Successful careers are rarely built along a predetermined path. They are shaped by the courage to step beyond the familiar, the willingness to keep learning, and the ability to recognise new opportunities within every challenge. This has been the defining characteristic of the professional journey of Katerina Janković, Member of the Management Board of NLB Banka Skopje, who has spent more than two decades in banking. In this interview for Women on Boards Adria (WOBA), she reflects on leadership, the personal and professional turning points that have shaped her career, and the importance of creating organisational environments where talent is recognised and nurtured regardless of gender.
You joined the Management Board of NLB Banka Skopje after more than twenty years in the banking sector. What surprised you most about the shift from senior management to a board-level role?
Over the years, I had the opportunity to hold a number of senior leadership positions, which allowed me to work closely with management boards. I was involved in many initiatives and, through that experience, gained a deep understanding of their responsibilities, obligations, and the challenges they face in their day-to-day work. The extensive discussions surrounding strategy development were an invaluable source of knowledge and professional growth.
For that reason, I cannot say that becoming a member of the Management Board came as a surprise. Rather, it was a moment of realisation that the true significance of any role can only be fully understood once you are actually in it. That is when your entire perspective changes. What was previously centred on execution, operational excellence, and delivering tangible results evolves into a much broader focus: long-term strategy, sustainable growth, risk management, people, and the future of the organisation.
Instead of thinking about the next quarter, you begin thinking about the next five or ten years. Instead of focusing solely on your own area of responsibility, you consider the organisation as a whole and the impact your decisions will have on clients, employees, and the wider community. Every decision carries long-term and far-reaching consequences.
For me, that shift, from managing the present to shaping the future, has been, and continues to be, both the greatest source of motivation and the greatest responsibility.
Most women in senior leadership can name a moment when something shifted: a conversation, a risk taken, a door that opened or one that closed. Looking back across your career, what was that moment for you, and how did it change what came after?
When you are passionate about your work and fully committed to it, the days and years pass remarkably quickly. I still remember my very first day at work, when I realised that graduating as the top student of my class was only the beginning. It did not, in itself, define my professional journey. A completely new chapter was opening before me, one that felt like starting from scratch.
At the time, I admired colleagues who had already been working for a few months; to me, they already possessed valuable professional experience. Day by day, as I progressed step by step, continuously learning and growing, the institution gradually became my second home. And leaving a place that feels like home is never easy.
The defining turning point in my career came when I decided to leave the organisation where I had spent years developing professionally, an organisation that recognised my commitment, supported my growth, and gave me opportunities to advance. It was also a place filled with people and processes I knew well.
My desire for new challenges ultimately led me to embrace a new opportunity and join the Management Board of NLB Banka Skopje. It was far from an easy decision; in fact, I would describe it as one of the most significant and demanding decisions of my professional life.
When you leave behind a chapter of your career that you have built over many years, it is only natural to feel a sense of uncertainty. Yet those are precisely the moments when you realise that the greatest opportunities are often hidden behind the most difficult decisions.
That step taught me that real progress does not come from holding on to what is familiar, but from having the courage to trust your own potential and embrace new challenges.
Looking back, I do not remember that moment simply as a change of position. I remember it as the moment when I proved to myself that growth begins when we choose to believe not only in what we have already achieved, but also in what we are capable of becoming.
True leadership does not begin with the title we hold. It begins with the willingness to take responsibility, face the unknown, and create new opportunities for ourselves and for others. I firmly believe that the courage to take a step forward, even when the path ahead is not entirely clear, is what leads to the most meaningful personal and professional transformations.
You sit on the Management Board of one of the country’s largest banks. When you walk into a room where you are one of very few women at that level, what do you know now that you wish you had known at the start?
Looking back at the beginning of my career, I wish I had realised sooner that you do not need someone else’s validation to believe in your own abilities. We are often far more demanding of ourselves than we are of others, and many of us feel we must be one hundred per cent ready before taking the next step.
Today, I know that no one has the answer to every question. Leadership is not about perfection, and a good leader does not have to have all the answers. Instead, leadership is about asking the right questions, making informed decisions, taking responsibility, and remaining true to your values, even in times of uncertainty.
I have also learned that diversity is not something that needs to be emphasised; it is a strength we naturally bring with us. We do not need to fit into predefined models in order to become successful leaders. On the contrary, it is our unique perspectives, experiences, and authenticity that enable us to make our greatest contribution.
Today, when I walk into a room, I do not think about whether I am one of the few women at the table. I think about the value I can bring to the conversation, the responsibility I carry, and the impact we can create together.
If there is one thing I wish I had known from the very beginning, it is that confidence does not come before the challenge; it is built by embracing it.
The EU Women on Boards Directive is now in force, and as a subsidiary of an EU-headquartered group, NLB will be directly affected. Do you see the Directive as something that validates the progress women like you have already made, or as an acknowledgement that the system still does not work without external pressure?
I do not believe it is a matter of choosing one perspective over the other. In my view, the Directive represents both a recognition of the progress that has already been made and a reminder that there is still room for improvement.
In recent years, we have seen more and more women taking on leadership roles, demonstrating that organisations increasingly recognise the value of diversity in decision-making. At the same time, it is also true that progress is not happening at the same pace everywhere, and talented individuals still do not always have equal access to opportunities.
That is why I believe the Directive’s greatest value lies not in meeting specific quotas, but in encouraging organisations to adopt a more conscious and systematic approach to identifying, developing, and promoting talent. Ultimately, this is about much more than gender equality; it is about improving the quality of decision-making and ensuring the long-term sustainability of businesses.
My experience has shown me that the strongest teams are those that bring together diverse perspectives, experiences, and ways of thinking. When people with different viewpoints are seated around the same table, decisions become more balanced, more sustainable, and more closely aligned with the realities of clients and society. That is why I see this Directive as a step towards stronger corporate governance and better leadership, rather than simply a regulatory requirement.
“True leadership does not begin with the title we hold. It begins with the willingness to take responsibility.”
If you could change one thing about how the banking sector in the Adria region develops and promotes its female talent, one structural change rather than a mindset shift, what would it be?
I believe the greatest opportunity lies in creating more structured and clearly defined pathways for developing future leaders. It is essential to recognise potential early and provide talented professionals with opportunities for development, mentoring, and participation in strategic projects.
In this respect, NLB Banka and the NLB Group are excellent examples. The focus is on identifying, developing, and advancing talent based on knowledge, performance, and leadership potential, regardless of gender. This approach creates strong and diverse leadership teams while contributing to the organisation’s long-term success.
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?
I would encourage her to invest in herself, in her knowledge and personal development, but, above all, in her self-confidence.
I often meet talented women who question whether they are truly ready for the next step, when in reality they already possess the knowledge, experience, and potential they need. That is why it is so important to continue learning, seek out new challenges, and step beyond what feels comfortable and familiar.
A career is not a straight line that always moves upward. It is a journey filled with opportunities, change and, at times, uncertainty. Yet every new experience, every challenge, and every calculated risk brings valuable lessons.
If I had to leave just one piece of advice, it would be this: do not wait until you feel completely ready before taking the next step. Believe in yourself, stay curious, keep learning, and have the courage to say “yes” to opportunities that challenge you. More often than not, that is exactly where real growth begins.
