Business Forum Program

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia,

Hall 1, Resavska 15

Belgrade, Republic of Serbia

Business Forum Program – as of October 19

The First Canadian Serbian Business Forum is dedicated to building trade and investment ties between Canada and Serbia. The Forum will review the state of the economic relationship, examine how to build on existing opportunities, and consider how to develop future potential for greater bilateral economic cooperation. The Business Forum will serve as a platform to establish new and reinforce existing contacts between all stakeholders representing business community, governments and government agencies, chambers of commerce, financial institutions, experts and non-governmental organizations in order to identify most important areas for cooperation so that Canada and Serbia could become even stronger economic partners.

08:45 Registration - Arrival of Forum Participants

09:00 Welcome speech

Mirjana Doncic Beaton, Managing Director, CANSEE Canadian-Serbian Business Association

Keynote Address:

Zeljko Sertic, Minister, Ministry of Economy, Government of Serbia
Marko Cadez, President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia
Philip Pinnington, Ambassador of Canada to Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro
Goran Obradovic, President, CANSEE Canadian-Serbian Business Association

Moderator:

Mirjana Doncic Beaton, Managing Director, CANSEE Canadian-Serbian Business Association

09.30

Current state of Economic Cooperation between Serbia and Canada

Speakers:

Mihailo Papazoglu, Serbian Ambassador in Ottawa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Serbia (recorded presentation)
Canada as a desirable economic partner. Potentials of Canadian market, FTAs – NAFTA, CEETA.
Djurdjevka Ceramilac, Trade Commissioner, Embassy of Canada to Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro
Current state of trade and investment between Canada and Serbia, bilateral legal framework conducive for greater trade exchange and investment, role and mandate of economic diplomats – trade commissioners.
Milos Petrovic, State Secretary, Ministry of Economy, Government of Serbia

State of economy of Serbia, basic macro-economic indicators, legal framework, investment opportunities, advantage of free trade agreements, with a number of trade partners.
Nenad Bjelogrlić, Director, SIEPA
Role of SIEPA, why invest in Serbia, the advantages, incentives, after care.
Vladan Atanasijevic, President of Managing Board, NALED
Business environment in Serbia. Where does Serbia stand with regulatory reform, with examples and solutions?

Qs & As

Moderator:

Mihailo Crnobrnja, Professor, FEFA

10.30

ICT Industry Group Panel

Subjects: Potentials of Serbia’s and Canada’s ICT resources; the advantages that Serbia offers to ICT investors; challenges and risks that need to be addressed; different models of running an ICT business in Serbia.

Speakers:

Ian MacVicar, Executive Chairman and CFO, Dominion Voting Systems (recorded presentation)
Dominion Voting Systems - A Canadian-Serbian Success Story
Dusko Bekut, Deputy Manager, Schneider Electric DMS

Challenges in selling, designing, developing and supporting innovative technology products and services in Serbia for Canadian market.
Horst Brand, VP Sales for Europe & Africa, RedKnee
Vuk Popovic, Managing partner, Cosmic Development
Advantages Serbia has to offer in providing skilled engineering force to foreign investors in ICT sector. Outsourcing business model - experiences, benefits and challenges.
Gordana Danilovic Grkovic, Director, Science and Technological Park Belgrade
Why technology companies should choose Serbia and STP for their partner? What STP has to offer for prospective ICT companies?
Dejan Randjic, Director, ICT Hub
Startup business model for innovations - bridging the gap between the idea and successful product or service.
What ICT Hub has to offer for prospective ICT companies?

Qs & As

Moderator:

Jelena Jovanovic, ICT Associations, Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

11.30 Break – coffee/tea & snacks

11.50

Agriculture, Food and Beverage, Manufacturing, and Pharmaceuticals Industry Groups

Subjects: Potential of Canada’s and Serbia’s agri-food sector; status of regulatory framework; advantages, challenges and risks of trade and investments in agri-food industry in Canada and Serbia with concrete examples.

Speakers:

Marieta Yordanova, EHS Director Molson Coors Europe, Molson Coors/Apatinska pivara

Example of best practice in industrial safety, recycling and waste management.
Ivan Bogdanovic, Director, RB Global – Sokolova
Competition and market positioning, channels of distribution to Canada. Export experiences and challenges. Process of obtaining necessary certificates for exports of agricultural goods, associated challenges and risks.
Filip Jankovic, North American Agri-Food and Beverage Trade Consultant

Potentials of Serbian Agri-Food and Beverage Export to Canada/Know How
Marija Desivojevic-Cvetkovic, VP, Delta Holding
Running a successful and socially responsible agri-food business in Serbia.
Steffen Peters, VP Europe, MAGNA

Example of successful Canadian investment in Serbia in automotive industry

Qs & As

Moderator:

Djurdja Ceramilac, Trade Commissioner, Embassy of Canada

13.00

Mining and Energy industry Group

Subjects: the potential of Serbia’s minerals and energy resource industries; advantages, challenges and risks for investors in mining and energy sector with concrete examples; the status of new Energy Law and Law on Mining and Geology.

Speakers:

Sinisa Tanackovic, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Mining and Energy
Legislative reform, current business environment in mining and energy sector how could made legislation changes affect future mining development in Serbia
Olivera Gudzulic,Head of the electric power inspection and Head of the Power Engineering and Technical Affairs, Ministry of Mining and Energy
Willy Kotiuga, Senior Director – Strategic Studies, SNC-Lavalin

Serbian potentials for investment in energy and experience of Canadian companies with the procedures for obtaining the necessary permits and documents in order to realize investments.
Tim Livesey, COO, Reservoir Minerals
Justin van der Toorn, Exploration Manager, Avala Resources
Ivan Veljkovic, Project Manager Serbia, Mundoro
Blagoje Spaskovski, GM, RTB Bor