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WomenIN Business - Regional Conference
You’re invited!
Get ready to be inspired! This April we’re thrilled to host an event that celebrates the achievements and contributions of women in our community and beyond. Join us for a day filled with engaging talks, interactive workshops, and ample networking opportunities.
April 4 – 5 2025.
Venue: Kempinski, Portorož


AGENDA
FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2025
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM
Participants registration and welcome coffee
11:00 AM
Conference opening
Dr. Jerneja Jug Jerše
Head of the European Commission Representation in Slovenia
Manca Dežman
Founder and director of Bold Projects and Vice President of ONA VE organization
Violeta Jovanović
Executive director, NALED Serbia
11:20 AM
Panel discussion #1 – WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
Participants:
Melania Arreaga
Chargé d’Affaires, USA embassy to Slovenia
H.E. Akiko Yoshida
Ambassador of Japan to Slovenia
Dr. Jerneja Jug Jerše
Head of the European Commission Representation in Slovenia
12:20 PM
Panel discussion #2 – WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Participants:
Dr. Vida Šeme Hočevar
Board Member, CRO of Triglav, pokojninska družba, d.d.
Dr. Marta Svoljšak Jerman
Sustainability Area manager at Petrol d.d.
Maja Brelih Lotrič
CEO at LOTRIČ Metrology Ltd
1:20 PM
1on1 discussion with Tina Hočevar
Entrepreneur, life coach
1:30 PM
Panel discussion # 3 WOMEN IN STEM & SUSTAINABILITY
Participants:
Dr. Aida Kamišalić Latifić
State Secretary Ministry of Digital Transformation Slovenia
Ljupka Vrteva
Senior Solutions Developer at Petrol Group
Irena Lemut Čeh
Founder and owner of Labena Group
2:30 PM
Networking Lunch
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2025
10:00 AM
Outdoor group activities in Portorož
Meet the Trailblazers

Dr. Jerneja Jug Jerše
Dr. Jerneja Jug Jerše
Dr. Jerneja Jug Jerše took over the leadership of the European Commission Representation in Slovenia on 16 April 2021.
Dr. Jerneja Jug Jerše, after obtaining a degree in economics from the
Faculty of Economics in Ljubljana (1999), continued her studies with a master's degree in European economic studies at the College of Europe in Bruges (2001) and upgraded it with a doctorate in economic sciences from the University of Nottingham (2006).
She has gained most of her career experience in Brussels. Before taking over the management of the Representation, she headed a unit in the Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM), responsible for revenue and public finance management.
Since 2016, she has been in charge of the coordination mechanism for technical assistance in the Structural Reform Support Service (SRSS), and as Deputy Head of Unit, she was also responsible for evaluation and TAIEX. Since 2018, she has also coordinated technical assistance to Slovenia.
Between 2013 and 2016, she worked in the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial
Affairs (DG ECFIN), where she dealt with the deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union, interinstitutional affairs and relations with international organisations (OECD, IMF).
Between 2005 and 2013, she worked in the field of business services and copyright in the Directorate- General for the Internal Market (DG MARKT).
Before leaving for Brussels, she was an assistant at the University of Nottingham, a short-term intern at the European Commission and the World Trade Organization, and a junior advisor at the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning in Ljubljana.
Dr. Jerneja Jug Jerše speaks fluent Slovenian, English, French and Italian, and conversational Croatian, German and Spanish.

Manca Dežman
Manca Dežman
Manca Dežman is a passionate seeker of stories, creative solutions, and bold ideas.
As the founder and director of Bold projects, a creative marketing agency, and Vice President of ONA VE ("She knows"), a Slovenian association empowering and connecting women in business, I bring together marketing, creativity, and entrepreneurship to craft projects that leave a lasting
impact.
Together with my team, we create award-winning events, innovative campaigns, and
unique experiences that connect people.
I draw inspiration from blending diverse knowledge, tackling dynamic challenges, and working with young entrepreneurs, helping them shape and bring their stories to life.
I thrive in the balance between structure and creativity—always with a glass that’s half full.

