Ana Tomić

Ana Tomić, Marketing Director at 24sata, shares her personal insights on professional growth, leadership, and learning in a constantly changing world. Through her experiences, she reflects on how to remain authentic while adapting to change.

Creativity as the Foundation of Professional Identity

 “My personal development has always been marked by creativity. As a child, I wanted to attend two art schools, but I settled for one because having a ‘secure path’ was important. Even though I didn’t pursue applied arts in high school, aesthetics remained a priority for me. Marketing became a natural choice – it’s not repetitive; the creative process starts anew every time. Today, the role of a marketing professional is much more complex, combining analytics, creativity, technology, and understanding people.”

After completing the COTRUGLI program, Ana’s professional goals became more layered.

“Seeing the bigger picture, thinking strategically, and focusing on sustainability through financial insights – these were things I had done before, but at COTRUGLI, they became tangible. Working in a team of individuals from diverse industries and specialties forces you to consider multiple perspectives, sometimes even confront them.”

Ana emphasizes that everyone in leadership positions has their own specialty. In a corporate setting, there’s a protocol – aligning strategies, presenting them to management, and creating operational plans for teams. Challenges are addressed by asking questions and seeking clarifications from other departments, such as finance or controlling. “You try to scale the business to maximize benefits for the company.”

However, in a COTRUGLI team, especially during the final project, the dynamic is different. “You don’t just ask questions – you constantly receive perspectives from everyone involved. This changes the workflow significantly, as ideas are continuously refined and aligned from all angles. It feels more like a ‘live event’ than a structured protocol. This, along with fostering entrepreneurial thinking, is the greatest value of the program, especially for those in leadership roles.”

Ana believes that leadership evolves constantly, influenced by societal and global changes, personal life events, and individual interests. “For me, balance between work, family, and personal interests, whether entrepreneurial or hobbies, is crucial. Life is always changing, and circumstances beyond our control change even faster.”

She highlights the importance of role models, whether they are colleagues, business coaches, or family members. “I’ve learned that nothing happens without reason, and every event leads to something you might only discover years later.”

Leadership style, however, is deeply tied to personal beliefs, integrity, and goals, and cannot be changed much. “With experience, we mature and react differently, but fundamentally, we are who we are. Authenticity, though often overused as a term, is highly valued today. It’s something that unfolds with experience – understanding who we are and allowing ourselves to be that person, rather than what others expect us to be.”

When we were little, we observed the same environment; it shaped us. There are key events that pushed us in a certain direction. For some, it was a grandfather they worked with in an orchard, which later led them to become a technologist dealing with large-scale fruit production; for others, it was a love of vivid colours sparked by their mother’s yellow shirt – sometimes the reasons behind a brand’s final aesthetic are that simple.

With experience, we become more mature and react differently, but in principle, we are who we are. Surely the already worn-out phrase, authenticity, is most valued today. And honestly, I think that authenticity is something that only opens up with years of experience, by realizing who we are and allowing ourselves to be who we are, not what is required of us. Authenticity becomes increasingly “louder” with experience, while in youth it often looks like rebellion. Although this is also changing because the new generations look at leadership completely differently than we, the “old school”.

Learning Through Diversity, Teamwork, and Challenges

COTRUGLI was an opportunity that came through Ana’s company, 24sata. “At the time, everything happened quickly, and I didn’t think much about the goal. My then-boss asked me if my husband would approve, meaning whether I’d manage to balance everything and have his support. Initially, I just focused on balancing it all, and my husband wasn’t fully aware of what it entailed, but he agreed.”

Despite the challenges, Ana found working with a team of diverse, exceptional professionals motivating. “Advanced finance was the biggest challenge for me – I’m not a finance expert. Thankfully, every team had someone with financial expertise or an engineering background to guide us through the unknowns. The professors were inspiring, but the real work happened within the team – learning, exchanging perspectives, and marveling at how people from completely different fields approach the same task.”

The Network and Community

“The COTRUGLI community extends far beyond our generation. The alumni network is vast, and there’s always someone who knows someone you can turn to for advice or help. The operational team was excellent and proactive, constantly involving us in projects and reconnecting us with the alumni community – whether as mentors sharing experiences or mentees seeking guidance.”

Currently, Ana is part of the WRL initiative as a mentor and looks forward to inspiring and helping others. “The members of my COTRUGLI final project team have become my friends. We’re still in regular contact, and every time we meet, we revive the student spirit and laugh at our inside jokes. I hope everyone has a group like that in their life.”

Changing Perspectives Over Changing Positions

“The most valuable thing the MBA gave me was a new perspective on work. My position has changed since then, but that’s less important. While we all strive for progress, the real change happens within us. It doesn’t come from a new position or industry but from how we view things, no matter where we are.”

Ana stresses the importance of understanding the complexity of today’s changes, regardless of one’s role. “For me, people are the most important resource for achieving any business goal. Without them, strategies are just plans on paper. Every team member plays a crucial role in executing any strategy, and it’s vital that they know that. Without their agreement and willingness to act, a leader is just a boss with an unachievable task.”

Leadership in Times of Uncertainty and Rapid Change

The MBA program covers 16 modules addressing all aspects of business, as no business can avoid touching on each of them. “Things are becoming more complex. It’s no longer enough to know these aspects – you need to understand how changeable they are, recognize trends, and distinguish what’s within your control and what isn’t.”

Technology and society are evolving so rapidly that even the MBA program Ana completed a year ago has been updated with new modules. “We must be ready to adapt as a society while maintaining common sense. Constant learning, staying calm, and preparing for the unknown – it all sounds daunting.”

Ana is certain that the business environment will look entirely different in two years. “Leadership and strong expertise in areas critical for automation will become even more important. New generations have different beliefs and skills, there’s a mismatch in the labor market, and there’s a need for some parts of society to return to practical, trade-based skills.

I think it will be very important to develop tactile and creative competencies in parallel with technological ones, competencies that are difficult to copy and that are unique. In addition to specialization and knowledge, it is important to mention the mental aspect and practical empowerment in today’s changing world. I also think that today as parents we no longer live in the premise – ‘go to college, get a good job, make your life easier’. That way of life has changed a lot.”

Advice for Future MBA Participants

“If you’re hesitating, definitely go for the MBA. Not because the title is important for your CV or because it can help your career, although it certainly can, and it might even change your career path entirely. But because the MBA shapes your mindset and approach to work.”

“How do you get the most out of anything? By fully committing to it. We can all complete tasks with varying degrees of engagement, but true learning and experience come when you’re fully present. If you contribute your knowledge and skills, nurture relationships, listen carefully to best practices from colleagues, and apply them to your work, you’ll get the most out of everything.”