platform solutions for electronic documents, has rebranded to Unifiedpost Group as of December 2020.

Unifiedpost Group develops cloud-based services that streamline the group’s customers’ administrative and financial processes by delivering simple and smart digital solutions. It is a major industry player, with branches in 15 European countries. The company has a clear growth strategy and therefore went public in September 2020 on the Euronext stock exchange in Brussels.

Fitek Group operates particularly in the regions of the Baltics, and central and eastern Europe. It became part of Unifiedpost Group in April 2019, and the acquisition allowed the Belgian company to gain a presence in another 8 markets it had not previously served.

“Joining forces with such an established company in 2019 allowed us to provide better services, streamline our clients’ business communication opportunities and further expand their document digitisation experience by introducing simpler administrative and financial processes,” says Mirko Golijanin, CEO at Unifiedpost Serbia. “The integration is completed by rebranding the company to Unifiedpost Group effective from  December 2020. Operating under one singular company name allows us to gain more credibility and recognizability on a global level.”

Fitek Serbia rebranding is further proof of the successful growth of Unifiedpost Group in recent years. Between 2017 and 2019, the company nearly tripled its revenue, to EUR 69 million. With its sustainable business model and remaining an independent, public company, the company continues its growth trend. In 2019, Unifiedpost Group processed more than 350 million documents, and reached more than 400,000 SME’s and over 250 corporate clients.

Its further growth is fostered by a thriving fintech market and a growing demand for digitisation especially at SMEs , as well as the introduction of standardised electronic invoices at both national and pan-European levels.

For Crédit Agricole Srbija support of domestic economy is priority

Crédit Agricole Serbia has once again confirmed its role as a secure and stable partner by supporting Serbian companies in driving the country’s growth at a time when society as a whole needs it most. The best proof of that is the growth of 18% in the financing of the real economy.

„The cornerstone of our business approach is acting every day in the interest of our customers and society. In line with that, being part of the solid Crédit Agricole Group that operates in 52 countries worldwide with A+ credit rating has allowed us to continue investing in the productivity of our country even in difficult moments such as those experienced. We listened to the needs of domestic companies, were there for them when they needed, invested funds and experience in their development and the best proof of that is a rise of 18% in loans, 52% in deposits and above all, enviable level of customer satisfaction“ said Jelena Pavlović, Head of Corporate Banking at Crédit Agricole Bank.

Generator The Game Changer Final Event

Grand finale of the Generator The Game Changer Final Event will be held on Oct 14, 2020 at 18:00 hrs via Zoom application.

If interested to join the event, please register via this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vO-k7K6tQbWYFTXsrARnSg.

Good results of the Sava Insurance Group and its members in Serbia in 2020

According to unaudited results, the Sava Insurance Group generated EUR 674.9 million in operating revenues in 2020, which represents growth by 15.5% in comparison to the previous year, despite a significant increase in the risk of potential additional adverse effects of the pandemic on the Group’s operations. Net profit amounts to EUR 56.4 million, which is an increase by 12.3% in comparison to the previous year and is higher than planned. This increase in the outcome of good results in the life and non-life insurance segments, but also due to higher receivables in the reinsurance segment on the international market.

In 2020, the Group generated EUR 679.7 million in gross premiums, which is an increase by 13.6% in comparison to the previous year.

Gross claims paid in the Slovenian non-life segment decreased significantly, primarily in car insurance, which is a reflection of the lower frequency of claims. On the other hand, there were more claims and significantly higher losses in the reinsurance segment, many of which related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although 2020 was full of surprises and changes due to the pandemic, the members of the Sava Insurance Group in Serbia managed to quickly adapt to the newly emerging situation and achieve good results.

In 2020, Sava životno osiguranje achieved premiums 30.9% higher than in 2019. Investment income in 2020 was 20.6% higher than planned.

Sava neživotno osiguranje exceeded the 2020 invoiced premium plan by 4.9%. Gross premium per employee increased by 20.8% in comparison to the amount planned for 2020.

In 2020, Sava Insurance Group enhanced its projects for the development of digital solutions in order to provide its clients with faster and easier access to its services and paid special attention to investment opportunities in projects focused on the environment and sustainability.

Kind regards,

Sava osiguranje

Gorica Jovovic is an Interim Brand President of Delhaize Serbia

Gorica Jovovic will be appointed interim Brand President of Delhaize Serbia as of January 1, 2024. She will succeed Jan-Willem Dockheer, after three successful years at the helm of the Company. Gorica will report to Jesper Lauridsen, COO AD of the Central Southern Europe (CSE) region.

Gorica currently holds the position of Vice President Buying and Merchandising at Delhaize Serbia. Her appointment to the position of the interim Brand President comes as an outcome of her impressive decade long career in Delhaize Serbia and is a testimony to her exceptional business acumen and sound leadership.

“Gorica’s robust commercial knowledge, coupled with her demonstrated ability to motivate and lead diverse teams, makes us confident that under her leadership our business in Serbia will continue to grow and add sustainable value to our customers, our employees and the local community” said Jesper Lauridsen, COO AD of the Central Southern Europe (CSE) region.