Violeta Jovanović
Violeta Jovanović
NALED Executive Director (professional)
Ethno Network President (voluntary)
Violeta started building expertise in local economic and rural development and standardization, upon graduation in 1998, as an expert and team leader in donor funded programs in Serbia and the region, through the design and implementation of complex development projects worth over 10 million dollars.
As the first employee of NALED, and its Executive Director since July 2007, she was instrumental in growing an independent membership organization, which later grew into the largest public-private association focusing on building a favorable business environment in Serbia.
She is a graduate philologist and gained further education in the field of economics and project management in specialized training and study programs in the United States and Europe.
She is engaged as a motivational speaker and moderator at professional conferences around the topic of women's entrepreneurship and leadership in the country and abroad. She has gained international experience as a consultant in the field of certification and intellectual property protection.
She is a member of the Regional Council as the umbrella body of the Network for a Favorable Business Environment, which brings together state institutions and sector organizations from all economies of the WB and Croatia to institutionalize mechanisms for cooperation and strengthening the competitiveness of the region.
She actively contributes to the preservation of traditional heritage of Serbia and employment programs for women through the role of the founder and president of Ethno Network.
Devout advocate for gender equality and member of International Women’s Club.

Melania Arreaga
Melania Arreaga
Melania Arreaga began service as Deputy Chief of Mission of U.S. embassy in Slovenia in July 2022 and assumed her role as Chargé d’Affaires on July 31, 2024.
She recently served as Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs. Her previous overseas tours include in India, UAE, Estonia, and her domestic tours include the Operations Center.
Before becoming a diplomat, Melania was a Chicago prosecutor and deputy chief counsel for an Illinois regulatory agency.
Melania speaks Spanish and French and studied Arabic at Foreign Service Institute. Melania holds a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a B.A from George Mason University.
She hails from Chicago and is married with two children.

Akiko Yoshida
H.E. Akiko Yoshida
H.E. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Slovenia
Now serving as Ambassador of Japan to Slovenia, Ms Yoshida is originally a career bureaucrat at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan.
With a law degree(LLB) from Kyoto University in Japan and a master of laws(LLM) from NYU School of Law in the United States, she was engaged in handling of litigations, drafting legislations and negotiating on international treaties, as a regulatory authority.
This experience led her to another distinct career, a legal counsel at the management level for an international organization in London which provides global insurance framework for over 100 member States for international shipping sector.
She provided legal advice to the Director and took charge of risk management of the organization. She also handled complex legal issues involving public international law as required for the operation of the global system.
With these experience of leadership roles both at national and international level, she appreciates professionalism, diversity and realistic insight into the international environment.

Dr. Vida Šeme Hočevar
Dr. Vida Šeme Hočevar
Dr. Vida Šeme Hočevar is an internationally recognized expert in financial law and anti-money laundering, whose work has benefitted key financial and supervisory institutions in Slovenia and contributed to the development of international standards in these fields abroad.
She also holds extensive management experience and believes strongly in teamwork.
As a current Board Member of Triglav, pokojninska družba, d.d. (pension company), she navigates the complexities of pension systems and reforms, drawing on over a decade of practice as Secretary General of the Bank of Slovenia.
Her international experience includes working at the International
Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., and with organizations such as the Council of Europe, the ECB, the UN, the World Bank, the FATF, and the OECD.
A thought leader in financial integrity, she has authored works on anti-money laundering and co-developed legislative frameworks that reinforce oversight and compliance across borders, advising caution against overregulation.
Beyond her professional endeavors, she is a devoted advocate for humanitarian causes and a passionate patron of the arts, believing that clear vision, finance, creativity, structure and expression, together shape a more just and inspired world.

