An interview with Marijana Bojanić
“Leadership is not popularity; it is responsibility,” said Marijana Bojanić, Chief Executive Officer of TV Vijesti and Daily Press and President of the Association of Women Leaders of Montenegro, during our conversation about women in leadership positions and the obstacles and challenges they face.
Marijana began her path towards leadership working at the weekly Monitor in 1999. Since then, her work has earned numerous awards, including the Investigative Journalism Award from the Media Institute in 2005 and the “Iskra” Philanthropy Award, presented to her in 2012.
In 2017, she was named Best Manager by the Union of Employers. In 2020, for her business achievements, she received the Best Manager Award presented by the Association of Managers of Montenegro. In 2022, the Association also presented her with a special recognition for her contributions to management in the media field. In June 2022, she was elected to the Supervisory Board of the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). She is the President of the Association of Women Leaders and the Vice President of the Association of Managers of Montenegro.
“I entered the business world practically from the newsroom, where I had been working as a journalist and editor, without substantial knowledge of what the business environment actually looked like from the inside,” Bojanić recalls, adding:
“There were moments when it would have been easier to choose compromise, but in the long term, the trust of the audience and the credibility of the company were always the priority.”
The decisions that require the greatest courage are those that are right in the long term but risky in the short term.
According to her, the most common obstacle women face when assuming leadership positions in business is not a lack of competence, but the perception of authority.
“Women are still expected to be firm enough, but not too firm; ambitious, but not dominant. That double standard creates additional pressure that male leaders experience far less often. Women frequently have to prove their credibility multiple times – through results, consistency and resilience – before the natural authority of the position they hold is fully recognised.”
As Bojanić emphasises, our society is traditional, and it has not always been easy to reach a point where the “men’s club” takes you seriously and fully accepts you.
However, Marijana did not simply “ask for a seat at the table”.
“In the business world, nothing is taken for granted. Authority is built through results and a clear vision. Instead of asking for a place at the table, I focused on making decisions that produced measurable results – revenue growth and stronger brand recognition,” Bojanić explains.
Her family upbringing taught Marijana that gender equality is a fundamental principle, and that women must have the same opportunities and possibilities as men. Strong support from her husband, children, the founders of Vijesti, and her colleagues helped her overcome the obstacles and challenges that accompanied her path to leadership.
Marijana also highlights the support of the women’s leadership community gathered around the Association of Women Leaders of Montenegro. “Networking successful women who face serious barriers every day is a value that this society should nurture,” she concludes.
The message she sends to young women is clear: confidence does not come before responsibility – it grows through it. Leadership is not something to wait for — it is something to take on.