Gorica Jovovic will lead Delhaize Serbia, the largest retail company in the market, member of the Ahold Delhaize group. Delhaize Serbia is employing 13,000 people, operating 520 Maxi, Mega Maxi and Shop&Go stores and Maxi on-line business, and serving more than half a million customers daily. The Company is committed to ensuring high quality shopping experience, providing heathier choices and wide range of local products to its customers.

Hyatt Regency Belgrade invite you to event Blok 21!

Karanovic & Partners – Webinar on IP Guide for Young Adults

Karanovic & Partners is organizing a webinar on intellectual property rights, which will be held on 17 December at 12:00h. At this online event, Karanovic & Partners IT expert Nikola Kliska will present the IP guide for young adults “The law of creativity – your creativity, your right”, published in November this year. This short guide trough intellectual property law is intended for fledgling artists, scientists and creators, in order to introduce them to the basic postulates of IP law, to help them find out which rights they have and how to protect their creativity.

You can access the Serbian and English versions of the guide at www.karanovicpartners.com/kommunity.

The webinar is free of charge for all registered attendees. You can register HERE.

Karanovic & Partners marks the first 25 years

So far, Karanovic & Partners has become a leading regional legal practice in Southeast Europe with more than 100 attorneys at law cooperating in Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, all working together as one team.

Karanovic & Partners is known for being a reliable partner in complex legal matters, for innovative legal solutions, and being at the forefront of legal developments in Southeast Europe, pioneering new areas of the law and paving the way for new practices and regulations.

„We had the vision to create a “world-class” team in the former Yugoslavia and that vision has been achieved“, said Dragan Karanović, Managing Partner at Karanovic & Partners. „We have come this far by pioneering projects, vision, values, and the practice of looking at clients as long-term partners. Advocacy must be up to date with the development of clients, but in the first 25 years of our practice, we have shown that the best way is to always be a few steps ahead,” added Dragan Karanović.

Thank you for walking on this path with us.

Meet the new Partners of Živković Samardžić Law office

Živković Samardžić, one of the Serbia’s leading law firms, announces the promotion of two Partners, effective July 1, 2021. Ivan Ljubisavljević in the Dispute Resolution Department and Sava Pavlović in the Corporate and M&A Department.

“Congratulations to Ivan and Sava on achieving this important milestone in their careers. It is a testament to their commitment to being our trusted advisors to our clients for their most complex and important challenges and opportunities. Together they highlight the quality, diversity and depth of talent that support our strategy and embody the shared and business culture that is at the heart of our firm,” said Managing Partner Branislav Živković.

Živković Samardžić is today a successful outfit, the leading law firm on the Serbian market. Nevertheless, we see a lot of potential for improving our processes and structures and becoming even more effective. We are confident that newly promoted Partners shall help us achieve that goal.

Nebojša Samardžić, Senior Partner: „Congratulations to our new partners on their well-deserved promotions and I look forward to watching them progress in new roles as they continue to provide exceptional and innovative solutions for our clients.“

Prior to joining Law Office Živković Samardžić in 2016, Ivan Ljubisavljević used to work for several international companies from the financial industry. Ivan is specialized in Dispute Resolution and Regulatory compliance with emphasis on Financial Services sector. Previously, Ivan was an in-house lawyer with the major B2B services provider and later he worked as a legal and compliance officer with the major international insurance company. He graduated at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law in 2011. In this newly created role, Ivan will be responsible for the implementation of projects and cases of strategic importance for the firm from the area of civil litigation, banking and finance litigation in particular. Furthermore, his task will be to upgrade the level of external firm reputation in the legal network’s and between clients in region.

Sava Pavlović, Corporate and M&A Senior Associate, joined Živković Samardžić in 2013, after graduating at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law and almost after one-year long apprenticeship in a government’s ICT regulatory body. At the beginning with Živković Samardžić, he was advising clients in media, telecom, and advertising industry, and later, Sava joined Živković Samardžić’s Corporate and M&A team. Sava’s specialization in Corporate, M&A and banking, at one side, and his deep understanding of IT, media, and telecom industries, allows him to deal successfully with a broad range of clients, from startups, media outlets, through investment funds, banks and multinational corporations. In his legal advisory track records, Sava has a broad array of complex domestic and cross-border transactions, including some of the most valuable and complex transactions on the Serbian market in past years. It should not be left unmentioned Sava’s very prominent activity in the area of e-commerce – beside providing legal advisory to the clients, Sava is also very active in e-commerce advocacy; since its beginnings, Sava is lecturing at the eCommerce Academy organized by eCommerce Association of Serbia and also, he is taking his part as lecturer at many courses, trainings and workshops in this area. As a member or delegate, he is giving his valuable professional contribution through several professional organizations as well, including Foreign Investors Council (FIC) and Serbian Association of Managers (SAM).

Živković Samardžić strives for a proactive and business-oriented approach to solutions and an impressive ability to pivot and adapt to challenging circumstances, all of which enable us to provide the highest level of customer service. We congratulate our colleagues on their appointment and wish them many new, exciting challenges and the best of luck.