EU Business News- European CEO of the Year Awards 2025 Young Leader of the Year 2025 (Serbia): Dusan Borovcanin Unlike many of the more traditional CEOs recognised in this programme, Dusan Borovcanin is not the CEO of a typical company, but rather of an enterprise established in November 2023 to deliver EXPO 2027 Belgrade, one of the biggest, most prestigious events ever hosted in Serbia. Dusan heads up the official organisation tasked with both the preparation and delivery of this world-class event, which aims to have a lasting impact on Serbia and the entire region. Below, we caught up with Dusan to find out more about the work carried out by this unique operation. Between May and August 2027, the Western Balkans will, for the first time, hold a Specialised Expo. Over 93 days and across 25 hectares of space, the city of Belgrade will play host to approximately 4.1 million visitors from more than 120 countries, all united under the theme ‘Play for Humanity: Sports and Music for All’. As nations come together to celebrate the universal languages of sports and music – highlighting the power these tools have to change the world – new milestones will be reached. Even when this global showcase of innovation, creativity, and collaboration comes to an end, the legacy of EXPO 2027 will live on. This is always the case with host cities, which benefit from the likes of infrastructure advancements, state-of-the-art facilities, and significant economic development, paving the way for a remarkable transformation that will nurture the bright future Serbia has ahead of it. In this way, EXPO 2027 stands as a symbol of unity, connection, and innovation – and will shape generations to come. Tasked with both overseeing and executing not only the event, but also the long-term positive impact expected on the back of it, Dusan Borovcanin is spearheading a mission that revolves around laying the foundations for EXPO 2027’s lasting legacy. Be it driving Serbia’s infrastructure development, strengthening its local communities, or engaging with its citizens, Dusan and his team are the names and faces behind the necessary steps to ensure Serbia is positioned as a hub for innovation, cooperation, and exchange. Becoming the CEO of a new organisation brought with it a number of challenges for Dusan, the first of which being the demanding task of building a strong, capable, and professional team capable of organising and delivering a mega-event with such global significance. Dusan explained: “Starting with only a few employees, I brought together leading experts from across Serbia, combining their talents in organising large-scale events with my own experience” – which includes roles in both hospitality and education. Dusan has also been the primary contact for the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental organisation in charge of both supervising and regulating Expos, from the outset. In collaboration with the BIE, Dusan has succeeded in everything this role has asked of him and then some, with one of the most impressive early achievements being securing the participation of more than 80 countries in just four months, an impressive achievement given the current record for Specialised Expos is 117. Guiding Dusan every step of the way as he works towards the delivery of this international mega-event is the belief that that there are no limits. This visionary young leader told us: “Our achievements are only as big as our dreams. Doubt is our biggest obstacle; once we dare to believe and take the first step, success becomes possible – even inevitable.” Dusan shares this quote with people he meets across all walks of life, and it also plays an important role in his leadership style, which is geared towards empowerment. “Leadership is about vision, but it’s also about empowering others to achieve that vision together. Don’t be afraid to take the first step – that’s where every success story begins.” As expected, the next steps for Dusan and the team here are much the same. With EXPO 2027 Belgrade edging ever closer, the efforts of these dedicated individuals will only increase, resulting in the delivery of what is sure to be an unforgettable experience for millions of visitors from around the world. Reflecting on this, our Young Leader of the Year 2025 (Serbia) added: “Our success will be measured by the global impact of EXPO 2027, the stories it tells, and the future it helps shape for our country.” More information about this remarkable EXPO can be found by following the link below, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Contact: Dusan Borovcanin Company: EXPO 2027 Belgrade Web Address: https://expobelgrade2027.org/en May25278
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