Exclusive | Profit

Mr. Dmitry Fomichev, Marketing Director at Social Discovery Ventures

The New Global Trend in Online Dating

Dating is a chance — a chance to meet someone new, a chance for them to introduce you to people, placesand things that you never knew you’d love. It’s the chance that you won’t like them and that they won’t likeyou. And it’s the chance that they will and that you will too. It’s the chance to spend time together — maybe a lifetime but maybe just an hour. And it’s this chance that was recently showcased at Serbia Fashion Week in Novi Sad by the leading international dating service Dating.com, a major sponsor of the event.

Mr. Dmitry Fomichev, Marketing Director of Social Discovery Ventures, parent company of Dating.com, speaks to Profit magazine.

Dmitry, what can you tell us about the online dating platform Dating.com?

Dating.com is the place to meet people from all around the world for exciting communication and online companionship. It is a chance to meet someone new anywhere in the world. A chance to meet people, a chance to spend some time together - maybe an hour or maybe even a lifetime. It is a fun and easy way for people to communicate across the globe.

At Dating.com singles can connect with those who share similar passions, hobbies, and common interests. There’s a whole new world of dating out there, full of like-minded people ready to connect without any inhibitions or worries.

Dating.com is a place where you can be yourself and not be judged, bringing the freedom to invent a new future without any hang-ups from the past.

What is the target group of this platform? How many countries does it cover at the moment?

The website is aimed at modern, open-minded men and women aged 18 years and over.

Dating.com now covers over 32 countries. Our overall focus is targeted at aglobal audience, but with the US as our key market.Our platform is aimed at those who want to expand their connections without any geographical restrictions. For example, Serbian members who would like to meet US or Australian members.

How does Dating.com protect the personal data of members? Where does the company stand on issues of privacy?

We have a rigorous security system that stores and protects all personal details sent to us. Our Privacy Policy is there to ensure that the private information we receive is used for internal purposes only. Members can rest assured that we treat all personal details with maximum care and attention. You can also find our Privacy Policy on the main page of Dating.com.

What are the future plans of Dating.com in Serbia?

Our plans are to expand our business in Serbia. To make more Serbian people aware that there are more opportunities offered by online dating. We plan to continue taking part in events, as we did sponsoring Serbia Fashion Week.

What number of registered membersfrom Serbia are there on Dating.com?

There are thousands of active Serbian members on Dating.com. We expect our website to become even more popular.Dating.com is an international dating service so it doesn’t matter where you are from! The website has users from over 32 countries and it’s possible to meet anyone from anywhere!

There is a growing number of active Serbian members on Dating.com. We expect our website to become even more popular. Dating.com is an international dating service so it doesn’t matter where you are from! The website has users from over 32 countries and it’s possible to meet anyone from anywhere!

About Dmitry:

Married with 1 daughter aged 5 years. Dmitry’s hobbies are travel, swimming, mountain skiing, and volleyball. He says“Serbia is very beautiful and peaceful,with a calming atmosphere and friendly people...“

Predrag Todorovic

General Director of LG Electronics Representative Office for Serbia and Montenegro

LG Electronics is a global electronics company headquartered in Yeouido, Seoul, South Korea. LG Electronics is the world's second-largest manufacturer of television sets and third-largest producer of mobile phones. It is the flagship company of LG Group, one of the world's largest electronic conglomerates. The company was originally established in 1958 as GoldStar, producing radios, TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners. The LG Group was a merger of two Korean companies, Lucky and GoldStar, from which the abbreviation of LG was derived. The current "Life's Good" slogan is a backronym. Before the corporate name change to LG, household products were sold under the brand name of Lucky, while electronic products were sold under the brand name of GoldStar .In January 2009 LG was able to buy the domain name, LG.com, placing it among the companies who own their two letter brand's domain name. LG Electronics today is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electronics products. As of 2009, this company is the third largest-producer of mobile phones and the second largest-producer of television sets in the entire world. Its central headquarters is situated in the LG Twin Towers in Seoul, South Korea. The company has about one hundred and forty nine subsidiaries all over the world that manufacture different kinds of electronic gadgets from home appliances to telecommunication devices. LG Electronics is a Top 100 global brand that is a dominant force to be reckoned within the electronics industry. From a small South Korean company in the 1950’s, LG Electronics is now truly a global leader in the electronics market. A lot of households do have their products. [More]

Miodrag Kvrgic

Director of Merkur Insurance, Serbia

Merkur Insurance is the oldest insurance company in Austria, independent and with head office in Graz. It all began more than 200 years ago, on June 17, 1798, initiated by four merchants from Graz, Austria. More than a half of merchants from this town gathered at, at that time very well known and well-visited inn “Grafi”. Cause for gathering was establishing “Institute for supporting sick, poor, unemployed merchants of the town of Graz unable to work due to an old age”. This Institute was forerunner of present Merkur Insurance. For more than two centuries, Merkur Insurance has been insuring people and offering protection of belongings of highest value for an individual. They have been determined to protect life and health, and their definition of healthy life is overall physical, mental and social welfare. Today, besides Austria, countries of SE Europe represent extremely important market, where they are active through their subsidiaries. [More]

