Ema Škabar, the current General Manager at Orvas YACHTING, embarked on her journey with the company during her final year of studying economics. At that time, Orvas had just one brand, Orvas Yachting, and a fleet comprising only five bareboat yachts situated in Aci Marina Split. Ema took on a multifaceted role within the company, encompassing tasks such as booking, sales, reception, organizing end-cleaning for the boats, and concierge services, among others. With a team consisting of just three members, the work was demanding and challenging.
However, as the company’s fleet steadily expanded over the years, so did Ema’s responsibilities and contributions. Through her dedication and commitment, she earned several promotions, culminating in her appointment as Commercial Director after eight years and ultimately assuming the role of General Director after 20 years of dedicated service. Ema’s unwavering efforts have played a pivotal role in the growth and success of Orvas YACHTING, transforming it into the thriving and prosperous company it is today. Her remarkable journey within the organization reflects her significant impact and leadership in the yachting industry.
Below are highlights of the interview:
Can you please provide a brief overview of your professional background and experience in the industry?
After graduation, I started to work as a booking manager at Orvas. As we had a fleet of five yachts, I also worked as a receptionist at the base. Over the years, Orvas spread its business in different sectors: yacht charter, hotels, luxury villas rentals, production of olive oil and wine. After seven years in the yacht charter business, I became commercial director. From 5 yachts in our portfolio back in 2001 (when I started) and today, we have portfolio of over 200 bareboat and crewed vessels (motor yachts, sailing yachts, gulets, Mini cruisers, luxury yachts / www.orvasyachting.com ), over 400 luxury villas (www.villasholidayscroatia.com ) and one aparthotel in island of Hvar (Aparthotel Pharia). Besides owning properties and vessels, we started a new brand – Orvas Experiences, that provides tailor-made trips with high-end services.
Tell us about Orvas d.o.o and its mission. What inspired you to start this company?
Orvas’s mission is to become a leader in luxury properties and yachts in Croatia. Mr. Branko Roglic, who owns Orbico Group and Orvas, founded the company in 1992. He was very passionate about sailing and the sea, and after he bought several sailing yachts, he developed a yacht charter business within the company. After some years, he bought an aparthotel and started to renovate old houses in Dalmatia and turn them into beautiful, authentic stone Dalmatian villas. Orvas was one of Croatia’s first companies in the villa rental business.
What strategies do you employ to ensure that Orvas d.o.o remains competitive?
Strategies that we employ to ensure that Orvas d.o.o. remains competitive in the market are long-term plans of investments such as new properties and yachts that we are going to buy, build, or renovate, new technologies that we apply on a daily basis, learning about new trends in travel and adapting our services and properties to them, and continuous work on improving the services that we provide.
How do you foster a culture of innovation and adaptability within your organization, considering the rapidly changing landscape of the business industry?
Innovations can sometimes cause resistance among employees. It often happens that a new project fails due to employees’ resistance to change. To avoid this, we especially reward employees for introducing innovations and adapting to them.
What steps do you take to attract and retain top talent in the industry, and how do you encourage professional growth and development within your organization?
The atmosphere in the company is the most important. We nurture team spirit and encourage it with joint gatherings such as going out for coffee, lunches, and team building. Working hours are flexible. We support remote work. With bonuses, we stimulate the entrepreneurial spirit in employees in such a way that we do not count working hours but the final result. This leads to employees doing their work as if it were their own and not as if they were working for someone else.
Our organization encourages professional growth and development through on-site training, mentorships, online courses, B2B workshops, and trade fairs.
How do you address the increasing importance of digitalization and technology in the sector, and how does it influence the company’s operations and customer experience?
Travel was one of the first industries hit by digitalization and technology. From the beginning of my work, 90% of my work was done online. Thanks to digitalization and technology, we could present ourselves to the global market without showing ourselves on travel shows. Orvas was one of Croatia’s first companies to use digital marketing to reach new clients. With digitalization and technology, you save time and money. On the other hand, it can speed up your company’s operations and make your customer experience more valuable.
What advice would you give to aspiring leaders or individuals looking to join the industry?
My advice is to care about the people you love the most. You can have capital, but the difference from company to company is people. Invest in knowledge, new contacts, and new technology.
Please Visit: http://orvas.hr/
