Svetlana Smiljanić, Director of "VIG Real Estate" - How to insure success

When one comes to the headquarters of a large European company in Serbia to assume the position of interpreter and becomes the Director of one's own sector in less than five years, then such career seems quite fairy-like. If we also know that that company is insurance company "Wiener Stadtitsche", and that Svetlana Smiljanić celebrates her 31st birthday on religious holiday Sretenje, such business success seems exceptional even for western standards.

- The official name of the position I first assumed when I came to the company was Administrative Board Assistant, and my duty was to attend the meetings and translate the minutes into English language. I remember that Mr. Rudolf Ertl, the President of the Supervisory Board of insurance company "Wiener Stadtitsche", came to the company with his assistant on the second day of my employment. On that occasion, the whole Administration gathered and started to talk in German, and I did not understand anything. While they were talking about expenses loading, technical premium and insured amount, I was thinking about going to the HR sector and leaving the job. However, I accepted the challenge. Today I run the project for construction of "VIG Plaza", which is worth over 42m EUR - Svetlana Smiljanić, the CEO of "VIG Real Estate", a company within "Vienna Insurance group", said at the beginning of his story for "eKapija".

Only few months after she came to work for "Wiener Staditsche", Svetlana started getting new tasks and sailed into the world of insurance. Thanks to cooperation and friendship with her colleague Sonja Hirmann from Austria, she learned German language.

- I had a great support of the members of administrative and supervisory boards, which send me to Vienna every August, where they even organized special courses and trainings just for me. I have visited almost all sectors that belong to the mother company in Austria. I was in the position of interpreter for about two years, and then I was promoted to the Secretary General of the company. My duty was to stay up to date with all the decisions made at the meetings of the Supervisory Board, the Administrative Board, and the Stockholding Assembly. Also, I was in charge of monitoring for some time, that is, supervision of all interdisciplinary projects within the company, and I was also responsible for supervision of all HR projects in accordance with the recommendations from Vienna - Svetlana explains.

(Construction of VIG Plaza)

Svetlana got her own sector and became its PR at the end of 2008 when, as she says, the volume of works was so big that she had to ask for assistance.

- We plan to introduce a department for treatment of complaints lodged by both employees and clients. I also represent reinsurance company "Wiener RE", which was founded last year.

Svetlana's day at work lasts for minimum nine hours, but she admits that it sometimes happens that she stays at work for almost a whole day. Her main driver is, as she explains, that perfect feeling after the completed task.

- I am maximally oriented towards achievement of the goal, and I can not calm down until I complete the mission. I am a workaholic.

Student and Professor

I have always wanted to study English language, so that I did not have option B when I was choosing the faculty. Although everybody was scaring me with entrance exam, I left all other candidates behind me that year and ranked first on the list of the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade by scoring 99 points.

She loved languages while still a kid because her mom was an English language translator as well. She was introduced to German language quite early in her life because she was born in Lidenšajd where she spent first five years of her childhood. Then she returned toher grandparents in Požega with her brother Toni Smiljanić who is four years her senior, and she stayed there until the time for studies came.

- My dad was born on Zlatibor, my mom is from Prilep in Macedonia, and they met each other in Lidenšajd. My mom also returned to Serbia shortly after we came here, while dad stayed in Germany until 1997, and we used to spend one month every summer in Lidenšajd. I have always liked to occasionally escape from the town for a short time.

She remembers her days as a student for dear friends she made at the faculty, everyday walks across the Kalemegdan park and study travels to London, numerous hours she spent reading various books, and incredible sense of relief after every exam she passed.

- I was still at the faculty when I was invited by the Principal of the Grammar School in Požega to work in the private school he founded. I worked there as a professor, so that I was studying for my last exams and teaching private classes at the same time. Among the rest, I also worked with kindergarten kids, which represented a real relaxation after long hours of studying.

In spite of the fact that she had a wonderful time there, Svetlana realized that she was not going to return to Požega ever again. It is because the town is small and it would prevent her from developing. Soon after she returned to Belgrade, she passed her last exam and got the job at European University in Dorćol where she worked as English language teacher for nearly three years.

- I had an exceptional relation with all colleagues and students who were only few years younger than me. I also enrolled at postgraduate studies at that faculty, so that I now have the title of MA in International Management.

In search for new things

Svetlana Smiljanić is one of those people who always look for a challenge and get motivated by the most demanding goals.

- I get fed up quickly with doing the same things. That is why I find my current job incredibly suitable. You can never learn all about insurance business, and I usually compare that world with a well. It is more than dynamic in insurance company "Wiener Stadtische" because I have plenty of obligations and enjoy achieving every new goal. At this moment I don't have any unfulfilled professional wishes, but I learn something new every day.

"Vienna Insurance Group" operates in Austria and 22 countries in the region, and Svetlana is the first person to be sent from a daughter company to the headquarters to receive the expert training, after which she passed the exam in German language and obtained certificate.

In her opinion, her greatest business success is the way she passed from an interpreter to a manager of her own sector. The fact that she managed to keep her moral code and norms of behaviour is also considered as success by her.

- I do not allow myself to fly before I should. My magical formula of success is - work, order and discipline. You can be smart, but there will be no results if you don't get to work. You should not only do the job, you must always think about what you do.

She admits that she is sometimes very impulsive and harsh to herself, and whenever she gets to choose between job and fun, she chooses the former.

- Maybe I should learn how to hide my emotions. I am quite open, stubborn and persistent. But that leads to success as well.

Her current assistant admitted to her that she got a bit frightened after their first meeting although they now agree perfectly.

Cinderella

She spends her leisure time, which she admits she doesn't have enough, in a gym - minimum three times a week, and if she finds a "victim", she likes to take a walk around Ada.

- I just love water and I do my best to spend as much time by the Danube or the Sava as possible. If I stay at home, some good book makes me company, and one of the latest I've read is the latest book by Coelho - "The Winner Stands Alone". I often go to the cinema after a difficult day. I would like to recommend one of the movies I have watched recently, and that is "Ugly Truth"- says Svetlana Smiljanić.

She has never found nightlife especially interesting, and she likes to compare herself to Cinderella - she always gets back home the first because the midnight is her limit. That is why she enjoys morning and the day ahead of her. She spends weekends, which she would like to be longer, with the people she neglects during the work days.

When she gets fed up with Belgrade, she goes on a travel. The last city she visited was Paris, and she also likes London, Berlin, Vienna and Prague, while she finds Cuba the most fascinating, especially Havana. In addition to the beach in Varadero, she would also like to swim again on Mallorca, Rodos, Antalya...

She hopes that she will soon be accompanied by her boyfriend at these beaches.

T.S.