Minister of Economy and Regional Development Nebojsa Ciric and Director of the Serbian Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA) Bozidar Laganin presented the Blic Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 award to Dragan Ciric, owner of D-Company from Babusnica.
The best entrepreneur at the fifth Blic Entrepreneur contest received a cheque to €30,000 from Banca Intesa. The funds can be used solely for the improvement of current business operations or investment into new business projects.
D-Company manufactures tools for the rubber industry; it is a partner to the French Michelin and exports half of its output.
Ciric highlighted that it is very important that the award went to a company from Babusnica which is one of the extremely underdeveloped municipalities and noted that the country must encourage further growth of SME enterprises, as well as entreprenurial spirit.
Laganin, who was the president of the jury, said that D-Company managed to record €18 million in exports in the first 10 months of 2011 and employ 50 new workers, reaching a total of 168 employees.
The jury, composed of representatives of the public and private sectors, has chosen after a detailed analysis of around 200 companies, the best representative in the SME category.
This competition is organised by daily Blic and Banca Intesa.
Source Emg