Successful Croatians from around the world to gather in Zagreb

(Photo: Meeting G2)

Croatian business leaders from across the globe are gathering in Zagreb this November for the 10th MG2 Conference. This year’s event introduces the exclusive ‘MG2 Excellence’ awards, honouring remarkable individuals strengthening Croatia’s global economic ties. 

ZAGREB, 8 October 2024 – The latest edition of the MEETING G2 conference, titled “A Decade of Business Connections,” will be held on 14-15 November 2024 at the Westin Hotel in Zagreb.

The focus of this conference is to strengthen business connections between Croatians at home and abroad. Over the past nine years, it has brought together over 1,300 participants and networked nearly 400 successful business professionals from 35 countries worldwide.

As in previous years, Meeting G2 has the support of state bodies: the conference is sponsored by the President of the Republic of Croatia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Demography and Immigration, and the Central State Office for Croats Abroad.

The conference has been organised since 2015 by the Association for Business Networking of Croatians at Home and Abroad – MEETING G2, a multidisciplinary group of Croatians from the diaspora and homeland.

This year, attendees will again have the opportunity to participate in several panels on pressing topics such as demography and education, areas of interest for diaspora investment like tourism and aid for Banovina, as well as the presentation of Croatian business chambers operating worldwide, about which many Croatian entrepreneurs are unaware.

However, the biggest novelty this year is the “MG2 Excellence” awards ceremony, where the association will present 10 exclusive awards to 10 successful Croatian men and women, business professionals from both Croatia and abroad.

The award aims to recognise individuals who have strengthened economic ties between Croatia and its diaspora and vice versa, showcasing exceptional business achievements throughout their professional careers.

Each recipient will receive a statue—Mate Croata’s stone sail. Particularly interesting to the Croatian public will be the recipients from abroad, as they are highly successful business people largely unknown in Croatia.

“For 10 years, we have been working to connect our people at home and around the world. This is an ongoing effort, and many challenges lie ahead. This year, as we celebrate a full decade, we take this opportunity to highlight, through these awards, the special contributions individuals have made for Croatia, both globally and domestically.

Everything begins with individuals, and it is up to us in Croatia to organise ourselves better, so those wishing to invest receive support from Croatians in every corner of the world, while we also present our diaspora with the business opportunities available in Croatia. Beyond our borders lies enormous potential; we in Croatia need to become aware that over 4 million people—another entire Croatia—live abroad, eager for stronger ties with us and the homeland. At the conference, we will showcase interesting projects and discuss current topics.

(Photo: Meeting G2)

We believe that, as in previous conferences, MG2.10 will foster new business connections and partnerships that will strengthen and enrich not only the new partners but the entire nation,” says Antun Krešimir Buterin, President of the Meeting G2 Association.

The central event on the first day of the conference will be, as always, “Who’s Who in G2,” a programme offering all participants the chance to briefly introduce themselves and exchange contacts with other attendees.

The first day will continue in a festive spirit with the traditional wine panel. This time, the focus will be on the finest Croatian sparkling wines, serving as a prelude to the first gala dinner where business collaborations traditionally form.

The second day will feature a total of 10 panel discussions and keynote speeches, highlighting topics such as investments and entering the Croatian market, current demographic measures and the labour market, and the role of Croatian chambers abroad.

We will be joined by numerous successful business people from the diaspora, including, among others, one of the most successful business figures in Bolivia, Tomislav Kuljiš, a Croatian with roots in the island of Vis, who will speak on the investment panel.

More information on previous conferences can be found on the website meeting-g2.com, and those interested in participating can register online.