Sotiris Yannopoulos

General Manager, Coca-Cola Hellenic Serbia

It was 1886, and in New York Harbor, workers were constructing the Statue of Liberty. Eight hundred miles away, another great American symbol was about to be unveiled. During 1886, Coca Cola’s first year, sales averaged a modest nine drinks per day. In 2009, over 1.5billion beverage servings are sold each day. Although Coca-Cola® was first created in the United States; it quickly became popular wherever it went. Today, they produce nearly 400 brands in over 200 countries. More than 70 percent of their income comes from outside the U.S., making The Coca-Cola Company a truly global company. Coca-Cola is committed to local markets, paying attention to what people from different cultures and backgrounds like to drink, and where and how they want to drink it. With its bottling partners, the Company reaches out to the local communities it serves, believing that Coca-Cola exists to benefit and refresh everyone it touches. [More]

Branko Krstonosic

President of Board of Directors, Wiener Städtische Insurance

Wiener Städtische Insurance is a part of Vienna Insurance Group, leading Austrian insurance company in Central and Eastern Europe, with tradition of more than 185 years in business.Combination of economic power, expertise and knowledge have brought confirmed quality and safety to the market, providing them with leading position in life-insurance, and being among leading insurance companies in the domestic market with entire portfolio.The mission of the company from the beginning has been to create and develop culture of insurance and provision of services, the quality of which fits modern global business standards. Therefore, they have been constantly developing products in compliance with concept of European modern insurance, adjustable to needs and requirements of local market.Wiener Städtische Insurance realized gross invoiced premium amounting to RSD 4.89 bn in the last year, being 8.91% increase.Total balance amount amounted to RSD 11.5 bn at the end of 2010, and was higher by 25% than in 2009. Life insured were distributed high profit amounting to RSD 142 mil. [More]

Miroslav Bogicevic

Owner and director of Concern Farmakom MB

Concern Farmakom MB was established in 1989 and started its operations within the field of trade as “Farmakom d.o.o.”, dealing, first of all, with import of raw materials for chemical industry. During the first decade of its existence, the company achieved extraordinary results within this field, cooperating primarily with Zorka Sabac company. With the change in market conditions in Serbia and after preconditions for starting privatizations were met, the company changed its focus from trading towards production activity, starting process of acquiring production companies and investing in them. During multi annual efforts, it reinforced foundations of these companies enabling them to have solid and successful start of new business ventures. The company has achieved excellent business results in many fields with further continuous investments in research and development, as well as with application of new technologies, spread fields of its business and developed aiming at becoming local and international leader in the field of production. During 2006, the company became a concern, operating successfully as Concern Farmakom MB ever since. At present, Farmakom MB includes nine separate companies and operates in three industries: agriculture, metal processing industry and mining.

More

Andrej Beslac

Business Development Manager, Carlsberg Srbija

Brewery Pivara ”Čelarevo” was founded in 1892 by Lazar Dunđerski, one of the most distinguished Serbian land owners at that time, in Čelarevo, at the agricultural land of his family. The initial capacity was 10,000 hl per year. After World War II, in the process of nationalization, the brewery turned from private to state and social property. Significant technological development began in the 1970s, although the brewery produced 150,000hl annually until 1975. In 1980, the most state-of-the art production facility of that time, with two beer bottling lines and a modern cooling and tank storage system, was constructed. The brewery started expanding operations rapidly in 1990, when the latest brewing facility with the capacity of 1,200,000hl annually was launched. Throughout its history, brewery Pivara “Čelarevo” produced Dunđersko, Čib, Tref zlatno, Standard, Herkules Dark, Export a la Pilsen, Novosadsko, Specijalno Dark, Lav Special beers. In September 2003, a majority share package in Pivara Čelarevo a.d. was acquired by Carlsberg Breweries A/S. The privatization of Pivara “Čelarevo is one of the most successful privatizations in Serbia, and Carlsberg is ranked among largest foreign investors in the Serbian economy. Resulting from hard work and commitment of all the employees, the brewery satisfied standards and quality and in September 2005 obtained the prestigious name of Carlsberg Srbija d.o.o. and became part of international beer production concern Carlsberg Breweries A/S.

More

Douglas Lafferty

General Manager of British American Tobacco Serbia and Montenegro

Tobacco has been smoked for at least the last three thousand years. Christopher Columbus found it when he landed in the Americas in 1492, but ancient temple carvings show tobacco being smoked in Central America as long ago as 1,000 BC. Ever since it arrived in Europe in the late 15th century, tobacco has divided opinions, sparked controversy and generated substantial revenue through tax. Not long after it reached Europe, it was being described in terms ranging from “vile custom of manifold abuses” and “feast for the fiend” to “the divine herb” and “cornucopia of all earthly pleasure”. Today, the tobacco industry produces more than 5,400 billion cigarettes a year globally. British American Tobacco is the most international tobacco company, with brands sold in more than 180 markets. British American Tobacco has been in business for more than 100 years, trading through the turbulence of wars, revolutions and nationalizations as well as all the controversy surrounding smoking. The business was established in 1902, as a joint venture between the UK’s Imperial Tobacco Company and the American Tobacco Company founded by James ‘Buck’ Duke. Despite its name, derived from the home bases of its two founding companies, British American Tobacco was established to trade outside both the UK and the USA, and grew from its roots in dozens of countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and continental Europe. BAT was “born international” and has developed over a century’s expertise in operating locally in diverse cultures around the world. In Serbia, BAT is present for 15 years. It functioned as a representative office until 2003, when a major milestone happened – the acquisition of Tobaco Industry Vranje (DIV).

More

Number 161-162 - December 2022.-January 2023..

Interview - Svetoslav Atanasov COCA-COLA