SARAJEVO, JUNE 28 (ONASA) – This year’s 45th final awards ceremony for the most successful business people and companies from Southeastern and Central Europe was held in Sarajevo last night.
In the past months, the organizers (the European Independent Agency for the Selection and Promotion of Managers, based in Sarajevo, the European Association of Managers in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the magazine Euromanager) received many proposals for declaring the best in several categories (the best managers and companies of the region in large, medium and small business, the best minister of the region, the best ambassador of the region, the best mayor of the region, the most prominent in the chamber system, the best in the field of information, as well as the best employees in the arts)
The expert jury, chaired by businessman Vibor MULIC from Warsaw (Poland), thoroughly analyzed numerous proposals sent from various countries in South-Eastern and Central Europe, and ultimately chose the best of the best.
According to tradition, laureates are awarded crystal statues with gilding and gold plaques.
The official part of the program started with the address of the Honorary President of the Organizing Committee of the Ceremony, former President of the Republic of Croatia, Stjepan Mesić.
The first prize awarded at tonight’s gala ceremony was the Special Recognition for People from Politics, Government and Diplomacy, i.e. the “European Person of the Year” award, which this year went to Alexander VAN DER BELEN, President of the Republic of Austria.
The traditional award of the European Independent Agency, the magazine Euromanager and the European Association of Managers EUROPEAN BEST MINISTER, according to the unique evaluation of the jury of the Independent Agency for the selection and promotion of the most successful people, went to the Vice President of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, Tanja FAJON.
Masami KINEFUCHI, Ambassador of Japan to Bosnia and Herzegovina, is the laureate in the AMBASSADOR category.
On this occasion, too, awards were given to people who are not directly in business, but in the best way create an environment for business and facilitate business for people who create new values.
The traditional award, of BEST MAYOR and BEST MAYOR in this year’s selection went to Gregor MACEDONI, the mayor or prefect of Novo Mesto Municipalitys Slovenia, then Nermin MUZUR, mayor of Ilidža Municipality, and Radoje ŽUGIĆ, former governor of the Central Bank of Montenegro, for preserving monetary stability.
According to the decision of the European independent jury, professor Dr. Martin BERISHAJ is the winner of the European Award – for the field of education and science, and the laureate in this category is also the manager of the leading Slovenian staffing agency called T-MOMO, director and owner Subija TAJROSKI, then Vedran TUCE, the director of the famous Sarajevo Philharmonic, and Zoran ĐORĐEVIĆ, until recently the general director of the Public Enterprise POŠTA SERBIA.
Adnan KOVAČEVIĆ, owner and director of the company TURBO TRADE from Sarajevo, Leon BEGIĆ, founder and owner of Winery PODRUM BEGIĆ, are among the winners of the best manager and best company award in the small and medium business category.
In the category and group of winners in small and medium business were Mrs. Alma ČANČAR, executive director of the Zenica company ZENKO, and Mr. Džemo ŠAHOVIĆ, owner and director of the furniture factory DALLAS GROUP from Tutin in the Republic of Serbia.
SPARKASSE BANKA and its CEO Amir Softić were declared the best bank in the region, and the Best Manager of the Decade award was presented to CEO Končar Gordan KOLAK.
The jury decided to award the LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD for European managers and companies to three winners and great managerse Seja BRAJLOVIĆ, owner of the famous restaurant Brajlović on Ilidža, in Sarajevo, and Zoran KASALICA, owner and director of Hot,l Conte in Perast.
Ivo USMIANI, president of the Management Board and his company JADRAN GALENSKI LABORATORIJ from Rijeka, Republic of Croatia, received this, the highest award in the 45th awarding of deserving managers and companies, called the “award for life’s work”.
As the highlight of the solemn ceremony, awards were presented to the “Super Champions of Business” in 2024.
This flattering recognition and award was given to Zoran NIKITOVIĆ, owner and director of HEMOSAN from Bar, Montenegro, Ivan KRIŽANEC, director of WE-KR from Croatia, Dragana KOSIĆ, general director of SECTOR SECURITY from Banja Luka, BiH, then Maid JABANDŽIĆ, director of the MADI company and Prof. dr.sc. Nikica GABRIĆ, founder and director of the Special Hospital for Ophthalmology – Svjetlost from Zagreb, who received the “Best Brand” award for the creation of the MADI and SVJETLOST brands, and the doyen of business in this region, Bogoljub KARIĆ.
It should be noted that BH TELECOM d.d. was the proud partner of the 45th Best Manager and Best Company of Southeast and Central Europe award ceremony. Sarajevo, and the general sponsor is the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić.
A little earlier, the Business Forum – International Business Conference was held, where businessmen, winners of these European awards, as well as representatives of the authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries of the region, discussed “Regional Market Cooperation” and the possibilities of connecting businessmen and companies of the South-East and Central of Europe.
By the way, the awarding ceremony began emotionally, with the broadcast of a film about the life and work of Panet Škrbić, the creator of the “Best Manager and Best Company” award, who passed away in March of this year.