Maja Borovina Frankić: A Bridge Between Croatia and Foreign Investors

Maja Borovina Frankić has a strategic goal: to present Croatia to foreign investors and connect the national and regional business landscape. She is putting that goal into practice with the skill of a seasoned strategist, successfully bringing together all the elements of a first-class business gathering.

HOW DO YOU VIEW THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MASTER BUSINESS FORUM TODAY COMPARED WITH YOUR INITIAL VISION?
When I launched the Master Business Forum, I did not want to organise just another conference. I wanted to create a platform that connects people, ideas and capital while contributing to long-term economic development. From the very beginning, the goal was not simply to organise an event, but to build a business ecosystem that would position Croatia and the region among Europe’s relevant business meeting points. Attending some of the world’s most prominent international business events showed me that the greatest changes do not happen within closed systems, but in places where people from different industries, backgrounds, and perspectives come together. That is why, from day one, I have maintained that MBF is not just another event. MBF is a platform built on trust, a sense of community, and the creation of long-term value. In the age of artificial intelligence, information is no longer a competitive advantage. It is becoming accessible to everyone. What cannot be automated is trust, reputation, and meaningful relationships between people. This is precisely why I believe the business events of the future will be as valuable as their ability to bring the right people together. If we can accelerate the building of trust between people who have the potential to shape the economy together, we can also accelerate the development of society. That was MBF’s mission from day one, and I believe it will continue to define its development in the years ahead.

WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST AFTER THE FORUM’S PREVIOUS EDITIONS?
What surprised me most was just how much people genuinely value authentic, face-to-face encounters. We live in an age of content, events, and information overload. As a result, earning someone’s time and attention has become extremely difficult. People are very selective about where they invest their time, energy, and trust, and they choose to place that trust in us. The support MBF received exceeded all my expectations. People recognised the sincerity behind the project and were willing to help without calculating what they might gain in return. It reminded me that keeping one’s word, trust, and a shared goal still carry enormous value. That is why I often think of Jim Collins’ line from Good to Great: ‘Great vision without great people is irrelevant.’ MBF would never have become what it is today without the people who believed in its idea from the very beginning. Ultimately, an economy is not just made up of companies. It is made up of people and the relationships they build.

HOW DOES MBF DIFFER FROM TRADITIONAL TRADE FAIRS AND CONFERENCES?
For years, we lived in the event era. Today, we are entering the era of business ecosystems. Traditional trade fairs showcase products. Conferences present ideas. MBF connects people who can create new value together. That is precisely its greatest difference. We cannot solve the challenges of the future with formats from the past. Economic development requires new meeting places that enable the private, public and academic sectors to connect and create space for new collaborations, partnerships and investments. Our goal is to develop a platform that, in the long term, will become a place where business opportunities and connections emerge, of the kind that characterise Europe's most developed economies.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO CONNECT DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES, GIVEN THAT REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PRIVATE, PUBLIC AND ACADEMIC SECTORS PARTICIPATE?
The greatest innovations rarely emerge within a single industry. None of us is an island, and every industry has its key stakeholders in other sectors. At the same time, I believe that many companies of the future will emerge precisely at the boundaries between industries. We can already see this in practice today. The automotive industry is becoming a technology industry. Banks are becoming software companies. Healthcare is increasingly relying on artificial intelligence and data analytics. The boundaries between industries are becoming increasingly blurred. Steve Jobs once said that creativity comes from connecting things that at first glance do not seem connected. That is precisely the philosophy of MBF. The most valuable ideas do not emerge when people who think alike talk to one another. They emerge when different experiences, perspectives, and ways of thinking meet. I believe the future belongs to those who understand different industries and know how to connect them. Interdisciplinary will be one of the greatest competitive advantages of the modern economy.

WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT? CAN YOU BRIEFLY ANNOUNCE THE NEXT MASTER BUSINESS FORUM?
We want every new MBF to be a step beyond the previous one – in terms of content quality, international reach and the business opportunities it creates. This year's edition will take place from 8 to 11 October 2026 in Rovinj, where we expect business leaders, investors, representatives of the public and academic sectors, and decision-makers from Croatia, the region and Europe. The focus of the conference programme will be on topics that will shape the competitiveness of the European economy in the years ahead, while creating space for new partnerships, investments and business opportunities. Our goal is not to organise an event that lasts a few days, but to develop a business ecosystem that connects people throughout the year, facilitates collaboration and contributes to the development of the economy. If I had to single out one thought as the driving idea behind MBF, it would be this sentence by Simon Sinek from The Infinite Game: 'The true value of an organization is measured by its desire to advance a cause greater than itself.' MBF is not an end in itself. Its value is measured by the value it creates for others. If one day we can say that we connected people who went on to launch new projects, investments, or ideas that advanced the economy, then we will know that we have accomplished our mission.