Second Regional Edition of TBM Business Talks in Bečići Brings Together Representatives of the Business Community, Institutions and the Financial Sector
The southern region of Montenegro remains one of the key drivers of the country’s economy, but its further development increasingly depends on the ability to align the investment momentum with infrastructure, the needs of local communities, sustainability and a predictable business environment. This was highlighted at the second regional edition of the TBM Business Talks platform, held at the Splendid Hotel in Bečići.
The strong interest of the business community in the event, titled “Between Investment Momentum and Sustainable Development”, confirmed the need for an open dialogue on the future and development of Montenegro’s regions, particularly following a similar conclusion reached at the recently organised gathering in Bijelo Polje, which brought together companies operating in the northern region of Montenegro.
The Southern Region, where nearly 44,000 companies were registered last year, with around 54,000 employees and €3.6 billion in generated revenues, accounts for a significant share of Montenegro’s overall economic activity. Tourism, construction, real estate and related industries make a particularly strong contribution to its economic importance.
The founder of the Top Business Montenegro initiative and Director of BI Communication, Ljiljana Burzan-Nikolić, said that the idea behind the regional TBM Business Talks events is to discuss the development of individual parts of Montenegro in the very places where that development is taking place.
“Some of the largest investments in Montenegro have been realised here in recent years. Tourism, real estate, construction, trade and numerous related industries generate a significant share of the country’s economic activity here. But precisely because of the intensity of this development, the question of not only how much we invest and how quickly we grow, but also what kind of development we are creating and how sustainable it can be, is becoming increasingly important. That is why we framed today’s discussion around two important points – investment momentum and sustainable development,” said Burzan-Nikolić.
The Chief Analyst of the Top Business Montenegro initiative and founder of BI Consulting, Ratko Nikolić, presented the results of an analysis of the performance of companies in the Southern Region in 2025. According to the analysis, 44,687 active companies were registered in the south, accounting for more than half of the total number of companies in Montenegro, while 15,157 companies submitted financial statements for the previous year. The companies employed approximately 54,000 people and generated €3.6 billion in revenues, representing approximately one quarter of Montenegro’s overall economy.
These figures raised the question of how to transform the region’s existing potential into stable and sustainable long-term development. Some of the answers were explored in the discussion “Development Is Not a Solo Game: Who Is Building the Future of Our Cities? How Can We Align Investments, Local Needs and Sustainability?”, featuring economic analyst Mirza Mulešković and Aleksandra Kiković, Team Leader for Inclusive and Green Development at UNDP Montenegro.
One of the key messages was that a stable regulatory and institutional framework is among the main prerequisites for attracting new investment, and that development that benefits all stakeholders will be difficult to achieve without faster action, equal communication and stronger cooperation between the business community and local and national authorities.
The panel “Between Investment Momentum and Sustainable Development”, moderated by Ratko Nikolić, brought together Žarko Radulović, Founder and Co-owner of Montenegro Stars Hotel Group; Stevan Milić, Executive Director for Commercial Operations at Azmont Investments; Bojan Tomčić, Deputy Director of Corporate Banking at NLB Bank; and Elvir Kalamperović, Founder of Kalamper, a company from Bar. The discussion addressed issues including spatial planning, infrastructure, tourism, energy, the quality of investments and renewable energy sources.
Panel participants pointed out that tourism development cannot be separated from infrastructure development and quality spatial planning, and that investors need a predictable system that enables them to plan their investments over the long term.
The green transition was highlighted as one of the key topics. Participants emphasised that sustainability can no longer be viewed solely as a regulatory obligation, but is increasingly becoming an economic and investment issue.
Sustainable business practices are already closely linked to successful companies and are increasingly being integrated into long-term development strategies. However, without adequate and up-to-date support from local and national authorities, their full potential will be difficult to achieve, it was concluded during the panel.
A special part of the programme, “Business in Practice powered by NLB,” was dedicated to companies developing their businesses in the south and creating new business value along the Montenegrin coast. Their experiences and projects were presented by Luka Mirković, representing Stublina from Budva, and Ivana Mrdak from Adriatic Bay Corporation from Tivat.
As part of the event, the regional Top Business Montenegro Awards 2026 were also presented, recognising companies that achieved the strongest business results in their respective categories in the Southern Region.
The regional award for the most successful micro-enterprise went to Autotamaris d. o. o. Tivat . The award for the most successful small enterprise was presented to Kompas Montenegro d. o. o. Budva while the recognition for the best newly established company went to Piles Construction Company d. o. o. Herceg Novi .
The second regional edition of TBM Business Talks was organised as part of the Top Business Montenegro business platform, with NLB Bank as its general sponsor.
Further details and key messages from the event in Bečići will be presented to the public in the coming days, with the aim of continuing the dialogue on the development of the Southern Region and contributing to the strengthening of Montenegro’s economy.
