The person behind Bridge To Balkans.
My name is Divna Stankovic.
I’m not just a consultant. I’m a connector. Born with Balkan roots, shaped by 30+ years of working with people and clients across two countries. I understand the challenges you face, because I’ve lived them myself.
My Career - Always Client-Facing
My entire career has been about working with clients. I started at Dafiment Banka in Belgrade, where I managed high-value transactions, led a team, and maintained relationships with priority clients. From there I moved to Bel Pagette as a team lead in banking operations.
Then came Telenor, 17 years at one of the largest telecom operators in the Balkans. First as a Key Account Representative, managing corporate clients, negotiating contracts, and delivering solutions. Then in B2B support, where I was the daily point of contact for business customers: handling everything from contract issues to cross-departmental problem solving.
That’s where I learned how Balkan business really works: the importance of personal relationships, the unwritten rules, and the cultural codes that can make or break a deal.
A Fresh Start in the Netherlands
After moving to the Netherlands, I started over. I worked my way up and today I lead a team of 14 people across 28 locations as an Operations Coordinator. That experience gave me something equally valuable: a deep, practical understanding of how Dutch systems, bureaucracy, and work culture function.
Why Bridge To Balkans?
I’ve seen too many good plans fail over simple misunderstandings. A Dutch entrepreneur who was too direct for his Serbian partner. A Balkan company that didn’t understand Dutch procurement processes. An expat drowning in paperwork she couldn’t read. I started Bridge To Balkans to remove those barriers, in both directions.
My strength isn’t a fancy title. It’s 30+ years of being the person clients turn to, in banking, in telecom, in operations. And it’s the fact that I’ve lived both sides: I know what it takes to do business in the Balkans, I know what it takes to do business in the Netherlands, and I know what it takes to build a life here.