“From modest beginnings to today, Weekend Media Festival has evolved into a key platform for exchanging ideas, inspiration, and professional networking. This year, we proudly present the most extensive program so far, which also includes some new festivals, to meet our audience’s growing demand for deeper insights and a wider thematic range,” said Tomo Ricov, program director of Weekend.18 and co-owner of the Pepermint agency.
Boris Kovaček, festival director and co-owner of the Pepermint agency, added: “Weekend is not just a platform for learning, but a place where people, ideas, and creative solutions come together. Every second spent at the festival is an opportunity for growth, learning, and creating new collaborations.”
A critical look at media, industry, and younger generations
Weekend.18 again brings an impressive lineup. Lara Boro, CEO of The Economist Group, will speak about the role of media in times of geopolitical upheaval, while legendary American journalist and author Michael Wolff will discuss current politics under President Trump. Award-winning journalist Mariana van Zeller, author of the series “Trafficked,” will take the audience behind the scenes of the global black market, while RTL editor and host Mojmira Pastorčić will reflect on women taking over news programming. Joining them are many other speakers who will open topics such as national stereotypes, the phenomenon of haters in society, and the challenges of reporting in an era of global crises.
Also coming are Zoran Šprajc, editor and host of “Stanje nacije” on RTL, Boris Jokić, psychologist and director of the Institute for Social Research. Contributing to the discussion on social and cultural differences in the region will be Dragoljub Petrović, editor of the daily Danas, Ante Tomić, writer and columnist, and singer-songwriter Zoran Predin.
Taking the Weekend stage as well are James Taylor, award-winning keynote speaker on creativity, innovation, and artificial intelligence, Federico Paderni, Managing Director Emerging Markets, EMEA, at X, Adrian Ježina, CEO of Telemach, Pete Radovich, Senior Creative Director and Vice President of Production at CBS Sports, and Damjan Rudež, Director of Sunset Sports Festival, who, together with Hrvoje Krešić, TV reporter at N1 – will connect sports and leadership.
This year’s Weekend will cover diverse topics, from the phenomenon of Croatia’s most popular teen series, the use of artificial intelligence in theater, media ethics and social phenomena, to sports strategies, innovations on digital platforms, and memorable campaigns, confirming its position as a meeting place for knowledge, inspiration, and networking.
How HR builds trust and the leaders of the future
HR.Weekend, for the third time, brings insights into the transformation of human resources and new models of work. Ilya Bonic, President of the Career Business and Chief Strategy Officer at Mercer, will speak about the future of talent, while Alen Premužak, business trainer and coach, will explain why strategic thinking is crucial for HR. Asli Oktay, Head of People at BAT Adria, will show how talent develops from junior levels to leadership positions.
Pay transparency will be at the center of a conversation with Antonija Kapović, HR Director at Bugatti Rimac, and Daliborka Štulić, Senior Expert for Rewards and HR Digitization at INA Group, moderated by Nives Raič from Ericsson Nikola Tesla. In addition, Tanja Jurin, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb and a sex therapist, will talk about romantic relationships in the workplace, while Dr. Boris Balent, sports psychologist at GNK Dinamo, will show what HR can learn from the world of sport.
Artificial intelligence in action – creativity and ethical challenges
The second AI.Weekend gathers leading names from the local and regional AI scene. Srđan Kovačević, co-founder and CEO of Orqa, Ervin Jagatić, Product Director at Infobip, Božidar Pavlović, partner at Aymo Ventures, Alex Buvač, CEO of Own.Solutions, Matej Kuhar, Head of Data Science at Aircash, and Dina Hrastović, board member of CroAI, will discuss concrete applications of AI and the development of the domestic AI ecosystem.
Global names are also taking the stage: Lukasz Gabler, Head of Public Policy for Central and Eastern Europe at TikTok, and Marek Brazina, Customer Engineering Lead CEE at Google Cloud. The audience can also expect Sheel Mohnot, co-founder of Better Tomorrow Ventures, and Vishal Harnal, Managing Partner at 500 Global, leaders who will reveal how AI is transforming finance, investment, and the global market.
From investment to energy: first-hand examples and solutions
Investment.Weekend brings together global investors and leaders such as George Yeo, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Luis Oganes, Chief Economist, J.P. Morgan, Melk Bucher, Private Infrastructure Investments Manager at Partners Group, Jože Rant, CFO of Aircash, Victor Dodig, President and CEO of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, and many others.
Finance.Weekend focuses on modern finance and ESG initiatives with practical case studies. Some of the speakers are Michael Boyd, former Apple Treasurer, Matija Kovačević, CFO of Hrvatski Telekom, Anita Lazović, CFO of Orion Telekom, Matija Mandić, CFO of Telemach, and Ivana Krajinović, Partner at EY.
The first Energy.Weekend Powered UP by E.ON brings solutions for the energy transition, including renewables, e-mobility, and new business models. The lecture by Korado Kolević, “What Will the World Look Like in 2045?”, will open the festival, and panels “We Produce Our Own Electricity – and No, We’re Not a Hippie Crew powered by INA,” with Hrvoje Glavaš from INA and Flavio Gregorović from Valamar Riviera, and “A Power Plant for 1 EUR. What’s the Catch?” with Roman Šantar from TAPI and Tomislav Vukmanović from E.ON will enable discussions on practical solutions and challenges for industry and society.
Business talks continue after midnight
Alongside the rich daytime program, visitors can also look forward to the nighttime segment that has earned Weekend the title of a festival to remember for years. The first evening opens with Tihomir Pop Asanović & friends with a jazz-fusion sound; Friday brings a spectacular performance by global DJ star Jax Jones and the O-UNIVERSE party; while on Saturday The Swingers and the legendary ’90s party with Tajči, Minea, Ilan Kabiljo, Vlatka Pokos, and Ivana Banfić will have Rovinj dancing until morning.
For easier navigation before and during the festival, download the My.Weekend app. One ticket is valid for all festivals, and the full program and more information are available on the festival’s official website and on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
