Association

The Serbian Games Association (SGA) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization dedicated to the development of the Serbian gaming industry. Our members are teams, companies and individuals engaged in the production of video games in Serbia, as well as other services related to the currently most developed entertainment industry in the world. We are committed to our member companies as well as the game dev community and the ecosystem at large.

Our goal is to increase the competitiveness of our members on the global market, to create the best possible conditions for creating and publishing video games in Serbia, as well as to improve the talent and creativity of people involved in the sector. All this is done with the help and support of our partners and friends, and with the coordination of activities and initiatives with representatives of the Government of Serbia, other business and non-profit organizations, the education sector, as well as other associations of the entertainment industry.

SGA was founded in March 2018 in Belgrade, following the example of similar organizations that provide support to the gaming industry sector in some of the most developed economies around the world. We deliver educational programs, establish new partnerships, conduct research and participate in numerous processes that support the quality, development, growth and internationalization of Serbian gaming products and companies.

Our Team

Mihajlo Jovanović-Džaril

CEO
Mihajlo Jovanović-Džaril is a lawyer with a gamer's soul and one of the founders of SGA. He graduated from the University of Belgrade, and after a short career as a lawyer and consultant at EI, in 2016 he founded the company Fortuna Esports, which soon became the leading regional organizer of esports competitions and producer of gaming content and which, through a partnership with United Media, brings esports to TV. Mihajlo has been a member of the SGA Board of Directors since the very beginning of the association in 2018, and currently serves the DGU as its director.

Relja Bobić

Program Director
Relja is the author of numerous cultural and artistic projects realized in Serbia, as well as throughout Europe, in the USA and Canada. He is active as an independent curator, manager in the field of arts and cultural events, music promoter, radio author and translator. He has initiated and participated in hundreds of events, founded four international festivals, conceived many exhibitions, conferences, publications and informal educational programs. In 2012, he was one of the founders of the creative hub Nova Iskra, and later the European Creative Hubs Network. He prefers to design physical and cognitive spaces where young creatives can collaborate and create in new ways.

Kristina Janković Obućina

Executive Manager
In charge of member relations, ecosystem building, our programs, as well as events and initiatives, Kris is here to communicate with relevant stakeholders and provide all information about Serbia's growing gaming ecosystem. With a strong background in journalism, communications, project management and dozens of trophies on her PS4 profile, she is always in the mood to talk about gaming and find a way to support young creatives and new projects. She has been with SGA since the very founding of the association and is dedicated to developing the domestic gaming industry and the visibility of our teams, companies and games locally, but also globally.

Nenad Jovanovski

Project Manager
Although he has a formal education related to agriculture, he entered the world of IT through Startit. He acquired informal education by working in the Scout Association of Serbia, where he created and led projects. At SGA he will deal with project management and leadership of the Creative Tech Serbia supercluster. He had the opportunity to develop partnerships for the European region, as well as to work and volunteer in Germany and South Korea. He turned his love for nature into the startup Bifrost, which is developing a biodegradable substitute for plastic.

Tatjana Ristić

Project Coordinator
Sees herself as a mediator between academia and the gaming community. Writes scientific texts and participates in conferences about literature and video games, and is also trying to sign her first Narrative Design Document within the indie studio that is making a video game inspired by slava. Is working on launching a platform for gaming criticism in Serbia in the form of an animated pixel-art podcast. In SGA she is a Jack-of-all-trades but a Master-of-text.

Nikola Adamović

Program Coordinator
Graduated from the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, where he focused his research and passion on understanding the video game industry and the creation of video games. After several years of working at the inception of the Epic Games Community Center in Novi Sad, he developed a community around the Epic Games ecosystem as a Fortnite creator and an assistant instructor and lecturer in official programs. Through numerous programs and guest lectures, he launched his platform and community, exploring possibilities and pushing the boundaries of UGC platforms such as UEFN.