Dr. Marta Svoljšak Jerman
Dr. Marta Svoljšak Jerman
Sustainability Development, Quality and Safety Area Manager (Director)
The area I take care of is implementation and management of the safety process - process technological safety and environmental management, fire safety, occupational safety and chemical safety, REACH legislation, food safety.
The coordination and fulfilling of the technical compliance. TQM and technological development and ESG governance are also the core activity of the department.
Leadership skills are my strengths and abilities to demonstrate that help to oversee processes, guide initiatives and steer Petrol employees toward the achievement of goals.
As Area Manger/Director successfully inspire people for more than 20 years, working with five different Boards.
My Leadership skills are an essential component in positioning executives to make thoughtful decisions about our organization's mission and goals, and properly allocate resources to achieve those directives.
As an effective leader, I possess certain skills that can steer and motivate the team members toward success. With Open communication effectively share clear messages and makes complex ideas easy to understand for everyone.
I am recognised as Empathetic leader focused on identifying with others and understanding their perspective. I can better understand how the employees feel about their work environment.
This enables the leaders to bring positive changes to the workforce. The annual employee satisfaction survey always shows above-average satisfaction. A creative leadership helps me to brainstorm new ideas and inspire others toward creativity and innovation.
10 years “PRIMA IDEA” project generates many very unique ideas for improve business processes and work environment. I continuously try to bring positivity into the work environment, which in turn uplifts the employees and encourages them to perform better.
Positivity can be cultivated by showing care, respect, diplomacy and empathy toward the team and all stakeholders. I am recognised as a strong leader and one that people can count on for fulfilling commitments and meeting deadlines. I participated in Mentorship programe to mentor and teach to bring out the best in their employees.
I put in a lot of effort to make the team successful by using positive reinforcement, clarity, motivation and by rewarding achievements. Responsibility and efficient organization help me to handle a variety of different projects, prioritize and ensure that all project deadlines are met.

Maja Brelih Lotrič
Maja Brelih Lotrič
Maja Brelih Lotrič took over the management of the LOTRIČ Metrology group at the end of 2022.
The LOTRIČ Metrology group unites 10 companies from 8 countries and more than 190 experts.
The parent company LOTRIČ Metrology, as a leading company on the Slovenian market in the field of metrology, provides continuous support and development in the field of calibrations, testing, certification and development of measurement systems tailored to the client.
Maja strongly believes in continuous progress through learning, which is why she continues to develop, educate and actively work in areas such as sustainable strategic transformations, strategy development and new business models.
The digitalization of processes is something she pays special attention to, as this way the company remains agile, follows global trends and responds quickly to them.
She is not afraid of connecting with multinationals (even competitive ones) because she believes in the shared knowledge and digital tools that have been developed within the LOTRIČ Metrology group and which place them at the top of European - if not global - laboratories.
She is aware that a business is only as successful as its employees. That is why she directs a lot of time and energy into good relationships at work and the personal development of her colleagues.
She has been involved in the operations of the LOTRIČ Metrology group since she was a child.
In recent years, she has been active primarily in the field of sales and project management for key customers and internal projects in the field of sustainability or sustainable strategies.
Because she is aware of the importance of cooperation, Maja Brelih Lotrič is also the vice president and member of the supervisory board of the ACS and a member of the board of directors of the Regional Chamber of Gorenjska.
In her private life, she is a mother and wife. Business and family are her two great passions, which she believes can be reconciled with good support.

Tina Hočevar
Tina Hočevar
For over 20 years, Tina Hočevar has been helping people improve their relationships,
unlock their potential, achieve inner balance, and manage stress.
Through years of education and work across the world (Singapore, Australia, the
United States, New Zealand, and China), she has explored different cultures,
communication differences, and the ways people express themselves and
connect with one another.
Along the way, she discovered that no matter
where we come from, our needs and challenges are surprisingly similar.
These days, through talks, workshops, and individual coaching/consulting,
she helps individuals and businesses recognize their worth and develop more
empathetic communication skills.
Her goal is to help people connect and
express themselves in a way that leads to deeper, more authentic, and more
fulfilling relationships.
Since meaningful connections are the key to happiness
and life satisfaction, her work contributes to a better quality of life.

