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Andreja Uršić, Executive Director of Kvis - On the path to success at full speed
Tuesday, 20.04.2010.
15:58
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(Andreja Uršić)
Twelve years ago he merged two big loves - speed and marketing. Ever since, he has changed about 50 automobiles, he has worked for BMW, Daewoo, Mercedes and Lexus and lived in Vienna, Munich, Budapest, Belgrade and Sidney. After "chasing" the career in Europe and Australia, he decided to "park" himself in his hometown because he can not leave without the Danube, the Sava and the childhood friends. When going to his office on Vidikovac, Andreja Uršić drives automobile Chery Tigo, which is, in his opinion, the car that will soon conquer the roads in Serbia.
- The offer to work for Chery and introduce that Chinese brand to the market of Serbia came unexpectedly - I was contacted by the people from a "head hunting" agency. I admit I was a bit reserved at first, but I soon realized it is the real thing, and the real things are sometimes difficult to recognize in their early phase. That is why it is important to be the first because, once they become obvious, the cards are already dealt. I have never hesitated or given up anything in my life and, if you are looking for the recipe for success, the basic ingredients are determination, persistence and courage - Andreja Uršić, the Executive Director of Kvis, the general distributor and importer of Chery vehicles, says at the beginning of his story for eKapija.
Uršića finds adrenaline his basic fuel. It drives him when he is in a car or on skis, when he is rollerblading, playing tennis or rafting down the Tara river. He is a big lover of theater and film, especially the movies with Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Bora and Žika Todorović, Bata Stojković. His office is decorated by the work of academic painter Vlada Veličković, and he is fascinated by the art from the epochs of impressionism and cubism, Monet and Picasso in particular.
He was growing up to the music of Pink Floyd, Sex Pistols, Clash, Duran Duran, Dire Straits, EKV, while he now listens to techno and house music. He stayed faithful to Riblja Čorba, one of his music idols from the childhood, and the songs played by that band have been permeating Uršić's life for nearly 30 years.
Darkness Is Aching
After completing primary and secondary school in Belgrade, Andreja Uršić enrolled in the Faculty of Marketing in Vienna. He decided for Austrian capital city because of his mother's job at the time, while the reason why he selected that faculty is not part of his memory.
- I lived in both Vienna and Belgrade in that period because I was coming to Serbia every two or three weeks. Of course, I was often visited by my school friends who used to stay at my home for a month. At the time of the sanctions, traveling was difficult and we sometimes waited for a whole day to cross the border. I remember an earth road across a cultivated field, which we often took to reach the border crossing sooner. We were traveling by car, train and bus because there were no airplanes for some time - Uršić remembers.
After he graduated, Uršić returned from Vienna to Belgrade to start the career in prestigious advertising agency Satchi&Satchi. He says he acquired huge knowledge of marketing while he was on the team of Neša Lozović.
- In 1998 I got the offer to work at BMW's headquarters in Munich. I was put in charge of marketing activities in Central and East Europe. After spending a year there, I moved to the office in Budapest.
He did not intend to return to Serbia after staying in Hungary for 12 months. Instead, he decided to leave for Australia and he submitted the application for visa.
- I did not want to live in the country run by Slobodan Milošević. I left Serbia on September 3, 2000, and it is possible I would never move out if I stayed for a month longer.
Good Morning
He got the papers for Australia in record time and he was only waiting for the summer to pass, so that his friends could start working.
- I left alone and when I landed at the airport in Sidney, the only company I had were my two suitcases. I started thinking about what I should do first. Good coffee, accommodation and adequate beach were the first things I sought. At one of the beaches I bought a newspaper and started reading job ads. It took me three months to move in the apartment I wanted and to find the job that made me happy - says Uršić.
He had to decide if he wanted to continue his career in the automotive sector or in an advertising agency. The experience in BMW was a great reference of his, especially the position in the headquarters in Munich. That opened Daewoo's door for him and he worked for two years in the company's marketing sector.
