You’ve been with Xella for more than 11 years now. Why did you join the company back then?

At the time, I was working for a French cement company. We didn’t have a final product for construction, only cement and aggregates, so it was hard to develop new project business. Back then I met Robert Turski, the former CEO of Xella Russia, and this changed everything: Xella offered a ready-to-use building product, not just raw materials, and I could use my network in construction in a completely new way.
 

Was there anything else that convinced you?

Two additional points. First, the product wasn’t only for B2B but also for end customers, which was refreshing, coming from pure industrial marketing. Second, Robert himself: within minutes, we stopped talking about my CV and started planning how we’d work together. His trust and sincerity were decisive.
 

Your background isn’t in engineering but in marketing and sales. How did that journey start?

By accident. I studied international business affairs, but during university I worked as a business journalist to pay the bills. I learned to find topics, collect quotes, and build narrative - skills I still use today.
 

And how did you move from journalism into marketing?

I became fascinated by the marketing people I interviewed; they seemed to understand the bigger picture. I did an internship at 3M, making 100 cold calls a day. It was more sales than marketing, but it taught me how to speak confidently to complete strangers, a skill that’s been invaluable.
 

After Xella ceased business operations in Russia, your current role is very different from running a sales operation in one country. How would you describe it?

I now lead Xella’s global license business; a strategic, project-based role across diverse markets from Africa, Latin America and beyond. Each market requires a tailored approach, depending on timing, local conditions, and partnership dynamics. Each opportunity is different, so I focus on building long-term partnerships, spotting potential early, and creating trust-based collaborations that grow our international footprint. In the end, the foundation of our business is trust: building it, keeping it, and making people want to be part of something bigger.
 

You’re very active on LinkedIn. What role does that play in your work?

It’s both PR and sales. I use it to show that autoclaved aerated concrete is a global growth story, not just a European product. My posts help me connect with potential partners from India to the Americans, and sometimes a direct message leads to serious investment discussions.
 

When you’re not working, how do you switch off?

Boxing, in fact, two or three times a week. For me, it’s an art, not just a sport, and it clears my head.
 

Anything else?

Music. I used to play in a hardcore metal band, and my former bass player now lives in Belgrade too. We’re even thinking about creating music with AI. And I enjoy wine tasting, especially orange wines, something Serbia does exceptionally well but doesn’t export much. And I have three kids, so I try to make the most of the time we still have together before they leave to live their own lives.