Mara Vitols Hrgetić
Since 2015 she and her husband Josip Hrgetić, they organize annual
business meetings for Croatia and its diaspora. Mara was the program
director of the first 5 conferences, actually she’s an external consultant.
| G2 Meeting Second Generation 2024 The largest, best, and longest-running business networking conference between Croatia and the diaspora – MEETING G2 – will take place on November 14 and 15, 2024, at the Westin Hotel in Zagreb, the right place to connect, meet Croats from all over the world, and meet 10 top award winners. Hear their success stories, their love for the homeland, get inspired, and realize your full potential! This year, at the anniversary edition of the Conference, we will have the opportunity to listen to multiple panels on pressing topics such as demographics and education, areas where there is interest from the diaspora to invest, such as tourism or aid to Banovina, as well as the presentation of other Croatian economic chambers operating around the world, about which entrepreneurs in Croatia are not well informed. However, the biggest novelty at the Conference is the awarding of the “MG2 Excellence” prizes, where 10 exclusive awards will be given to 10 successful Croatian women and men, 10 businesspeople from Croatia and abroad. The award aims to recognize individuals who strengthen economic ties between Croatia and the diaspora, and vice versa, and who have achieved extraordinary business successes during their professional careers. Each laureate will receive a “œMate Croata” stone sail statue, and the Croatian public will be particularly interested in the laureates from abroad, as these are exceptionally successful individuals who are little known in Croatia. The first day of the Conference is traditionally reserved for “Who’s Who in G2?”, a program that gives all participants the opportunity to briefly introduce themselves and exchange contacts with others. We will start on a festive note with the now traditional wine panel -€“ “Croatian Sparkling Wines.” We believe our loyal participants will be pleased with the continuation of this tradition of presenting Croatian wines and wine regions. This will be followed by a formal dinner where business collaborations are often formed. The second day will feature panel discussions on investment and entering the Croatian market, demographics and the labor market, a gathering of representatives from the largest Croatian chambers and associations around the world, discussions on education, AI, exciting projects launching in Croatia, a new perspective on tourism, cultural heritage, and business opportunities emerging in this area. Two Keynotes – two inspirational talks: Day 1: Croatian mountaineer and travel writer Stipe Božić, the first Croatian to conquer Mount Everest, will share a motivational story about success. Through his tale of mountain climbing, he will illustrate the importance of long, detailed preparations to reach new heights in all we do. In our case, that means achieving our common goal of strengthening the ties between Croatia and its diaspora. If we can conquer peaks in sports, then we Croatians can also reach the highest levels in the business and economic arenas! Day 2: Croatian-Bolivian entrepreneur Tomislav Kuljiš will tell the story of Dalmatians in South America and how they built a thriving trading business through hard work, integrity, sacrifice, and daily effort. Kuljiš believes that with the right approach and the development of a quality system, Croatia has all the prerequisites to be among the wealthiest nations in the world. |
| Agenda November, 14 – 15, 2024 Day 1 Thursday, November 14th, 2024 14:30 Gathering – welcome coffee powered by Phillips Hotel Westin, Zagreb 15:30 Welcome remarks and opening of the Conference 16:10 Key speaker Stipe Božić “Croats at the Top of the World – How to Overcome the Climb and Obstacles” 16:40 Coffee break powered by Phillips 17:00 WHO’S WHO IN G2 Introduction of all participants 18:15 Panel 1 Croatian Sparkling Wines – Wines of Golden Glow Moderator: Dijana Grgić, VinumIN, panelists: Krešimir Trdenić – Trdenić Winery, Ivica Florijanović – Florijanović Winery and Tihomir Kota, Winery Kota 18:50 Break and refreshments 19:30 Dinner and networking with presentation of the “260 Days” project – Marijan Gubina, Jakov Sedlar Day 2 – Friday, November 15th, 2024. 08:45 Participants gathering 9:15 Panel 2 Croatian Artificial Intelligence on the Global Stage Moderator: Aco Momčilović (MG2), panelists: Hajdi Cenan (Airt), Nenad Raca (Aduro ideja) i Mislav Malenica (Mindsmiths) 09:50 Panel 3 Sports as the glue that unites us Moderator: Petra Heisinger, panelists: Ivica Kostelić, Josip Joe Šimunić 10:25 Coffee break – powered by Phillips 10:45 Panel 4 How to bring emigrants back home? Taxes and status Moderator: Josip Hrgetić – Venezuela, panelists: Ljiljana Maglić Radoš, Ministry of Demography and Immigration, , Luke Jurčević – Australia and Nikola Mijatović, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb 11:20 Panel 5 New Forms of Tourism Panelists: Branka Ćubelić (Zrin), Davorin Stetner (Žumberak), Bruce Yerkovich (Gospić) and Nikola Serdar (New Rok d.o.o.) 11:55 South America in Croatian Colors Key speach: Tomislav Kuljiš – HIPERMAXI S.A., Bolivia 11:55 South America in Croatian Colors Presenting projects: Solange Juvella – BRACRO, Brazil, Maria Lorena Škarek – Return Home, Croatia Calls You and Mara Hrgetić Vitols – CroActivas – Network of Croatian Women of Latin America 12:25 Lunch 13:30 Panel 6 Demography and Workforce: Can Asia or South America Save Us? Moderator: Katarina Hrnjkaš Dimitrijević (MG2), panelists: Ivana Udovičić – Ministry of Demography and Immigration, Tado Jurić – Croatian Catholic University, Ružica Kerepčić – Snaga budućnosti Ltd. and Željko Cvrtila, Analytics Ltd. 14:05 Panel 7 Women Leaders – The True Spirit of MG2 Moderator: Antun Krešimir Buterin (MG2), panelists: Jennifer Kerum, USA, Jerka Jennifer Maglica, USA and Maya Sertić, USA/Croatia 14:40 Coffee break 15:00 Panel 8 Investing in Cultural Heritage as a Catalyst for Croatian Economic Development Moderator: Ante Lučić (MG2), panelists: Snježana Schuster, Dragoness of the Stone Gate v., Zoran Korečić, Dragon of Banovina and Josip Degl’ivellio, Dragon of Brač II. 15:35 Panel 9 Education Without Borders – Creating Creative Minds Moderator: Lidija Šimrak, Algebra University, panelists: Gordana Nikolić, PAR, Zvjezdana Galkowski, KC Mato Lovrak, Dejan Nemčić, “Ivo Andrić” Elemetary school and Jakov Bilić – Croatian National Theater Šibenik 16:10 Susanne Pauli, Austria, mental trainer & life coach 16:25 Panel 10 One Croatia Initiative Moderator: Antun Krešimir Buterin (MG2) panelists: Krunoslava Kosina-Milutinović – PISAK, Don Markušić – ACAP, Luke Jurčević – Western Australian Croatian Chamber of Commerce and Matija Bilandžija, AS Congress Service 17:00 Conclusions and closing of the official part of the Conference 19:30 Awards “MG2 EXCELLENCE and Gala – gathering in the lobby of the Crystal Ballroom, Hotel Westin (dress code: FORMAL)l 20:00 Awards “MG2 EXCELLENCE” ceremony 20:45 Gala dinner |