Zoran Netkovic, director of maritime-river agency, Agent plus - One should not wait for happiness, happines should be created

Source: eKapija Sunday, 25.08.2013. 18:23
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Zoran NetkovicZoran Netkovic

He is a sportsman in his soul, a fighter by occupation. He is a manager, a former handball player, a fisherman in his free time, he approaches both business and hobbies with the same vision - to be the best. Zoran Netkovic, director of the maritime-river agency, Agent plus, in only six years, succeeded in generating a leading regional company in the field of organization of all kinds of transport.

Apart from companies in Serbia, Agent plus grupa (Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis, Veliko Gradiste, Smederevo, Pancevo, Bezdan, Sremska Mitrovica), has companies in Croatia (Zagreb, Rijeka), in Montenegro (Bar), in Romania as well as in Macedonia (Skoplje) and Germany (Hamburg). The Staragent plus, a part ofthe Agent plus, is the agent of the biggest container ship owner Maerskline", as well as Seago and Safmarine.

- I may be exaggerating but I do not know differently. You are in business with your whole being otherwise there is no success. Sometimes, business is a huge burden but a man learns how to live with it and when there is noburden, it becomes unusual. It is necessary to have some leisure time through hobbies and other interests. But that is not classical rest because it would make a man tired and depressive – Netkovic says.

With a competitive spirit, he always wanted better and more but only so that he could use all his potential and knowledge. He is always in a rush, without relaxing.

Zoran Netkovic speaks in his interview for eKapija about his sports career, business philosophy, childhood dreams and the biggest catch.

Aboutromance

He grew up in Kraljevo where his parents came from their home town in Pomoravlje. He finished his achool as the best student. At the coast of the Ibar he was learning the school of life, got working habits, found out what the romance is but also what it takes to reach success.

He was one of the youngest first team members of the Kraljevo-based handball club Metalac and later of the Ekonomist.

- I learnt in my family to respect both myself and others. I learnt on the serious aspect of the given word and my actions, beauty of givin gand sharing of happiness with others.

When he was 18, he started his life path. He joined the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade and as he says, the fact that he “thinks fast and combines” influenced the decision.

- Due to love for natural sciences as well, and practical and organized.

Dynamic, with a vision, he already made his childhood dreams cometrue. He proudly says he earned his first pocket money as a student.

- It was not much but I was very pleased with it. I realized salary depend on me to a large extent and on my approach and persistence. I remember that brother and I bought a modest crystal vase from the first earned money.

He went in for handball in Belgrade with Zvezda and Partizan, he played for Ekonomist and an injury made him quit sports before he wanted to.

Apart from handball, he was in “fishing”. Even today, when he has time, he enjoys taking fishing equipment. Catches he mentions are carp of 10,5kg and pike of 7,5 kg.

- I still go with the same company to the Gyarmapusta lake in Hungary. There are four of us – one comes from Vienna, the other one fromTrieste and the two of us from Belgrade.

He tried preference and he remembers he collected matches once.

Always in plus

He graduated at the Faculty of Economics when he was 23 and after the military service he started his career in the Ministry of Defense as the head of the Financial Department for Valjevo region, then he worked in the First Army command and the Directorate for development planning and finance atthe General Staff of the Yugoslav Army.

In 1995, he became the Financial Manager of Jugoagent, using his own experience in his own bookkeeping agency. In 2002, he became the General Manager and in the meantime he was the President of there Management Board of this company in three mandates.

He set up Agent plus in 2007. Zoran Netkovic is the president of the Talas novih inicijativa (New Initiatives Wave) forum for water transport development, he is a member of the assembly of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and a Vice President for transport, communication and maritime as well as a member of the assembly of the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce and department for transport and shipping in this chamber.

To be the strongest when the most difficulttime comes

- I just do not know differently. This is who I am. As soon as I finish something, I start looking for the next thing to do. Apart from that, iti s important that you keep your identity in every situation, do give so that you could get back, to be the strongest when the most difficult time comes.

He says he avoids “sad” and “decrepit” business and life truths and that he is looking for unusual, not eccentric but creative solutions. Herelies his business success on major profit and investments, not savings.

- I want my associates to think quickly and be creative. I always participate in the selection of my staff regardless of the position. I am very careful and patient in that process.

When he speaks about bad characteristics of people, he points out he gets irritated by stupidity.

At the celebration of the fifth birthday of Agent plusAt the celebration of the fifth birthday of Agent plus

- It does not mean I value people for their intelligence but I think that both more and less intelligent people do stupid things but the thingis who is aware he does it. I do not like stubbornness and persistence which is not allowed.

Although it is difficult for him to stress out the work he respects, he says it is happiness after all.

- But not happiness one waits for but happiness one creates, which is lived in each moment. Happiness a man knows how to live, how to enjoy. It is hard to be happy when waiting for big events. Happiness is in everyday life, encounter with friends or beloved ones, a walk in the sunny day, in planning of nice events and doing nice things, in changing yourself and in many ordinary things.

(Non)Modesty

- I am proud of my two lovely children, a son and a daughter andmy wife who have been priceless support in my life. Family keeps this world from tearing apart. We enjoy small things, we enjoy travelling and spending next destinations. We rest at the raft at the Sava. When you sum it up, I can say we are very modest.

When it comes to business, Netkovic does not have modest plans at all.

- Agent plus grupa wants to firm all business segments and to provide new quality. It may not be modest but I cannot say we want to reach the European level because we have already reched it. We were chasing for businessat the beginning while now they are chasing us. We opened an independent company in Constance, we are planning to expand business in Romania to Arad and Timisoara We are planning ro expand transport from China and to offer it in Bulgaria. We are also considering Ukraine. We want to invest in a new warehouse in Serbia and to develop container river transport.

M.K.

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