Adem Velagić, director and owner of the successful company Fixetics Sourcing from Brčko, which is a supplier of commercial and industrial equipment to companies in German-speaking countries, participated in a very significant event in Germany on May 6th. He was invited by the Montagsgesellschaft e.V. association to discuss Bosnia and Herzegovina as a potential market for cooperation and investment, which he also spoke about for Plural.
Montagsgesellschaft e.V. is a non-partisan platform for civic interests. The purpose of the association is to promote political discussion, especially in the context of conservatism and free market issues. The Monday Society is primarily intended as a discussion circle where around 150 people from business, politics, and science, as well as citizens, meet once a month since 2005 at various locations in Frankfurt am Main, and since 2017 also in Hamburg and Munich. It includes numerous prominent figures, including Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor from 2005 to 2021.
Interestingly, this event was held at Villa Rothschild, which also owns today's luxury hotel in Königstein im Taunus, where from 1948 to 1949 the conference “House of States” took place and is considered the “Cradle of the Republic”. On March 24, 1949, the decisive conference of eleven prime ministers of West German states was held here, which consequently led to the adoption of the Basic Law and the formation of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Given that he completed primary and secondary school in Frankfurt am Main and is the owner of a company in BiH, the organizers invited Velagić to share his experiences.
- How would you describe the current cooperation and potential future of economic cooperation between Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially in terms of investments and business opportunities?
We all know how important Germany is for the whole of Europe, not just Bosnia and Herzegovina. Regarding the cooperation so far when it comes to Fixetics, it's excellent, and we receive positive feedback every day. It's generally very difficult for someone from BiH to enter the markets of Germany, Austria, and especially Switzerland. So, as in everything, the first steps are difficult, but once that's overcome, it goes step by step. Germans don't involve emotions when it comes to business. While we are different in that regard. A complaint is a natural concept and happens in the business world. But we take every complaint personally and would gladly turn it into a conflict… which is wrong. Whereas in Germany and other countries, of course, there is a wonderful document called the 8D report (Eight Disciplines Report), a systematic approach used to solve problems in a manufacturing environment or in quality processes. It is often used in industry, especially in the automotive industry and other sectors where product quality is crucial. What we need to do in BiH is to direct our youth (students) towards Germany. But not as a country where they should go and live, work… but as potential “teachers” who still have excellent references. I mean professional development. And what distinguishes Germany (such as discipline, punctuality, organization, precision) should be implemented in their careers, lives…
- Could you comment on the challenges and opportunities that Bosnia and Herzegovina offers to investors, considering the political (un)stability and economic trends in the region?
The opportunities are countless… we discussed solar energy, potential investment opportunities, but there is also the IT sector, which is very interesting. I want to emphasize that our engineers are highly respected because their problem-solving competence is really at an admirable level compared to Germans… Germans are organized so that everyone is a top expert in what they do, and only that! While our engineers have much broader views on the problem and problem-solving. Political stability or instability is something I, as an athlete and businessman, don't like to talk about, but I have already noticed trends in communication with young people that will lead to changes in the political sense. Young people are educated, they read, speak foreign languages, travel… trends are changing, and I have faith in the youth.
- What are the key obstacles to overcome to enhance cooperation between German and Bosnian companies, especially in sectors such as banking, research, and IT services?
In general, we need to work on SOFT SKILLS. Teamwork, empathy, leadership, communication, creativity, and a very, very important thing is SELF-INITIATIVE. We have these hard skills and need to continue working on them, but soft skills are something we don't do well.
- How do you assess the role of civil initiatives like Montagsgesellschaft e.V. in promoting political discourse and strengthening ties between Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina?
They play a crucial role in political discourse and strengthen ties between Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina in several ways: they can create platforms for open political debate, raise awareness of important issues, they can also be a bridge between different communities and cultures in Germany and BiH. Accordingly, there are plans to launch a similar association to Montagsgesellschaft e.V. in Brčko, which will have the aforementioned goal and task.
- Considering your rich experience as a company owner in BiH and education in Germany, what specific strategies or approaches do you consider crucial for successfully connecting business communities and institutions of these two countries?
I think more B2B meetings can help, and workshops bringing together business people from Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina can be a useful strategy for establishing contacts and exchanging information. What would be particularly important, in my opinion, is to support small and medium-sized enterprises from Bosnia and Herzegovina that want to do business with Germany. This can include mentoring, training, market information, and access to financial resources.
