OSIGURAJ SE Nataša Kapetanović

Guest Nataša KapetanovićHosted by Marijana MatkovićMay 3, 2026

Nataša Kapetanović

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

Nataša Kapetanović is a mathematician by training, a background that gives her a particular lens on the business world. When asked about the "glass ceiling" for women in leadership, she points to the numbers: women make up 60% of highly educated individuals in Croatia, but only 15% of executive boards. While she never personally felt disadvantaged in her career, the statistics, she says, "speak for themselves." Now, as the newly appointed CEO of Grawe osiguranje, Kapetanović leads a company that defies industry norms, with two-thirds of its portfolio in life insurance, a stark contrast to the market average. She discusses how this focus began in uncertain times and continues to shape their strategy. This conversation explores leadership, market positioning, and the enduring human need for security, offering a perspective on how a blend of analytical rigor and a deep understanding of human needs can drive a business forward.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

Nataša Kapetanović, a mathematician, notes that while she never personally experienced a "glass ceiling" in her career, the numbers are clear: women constitute 60% of highly educated individuals in Croatia but only 15% of executive boards. An individual's smooth career path does not negate the statistical reality of systemic barriers in leadership; the data itself reveals the presence of a "glass ceiling."

Kapetanović suggests that today's career women stand on the shoulders of their mothers' generation, who "broke a kind of ceiling" by simultaneously working, raising children, and managing households. Progress in professional advancement for women is built upon the dual burden carried by previous generations, whose unseen labor created the conditions for current opportunities.

Despite Grawe's nearly 200-year history and 26 years in Croatia, Kapetanović states that to remain successful, "we must change. The market changes, clients change, demands change." Long-term stability and a client-first approach demand constant product evolution and strategic adaptation; core values provide direction, not an excuse for stasis.

Grawe's portfolio is two-thirds life insurance, a stark contrast to the industry average of 28-31%, a focus that began 26 years ago "with the idea of protecting what is most important." Building a core business that runs counter to market averages, especially by aligning with fundamental human needs in uncertain times, can create a distinct competitive advantage and long-term resilience.

Kapetanović emphasizes that serving clients means both retaining existing ones by following their life cycle and attracting new ones by asking "unpleasant questions" about their financial security. The most effective client engagement is not passive; it involves proactively anticipating life changes and prompting individuals to confront uncomfortable but necessary financial realities.

Kapetanović observes that for 26 years, the Croatian insurance market has been described as having "eternal potential," a phrase that, she says, is still used today. When a market is consistently labeled as "potential" over decades, it signals a deeper, persistent challenge in shifting cultural perceptions of value, rather than merely a lack of product availability.

The conversation highlights an example of grandparents insuring their grandchildren, creating "a nice starting position" for them 25 years later. The most compelling way to present long-term financial products is not through abstract benefits but by framing them as multi-generational tools that secure a tangible future for loved ones.

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