(VIEW FROM THE TOP 2024/25) PAVEL ERANKEVICH, Carlsberg Serbia: “Carlsberg Serbia continues to be an innovator in the beer and beverage industry in general in our region”

The end of the calendar and business year is once again an occasion to talk with the leading people of the most important companies in the SEE region about the goals achieved in the previous year, the plans for 2025, as well as the “environment factor”, in which those same plans should be realized. This time the honor went to Pavel Erankevich, the General Director of the company Carlsberg Serbia …The interview was conducted by Nenad Danilović, editor-in-chief of Advertiser Serbia

Please rate the success of your company’s work during 2024

– Not only in 2024, but the last few years are very challenging for the beer industry. Although we will finish this year higher than last year, the beer sector in Serbia still has not reached the level it was before the covid pandemic. However, the team Carlsberg of Serbiatogether with the other colleagues who make up the Serbia Group, from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania, with their exceptional commitment, exchange of knowledge and experience and above all dedication to our brands and everything we do, managed to strengthen Carlsberg’s position in all four markets and make us an even more relevant player in the beer industry. We achieved significant positive results on our key brands, both in the premium and mainstream segment, we were present at some of the most significant events in the region, we rewarded consumers with numerous promotional activities throughout the year, and at the same time we were responsible towards the community and the environment through various socially responsible initiatives.

If I had to rate our work over the past 365 days, it would be a nine, and that’s only because I believe that you should always strive for better and continuously invest in your progress.

How do you assess business conditions in 2024, were they better or worse compared to previous years? What is it that marked your company’s operations when it comes to external conditions, i.e. the economic, social and political environment?

– I am often asked if the environment in which we operate is challenging, and my answer is that there are always challenges, they are a constant when you are doing business. What is important is how ready you are as an organization to quickly and efficiently respond to them, or rather to adapt to them. For the beer industry, this year was similar to that for most business entities, under the influence of macroeconomic events, economic trends on the domestic market, and what is specific for us, and the weather.

When I look back on the past twelve months, I can say with certainty that as Carlsberg Serbia Group, we adapted our business very well to all challenges and, moreover, managed to achieve a strong result and create a good foundation for the year ahead.

Was the year 2024 marked by any significant problems that affected the work of the entire industry in which your company operates? Do you see any positive developments when it comes to the functioning of the industry in which you do business?

– As I already mentioned, the year was marked by macroeconomic trends in the world, the purchasing power of the population and a warm and sunny summer season, which certainly had a positive impact for consumption.
When it comes to the functioning of the beer industry, within Brewers Association of Serbiawhich consists of the three largest beer companies with over 96% of the market and maltsters Soufflet Serbiawe strive to initiate and maintain a dialogue with state institutions on the most important topics for our industry, in order to have a predictable business environment in which the industry can further develop.

Which country in the ex-YU area do you consider the most suitable for the work of companies in the area in which you operate and why?

– I will talk about the countries that make up the Carlsberg Serbia Group, namely Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania. I don’t see any market being more or less suitable for the beer industry. What is interesting to me personally is that although at first glance they seem similar, each of these markets is very specific, with pronounced regional characteristics, and requires a tailor-made approach, even when it comes to international brands.

It is obvious that the course of history is accelerating, world peace and stability are threatened, distribution and energy flows are disrupted… Please comment on these processes from the perspective of the Komanian general manager… Are you optimistic about the development of the situation in the world?

– I will repeat my position when it comes to running a business in relation to the external environment, which is that the most you can do is to develop the organization in such a way that it is flexible when it comes to responding to changes and challenges. Today, it is very difficult to predict the future, even the short-term one, within a period of one year, because we are witnessing daily new events in the political world, which are automatically reflected in the global and local economy. We have no influence on that, but we do have an influence on how to maintain the stability of our own business, and this is where, in my opinion, the key role of the general director and senior management is.

What are your expectations for 2025 in terms of business conditions? Do you have any significant plans, as a company, for the year 2025 that you can present to the public?

– It is still early to reveal plans for the year ahead, but what I can promise is that we will justify our role as innovators in the beer and beverage industry in general in our region.

The whole team has been working on new projects for months and we are very impatient to present them to our customers.

What qualities should a general manager of today have?

– I believe that the general director must have a clear vision of where he sees the organization in the short and long term, and at the same time be very good at listening to employees and everyone stakeholders company in order to have a realistic picture of both the market and its own business. It is clear that each of us has our own leadership style that reflects our character, but I think it is crucial for a manager to be flexible in terms of adapting his work to new trends, because new generations of employees are coming, and new communication channels are born almost every day.

What is your biggest business and life goal? Do you still have your “big dreams”?

– I always have big dreams and I think that we all have to have them in order to have drivers for progress not only in work, but in life in general.

As for the goals, I want to constantly learn, develop, not only as a manager and expert in this industry, but also in other, especially new segments of business, made possible by today’s digital technology.

Author: Nenad Danilović
Izvor: Advertiser Serbia

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Source: www.advertiser-serbia.com