Meet our new CMO: Valerija Ereš

Bosnia and Herzegovina Futures Foundation is constantly growing, year after year our numbers keep getting higher in every segment, and we help more and more students to reach their true potential. This is all possible thanks to our huuuuugeeeeeee team of volunteers that works in the background and makes sure that everything works flawlessly. 

One very special role in our volunteer team is the Chief Marketing Officer (a.k.a CMO) because it is really challenging to channel and communicate dozens of our activities and achievements, our mission and vision, our latest projects, and other important topics, through our communication tools. After two and a half years of being the CMO (yes, this is me, Kenan, now the ex-CMO, writing this), I decided it is time to pass the torch to the next generation, and now CMO title moves from Tešanj to Ljubuški, to a super creative young lady with a ton of positive energy - Valerija Ereš

Valerija’s story about the engagement with the Foundation is very interesting, to say the least. She was a mentee in our expanded mentorship program back in 2019, then she participated in the Innovation Nation, and soon after that, in 2020, she became our Senior Scholar (she completed her application in the last minutes of the deadline, in a typical Herzegovinian manner) and Marketing Associate briefly after that. 

As a part of the tradition, we decided to interview Valerija and asked her more about her engagement with the Foundation and her new role. 

First of all, describe yourself briefly. 

Well, others say I am always happy. I think I am just grateful for this incredible journey called life. I am also crazy enough to think that I can change something. I am really in love with Bosnia and Herzegovina, our nature, food, and people. I am also a professional multitasker and workaholic. 

Problem solving is my passion, but more than that I love people, so that is why I decided to dedicate myself to marketing!

Why are you passionate about the Foundation? What do you like the most about us? 

Imagine that you have a problem. We all can easily do that I believe. Now imagine more than 150 people willing to help you. That’s like one big family striving for your growth. In the Foundation, we work on big and amazing projects with incredible people. You grow, others help you, and you help others to grow at the same time, it's a perfect system.

We are also in a crazy game of changing the mindsets of the Bosnian and Herzegovinian youth by creating a super supportive community, opportunities, and through our three basic pillars of education, technology, and leadership, we are working hard to shape the next generation of change-makers. I would say that the Foundation works in a very simple way - if you give you will receive even more. 

Why did you join us? What motivated you?  

To be honest I didn't know much about Foundation. I met Eddie during the Innovation Nation Program and he convinced me that it is the right thing for me. When I look back now I can’t believe that I needed convincing, but from the moment I joined, I really knew that this is something special in our environment.

What are your plans for the future?

That is always a hard question. In the short term, I plan to complete my university education (I am currently on Master program), and I plan to work in marketing of course since I am in love with the field at the moment. In the long term, I don’t have specific goals but for sure I can say that I will remain curious, open-minded, eager to learn, and keep volunteering.

What new can we expect in our work?

I hope to see live events so more people can feel that energy and opportunity I really miss that.

Since I am living and working in Mostar, we will try to reach more students in Herzegovina and to present our work to them. We will use some new methods, but you will see all of that on our channels. I don’t want to spoil anything, since the BH Futures Marketing team is planning some cool things for you at the backstage. We will also work on expanding our target audience beyond students and professionals, which we already started in a way with some projects, but you can expect to see more of that soon as well. Finally, we aim to transform Bosnia & Herzegovina into a prosperous nation that can respond to the challenges of the 21st Century, that is the vision of the Foundation and the work of the Marketing team will be built around that. 

Kenan Kurdić