Building Enduring Businesses in Croatia

The event gathered leading representatives from the private equity, energy, retail, financial, IT, and capital market sectors to discuss how governance, leadership transitions, and external capital can support Croatian companies in achieving sustainable growth.

After the opening remarks by Andrea Doko Jelušić, Executive Director of AmCham Croatia, and a keynote speech by Michał Kędzia, Partner responsible for the Adria region at Enterprise Investors, the central part of the program was a dynamic panel discussion. It brought together distinguished leaders – Michał Kędzia (Partner responsible for the Adria region, Enterprise Investors), Gordan Kolak (President of the Management Board, Končar), Miljan Ždrale (Regional Director for Central Europe, EBRD), Michał Seńczuk (CEO, Studenac), Ivana Gažić (CEO, Zagreb Stock Exchange), and Sven Marušić (Venture partner in SQ Capital and IT entrepreneur) – moderated by Andrea Doko Jelušić (Executive Director, AmCham Croatia). Together, they explored the key challenges organizations face today, and strategies needed to drive long-term business success.

The discussion highlighted that agility and the ability to adapt quickly to market changes are essential for sustainable growth. Companies must continuously reshape their strategies, as past experience alone is not enough to navigate new challenges. Access to talent and operational efficiency emerged as critical issues, with businesses increasingly investing in employee wellbeing, inclusion, and logistics improvements to strengthen competitiveness.

Panelists also emphasized that competing internationally requires innovation and diverse perspectives. Strong governance, simplified regulation, and reliable access to capital were seen as key enablers for scaling Croatian businesses, while investor perception of the country plays a vital role in attracting long-term commitments. Finally, the potential of Croatia’s technology sector was underlined, with a call for companies to move beyond local thinking, adopt global strategies, and leverage Croatia’s reputation as a hub of expertise and innovation.

Overall, the event concluded that Croatia has the talent and potential to scale successfully, but long-term growth will depend on agility, strong governance, and the ability to think and operate globally.

The event attracted a large number of representatives from the business community and the media, offering valuable insights into how Croatian companies can unlock their growth potential in an increasingly competitive and interconnected market.