Curious, resourceful, and confident: these three words perfectly describe Anđela Petrović. That said, 'energetic' should also be added to the list as a conversation with Anđela is incredibly invigorating. Over the past 10 years, many people working at Ahold Delhaize have experienced Anđela's captivating energy firsthand, with her career having spanned multiple roles and departments. “It feels like I've had multiple jobs at different companies over the past decade, all while working for the same employer. I'm incredibly grateful for all the opportunities I've been given here and for the journey I've been on.”
That journey began in Serbia, Anđela's homeland. She was a diligent student who worked hard to achieve high grades and spent a lot of time playing volleyball. Her skills on the court earned her a scholarship in the U.S. “It was a huge leap into the unknown. That year was one of incredible growth in many ways.”
Anđela ended up studying accounting – not necessarily because it was a passion, but because it seemed like a safe choice and a good base for a career in business. When she learned about Ahold Delhaize's international management traineeship, she found it instantly appealing and jumped at the opportunity to register. “The traineeship was amazing. It really laid the foundation for my career. I spent the first six months working in stores in Serbia, which was an experience I would recommend to anyone in retail. On the floor, you get a real understanding of how the business operates. Truthfully, though, the second part of the traineeship was definitely the more career-defining chapter for me. I returned to the U.S. and joined the team responsible for the Ahold and Delhaize merger in 2016. It was a chance to be part of a remarkable project with a truly inspiring team. After coming back home, I stayed in close contact with this group. Little did I know that those connections would play a significant role in my career later on.”
Once she completed her traineeship in Serbia, Anđela moved into a managerial position in category management. Jumping straight into the role of manager wasn't the usual route. “I had to negotiate quite a lot to secure that position. I suggested that I try it out for six months, and if it didn't work out, I would step back. The fact that the team gave me that opportunity speaks volumes about this organization. When you clearly communicate your ambitions, many doors open for you here. I thrived in that role thanks to the support of some wonderful colleagues who selflessly shared their knowledge and offered incredible guidance. Two of them were real mentors to me and remain good friends of mine to this day. One is on my personal board of trustees: when I need to make an important decision or am urgently seeking advice, he is one of the first people I call.”
The land and organization of opportunity
For Anđela, though, one thing was clear: to propel her career forward, returning to the U.S. would be a smart move. “They don't call it the land of opportunities for nothing,” she says, laughing. One of the people she worked with on the strategic team during her traineeship had just become Strategy Director and was busy building the strategy team. The role of Strategy Manager was right up her alley. Long story short, she got the job, making her the first person to be hired for this new U.S.-based Strategy division. In January 2019, she was on a flight back to the States.
“It was an amazing time. We were really pioneering, setting up and developing concepts from scratch, testing new ideas, and brainstorming endlessly. That Strategy Manager role was my dream job, and on top of that, I had a fantastic manager who really invested in my growth. As the team grew, so did my responsibilities. Over a period of more than five years, I held various roles, including Director of Vendor Strategy and Supplier Diversity, Interim Chief of Staff, Interim VP of Human Resources and most recently Director of Organizational Development. Each role required me to flex different muscles, which I thoroughly enjoyed. But what possibly stood out for me most in that last interim position was how fascinating I found the field of HR. This made me want to learn more about it and get more involved in this area.”
There are many reasons why working on people-focused strategies makes Anđela's heart beat faster. “I really enjoy the area of people and team development. I like the idea that it’s not only the business that’s progressing, but that the people behind it are also growing and benefiting from the experience. It brings me great joy to see people build the life and career they want and to know that I’m playing a role in uncovering their potential. This could be through helping them learn new skills or through ensuring that they gain the right experience and exposure. I find it so rewarding to watch people move into roles that I know they will excel in. I firmly believe that our associates are our greatest strength. Yes, it’s important to keep our shareholders and supervisory board satisfied, but if our people aren’t happy, we won’t succeed. Many companies lose key talent or struggle with widespread burnout, and I’m committed to preventing that from happening in our organization.”
