Ivan Ostojic: From PhD to a billion dollar scaleup’s CBO

Since his early childhood days, Ivan Ostojic has been constantly surrounded by science and technology.

In the second episode of ScaleUp & Up podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Ivan who previously worked as Chief Business Officer at Infobip. He shared his journey from being captivated by technology and molecular biology, to becoming a “business translator” in the ever-evolving tech industry.

Ivan talked about the pursue of higher education which led to a doctorate in natural sciences from the University of Basel and a Master’s degree in management, technology, and economics from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. His work in biomedicine merged with his love and understanding of new technology trends, which later opened doors of McKinsey & Company, where as a Partner he co-founded and co-led McKinsey’s Global Technology Council.

Our guest emphasised the importance of understanding both technology and business to drive progress and innovation. He highlighted the role of business translators in bridging the gap between technical expertise and business impact, and how asking the right questions, iterating on insights and connecting technical advancements can lead to fulfilling business goals.

Ivan also gave us an insight into the current state of CPaaS industry, particularly the rise of conversational apps and the potential of the conversational era. He explained how businesses can leverage these solutions to provide better customer experience, how important true omnichannel communication is, and ultimately how AI is changing the way businesses interact with consumers.

Interested in Ivan’s insights? Click on the video below or find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify or Pocket Casts!