According to Eurostat’s labor force survey, published on the occasion of International Women’s Day, there were a total of 23,200 women in managerial positions in Croatia in 2023.
Their numerical representation at the top of the hierarchy has shown a positive trend over the past decade, as there were 17,100 women in leadership positions in 2013. However, their overall share in management structures remains unsatisfactory. Compared to other EU member states, Croatia ranks at the very bottom.
On average, women in the EU make up 34.8% of management structures, while in Croatia, this percentage is only 23.8%. The only country with a lower share is Luxembourg (22.2%). In neighboring Slovenia, the proportion of women in leadership matches the EU average, while the highest percentages are found in Sweden (43.7%), Latvia, and Poland.
Recently, attention has been drawn to this issue by Vjera Marić, who has taken over the management of the so-called new 3. Maj, or the company 3. Maj Rijeka 1905. The company has acquired both the employees and, previously, the concession and assets of the Rijeka shipyard. The old shipyard, which has been struggling with financial difficulties for years, has completed its last major construction project and is soon headed for final bankruptcy, while its operations will continue under Marić’s leadership as the new 3. Maj.
Before Vjera Marić, another well-known name in the Rijeka shipbuilding industry was Sandra Uzelac, the longtime head of Viktor Lenac. She has been in the top management of this repair shipyard since the company emerged from bankruptcy proceedings in 2008, and after serving as the only board member, she was officially appointed president in March last year.
Viktor Lenac, owned by the Italian Palumbo Group, has been successfully operating for years. Even amid global instability, it maintains full capacity, and one of its most recognized projects is servicing the U.S. Navy, a role it will continue to fulfill this year.
The longest managerial tenure in the shipbuilding industry undoubtedly belongs to Gordana Deranja. Since 1998, she has been at the helm of Tehnomont in Pula, a mid-sized shipyard specializing in the construction of aluminum vessels, primarily fishing and workboats. She is not only the company’s CEO but also a co-owner.
Source: poslovni.hr
Photo: Roberta F., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10337135
