Women in the business community deserve space, influence, and a voice—their place must be unquestionable, equal, and visible. We cannot simply copy business culture; we must rewrite it from the ground up, said Ljiljana Burzan-Nikolić, founder of the Top Women Business Montenegro initiative and director of the creative communications agency BI Communication, at the panel “TWBM Talks: From Legacy to the Future – Rewriting Business Culture,” held as part of the CIM FORUM 2025 Festival of Media and Creative Industries. 

She expressed gratitude to every woman and man who is changing business culture through example rather than rhetoric and reminded that the TWBM initiative was launched in 2022 to support the women’s business community and help shift perceptions and women’s positions regarding visibility and influence in business. 

Burzan-Nikolić noted that although at least 50% of business culture is shaped daily by women, its foundations are still being questioned when it comes to the equal status of women and men—something that should be embedded in its core. 

She emphasized the importance of addressing the phenomenon of gender washing, or the appearance of support for women in business without genuine action. She cited a TWBM initiative survey conducted among its online community, which revealed that more than 98% of respondents had encountered fictitious forms of support for women in business, while only about 1.6% expressed uncertainty or difficulty in recognizing such occurrences. 

Adrijana Husić, founder and director of Communication Studio Cassiopeia, stated that the prevailing business culture largely fails to offer adequate support to women. “We can change certain codes and rules, but we must find the time, place, and power to support one another—and those are the people who share our values. Otherwise, the system will cast us out,” she explained. 

Husić expressed her wish for the current system—which does not benefit everyone—to change more swiftly, forcefully, and vocally. She reminded the audience that we live in a predominantly male business world where women lack true and substantial solidarity and support. 

Filip Popović, director of the Center for Consumer Experience and Support at Avon International, underscored the significance of his role in promoting gender equality in a male-dominated business environment. 

“Even at Avon, which is primarily a company for women, I advocate for women to be promoted. It would be easy for me to hire men for my team, but on a values level, I always choose women. Maybe it’s not always professional, but then again, half the world isn’t exactly professional,” he said. 

Popović described his approach as a form of “positive discrimination” aimed at achieving a fairer status for women in business. “Everyone needs to recognize that there’s something in women’s energy and their decision-making approach that truly enhances quality,” he added, noting that more must be done to improve the business environment for future generations. 

Ana Nives Radović, author and founder of the FinTech Online Center, shared that her first business experience taught her that there is no one you can’t welcome into a community or professional relationship—regardless of how advanced or superior you may be, something that often happens in teams. 

“When you give someone a chance, when you show them a bit more appreciation than the system naturally allows, the whole atmosphere changes and results are always better,” she said, explaining that women often bring a fresh mindset into professional relationships. 

She shared that women joining teams often contributed significantly more valuable insights and ideas, generating many beneficial projects. She added that only a few examples exist—typically among small companies—where women are not discriminated against on any level. “Gender washing has been around a long time, but what encourages me is that younger generations are far more aware of it than those before, including ours, and they understand that change is needed.” 

The full panel recording is available below.