Maša Đurić

Social Media and Communications Manager
After studying journalism, she spent three years as a Social Media Manager in the non-governmental organization Youth Initiative for Human Rights. After that, she spent some very short time in a marketing agency, when she left that job so she could work in VICE Serbia - where she dealt with social networks as well as projects for commercial clients. A year before the pandemic, she founded her agency and continues to deal with social networks - creating strategies for media, podcasts, non-governmental organizations, but also working with them on a daily basis as a team member.

Aleksandra Milić

Administrative Coordinator
Aleksandra is a person who is passionate about working with tables and deadlines. The path to the IT industry led through the Startit organization, where she led projects whose concept was based on the informal education of young people in the IT industry and entrepreneurship sphere. In SGA, she takes care of the association's financial and administrative needs. She spends her free time in nature and engages in environmental activism. Aleksandra has worked in world humanitarian organizations such as Oxfam and IRC, where she worked on the implementation of projects dealing with human rights and social issues.

Our board

Marija Ilić

President, SGA Board
Marija Ilic is a gaming industry expert and advisor. As a gaming studio co-founder, wearing many hats during a 15+ years long career gave her broad experience and expertise in both creative and leadership roles. Marija is currently the President of the Board at Serbian Games Association, a non-profit, non-government organization, with the goal of supporting growth of the video games sector in Serbia. For the last five years, Marija has been part of the Google for Startups network of mentors, where through various programs she participates in mentoring startups on the topic of leadership, as well as product growth and development.

Nikola Čavić

GameBiz consulting
Nikola Čavić is the founder of GameBiz Consulting, an agency specialized in working with companies in the video game industry sector. Nikola is also one of the founders of the Serbian Games Association. Prior to that, he held the position of Development Director at Nordeus, for seven years, where he played a key role in the business development of their most successful product - Top Eleven, as well as in the corporate development of the company. Prior to Nordeus, at CCP Games in Reykjavik, he was responsible for the sales and global distribution of EVE Online during his 5 years at the company.

Sanja Žugić

Playstudios Europe
Sanja is a seasoned professional in the gaming industry, boasting over 11 years of valuable experience. With a programming background, I swiftly unearthed my passion within the dynamic realm of gaming. From the inception of the Serbian Games association, I have actively dedicated myself to nurturing the growth and development of the gaming community. Throughout my illustrious career, I have had the incredible fortune of collaborating and learning from industry pioneers, which has greatly shaped my expertise. Now serving as the Director of Culture and Engagement at Playstudios, she dedicated to fostering a culture of continuous innovation and creating a positive and immersive environment within the company.

Adam Kovač

3Lateral
Adam is a Solutions Specialist at 3Lateral, supporting partners with MetaHumans technology and services as well as empowering local community initiatives. His previous role as Manager at EY saw him facilitating regional Tech mergers and acquisitions, including the sales of 3Lateral to Epic Games and United Group to BC Partners. Adam actively supports the startup and creative tech community through coaching, workshops, and venture capital connections. He assisted the Digital Serbia Initiative in launching the inaugural Startup Scanner in 2019.

Milica Petrović

Webelinx Games
Milica Petrović Jakovljević is a professional with over 15 years of experience in areas related to people, culture and organizational development. Her expertise has been built through various companies and industries, including NGO, IT and corpo-world, in Serbia, South East Europe but also other EU countries. Her big passion is maximizing individual, team and company potential, especially in the transformative industries and transformational journeys. Since 2021, she is in the role of Head of HR in Webelinx Games, Serbian gaming studio based in Nis.

Vanja Knežević

Euclidean Studios
Vanja Knežević is the co-founder and director of Euclidean Studios, an indie team developing the game "Nazralath: The Fallen World". In addition, Vanja works as a virtual reality designer for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), where he collaborates with various partners, including governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and corporations. Before working in the gaming industry, he gained experience in AI, data science, software development and marketing, both in business and in the NGO sector.

Our founders