Careers in banking are rarely built at speed. They are shaped by the willingness to move between disciplines, to take on responsibility before the moment feels entirely comfortable, and to build knowledge and reputation patiently enough that both last. That patience runs through the professional journey of Marija Kiroska Jovcheska, Head of Credit Division at Halkbank AD Skopje, who moved from the bank’s control functions into the leadership of its credit business. In this interview for Women on Boards Adria (WOBA), she reflects on leading inside a fast-growing bank, the barriers that still slow women’s progress in the financial sector, and why she believes a career is a marathon rather than a sprint.
Most women in senior leadership can point to a moment when something shifted: a conversation, a risk, a decision that changed the direction of their career. What was that moment for you?
In the career of every professional, there is a moment when you need to step out of your comfort zone to make a real leap forward. For me, that was the decision to transition from the bank’s control functions (Internal Audit, Internal Control, and Compliance) to directly leading the Credit Department.
Banking is a dynamic industry, and every new position brings greater responsibility, but also a greater opportunity to grow professionally and to influence both results and people. Audit and control provide an excellent analytical foundation, but taking on a managerial position in lending meant making daily decisions that have a long-term impact on both clients and the bank.
In those moments, I realised that a good leader isn’t the one who has all the answers, but the one who knows how to listen to different perspectives, make a decision when it’s toughest, and stand by it. That is something you learn through experience.
Throughout my career, I was fortunate to work with professionals from whom I learned that credibility isn’t built through a job title, but through consistency, knowledge, and integrity. Today, that is precisely what I consider the greatest asset a leader can possess.
Halkbank is the fastest-growing bank in North Macedonia and has just completed a 40 million euro recapitalisation. From where you sit, what are the skills and qualities that matter most when leading inside an organisation growing at that pace?
When leading a division in a bank growing at the pace of Halkbank, the most essential skill is strategic agility. Increased capital brings a higher volume of work and responsibility, making it crucial to maintain a balance between the speed of credit approvals and precise risk evaluation.
In lending, this means carefully analysing every new placement, basing every decision on facts, and always thinking long-term. Our goal is not just to approve more loans, but to build a high-quality, sustainable credit portfolio that contributes to the growth of both our clients and the bank.
Beyond technical expertise, I believe leaders today must have the ability to adapt quickly. The financial sector is changing faster than ever: digitalisation, new regulations, economic shifts, and evolving client expectations require continuous learning.
However, if I had to single out one trait, it would be the ability to build a strong team. No bank grows because of just one person. Growth is driven by people. That is why it is essential to invest in their development, foster an atmosphere of trust, and give them the space to take initiative. Only then can an organisation achieve sustainable growth.
The banking sector across the Western Balkans remains predominantly male at the top. What is the single biggest barrier women face in reaching decision-making positions in the financial sector, and what would actually remove it?
I believe the situation is gradually improving, but there are still certain stereotypes that sometimes affect how leadership is perceived. Women often feel they have to repeatedly prove their competence to gain the same opportunities.
On the other hand, many women set higher standards for themselves and wait to be “100 per cent ready” before taking on a new challenge. In practice, leadership is mostly learned while doing the job.
What truly changes the situation is not just quotas or policies, but organisational culture. When advancement is based on results, knowledge, and leadership skills rather than gender, women naturally reach positions where they can make an impact.
At Halkbank, we have an environment where professionalism and competence are the key criteria for advancement. I myself am proof of that. This creates equal opportunities, and I believe that this very approach is the best way to encourage greater representation of women in decision-making.
The EU Women on Boards Directive will increasingly shape expectations across the Western Balkans. Beyond compliance, have you personally seen a moment where gender diversity in leadership made a measurable difference to how a decision was made or a problem was solved at Halkbank?
Diversity should never be just a statistic. Its true value is seen when different perspectives lead to higher-quality decisions.
