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Women in Business: More than 400 entrepreneurs will meet with the 10 most powerful women in Croatian business

Despite numerous examples of women successfully managing the largest global companies, especially in challenging economic conditions, their share in the total number of senior and higher management is quite modest. The same situation exists in Croatia. However, to highlight the stories of such successful women and to allow them to share their experiences with others, Lider traditionally organizes the conference Women in Business, which gathers and connects businesswomen, owners, directors, and managers of companies from Croatia, the region, and beyond.

400 entrepreneurs and managers

The conference is driven by the desire to motivate businesswomen for new ventures and to encourage initiatives to increase the representation of women in the highest positions. This year, on December 7th, more than 400 entrepreneurs, directors, and managers will join us at Lauba in Zagreb, where they will meet with the 10 most powerful women in Croatian business, who will be introduced during the conference.

300 most powerful women

What makes this meeting recognizable is the presentation of the traditional Lider annual list of 300 most powerful women in Croatian business. Every year, in collaboration with Dun & Bradstreet, we publish a ranking of the 300 most powerful chairwomen and board members based on their managerial power and the revenues of the companies they lead for the previous year.

18 years since the first list

It is interesting to note that Lider has maintained the tradition of the list of the 300 most powerful women since its inception in 2005. Thus, this year, Lider’s selection of the 300 most powerful women, as well as the weekly itself, celebrates its coming of age, marking its eighteenth edition.

13 years of the conference

In addition to the list of the 300 most powerful women, the beginning of December each year also marks the annual conference Women in Business, which has been held for the thirteenth consecutive year, and this year will be no different. Lauba in Zagreb will be the meeting place for businesswomen from all over Croatia and the region on December 7th, and the entire ambiance will shine in shades of purple – the color that symbolizes the fight for gender equality.

10 most powerful women

The conference is widely recognized for holding an awards ceremony for the top 10 most powerful women in business every year after the program, where they share their thoughts and experiences in conversation. In selecting the 10 most powerful women, in addition to revenues, other criteria such as personal contribution and impact on business, as well as the overall economy of Croatia, are taken into account. Therefore, this is a unique opportunity to network with admirable women.

10 scholarships for the ‘Empowerment Program’

As part of the conference, in collaboration with Partus Academy, Lider is also conducting the ‘Empowerment Program’ for women in middle management. Through ten modules, which are conducted from September 29 to December 1, 2023, ten participants have the opportunity to master techniques and tools that will help them advance to high managerial positions. At the end of the program, participants will have the opportunity to connect with the most powerful women in Croatian business at the Women in Business conference.

3 dynamic panels

Conference participants will share their experiences during three interesting and dynamic discussions.

The first panel discussion, ‘Women – Leaders of a Sustainable Future’, will address whether women are truly leaders of a sustainable future, featuring Marijana Bačić (Hrvatski Telekom), Zdravka Demeter Bubalo (Ina), Ana Dorić Škeva (Addiko bank), and Diana Kobas Dešković (Mumforce and Spona Code).

The second panel discussion will touch on the topic ‘How Different Generations Shape the Future of Gender Equality?’, where Ana Barjašić (European Innovation Council and Global Entrepreneurship Network Europe), Marina Bolanča Radunović (Abeceda komunikacije and HUOJ), Ivana Mirković Pogorilić (Hrvatska pošta), and Gala Marija Vrbanić (Tribute Brand) will exchange their opinions and experiences.

The last, but equally important panel will address the topic ‘Life in Fifth Gear’, featuring Iva Rogović Lekić (Marsh McLennan Hrvatska), Selma Terlević (GoSimple and 24sata), Ena Vitlov (AstraZeneca Hrvatska), and Lea Brezar (Dhar Media and EPOHA).

2 ‘one-on-one’ conversations

Through ‘one-on-one’ conversations, participants will have the opportunity to hear the stories of successful women up close. In the first such conversation with Lider’s journalist Gordan Gelenčer, Dr. Tena Kovačević Janko, a specialist in gynecology and obstetrics with a degree in fetal medicine, and the only one with that degree in Croatia, will speak. The guest of the second conversation, led by media expert and consultant Boris Trupčević, is Ekaterina Egorova, CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer at IKEA for the South and Eastern Europe region, which includes Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, and Ukraine.

1 lecture

Given that women are still not fully equal to men, there remains a significant need for further discussions on women’s rights, gender equality, and their importance for the functioning of all societies. A lecture on gender equality in business will be held by Lana Šubić Šuša, project manager of the Employer Partner program at Selectio.

Thousands of memories

Over the years, this conference has become an indispensable gathering place for successful businesswomen, as well as those who will become successful. However, no matter how proud we are of the mentioned numbers, the greatest impact of the conference on the business community is immeasurable – the exchange of ideas, attitudes, and experiences, as well as networking and socializing with the most powerful, is what makes this conference unique.

It is not too late to secure your place!

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