- The company then entered the phase when its ownership structure was being changed, budgets were limited and I was no longer satisfied or motivated by the work. I realized that the sector of financial services and products in Australia was at the highest level of development and that there was plenty of potential in that area. I moved to a finance company that was granting loans and dealing with various forms of finance and I stayed there for a year.
He says that changing of the environment and moving to other continent were not much of a shock for him because he quickly got used to Sidney.
- When you are born in Belgrade and live in Yugoslavia until you are 18, and then that country falls apart over the night, hardly any change of residence can be much of a shock for you. After the events in the 1990's in Serbia, I was pleased by the organized system that functioned flawlessly - Uršić explains.
He admits he often misses Australia, which is the reason why he has gone there several times since he came back to Belgrade. Why did he leave it?
- I turned 30 and decided to start making long-term or, at least, mid-term plans. I was thinking about what I find the most important in my life - is that the beach I am at or the people I am with. Then I realized that I can not leave without the Danube, the Sava and my friends. And I decided to return to Serbia.
Green Grass of Home
Uršić came to Belgrade shortly before March 12, 2003, and, as he says, he would probably never move out from Sidney if he waited for just a bit longer. For the second time, he packed his suitcases only few days before the important events in our recent history.
- When I decided to return home, I was informed that there was a vacancy in Mercedes in Belgrade and I applied for the job while still in Australia. Only one month upon my return, I started working in that company and spent five years there. The work in Mercedes is really one of the most beautiful business experiences I've ever had.
After Mercedes, Uršić moved to Lexus to assume the position that was offered to him at the moment. An additional reason was the challenge of introduction of a premium brand to Serbian market.
- I was in the position of manager for Lexus, and the working atmosphere in Toyota, which is Lexus' agent, is fantastic. I would like to create a part of that atmosphere in Kvis. The unfortunate factor was the fact that the global economic crisis started only one month after we started doing the job. That disturbed the plans we had for Serbian market a lot.
I Am Waging War Alone
He was lucky to work with top experts and he says he "stole" the most knowledge from Hatmund Mayer, former CEO of Mercedes in Belgrade.
- I learned from him how to do the job, but I also learned from other people how not to do the job, which is also very important. I appreciate responsibility, persistence and dedication to work. I don't like arrogance, machinations, people who are not good listeners and the mistakes made out of ignorance.
He is one of those who consume the life with a big spoon and do not wait for the things to happen by themselves. In his opinion, you can not call somebody lucky if his childhood dream becomes his occupation, but persistent and strong enough to carry that dream into effect. Uršić has always been fond of automobiles.
- The first car I bought was Golf II.
After that I had several BMW and Volvo cars.
Porsche Carrera is on the top of Uršić's list of favorite four-wheelers. Although he is fascinated by speed, he has never been attracted by motorcycles, but it can be said he is a Formula 1 fan.
His favorite F1 driver was Ayrton Senna from Brazil and he thinks Montoya could have been one of the greatest ever. Uršić's favorite tourist destination is Rio de Jeneiro. When it comes to winter resorts, he has recently mastered the ski tracks on Kicbil and Zelden in Austria.- I love Kopaonik. That is the mountain I am always returning to. It is maybe because all of us skied down its slopes at least once in our lives, or maybe because it is in the "neighborhood". Regardless of the accommodation and service, my relation with that mountain is special, which is the reason why my threshold of tolerance is quite high.
He is a regular guest of Absinth cafe and Pastis cafe in Belgrade, he loves Sound club in the summer, while his favorite restaurants are Tica’s, Zaplet, Klub Književnika...
He is a moderate hedonist who does his best to live smart and healthy, with occasional "pit stops".
T.S.
Kvis d.o.o. Beograd
Mercedes-Benz Srbija i Crna Gora d.o.o. Beograd
O.B.I.C.O.M. Obicom-Saatchi&Saatchi Beograd
Toyota Srbija d.o.o. Beograd