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Saša Bilić
Episode · #43

TEHNOBIZ Saša Bilić

Guest Saša BilićHosted by Dražen TomićMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

Operating at the heart of Croatia's digital infrastructure, Apis IT manages the complex systems that power the country's tax and customs administrations, alongside numerous other critical government services. It's a unique position: a company co-owned by the state and the City of Zagreb, tasked with delivering high-stakes technology while navigating the realities of public sector employment and private sector competition for talent. Saša Bilić, the CEO of Apis IT, offers a rare look inside this essential, often unseen, engine of public administration. He details how his team retains top IT talent with a turnover rate under 4% and how they are building the future of government services, including a new, EU-funded Shared Service Center. You will walk away with a clearer understanding of the nuanced challenges and unexpected advantages of running a national tech backbone.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Saša Bilić clarifies that Apis IT is a 'company,' not an 'agency,' a distinction that grants it commercial flexibility, particularly in setting salaries. This formal classification defines operational possibilities, showing how a single word can significantly alter a state-owned entity's commercial scope and talent acquisition strategy.
02
Despite its state ownership, Apis IT maintains an employee fluctuation rate under 4%, a number the guest calls 'very good for the IT industry.' This shows that for high-skill tech talent, challenging projects on cutting-edge platforms, combined with fair financial terms, can be as compelling as private sector salaries.
03
Bilić highlights that Apis IT offers 'every IT platform currently on the market,' from legacy to modern, and that people work on 'concrete projects.' For high-skill professionals, the depth and breadth of technical exposure and focused project work can often be a stronger draw than a purely salary-driven decision.
04
Apis IT's 55-year history means it holds 'historical competence' and long-tenured employees who have seen systems evolve. In mission-critical public infrastructure, institutional memory and deep domain knowledge built over decades become an irreplaceable asset, often more important than rapid innovation cycles alone.
05
Croatia secured over 362 million HRK in non-repayable EU funds for the Shared Service Center (CDU) project, covering 85% of its costs. This demonstrates that strategic national digital infrastructure projects can be largely de-risked and accelerated by aligning with EU funding priorities and proving their broader public benefit.
06
The CDU aims to consolidate state IT infrastructure for 300 institutions within three years, notably excluding only the most classified data like military and police. This indicates a pragmatic approach to digital transformation: target the vast majority of government data first, leaving highly sensitive systems for specialized, separate solutions.
07
Bilić claims Apis IT has 'the strongest cloud team in Croatia, maybe even the region,' built through 'concrete projects.' A genuine competitive edge in a specific technology stack isn't just about hiring; it's about giving those hires meaningful, large-scale problems to solve that push their capabilities.
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