SME100 Expo 2024: New Growth Agenda for SMEs

Conference-exhibition on the development potential and support ecosystem for the Serbian SMEs

October 18, 2024, NTP Čačak

9:00am – 10:00am

Tour of the SME100 Exhibition and Expo of Support to SMEs

  • Registration
  • Networking opportunities

10:00am – 10:30am

Welcome to SME100 Expo 2024 – Opening Addresses

  • Nemanja Šormaz, CEVES, Director
  • Mirko Pešić, NTP Čačak, Acting Director
  • H.E. Anne Lugon-Moulin, Ambassador of Switzerland to Serbia
  • Brooke Isham, USAID, Serbia Mission Director

10:30am – 11:30am

Plenary Panel 1: “The ‘New’ Economy of the European Union: What Can SME Exporters Expect?” 

  • A protracted slowdown and deep restructuring in key EU markets – what is the perspective? The threats? The opportunities?
  • The EU’s New Growth Plan: what does it mean for Serbia’s SMEs?
  • How can SMEs get ready for the Green Agenda and find more support?

Peter Tabak, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Lead Regional Economist for the Western Balkans
Andrej Bartosiewicz, Delegation of the European Union in Serbia, Policy Officer
Michael Schmidt, UNIDO, Deputy Head of Investment and Technology Promotion Office Germany
Bogoljub Marković, Amadeus Consulting GmbH, Owner and Director

Moderator:
Jelisaveta Lazarević, FEFA, Assistant Professor, Vice Dean for Education

11:30am – 12:00pm

Coffee Break

12:00pm – 1:30pm

Hard Talks for Easy Growth – SMEs Ask Support Providers

  • Are current programs and resources sufficient?
  • Do they adequately address company problems?
  • Are they sufficiently promoted, clear, and accessible?
  • What is overemphasized, what is missing, and what is “just right” and should serve as an example to others?
12:00pm – 12:55pm Hard Talk #1: State agencies

  • Gabrijela Grujić, Office for Dual Education and the National Qualifications Framework, Director
  • Tatijana Matić, Development Fund, Director
  • Katarina Obradović Jovanović, Ministry of Economy, Assistant Minister
  • Milena Kostadinović, Innovation Fund, Operations Manager
  • Jelena Cvijanović, Development Agency of Serbia, Director of Sector for SMEs support
  • Moderator: Nebojša Matić, Mikroelektronika, CEO
12:55pm – 13:30pm Hard Talk #2: International donors

  • Aleksandar Goračinov, “SME HUB” Project, Director
  • Bojan Janković, USAID “Big Small Businesses” Project, Markets Development Manager
  • Vladimir Jovanović, GIZ “Green Energy” Project, Project Menager
  • Moderator: Đorđe Jovanović, Uniplast, CEO

1:30pm – 1:50pm

Soft Talk – Jan Štedul, expert in the application of artificial intelligence to deepen the relationship between brands and customers

1:50pm – 3:30pm

Lunch Break and Expo of Support

3:30pm – 4:45pm

Plenary panel 2: New (Financial) Growth Agenda for SMEs

  • New (financial) development instruments and institutions;
  • Serbia 2027 – how can banks provide support in order to ensure SMEs are the backbone of the announced development cycle;
  • Existing and newly presented SME100 initiatives from a banking perspective – priority and achievable measures.

Igor Anić, ProCredit Bank, CEO
Andrija Vuković, AIK Bank, Member of the Executive Board
Filip Stikić, UniCredit Bank, Member of the Executive Board and Director of Corporate Banking
Svetlana Raljević, Raiffeisen Bank, Head of Corporate Credit Division
Zoran Žunjić, OTP Bank, Head of Mid Market Department

Moderator:
Jasna Atanasijević, Ernst&Young, Director of Economic Advisory Team

4:45pm – 5:45pm

SME100 Champions Award Ceremony and Closing Remarks with Cocktail Reception

4:50pm Performance by the Čačak Business Choir – Horum

  • Closing remarks by the organizers: Kori Udovički, President of the Governing Board and Chief Economist, CEVES

 

Register to participate at the SME100 Expo 2024: New growth agenda for SMEs

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED