The IDiNG Team on Workation in Malaga
The team’s Malaga workation proved that work, travel, and teamwork can go together—bringing fresh ideas and stronger connections.
When Forvis Mazars began exploring nearshoring, their goal was clear: to build a dedicated team in Serbia that would work directly with their Dutch office. Forvis Mazars in the Netherlands is a Dutch firm and part of the global Forvis Mazars network, known for its work in audit, tax, and advisory. Their Enschede office focuses on serving small and medium-sized businesses with a combination of technical precision and practical insight. They partnered with Becky.works to find professionals who could take ownership from the start.
When It All Started
Forvis Mazars wanted to build a compilation team in Serbia that matched the standards of their Dutch office and worked as a real part of the firm. To make that happen, they needed someone ready to take charge and lead the way. That’s when they met Andrija. Among the candidates, he stood out because he naturally stepped up to guide others, explain complex tasks in simple terms, and take responsibility when things got unclear. The question was no longer whether he had leadership experience, it was whether he could grow into the role and turn a group of young people into a team.
Forvis Mazars was a new Becky client, and the collaboration was just beginning. For Andrija, that meant building a team from scratch, setting up the structure, and shaping the way of working with the client.
How did the collaboration evolve? What does it take to build a team, a culture, and a workflow from the ground up? This blog tells that story.
The Beginning of a New Chapter
Before joining Forvis Mazars, Andrija built his accounting career across several roles. He started at a consulting firm, where he gained a strong foundation in bookkeeping, compliance, and local tax regulation. Later, he moved into an international company in the IT and video game development industry, shifting from client advisory to in-house finance.
This transition gave him exposure to complex reporting, monthly closings, and international collaboration. He also joined internal projects and mentored junior colleagues in the finance team.
Today, he is a senior team lead accountant (compilation specialist) at Forvis Mazars. For over a year, he has led a team responsible for compiling both individual and consolidated financial statements for Dutch clients, in line with IFRS and Dutch GAAP. These are non-audit reports, prepared for accuracy, not for assurance.
His team of five is based in Serbia, working closely with colleagues in the Netherlands. That experience shaped the way he leads today, both in daily work and in how the team connects with colleagues in the Netherlands.
Daily Work and Tools
On a typical day, the team works on compilations using tools such as Twinfield and Excel, keeping close communication with their colleagues in Enschede. Regular touchpoints ensure that questions are addressed quickly and that decisions are aligned with Dutch processes. This daily routine helps the team in Serbia work just like the Dutch office, while also adding their own efficiency and flexibility.
Growing with the Client
Before joining Forvis Mazars, Andrija mainly focused on mentoring juniors, helping them with tasks and answering their questions along the way. Leadership, however, demanded something deeper. It required him to see the bigger picture, how people relate to each other, how a group becomes a team, and how clear direction creates stability in moments of doubt.
With regular and open feedback from Dutch managers and support from Becky.works, he began shaping his leadership style: open, structured, and built on trust. One of the turning points was the Becky.lead program, designed to help team leads grow into their role. Forvis Mazars supported his participation, and the program gave him space to reflect on his role, practice giving feedback, set expectations, and guide a team when things felt uncertain. By listening to experienced peers, Andrija realized that leadership is about creating an environment where people feel safe to grow together with their leader.
Building Trust Through Openness
For Andrija, a strong team is built on three things: clear communication, mutual support, and honest feedback. He believes conversations should be straightforward and practical, so everyone knows what’s going well and where there’s room to improve. His approach includes two routines: regular check-ins and transparent updates. These ensure everyone feels heard, no matter the team’s size. He keeps one-on-one conversations at the core of his leadership. Each month, he meets with every team member. These aren’t formal check-ins, they’re open conversations about teamwork, tasks, relationships, and ways to work better together. Andrija also asks for feedback on his own leadership, because he sees growth as something the whole team shares. To build trust, he’s transparent about the feedback he receives from colleagues in the Netherlands. By showing that even a team lead has areas to improve, he creates an environment where people feel safe to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn. That kind of openness encourages colleagues to contribute more and own their work with confidence.
Collaboration and Ownership
Collaboration with colleagues in Enschede is marked by directness and openness. Problems are addressed immediately, not postponed until the next scheduled call. The Dutch team strongly encourages asking questions, a culture Andrija has taken on and passed on to his Belgrade team. Weekly communication and client involvement in tracking performance ensure transparency and alignment across borders.
It all began with a question: can someone with only mentoring experience, and no formal leadership background, really build a team from scratch? Today, it’s a success story. The Belgrade team grew faster than the client expected, and for Andrija, that is the best feedback he could receive. It means trust was earned, something is being done right, and it’s clear in the fact that both he and Selena, his peer and Team Lead Compilation Specialist, now hold the same role for the Belgrade team as their colleagues do in the Netherlands.
Rik Nijhuis, Junior Manager Global Compliance and Reporting at Forvis Mazars in the Netherlands describes Andrija as a “big brother” figure: someone who supports the team while keeping the bigger picture in focus.
Recruitment and Onboarding
From the very beginning, Andrija was involved in the hiring process. Since compilation work is uncommon in Serbia, his input was key in identifying candidates with the right mindset and potential. Beyond technical skills, cultural fit and team chemistry were always prioritized. For Andrija, it matters more that someone brings the right energy to the team than just technical knowledge. Communication is at the core: he is open and expects the same in return. Onboarding is also shaped by this approach. Andrija never repeats the same process twice, each time he adapts it, learning from past experience and asking new hires what they wish they had known earlier. Once the initial onboarding is complete, every colleague receives a mentor. The program is then adjusted to the person’s pace, strengths, and preferences, making sure each new team member feels supported from the very start.
Looking Ahead
Today, Andrija is focused on sharpening his strategic skills and continuing to grow as a leader. Working alongside fellow team lead Selena in Belgrade and colleagues in Enschede, he’s confident that the team will keep expanding naturally, supported by a culture of openness and shared responsibility. His experience in the Forvis Mazars team has been unique in every way. It was his first official leadership role, combined with a focus on compilation work, something rarely seen on the Serbian market. Looking ahead, Andrija wants to continue developing himself as a leader while helping his team grow alongside him, both in their technical expertise and in the way they support each other. Andrija’s journey shows that at Becky.works, careers are built step by step: with care, guidance, and space to grow. If you want more than a routine accounting job, this is where you can find it.
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