[500 Best] Adrian Ježina (Telemach Croatia): With Strong Investment, We Have Managed to Maintain Stability and Business Growth

Behind Croatian entrepreneurs is the best year in history, but this year they have faced new challenges such as stagnation in the Eurozone, Germany entering recession… Leaders of the largest companies claim that this does not affect revenue and has not postponed investment in new technologies, especially in artificial intelligence, as well as in environmental protection. As they navigate through challenges, Adrian Ježina, CEO of Telemach Croatia, shared his insights.

– At Telemach, we realized two major acquisitions last year, which allowed us to become a comprehensive convergent challenger in the Croatian telecom market covering a wide range of services. Therefore, despite the challenges posed by stagnation in the EU, particularly in the Eurozone, as well as the recession in Germany, which we witnessed 15 years ago, with this strong investment, we have managed to maintain stability and growth of our business even in these demanding conditions.

By investing in fixed networks, we help our users, but also society as a whole, accelerate digital transformation by enabling better utilization of the economic and social benefits it brings. Last year, we marked a strong turnaround in business through continuous investment of nearly half a billion euros in advanced network infrastructure, the realization of frequency leasing at the national level for the next 15 years, and investments in next-generation networks, thanks to which we will continue to ensure the availability of high-quality services to our users.

As an agile company, we quickly adapt to changes, creating conditions for the development of new products and services, as well as opportunities for innovation and better customer experience. Artificial intelligence is a game changer, and as a revolutionary technology, it is difficult to predict what impact it will have. Thanks to the ability to analyze vast amounts of data and make autonomous decisions, it will profoundly transform the way we work, communicate, and solve problems. As a company that enables accelerated digital transformation of society, we are leaders in integrating new technologies, capable of quickly adapting to advanced technological potentials.

We are aware that in the future, much more data will be collected than today, and artificial intelligence will be used much more for processing it, all of which will allow services themselves to better adapt to customer needs and habits. To have all of this in the future, we need a foundation, and the modernization of the mobile network is an important prerequisite for all of that.

An important and binding topic we witness is the continuous commitment to sustainability and ecological responsibility. We have already implemented numerous initiatives aimed at reducing carbon footprint and increasing energy efficiency. For example, we are involved in the ‘Science-Based Targets’ initiative, which places us among global companies committed to reducing their total greenhouse gas emissions. The long-term goal of United Group is to make all its companies carbon neutral, committing to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 60 percent by 2030, compared to 2020 levels, and to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2040. Along with numerous other programs and projects that are part of our ESG strategy, we will strive to reduce the negative impact on the environment and promote sustainable practices both within our company and among our users, suppliers, and all stakeholders to achieve a positive impact on society as a whole.