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Gordana Kovačević
Episode · #263

RITAM POSLA Gordana Kovačević

Guest Gordana KovačevićHosted by Lidija KiseljakMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

Gordana Kovačević has led Ericsson Nikola Tesla for over fifteen years, a significant tenure in any industry, but particularly striking in technology, where women remain underrepresented in leadership. Her experience offers a clear perspective on building authority through knowledge and integrity, rather than conforming to expectations. She reflects on how her company has not only endured but thrived through periods of intense market disruption and global crises. In a year defined by a pandemic, earthquakes, and political instability across key markets, Ericsson Nikola Tesla posted strong results. Kovačević details the strategic decisions and cultural resilience that allowed her organization to achieve its goals "despite the pandemic and earthquakes," as she puts it. Her account is a study in maintaining focus and investing for the future, even when immediate conditions demand constant adaptation. Listeners will consider how to cultivate resilience within their own teams, the importance of continuous investment in R&D and employee skills during downturns, and what it truly means to lead with conviction in a rapidly changing world.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Gordana Kovačević has led a technology company for over fifteen years, a period where "the majority of my colleagues are still predominantly male." Her strategy for establishing authority was never to address gender, but to consistently "build on myself, my knowledge, and the integrity of my personality." Your leadership is defined by your results and your character, not by the demographics of your industry.
02
In 2020, Ericsson Nikola Tesla increased revenue by nearly 14% and significantly improved cash flow, a performance Gordana Kovačević attributes to realizing "all those key strategic goals we set, despite the pandemic and earthquakes." The test of a strategy isn't its elegance on paper, but its ability to deliver results when every external factor is working against you.
03
When the pandemic hit, Ericsson Nikola Tesla rapidly shifted to remote work, even for teams working on new ideas and solutions, while also maintaining field operations that "cannot be done remotely." The ability to fluidly switch between work models — fully remote collaboration and essential on-site execution — is a truer measure of organizational strength than simply moving everyone online.
04
Early in 2020, Ericsson Nikola Tesla took on full responsibility for managing HT's telecom network, a "significant change in product mix and business model" that involved intense transition and restructuring programs. You can execute major strategic shifts even in the most turbulent years, provided you commit fully to the transformation, rather than pausing for better times.
05
Even with unprecedented operational challenges, Ericsson Nikola Tesla "did not stop investing" in digital transformation, employee skill development, or 5G labs. The impulse during a crisis is often to cut future-facing initiatives, but the counter-intuitive move is to deepen those investments, positioning yourself for the rebound.
06
In a year of economic uncertainty, Ericsson Nikola Tesla hired over 200 new specialists, primarily for its large research and development center. Talent acquisition for core innovation isn't a faucet to be turned off and on with market cycles; it's a continuous pipeline that must be maintained to secure future growth.
07
Amidst all the external pressures of 2020, Ericsson Nikola Tesla successfully completed a full suite of ISO certifications and a campus energy efficiency project that will generate "very large savings in the coming period." Operational excellence initiatives, often seen as secondary, are precisely the projects that build long-term stability and cost savings, making them essential even in turbulent times.
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