Gaetano Massara, CEO of GE SEE - How "ironman" from Rome lives and works in Belgrade

(Gaetano Massara)

He replaced Rome with London, and the British capital with Belgrade, pointing out that he accepted the job in our capital with great excitement. In coping with all the challenges of the business in our region, his great sports experience is very helpful.

In an interview for „eKapija“, Gaetano Massara, CEO of the company „General Electric“ for Southeastern Europe, is talking about his first encounter with Belgrade, about what he likes in Serbia, what are the problems of business in our country, and about how he became „a man of iron“.

Our guest says that development of his carreer was mostly inlfuenced by the job at the European Bank for Rehabilitation and Development (EBRD).

- I started working at the EBRD in London, in 2003. This job, was actually, my first professional contact with this region. I was in charge of monitoring investment projects, integration of the region in the EU, political and economic aspect of life, say Massara.

He recalls that he had been very excited when after two years in London, he got an offer from the EBRD for a position in Belgrade.

- I didn’t know Belgrade. From the history, I have a memory of Yugoslavia as a very strong and powerfull country in Eastern Europe. Unfortunately, there was a war with all the tragedies it carries. I didn’t pay attention to the war stories, and all the information I had got before I came here were positive. That was an unique opportunity, not only professionaly, but for me personally. It is very interesting to be here, and visit the countries of the region professionaly.

Gaetano Massara had worked in the EBRD representative office in Belgrade by 2007, where he was responsible for investment projects directed towards local communities and living environment protection in the region of Western Balkans.

When he joined "General Electric" in 2007, Massara participated in the developemnt of GE’s strategy in the region. After that, he was Director in the Sector for Marketing and Business Development for Italy and the Balkan, responsible for evaluation of the market, development projects, monitoring project execution, government relations and lobbying.

Since 2012, CEO of „General Electric“ for Southeastern Europe. At the current position, he represents GE at the highest levels and is responsible for business development in all sectors.

Growing up in Rome, education worldwide

Our guest recalls the good mood of the poeple in the capital of Italy, where he spent his childhood.

- I was born in Rome. I grew up in the times of prosperity and good atmosphere. The optimism that ruled back then is still with me even tough times are different. People in Italy are just as concerned as the people in Western Europe. It seems to me that today Serbia and the region share the same optimism once so particular for Italy.

Gaetano Massara graduated Economy and Business Administration at the University of Rome and got a Master degree in International Relations thanks to a scholarship given by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

From 1997 to 2002, he was Assistant Professor at the Chair of Public Economics at the Faculty of Economy, University of Rome. He attended a specialized course in macroeconomics at Yale University in the United States, while within Erasmus program he studied in France and Spain.

Besides native Italian, in the biography of Gaetano Massara stands that he is fluent in English, French and Spanish, and we can confirm that he can communicate well in Serbian.

Life and work in Serbia

Massara likes the atmosphere in Serbia most, as it reminds him of the place he came from.

- Belgrade is very similar to Rome. There is a very warm atmosphere in here, people are kind, there is a lot of laughter, personal relations are intimate. I love the city itself, and most of all the rivers that Belgrade is unique for in Europe.

His colleagues say for him that he is a workaholic, and he doesn’ t hide his work day is quite long. Considering that he travels miles and miles within the region for business, he admits that he doesn’t have enought time for leisure.

- When I have free time, I love to walk around Belgrade, go out with friends on dinner. The city is very vibrant, there is a lot of cultural events I often can’t go to.

One particular event that he stands out is "the night when Belgrade Museums are open to public".

- I liked very much the tour visit of the museums. It is very well organized, people have a possibility to see something new in Belgrade. The city is, in general, very open towards different people, which is a characteristic of large cities.

Massara doesn’t have a specific vacation destination, as he likes to change them, but if he had to choose it would be Indonesia.

A Man of Iron

Considering he participated 5 times in the competition "Ironman Triathlon", we asked him if he was „a man of iron“.

- If taken from sports perspective, then I am. Triathlon and sports activities in general, mean that I can stay in shape. Discipline that is necessary in sport can be very helpful in the career. If you want to succeed in sport and achieve results, you must train, and suffer. Characteristics and habits gained can be used in business.

Of his sports successes, he speaks with a smile, but with a touch of shyness. He says he participated in a boat race accross the Atlantic Ocean. That experience is a lot different from the triathlon, but what they have in common is the challenge and great commitment.

- My biggest success, when it comes to sport is that I was a rowing champion. Looking at my carreer, my biggest success was becoming CEO of „General Electric“ for Sourtheastern Europe. At the same time it is my challenge. We want to be a strategic partner to Serbia and other countries of the region, says Gaetano Massara.

Cooperation with the State

Like all investors in Serbia, GE also implies to the Government that for further investing it is necessary to have a stable and predictable legal framework.

- It is necessary to continue the fight against corruption and provide investors the conditions to invest. As far as GE is concerned, we are interested in participating in this market as suppliers of the most modern world technologies in construction of the South Stream and equipment for the projects of renewable energy sources, as well as investors. An example is represented by wind farm Kovin, a project worth EUR 300 MM.

One of the problems in the beginning of the wind park construction, according to Massara, is the adopted Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in the form not acceptable to banks, which means the investor can not close down the financing of their projects.

- It is a very big opportunity to be missed for this country considering that the companies plan to invest 1,5 billion EUR in the wind parks. Changes in regulations affect the investors ability to provide financing of projects and then they withdraw, says Massara categorically.

Although he doesn’t agree with all the actions of the State, Massara believes that Serbia is in great progress, that it has great potential and he sees our country as ’a key market’ for GE.

Suzana Obradovic