Another way Anđela aims to improve the organization is by promoting greater diversity, which is already a key priority on the company’s agenda. “How do I plan to achieve this? Through several means. I strongly believe in encouraging international, cross-brand exchanges and facilitating the sharing of experiences and expertise, which can greatly improve performance. I want to make it easier for associates to (temporarily) shift to another local brand in one of our different countries. But to truly champion diversity, we must also adjust policies and job structures. In the U.S. in particular, the fact that part-time work and six-hour workdays in corporate jobs aren't very common can exclude the parents of young children and caregivers for the elderly, for instance. We need to offer more flexibility to ensure that these individuals can remain part of our teams. These are just a few examples of the strategic HR goals I’d like to see our company achieve.”
NextCo: providing fresh perspectives from the next generation
Anđela also aims to help shape business and people development strategy at Ahold Delhaize through her membership in the NextCo, a newly formed advisory board to the Ahold Delhaize Executive Committee. “NextCo currently has eight members – four from the U.S. and four from Europe – who come from a diverse range of backgrounds both personally and within their roles. Essentially, we shadow the Executive Committee, representing the Millennial demographic across several key countries where the company operates. Our role is to provide fresh perspectives and innovative ideas from the next generation – hence the name – and present them to the Executive Committee for advisory purposes and, when necessary, challenge. We're just starting out and I'm excited to see what we can achieve in the coming years.”
Anđela is known for setting ambitious goals and pushing herself hard. Fortunately, she’s also learned how to prioritize moments when she can completely disconnect from work. “Everyone should have a hobby or passion that helps them to lose track of time. For me, these are beach volleyball and cycling. I started cycling a few years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic when volleyball was off limits. When I'm riding my bike or on the beach, I don’t think about work or my role as a manager, sister, daughter and fiancée. Nothing else matters. I simply enjoy the game, the ride, and the experience of being in nature. My colleagues know that in the summer I clock out at 5pm sharp, and by 5:30pm, I'm on the beach, waiting to start a game. It's one of the reasons I think Chicago is such an amazing city to live in: I live two minutes from the beach and there's a great bike path nearby. Everything I need is right at my fingertips.”
As much as Anđela loves Chicago, Serbia remains her true home. In an ideal world, she would divide her time between the U.S., Serbia, and Jamaica, where her fiancé, Yannick, is from. "During the pandemic, when we were all working from home, I was fortunate to spend more time in Serbia. I’m very close to my family so it was wonderful to have quality time with them. It was during that time that my father and I discovered a shared passion: buying older properties and renovating them. Since then, we've tackled several exciting projects together. While we hire professionals to do most of the work, as a family we enjoy picking out doors, windows, tiles, color schemes, and more together. It’s not only fulfilling to see the project come together, but it's also the ultimate bonding time for us. In the future, when there are hopefully more options for remote work, I would love it if I could work from Serbia for a few weeks every year.”
Name: Anđela Petrović (1991)
Started working at Ahold Delhaize: September 2015
Studied: BA Accounting, Hampton University (2014)
Living with: My fiancé, Yannick. We met in college back in 2011, reconnected two years ago, and now we’re getting married in Jamaica this December!
Hobbies: Beach volleyball and cycling
Wake me up in the middle of the night for: The opportunity to pet puppies
Favorite holiday destination: The mountains in summer
Life-changing event: Moving back to the U.S. in 2019
Biggest source of inspiration: Nature
Best advice I’ve ever received: It’s hard to pick only one piece of advice, so here are a few: Things don’t have to be perfect to be wonderful. Wear SPF even on a cloudy day. Be present in the here and now. Gratitude is the cheapest form of therapy. Get enough sleep.
![](["https:\/\/careers.aholddelhaize.com\/media\/cache\/square_crop_center\/rc\/63WEV45d\/uploads\/Bram_working_behind_desk.jpg"])
.png){kind=logo}
 (1).png){kind=logo}
