(Branko
Krstonošić)
Rarely any manager with nearly four decades of professional experience and
the team comprising over 900 employees in Serbia is so sincerely honest and
direct as Branko Krstonošić. His professional authority is based on solid
knowledge, long-time experience and excellent communication with his
subordinates. He says he did not have sudden ups and downs, dramatic plots or
unexpected twists in his career. He does not belong to the group of people who
were born under a lucky star, he has not been pushed by nepotism or a party
membership, but by knowledge, patience and experience. He says that even the
circumstances were not favorable to him because he sometimes "missed"
to take shorter and easier path to the realization of goals. He admits that the
only time he was lucky was when he selected his first job, when his diploma
from the Faculty of Economy opened the doors of several prestigious companies. He
started his career as a trainee in the insurance sector and the colleagues from
that branch will also see him off to the pension. During more than three
decades of care for the future and security of others, he has changed only
three companies. Taking one step at the time, he walked the path from a trainee
to the Chairman of the Administrative Board of Wiener Städitsche Osiguranje,
one of the leading international finance companies.
The story about his growing up and education returns us to some different
Belgrade, society, habits and mentality, while the success in his career is a
proof that quality staff persist in every business environment. In the late
1970's, he "sailed the Danube" and took the helm of a successful
Belgrade-based company, famous in whole Yugoslavia. The next safe port was
Evropa Osiguranje, the first greenfield investment in that field in Serbia, and
then Vienna Insurance Group hired him for a similar project.
- If I stay in the position of the Chairman of the Administrative Board of
Wiener Städitsche Osiguranja until the pension, there will be only three
companies in my employment booklet - Branko Krstonošić starts the story for
eKapija.
Leyland, Tanks and Statistics
- Just like the majority of my peers, I decided for a grammar school during
the summer break between the seventh and the eighth grade, one year before the
enrollment, because I wanted to enjoy the big break that was starting in May.
Already after the first grade of the grammar school I knew that I would choose
the department of mathematics and natural sciences. The Fourth Belgrade Grammar
School was then situated in an old building in the location of Primary School
Franc Prešern, in the forest between former Oktobarske Revolucije Boulevard and
Maglajska Street. A nice old building was always trembling when a famous red
wooden bus Leyland no. 32 was going past it while transporting passengers from
the theater at the Republic Square to the Orthopedic Clinic on Banjica. Then I
moved to a new building in Drajzerova Street and completed my last three years
there. Everything was new and well-organized, but we were unable to work half
of April because of the noise made by tanks during the rehearsals for the
military parade, so that we were answering the questions on "play-back"-
Krstonošić remembers.
The high school days remained his most beautiful memories, and he remembers
them by big company, football, the games played by FC Partizan, unrepeatable
summer vacations on Croatian coast.
- I enrolled in the Faculty of Economy at the recommendation of a friend who was an undergraduate student at the time because I liked the curriculum he presented to me. When I was in the second year, I chose the department most students were running from, and that was the Economic Statistics. The reason for that was my good knowledge of mathematics, combinations and relative relations in particular.
He passed 32 exams in record time and completed the studies, which was not a usual thing at the time.
- My graduate exam was, actually, the 33rd exam I took and it was no different from any other usual exams. There were no butterflies and flowers, pompous escort and big audience. After professors congratulated me, I went down to the snack-bar and told my friends - "Guys, I've graduated". Then they told me "You must pay us a drink" and we went to the cafe across the road from the Youth Center in Makedonska Street. We stayed there for about half an hour and went home. When I told the happy news to my family and the neighborhood, the phone started ringing. I was kissed and tapped on the shoulder for about three days.
When the euphoria was over, he was advised not to start searching for the job immediately because he would not be able to go on vacation for the next six months.
- That was a useful information because I was going to the seaside every July 1st for the previous six years, and I even had to change the dates of some exams in order to be able to do so. There were about ten of us in the crew and we were deciding where to go for the summer vacation already after the New Year. We were mainly choosing to spend two weeks on Hvar, in Makarska or Poreč.
He says that his parents have never forced him to do anything and he sticks to that rule today when he himself is a parent.
- My father was getting information from my mother and I remember that he may have asked me only once "Listen, I want to know how the things are going at the faculty?".
I only directed him to the kitchen where my mother was.
Where Are You From?
After he refreshed and spent enough time at the seaside, he started a search for a job.
- I applied for several jobs and, three to five days later, I was invited to the interviews. After the interviews, all employers told me - "Come to work for us". That was the only time in my life when all pieces optimally fit together. I "missed" everything else, not because I was ignorant or incapable, but because the circumstances were simply not favorable. After I finished the primary school, they built a gym, and I was running outside for eight years. After I graduated from the grammar school, the decision was made that students stop going to school on Saturdays. I was also one of rare people who did not get an apartment from the state.
He had several job options to choose from in the 1970's - the National Bank of Yugoslavia, Dunav Osiguranje, the branch offices of some Slovenian companies...
- I decided for the insurance sector because they were the only ones to tell me to come and start working right away, while I had to wait a little to start working at other companies. .
I started as a trainee and stayed in the company for 14 years. Everything went as it should, I have never had sudden ups and downs or dramatic situations. I've always been maximally committed to work. I left Dunav Osiguranje from the position of the Personal Insurance Assistant Director when I saw that there was nothing new that could be done.
He started working in Dunav Osiguranje on the first working day after the New Year and he was one of the youngest people there.
- That company was formed six months earlier as a result of the merger of two companies so that, at first, everybody was asking me - "Where are you from?". I was saying I was from Dedinje, from Belgrade, until I realized that they wanted to know from which of those two companies I came. After some time, I started replying shortly - "I am a trainee".
He remembers that one of directors at Dunav Osiguranje once said that everybody who entered the world of insurance would stay there forever, and he says he is the best proof of that thesis.
- There is something in the insurance business that attracts me unbelievably even after more than three decades of work. That thing is people you meet because they come from the most various industries.
Tradition of Safe Future
He acquired huge knowledge in insurance company Dunav Osiguranje because
that sector was then significantly more developed than today and he had the
opportunity to learn from top experts.
- I passed ten exams during my apprenticeship and that was a serious matter,
equal to the exams at the faculty. Insurance industry likes comfort and good
conditions. If the environment is bad, then the insurance sector can not be
good. There used to be about 1m life insurance policies in our country, while
now there are only 250,000 such policies. The reasons for that should be sought
in bad financial situation and different approach.
He says he does not like to "preach" people and that he mainly
gives advice to his close friends because he can simply tell them - Do it this
way because I did that as well...
He does not tolerate inaccuracy, imprecision and delays in business.
- I can understand ignorance, but only the first and the second time. I like
working with young people. Although I adapt to the new trends and I am not of
the people who are afraid of changes, I do not understand lack of respect for
somebody else's time nowadays and can not tolerate the things that used to
reflect lack of home education.
One of the things he has remained faithful throughout his life is fishing.
His passion for that sport is the same as it was in his early days, and he has
specialized in fishing carp. He is often on the Danube, in his boat, and he
also occasionally visits some of the lakes in our country or in Bosnia and
Herzegovina. Everything he catches he returns to the river.
Branko Krstonošić is married and has two sons who have also entered the
world of finance. The older son is working in a bank, while the younger one is looking
for a job.
- That is a big difference between systems. I was able to choose where to
start working, while now few hundred candidates apply for a single job. The
future is very unpredictable and it is important to insure oneself on time.
That is why we should remember the slogan of my current company from time to
time, and that is - Think about yourself, the others will not always remember
to do that.
T.S.
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