The Advertising Person of the Year is the industry recognition awarded by the Steering Board of the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce for outstanding achievements that characterized the advertising field in the previous year, or for a continuous contribution to the development of Slovenian advertising profession over a longer period of time. Advertising Person of the Year is Enzo Smrekar, CEO of Droga Kolinska d.d. and Chief Executive Officer of the Strategic Business Area in the Atlantic Group. The award will be presented on 13 April, at the closing ceremony of the 27th Slovenian SOF Festival.
Enzo Smrekar is a business-oriented expert. He’s a marketing expert who wants to use his knowledge and experience to the best effect in local and international environments. He has 30 years of experience in marketing and management, of which 18 years in multinational companies such as Philip Morris, Diageo and LVMH. He has entrepreneurial experience with management consultancy, marketing and HRM. He worked in the integration and merger of companies and in the reorganization of Droga Kolinska group in co-operation with Stearn & Stewart. In 2010, he managed the sales process of Droga Kolinska, which was successfully completed with the acquisition of the company by Atlantic Group. He’s a certified coach with the Society and pro bono coach certificates, and mentor to many young entrepreneurs and managers in CEED, IEDC MBA, YES Junior and Amcham Young Professionals programs.
He brought Argeta from €30 to €90 million in annual turnover
Enzo Smrekar is first and foremost distinguished by exceptional business acumen, the right measure of courage, breadth of intelligence, and the simultaneous ability to recognize significant details and their connection to the “big picture”.
His marketing orientation and understanding has evolved over many years of work for foreign multinational companies, in continuous formal and informal education and in seeking new challenges. He has never been a conformist. He was always interested in areas that can be managed, developed and improved.
Most likely, that’s why he, as a marketing man in the broadest sense of the word, joined the team that united Droga and Kolinska into Droga Kolinska in 2005, took over Grandprom and Soko Štark, unified the business model, cleared the brand and product portfolio, and gave Argeta, Donat Mg, Cockta and Barcaffe a strong understanding of the market and exceptional energy.
Enzo Smrekar has chosen the brand Argeta to manage and run. He saw it as great part of the Atlantic Group system and, together with his team, which he says is surely the best in the region, over ten years period he took the brand from 30 to 90 million euros in turnover, from the third to the first position in the countries of the region, and even in Austria and Switzerland. Today, Argeta can be purchased on 28 markets around the world. At the end of last year, production for the North American market also started in the US. Under his leadership, the brand, apart from numerous national Effies, also received two Euro Effies for communication efficiency. A significant marketing precedent was also the protection of orange color as a trademark.
Selfless sharing of knowledge and experience
Enzo Smrekar shares his rich knowledge with his colleagues within the Atlantic Group as well as with the public, as a speaker and participant in panel discussions on numerous business and marketing events, and he gladly responds to invitations for conversations with young people who study marketing. Since 2007, he has been an active member and chair of the Slovenian Advertising Chamber (SOZ), Member of the Management Committee of SOZ, President of the 17th Slovenian Marketing Conference and a member of numerous expert juries, including two times the president of the two-stage jury of Euro Effie.
With his work, he strongly marked the last decade of advertising profession. His contribution to linking efficiency and creativity in the advertising industry is undisputable. The results of exceptional instinct and skill for marketing and leadership have been reflected in the positive changes, progress and success of the projects he managed, and which were not part of his business commitments in Atlantic Group. One of these areas is the chairmanship of the Skiing Federation of Slovenia, which in his mandate records significant results in the competition, marketing and financial fields. He is also active as the Governor of AmCham Slovenia, and as Chairman of the Board of the Prvo lično osiguranje d.d. (First Personal Insurance d.d.)