Dr. Aida Kamišalić Latifić
Dr. Aida Kamišalić Latifić
Dr Aida Kamišalić Latifić was born in 1980 in Zvornik, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
She came to Maribor as a refugee at the beginning of the war in BiH. In 1994, she enrolled in the Classics and Humanities Department of the 'Prva gimnazija Maribor' grammar school.
In 2003, she completed her studies at the University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
At the same faculty she continued her postgraduate studies and career as an assistant professor in the subject area of Informatics.
During her PhD studies, she was a visiting researcher for several years at the University of Rovira and Virgili in Tarragona, Spain.
She obtained her PhD in 2014 in the field of Computer Science and Informatics.
She is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, and a member of Lab:UM, the Labratory for Data Technologies and Blockchain.
She has almost twenty years of experience in research, teaching and project work.
Her research interests include data technologies, big data, blockchain technology and medical informatics. She is one of the pioneers of the EduCTX initiative, which won the 2019 eAward (eNagrada) for the best project in computer science and informatics.
She has co-authored several scientific papers published in reputed journals and is the co-owner of an invention in the field of blockchain technology.
In January 2020, she was awarded the title Engineer of the Year 2019 in Slovenia.

Ljupka Vrteva
Ljupka Vrteva
Ljupka Vrteva, Engineer of the Year 2023, is a passionate advocate for technical professions among
young people, especially among girls.
She believes that professions have no gender – the key is that
young people follow their dreams and choose a path that truly makes them happy.
Through her
work and example, she encourages them to make courageous decisions for technical careers that
are crucial for the future.
She wants to show young people that in addition to technical knowledge, a
good engineer also needs ethical values and moral responsibility because only in this way can they
create solutions that are beneficial to society.
At the same time, she emphasizes the importance of
mentors and teachers from an early age because they can inspire and guide young people to
discover their talents.

Irena Lemut Čeh
Irena Lemut Čeh
Irena Lemut Čeh, the founder and owner of Labena Group, established the company in 1993 in Ljubljana and continues to lead it successfully today.
She has strategically developed the business by introducing new technologies, products, and services, expanding into new markets—including Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Serbia—and acquiring and developing research laboratories within the Group.
Irena has received an award from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia for her outstanding contributions to the economy.
Focused on continuous improvement in the Group’s operations and resource management, she is dedicated to her vision of creating a strong international team of experts united by a common goal: transforming ideas into discoveries.
Established in 1993, Labena Group is a family-owned business headquartered in Slovenia, with independent companies in Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Montenegro.
Initially focused on sales and service of specialized equipment for the pharmaceutical, food, and materials industries, as well as research and academia, Labena has evolved into a dynamic organization with four main pillars:
- Distribution, Servicing, and Application Support for Laboratory Equipment
- Contract Research and Development Organization for (Bio)Pharma and Biotech
- Laboratory and Commercial Interior Design, including Furniture Production and Installation
- Labena Ventures, a Corporate Ventures Accelerator
In 2016, Labena acquired a CRO laboratory certified for GMP and accredited by EMA and FDA.
Starting with 12 employees, the lab specialized in drug manufacturing protocols and pharmaceutical testing.
Today, it employs over 65 people, including 20+ PhDs, driving innovation in pharmaceutical development.

Natalija Gorščak
Natalija Gorščak
Comming soon...

Keynote Speeches
Get inspired by trailblazing women who are transforming industries and creating new paths.
Balance
Join the community aimed at personal development and professional growth..
Panel Discussions
Engage with thought leaders discussing critical topics that affect women today.
Networking Sessions
Connect with like-minded individuals who are motivated to make a difference.
Secure your spot today and be part of this extraordinary event! Conference participation is free of charge!

For further information contact:
Vanja Kavcic
Founder and editor-in-chief
The International