Draginja Djuric in the new role as Advisor to the Chief of the International Subsidiary Banks Division for CEE Area. Darko Popovic as new President of the Executive Board.

After over 20 years of successfully managing Banca Intesa Beograd, Draginja Djuric is leaving the position of President of the Executive Board of the leading bank in the Serbian market, to be succeeded by Darko Popovic, Member of the Executive Board and Head of Retail Division. Draginja Djuric will continue to provide support to Intesa Sanpaolo Group in the capacity of Advisor to the Chief of the International Subsidiary Banks Division, with focus on CEE Area – Croatia, Slovakia and in particular Serbia - being an ambassador of ISP Group to Regulators, other Institutions and prospect new customers in those markets. Additionally, with her long experience and vast expertise she will contribute to the business of the ISP Group Banks in Serbia as well as in Croatia and Slovakia. As far as these last two Countries are concerned, she will also be respectively Deputy Chairman of PBZ Supervisory Board and Member of VUB Banka Supervisory Board, and also Member of the Supervisory Board of ISP IVS, the Group Company providing IT services within the ISBD perimeter. 

Mr. Marco Elio Rottigni, Chief of International Subsidiary Banks Division of Intesa Sanpaolo Group stated on this occasion: ”Draginja Djuric contributed to the development and flourished increase of Banca Intesa in Serbian market vastly. I am sure she will also be strongly engaged in the new role to contribute to other markets with her large experience and vision. Let me say that it has been inspiring having a true leader and a high-profile personality, with such an outstanding reputation even on a regional level, leading the major bank in one of the largest markets within the strategy of our Division.”

Ever since 2001, when Draginja Djuric assumed the leadership of Banca Intesa Beograd, she has been providing extraordinary contribution to its growth, while at the same time contributing to the development of the banking sector in Serbia. Under her management, Banca Intesa Beograd as member of the international banking Group Intesa Sanpaolo, embedded the highest business standards in its operations, while having taken over the leading position in the market by all indicators of success, which has been the case over the last 15 years. The business results of Banca Intesa Beograd have been awarded by several international and domestic Institutions, among which there have been nine awards for the “Bank of the Year” given by the Banker magazine, and six awards by The Euromoney and The Global Finance magazines.

During her extraordinary career, Draginja Djuric has been declared the “Banker of the year” in Serbia by well-known financial Institutions and also acknowledged as the “Best Banker for East European market”. Among various recognitions, the ones catching the most of the attention was the “Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy” for her dedication to promoting and improving relations between Serbia and Italy, the medal of “Empress Milica – Venerable Eugenia” awarded by the Serbian Orthodox Church and the “Laureate of Virtue“ awarded by The Mokra Gora School of Management, for her contribution to female leadership in Serbia and in the Region.

“It is my sincere pleasure and honor for having had the chance to manage and lead the largest and one of the systematically important banks in the Serbian market for over 20 years, always being solid supporter to the local economy and citizens. I am taking this opportunity to thank all of my colleagues and associates for their dedication and professionalism, and also our customers for their consideration and trust we patiently built and nurtured with mutual satisfaction. At the end, I would like to extend my gratitude to the local community pointing out that, along with fulfilling the requirements of the Shareholders to reach set goals, we have always tried to support the local community and help as much as we could”, stated Draginja Djuric on the occasion of taking over her new duties within the Group.

Darko Popovic is succeeding the Presidency of the Executive Board of Banca Intesa Beograd after having been Member of the Executive Board for the last 13 years. He gained his professional experience in areas of retail, corporate but also in risk management area. Additionally, he is the President of the Board of Directors of Intesa Leasing Beograd, and also holds the position as Member of the Supervisory Board of Intesa Invest Beograd. Darko Popović will be dedicated to continuing further successfully managing Banca Intesa Beograd especially focusing on its digitalization in the new business environment, having even firmer focus on innovation of products and services, agility and efficiency of processes, having in mind continuous improvement of user experience aiming at preserving the No. 1 position in the Serbian market.