Andrija’s Path to Leadership at Forvis Mazars
Andrija leads a team in Serbia compiling financial statements for Forvis Mazars. Read how he built the structure, set routines, and grew into leadership.
Most accountants begin their careers with limited responsibility or repetitive tasks. But for Gavrilo Petrović, things unfolded differently.
When he joined IBEO through Becky in 2018, the nearshore team in Belgrade was just forming. Today, Gavrilo manages IBEO’s entire Serbian team, around 40 people, and works closely with their Dutch operations.
In this blog, we’ll explore his journey, a story of what leadership can become when a company chooses to invest in people from the very beginning.
How It All Began
In 2018, IBEO was just beginning to build its nearshore team. Gavrilo joined as the third team member, a junior accountant early in his career. With no fixed structure, roles and processes were still taking shape.
Even though it was early days, the people made it an opportunity worth taking. IBEO’s founders were hands-on from the start: sharing knowledge, seeking feedback, and staying involved with the team. Working in the same time zone and regularly visiting colleagues in both Serbia and the Netherlands made the team quickly feel connected and ready to grow.
How Adapting Quickly Became Gavrilo’s Strength
Upon joining IBEO, Gavrilo noticed one immediate challenge: the systems, documentation, and chart of accounts were all in Dutch. Coming from an English-language working environment, this initially felt unfamiliar, not as an impossible barrier, but certainly as something that required extra focus and adaptation.
With the support of the Dutch team and access to the right resources, he adjusted quickly. Within a month, the terminology became familiar, processes felt clear, and daily work moved forward with ease.
Today, most materials are available in both Dutch and English, reflecting the team’s needs. For Gavrilo, that early experience served as a quiet but important reminder that even when something feels unfamiliar at first, it doesn’t mean it can’t be solved, especially when people work through it together.
From Hands-On Manager to Coach and Facilitator
When Gavrilo stepped into a managerial role, the Belgrade team had grown to around 12 people. At that stage, maintaining close involvement in day-to-day work proved both practical and effective. With deep knowledge of clients and internal expectations, he saw it as part of his responsibility to ensure high standards were consistently met.
But as the team continued to grow, leadership required a different approach. Gavrilo’s style naturally evolved from guiding specific tasks toward empowering team members to make independent decisions. He shifted his focus to coaching: helping team members think critically, take ownership, and approach decisions in line with IBEO’s values and way of working.
Today, his team in Belgrade works with a high level of autonomy and Gavrilo continues to support their growth. As IBEO grew, he took on a broader role, collaborating with colleagues in the Netherlands, contributing to process alignment, and helping ensure that cross-border teamwork remains people-centered.
Clarity and Trust Break Down Borders
One of the things Gavrilo learned early on is that clarity and structure makes teams work. “When expectations aren’t clear, even sitting next to someone won’t help,” he explains. “But when roles are well-defined and trust is built, collaboration works even across the borders.”
Together with the Dutch team, Gavrilo helped set up a system where responsibilities are discussed openly.
“We talk to every team member about their strengths, ambitions, and what kind of role fits them. Then we set expectations, clearly, in writing. That’s what makes communication afterward more effective.”
His approach is structured and thoughtful:
- Set a clear direction, engage the team, and define goals and responsibilities upfront
- Prepare well for every meeting, even the short ones
- Address sensitive topics in one-on-one conversations
- Keep feedback open in both directions
Clarity and structure are what make remote collaboration possible. But if there’s a shortcut to building trust, it’s meeting in person. “When we sit down for a coffee or talk outside the agenda, it creates a connection that carries through into everything else,” Gavrilo notes. “When you truly know the person you’re working with, distance stops being a factor.”
Both IBEO and Becky encourage these visits, knowing how much they shape team dynamics.
What Kept Me at IBEO
For Gavrilo, the reasons to stay have only deepened with time. From day one, he felt included, his opinion mattered, and he had space to grow within a team built on trust. That early experience shaped his long-term commitment.
Through ongoing collaboration and regular in-person visits, they’ve built a foundation of trust that continues to shape the way they work together. As someone who has both worked with and led colleagues in Serbia and the Netherlands, Gavrilo is deeply aware of how much these factors matter. He appreciates the great collaboration with IBEO founders, Sjoerd and Geert, and COO Cato, finding motivation in both their partnership and the company’s dynamic growth.
As his role expanded, so did his purpose. Today, he leads with impact, contributes to IBEO’s growth, and finds fulfillment in building others up. The expectations are high, the compensation is competitive, and the opportunities for growth remain strong. But what matters most is IBEO’s culture — a place where people support one another, take initiative, and grow together.
Even though he’s no longer on the front line of client service, Gavrilo remains fully aligned with the mission of being a true partner to clients. He both enjoys and takes seriously his role as a facilitator, creating conditions for others to succeed, contributing to consistent service delivery, and helping his colleagues become even better at what they do.
Ready to Write Your Own Leadership Story?
A huge thank-you to Gavrilo for sharing his story and for showing what leadership can look like when it’s built on trust, empathy, and long-term ambition. As we saw, he didn’t begin with a perfect plan. But with the right support and people who believed in him, he built the kind of career many hope for.
If you’re ready to do more, to learn, grow, and lead, maybe it’s time to take the next step. Apply through our Careers page and discover extraordinary jobs in finance.
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