Our person of the day is Irena Milojević, Head of Network Infrastructure Design at CETIN Serbia 

Today, we bring you into the world of Irena Milojević, Head of Network Infrastructure Design at CETIN Serbia – to explore the technical mastery and human perspective behind one of the most foundational roles in our industry. Irena’s curious story guides us on a journey into her career at CETIN, the meaningful lessons of the e& Emerging Talents programme, and the often-unseen complexities of designing resilient, future-ready networks. 

7 questions with Irena Milojević. 7 unique and enlightening perspectives into the world of network infrastructure design. Let's dive in!

1. Irena, what were the steps that led your career path to become Head of Network Infrastructure Design at CETIN Serbia?  
My journey into telecommunications started back in 1998, when I joined the first mobile operator in Serbia. It was quite a leap—I entered the industry as a graduate Architect taking on the role of a base station design engineer. If that sounds like an unexpected career twist, it absolutely was. Until then, my world was all about interior design, so stepping into telecom felt like moving into a completely different universe.

Honestly, that first year was a real crossroads for me. I wasn’t sure I would stay in this field at all. I tried to keep one foot in interior design, working in parallel for a while, because it wasn’t something I could easily let go of. Gradually, though, those projects became fewer and smaller, but they never disappeared completely. In one way or another, they have remained part of my life in different forms to this day.

Everything that followed on the road to CETIN was a steady climb within the Network Infrastructure Design Team. A big turning point came in 2011, when my professional development path expanded to include Project Management as a parallel direction. That chapter of my career is something I’m truly proud of—it was consistently successful and incredibly fulfilling.

Every year brought new, more complex projects: network upgrades, new technologies, the construction of a Data Center, and most recently, the major Swap project in Serbia, along with many regional initiatives of all sizes. I believe my background as an Architect added tremendous value, giving me the ability to understand complex tasks, break them down into manageable components, and bring together experts from different disciplines to achieve a common goal.
Leading those projects also prepared me for another important milestone: in 2018, I stepped into the role of leading the very team I grew up in professionally. Since then, I’ve continued to grow and evolve as the Head of Infrastructure Design, alongside my team, while also enriching our work through close regional collaboration with similar teams across the organization.

Staying with CETIN for so many years has been extremely important, both personally and professionally. This long-term commitment has allowed me to witness and contribute to the evolution of the network infrastructure first-hand, building deep expertise and long-lasting relationships within the organization. The continuity has provided me with unique insights into the challenges and opportunities that come with each phase of growth, and it has given me the chance to mentor new talent while also learning from others. 

2. Network Infrastructure Design is a field that many people admire but don’t quite understand. What are the hidden complexities or “unknown sides” of this work that you wish more people knew?
The simplest way to imagine our work is to compare it to the design of any facility: every production process needs a physical space - a hall where things are created, processed, or assembled. In much the same way, Network Infrastructure team designs physical environments for these systems to broadcast and carry data.

Our tasks are diverse, starting with site visits to gather information for solutions that meet technical needs, regulations, and property owner approval for long-term use. Each site is unique, with thousands across the country. While most base stations are simple structures, the challenge lies in adapting to site diversity, quick implementation, and frequent updates. We integrate solutions into urban settings that suit all stakeholders and meet construction and environmental standards. The network evolves yearly with new technologies and devices, requiring ongoing adaptation and standardization efforts.

Data Centers are another focus - few in number but highly complex, involving facility planning, maintenance, hosting IT/Core equipment, and meeting Tier 3 requirements for own needs and for demanding customers. Our CETIN Serbia design team is proud of their expertise and high-quality work supporting these demanding environments.

3. As a participant in the e& Emerging Talents programme, what experiences or learnings had the biggest impact on you professionally or personally? 
The e& Emerging Talents program left a meaningful impression on me, more so than my previous development programs. Throughout my career I’ve attended many, each of them valuable in its own way - but this one felt the most meaningful, engaging, and impactful.

On a personal level, the biggest shift came from Lumina Spark, personalized self‑development portrait. It really made me pause and rethink how I show up at work. It helped me recognize where I naturally thrive, and where I should intentionally step back. One insight stayed with me: making a conscious shift toward empowering technical teams, rather than trying to solve everything myself.

Another unforgettable experience was “Apollo,” a VR multiplayer game where our group was thrown into a high‑pressure, unfamiliar environment. Beyond the obvious learnings about teamwork, problem‑solving, and adaptability, it reminded me of something very simple yet profound: how important play is for creativity, growth, and joy. And on a personal note, it genuinely made me smile - it brought back memories of a time when I used to play much more.

