SIMON IN BELGRADE

Photo and word: Marina Nikolic

After the Interview was finished, Simone Apolloni says that he hopes that the content has substance and is not just empty talk. At the same time, the Italian businessman talksin fluent serbian with temporary italijan emphasis, or better said sound. He and his wife Lana are a good example of people with a lot of international experience who decided to live where they simply feel better. Double-sided success entitles them that it is possible. Before coming to Belgrade Simone Apolloni studied economics in Italy and worked as an industrial project manager, but also in Thailand, Russia, Switzerland and Brazil. In Swiss he finishes his MBA, where he meets Lana, his classmate. Lana, a girl of serbian origin also completed previously economic studies in Italy in and worked at Philip Morris in Belgrade as a budget controller. During their master studies they visit Belgrade together few times and Simone quickly gets an opportunity for business. Then finally, they decide to go back to Belgrade after Switzerland, where Simone opens soon a well going bureau for industrial management and consulting.

Mr. Apolloni did your perception of the Balkans changed since you arrived?

S.A: Honestly I did not had some particular perception of the Balkans nor the expectations when I arrived. But I think the encounter generally is not easy for people who are accustomed to living in the West. Perhaps it was a bit easier for me first because I think that mentality in the central and southern part of Italy is very similar to the one in the Balkans. I was born 80 km from Rome. Second because I was already used to live in different countries and more complicated ones, like Brazil. Brazil is a beautiful country, but very difficult for life and business, especially in terms of security, which is not the case here at all. As far as my perception tells, of course, at the beginning it's harder,  you do not know the language, do not know the people and how the weather goes, but after a while it's all easier. Today I consider Belgrade to be my home.

“As far as my perception tells, of course, at the beginning it’s harder, you do not know the language, do not know the people and how the weather goes, but after a while it’s all easier.”

You have experience in the meantime with lots of international clients who come here. Does specific cultural problems occur? For example, such as the perception of time?

S.A: Again, it depends on where  are you from. If you're a Swedish, Dutchman or Norwegian for you everything here is difficult. And speaking about perception of time, if you can deal with the southern part of Europe, Italians, Spain, Greeks and even France, then you would get along here also. Everything's clear at the outset and way of functioning is quite similar, business and life in contrast to the northern part of Europe. Depends on what you're used to (laughs quietly).

Are there some possibilities here which don‘t exist in the West?

There‘s a lot. I have accepted last year an invitation to an interesting event. I had an opportunity to speak at the university here in Belgrade and exchange thoughts with students. The main topic was: “What is the experience of a foreigner who lives and works here”. I was very sad to hear that most of the young people in Serbia have their primary objective to flee from Serbia. But not everything is great abroad. I can say what‘s going in Italy, for years now, a country which is full of natural resources the economy collapses slowly in the sense that there is no reform, no innovation, everything works in an old way. On the other hand, Balkans is a region which is the last part of Europe not fully integrated within the European Union.  And specificity because of this delay it is the part that needs a lot to be done. Infrastructure, highways,  economy, which particularly needs be reform and get on to its feet. It‘s filled with factories that were abandoned and waiting to be activated. If you look at it and compare very clear the statistics from where FDI gives information (Foreign Direct Investments ), in recent years, you will see and understand the business opportunities coming up in this area.

So, eastern europe gets up from its cliches? The structure works less comparing to the west. is This is changing?

Look at the reputation Poland had  in Western Europe 15 years ago. That changed. The same will happen here. Why? I m witnessing the slow change, since 2008  until today, it's been 10 years. Perhaps the people who live here can not see the slow change but things are getting better indeed. Not that the speed in which people would like to have that change. Corruption for example, decreased drastically. On a construction site, in  earlier days if inspections came it was known that they are expecting something from investors or from you as a project manager. Today this is no longer happening. I know through my job, that industrial infrastructure and economic center  of former yugoslavian industry was mainly here. Only this awareness, this by these factories, that "know how" the older generation can pass to reactivate industrial production. This is an invaluable asset. I want to say: it's not like we have to a built everything all new. Knowledge, know-how and infrastructure existed and it is easier to reactivate than make new all over again. I think this is a decisive aspect.

"If you look at it and compare very clear the statistics from where FDI gives information in recent years, you will see and understand the business opportunities coming up in this area."

You speak fluent serbian and are well integrated. Did also a personal shift have taken place?

Yes, and I'm grateful for that. I learned that to balance between work and private life. Other advantages are also important to me. In the West, to take Italy for example, and its most productive part, the northern part. There are factories on almost every corner,  almost every family has its own private business. Everybody are focused only on work, work, results and money. It produced an inpersonal way of life, raw contacts and open interaction became rare. While it is still preserved here, at least that part. It means a lot to me, honest socializing.

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