- The Serbian Association of Managers gave out its jubilee annual awards to the best in Serbia
- There were two award recipients in the Manager of the Year category
In the year when it celebrates its 15th anniversary, the Serbian Association of Managers (SAM) gave out its traditional Annual Awards to the best individuals and companies in Serbia. The SAM gives out these prestigious awards to managers, employers, companies and individuals who are committed to improving the business environment, promoting the managerial profession and leadership and facilitating socially responsible business and a better life for all citizens.
Due to exceptional business results and visionary approach to business, Dragan Filipović, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Generali Osiguranje Srbija, received the Manager of the Year award, which the Serbian Association of Managers awarded to two managers this year. The awards were given by Dragoljub Damljanović, president of the Serbian Association of Managers.
“I would like to the jury for giving me this prestigious prize. I am very happy and honoured. I would also like to thank those who nominated me for the award and voted for me. When one receives such an award, one feels honoured and proud, but when one receives the award in a year in which SAM marks 15 years of operations and the 10th anniversary of this award, my joy is even greater. The first among equals win in the finals and this year, for the first time, two awards were given out in this category. Congratulations to all the finalists, and especially to Pedja, who along with me, is this year’s winner of this prestigious award. Although the award is called Manager of the Year, I believe that there is no individual success and development without a team. I am a great advocate of teamwork and that is why I would like to dedicate part of this award to my associates from whom I have learned a lot over the years and with whom I am moving forward because only in this way can we push our own limits of success and skills. This award will be a new motive for me to become even better and more successful,” said Dragan Filipović, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Generali Osiguranje Srbija, at the award ceremony.
Energy, empathy, team spirit, caring for people, determination, willingness to take risks and the ability to recognize the opportunity to improve business in all circumstances, are the characteristics that best describe Dragan Filipović as a manager. His cheerful spirit and patience, as well as his ability to make quick decisions, have helped to increase customer and employee satisfaction in 2021 and achieve good business results.
Guided by Dragan Filipović’s idea that “it is important how you see opportunities in life”, the Generali Osiguranje Srbija team saw a chance this year to transform and come out of the pandemic period even stronger and closer to its clients and associates. A comprehensive transformation of the company’s business model was carried out with an emphasis on online sales, online reporting and assessment of damages, automation and digitalization of processes and remote work, all to achieve the ambition of having a lifelong partnership with clients.
In 2021, the company placed even greater emphasis on socially responsible business and following that, and under the auspices of Generali’s initiative ‘The Human Safety Net’, together with the Novak Djoković Foundation, Generali is opening 15 parenting centres. This unique project, on which about half a million euros was spent, was devised to empower parents to take better care of their children.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, our workers were given the opportunity to work from home and provided with psychological support. COVID-19 patients are paid full salaries during their illness and given a first aid voucher. Clients can complete their requests online, and certain insurance products now have free COVID-19 coverage.
Generali Osiguranje Srbija is the largest insurance company in Serbia in terms of total assets and the leader in terms of profitability, as well as the second-largest company in terms of market share in Serbia. The company employs over 1,700 people.
In 2021, the company received the following awards – ICERTIAS medals “We value our customers” and “Top excellence” for the outstanding relationship with customers and associates; “Most gender-sensitive company”, given by the Association of Business Women of Serbia; the Djordje Weifert Award by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia for Generali’s special contribution to the support and development of families, and the Family Friendly certificate validating the company’s commitment to employee satisfaction.
This year’s awards for the best leaders of the 21st century were given in four main categories – Manager of the Year, Young Manager, Employer of the Year and Socially Responsible Company of the Year, in addition to the Special Jury Award.
Two awards were given in the Manager of the Year category. The SAM members and jury decided that the awards should go to Dragan Filipović, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Generali Osiguranje and Predrag Mihajlović, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of OTP Bank Serbia.
The jubilee 10th award ceremony – SAM Gala – was held at the Hyatt Hotel and attended by the SAM members and over 250 guests from the business and public life of Serbia and the region.
This ‘Business Oscar’ of a sort is given to managers, employers, individuals and initiatives that demonstrate leadership with their behaviour, excellence, their involvement and facilitating responsible business and deserve to be singled out as a good example in society. The SAM Annual Awards promote creativity and leadership in management and various spheres of social and business life.
SAM is an association of over 450 professional managers, who manage teams of more than 90,000 employees in companies that have an annual turnover of close to 10 billion euros.