On a professional level, SLII – Situational Leadership II had the strongest impact. It offered a new depth of understanding on how to tailor leadership to the person, the situation, and the moment. The materials were extremely practical, immediately applicable, and arrived in my career exactly when I needed them. It helped me fully appreciate that the same person can be at different development levels depending on the task — and that communication must constantly adapt accordingly. Nothing is black or white, or in any way fixed. 

4. The programme brings together high‑potential talent from multiple countries and cultures. How did this multi‑market exposure shape your perspectives and what can you share with colleagues? 
I’ve always believed that any kind of exposure - new people, new cultures, new environments, is enriching both personally and professionally. So, it didn’t surprise me to once again realize how similar we all are, even when we come from completely different parts of the world, different teams, and different backgrounds.

What amazed me most was how quickly we connected. Whether it was a discussion, a workshop, or the VR Apollo challenge, the speed at which we aligned, organized ourselves, and collaborated toward a common goal was incredible. Even when the “mission” was something playful, like saving our team from an imaginary planet about to explode, everyone naturally found their place and contributed.

Of course, the introverted part of me had a moment of worry at the beginning - that first 10 or 15 minutes of gathering in a room with 30 people from different countries. And there was also that healthy ambition of wanting to rise to the level of such a talented group. But very quickly those feelings melted away.

Despite our differences in culture, education, experience, personality, we connected through shared work, mutual support, and the ability to recognize each other’s strengths. It reminded me how much we can learn from one another when we create space for it. 

5. Looking at the current telecom and infrastructure landscape, what topics or technologies excite you most for the future of CETIN’s network? 
Two areas excite me the most right now.

The first is Data Centre development: building a new capacity that can meet the demands ahead of us. What I find fascinating is the constant balancing act: on one side, you have long construction cycles and the long‑term nature of Data Centre infrastructure; on the other, you have an increasing speed at which capacity needs to grow. Finding a way to bring these two worlds together is both challenging and inspiring.

The second area is further automation and digitalization in Network Infrastructure design. There is so much potential to speed up processes, improve accuracy, and create smarter ways of working. It’s a space where even small advancements can transform how we design and build the network. 

6. What is one challenge you or your team faces that people outside network design often don’t realise? 
One thing many people don’t realise is just how diverse and highly specialised our Network Infrastructure Design Team really is. We bring together engineers from several fields - civil works, power supply, mechanical engineering, fire protection, and steel construction. And they don’t stand behind their work only with knowledge and experience, but also with their professional licences, without which they legally cannot design or sign off on solutions.
This adds an additional layer of responsibility - not only for the work they do within CETIN, but also because they put their name, their licence, and their professional reputation behind every solution that goes out to the engineering community.

In day‑to‑day work, this often means that colleagues from other departments - motivated by the understandable desire to complete tasks faster or more cost‑effectively — may not always realise that some proposed solutions are simply not correct or not safe. Our team must ensure that every design meets safety, technical, and legal standards, even when that requires more time or resources.

Another part of the job that people rarely see is the amount of field work. Together with colleagues from Radio Planning, we are often the first ones on site, facing challenging conditions. It is our job to create a technical solution that will eventually make that space safe and functional.

A typical work week can include travelling to two or three locations anywhere in the country, preparing technical solutions and designs, working on optimisation and standardisation, and managing equipment procurement. It’s a demanding mix of engineering, coordination, and practical problem‑solving - much more complex than it may appear from the outside. 

7. Outside of work, what activities or passions help you stay balanced, inspired, or creatively refreshed for such a demanding role? 
I’ve already mentioned that interior design has remained in my life as a “trace” of my original vocation. Lately, that creative need has been showing up through occasional, temporary thematic installations that I enjoy designing and physically building myself. There’s something very grounding in working with my hands and continuously improving the skills needed to create these pieces.

When it comes to physical activities, two things have become a regular part of my routine: daily yoga, and hiking and via ferrata, which I try to do at least twice a month. Yoga is my quiet, personal time - a way to reconnect with myself. Hiking, on the other hand, is something I do with a long‑standing informal group of friends. They’ve been enriching my life for decades with their diversity, positive energy, and humor.

And finally, I have two long‑time passions that I always return to: skiing and diving. They bring joy, freedom, and a sense of balance that I deeply cherish.