In the financial sector, we often make complex decisions that require analytical skills, risk comprehension, and a deep understanding of our clients all at once. When people around the table bring different professional backgrounds, distinct ways of thinking, and varied life perspectives, discussions become richer, more questions are asked, and potential risks are identified more easily.
In my daily work at Halkbank, I constantly witness how mixed teams make significantly better and more balanced decisions when managing credit risks. Diverse teams are more likely to arrive at innovative solutions because they approach every problem from multiple angles. Additionally, women in leadership often bring a unique perspective, deeper empathy, and a comprehensive view of market needs, something particularly visible when creating products that support small businesses and female entrepreneurship. Having diverse thinking at the decision-making table protects the organisation from one-sided solutions and fosters a more stable business strategy.
That is why I believe gender diversity should not be viewed as merely fulfilling a regulatory obligation, but as a competitive advantage that contributes to better corporate governance and superior decision-making. Team building and decisions regarding managerial placements should not be based on gender representation criteria or the formal fulfilment of prescribed quotas. A person’s professional competence, capabilities, and skills to achieve goals should always remain the key criteria.
“Credibility isn’t built through a job title, but through consistency, knowledge, and integrity.”
If a woman in the early stages of her career asked you: what is the single best investment I can make in myself right now, whether that is learning, networking, a specific skill, or something else entirely, what would you tell her?
All the aspects mentioned are important. However, not everything can be learned and acquired at once: after all, success doesn’t happen overnight; a career is a marathon, not a sprint. I would tell her to invest in knowledge, but not only in formal education. Today, the greatest value lies in the ability to continuously learn and adapt. The skills of adaptability and a willingness to learn new things are essential throughout one’s entire career.
Banking is changing at a rapid pace. Today, alongside financial expertise, there is a demand for understanding technology, data analytics, digital processes, regulations, and communication skills. The more diverse competencies you acquire, the better prepared you are for future challenges.
Also, my advice would be to invest in acquiring specific, hard-to-find technical expertise and internationally recognised certifications. Networking is important, but connections gain true value only after you build a solid professional foundation that sets you apart from the crowd. When you possess advanced knowledge in fields such as data analytics, risk management, or financial engineering, you build an unquestionable professional authority that no one can take away from you.
Of course, right after knowledge comes the importance of mentorship as a tool for growth. Personally, I strongly believe in its transformative power, which is why I actively commit to supporting young minds through participation in global platforms like “The Founder Games”, where, as a mentor to ambitious entrepreneurs, I had the opportunity to share my experience in order to guide them towards success. Learning from the lessons of others and having a true mentor is perhaps the fastest way to build a confident professional step in the labour market.
And perhaps most importantly, not to be afraid of making mistakes. There is no perfect moment in a career. Sometimes, the greatest professional progress happens when you accept a challenge for which you feel you aren’t fully ready yet.
When you look at the next generation of women building careers in banking in North Macedonia, what do you know now that you wish someone had told you when you were starting out, something practical rather than motivational?
I wish someone had told me earlier that a career isn’t a sprint, but a marathon. You don’t have to seize every opportunity immediately, nor do you have to solve every challenge on your own. The most important thing is to build your knowledge and reputation continuously. Patience, both with yourself and with others, is essential.
I would also tell them that reputation is the most valuable currency in banking. Clients, colleagues, and partners long remember whether you were professional, kept your word, and acted ethically. That is an asset built over years.
A practical piece of advice is also not to limit yourself strictly to your own field. If you work in lending, learn more about risk management, digital banking, financial markets, or corporate governance. The better you understand the big picture, the easier it will be to make strategic decisions. In fact, through my background in audit and control functions, I first got to understand the full picture, which greatly helped me later in subsequent positions focused on more specific areas, such as lending.
And finally, don’t wait for someone else to recognise your value. Be curious, take initiative, accept responsibility, and constantly work on improving yourself. Those are the qualities that stand out the most and, in the long run, open new doors.
