Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Ekrem Dupanović
Kristijan Gregorić is leaving Franck to join Valicon as a partner. The news that I received two days ago surprised me, because I thought that he would be “glued” to Franck for a long time. Later, when I read his biography, the song Because I’m a drifter, no place can hold me by Jasna Zlokić came to my mind. Kristijan has changed a lot in his career, but he never left unfinished business. He always accepted challenges, achieved his objectives and moved on towards new challenges. As I mulled in my head everything he did in Franck which I know of (and there are so many things I don’t know), I concluded he has done a lot of good for Franck and its brands. He has probably estimated that it’s time for new challenges. In addition, I know that he and Zenel Batagelj, also a partner in Valicon, are good friends and colleagues. We drank coffee together at the Golden Drum and talked about how early next year we would promote a list of the most successful brands in the region which Valicon traditionally makes each year. Even then, I could have sensed that something was cooking, but my intuition had failed me. Anyway, I think this is a win-win situation for both sides.
“Partnership in Valicon for me is a new professional challenge, since I have always been in corporations, and now this is an enterprise. My objective at Valicon is growth and further strengthening of the business focus on the region. At Valicon, I will be responsible for overall improving of business, stronger positioning with strategic clients in the region, but also outside the region,” Kristijan told me.
Kristijan highlights he is especially glad that Valicon is a place where everyone is encouraged to be brave, to take risks and challenge mainstream practices. “We have a great team, we believe in what we do and we are ready for the challenge.”
He says that Valicon loves business and ROI, and what drives them is the unique business solution that inspires and leads to new successes, new solutions, new innovations.
“My primary focus will be to set the future direction and identify market / business opportunities. I want to focus on entrepreneurship, turning insights into sales, adding value to brands and solving pressing strategic issues together with business partners,” Kristijan explains.
Kristijan Gregorić graduated and specialized at the Faculty of Economics Luigi Bocconi in Italy, with a focus on marketing and international business. After studies, he began his career in marketing department of Nestlé Italia, where he went through all the steps, from sales promoter, over brand manager, to director of marketing, sales and distribution. With Nestlé he came to the Adriatic region as a regional director of sales and marketing. He continued his regional commercial career in Adris, Heineken, Atlantic Group and finally in the Franck Group, where he successfully positioned the brands and the company, improved business and brand value.
We wish our friend Krsitijan successful continuation of his career, and to our friends in Valicon we wish that now, reinforced with a new partner, they continue to push the boundaries and help brands across the region drive success.