Employee interview - Robert Rac

What were the jobs that you worked on so far at the company?

So far I have had the opportunity to work in two sectors at the company, IT department and Business development. When stating these two sectors, I can say that through them I have gotten to know the way the company does business.  Namely, through everyday projects that we do, we cooperate with other sectors and companies within Podravka Group, so I am very much aware of its size and complexity of doing business. Podravka operates on many markets, which makes it an international company. Having graduated from Koprivnica High School and getting my BE degree from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing in Zagreb, I have worked on developing applications in the area of logistics, finance and telecommunication. I have spent a part of my career in Austria, working on projects all over Europe, which enabled me to get to know the culture of the European countries. Having arrived to Podravka, I was employed at IT department, on development and improvement of business processes using Microsoft technology. With my colleagues at the IT department I participated on creating eProcess platform with which we covered a part of doing business, which was not covered up to then with SAP technology.  Since the company enables a wide range of jobs, I changed my job and left to the Strategic Development department, what enabled me to get a completely different view of the company business. There I saw the importance of creating strategies and visions for the company and the importance of implementing this strategy, and tracking competition in order to get competitive edge.

Could you describe your tasks at the company?

I am currently employed as project manager for IT projects based on SAP BW technology. Actually, this is called business intelligence, and it is about data existing anywhere within the company are transformed using various IT models and transformation into information, and that way they are easier to plan, analyse and distribute in the company.  Business intelligence concept and technology application enables easier and more efficient solving of management problems.

What do you consider to be the challenges of your work?

I feel that companies today would have it difficult, if not impossible, to do business without IT and communication technologies, so I am very happy to see how my expertise is helping in realizing company goals.

In your opinion, what are the advantages of working at Podravka?

Podravka is the company of rich history and success. In my opinion, Podravka is one of the best employers in the country in the aspect of job security, great business knowledge that enables workers to learn, develop, and advance business processes that ensure Podravka's well known and quality products. I believe in Podravka and respect its complexity and size.

It is an honour to work at an international company with highly developed business processes, and its umbrella IT system SAP enables doing business on a world scale. I am proud to be a member of a team that maintains and develops an IT system that supports company's overall business.

Podravka is a serious giant, full of potential and people pushing it forward. Moreover, IT department at Podravka has extremely responsible and fine employees, they are my colleagues from whom I learn and daily meet with challenges of this job. I would say that Podravka cherishes a sort of non-formal atmosphere among colleagues, but seriously and responsibly asks for results, which are not lacking at the IT department.

Our IT department is one of the best IT sectors among Croatian companies whose IT is not their core business. In the end I can only say what Podravka's employees know all to well, considering the times we live in, we are truly happy to be employed at Podravka.