Interview | Jacco Landsmeer on building trust across borders and the next chapter of Ekonomik

Jacco Landsmeer on building trust across borders and the next chapter of Ekonomik

Before becoming an entrepreneur in Montenegro, Jacco Landsmeer spent more than two decades in international business transformation and executive management across several European markets. His career included senior leadership roles within Deutsche Telekom group companies, where he led large customer-service, sales, retention and digital-transformation organisations. Today, as shareholder and authorised representative of Ekonomik Accountants, he focuses on strategy, international relationships and the continued professional development of the firm. In this interview, he discusses the principles behind Ekonomik’s growth and its new partnership with Unija ETL.

You are Dutch, but Montenegro has been at the centre of your professional life for many years. What brought those two perspectives together?

Living and working in Montenegro taught me that international clients rarely need theory alone. They need someone who understands where they come from, what standards they are accustomed to and how business actually works locally. My Dutch and European background naturally shaped my expectations around structure, clarity and accountability. Montenegro taught me the importance of relationships, adaptability and knowing how rules are applied in practice.

That combination became central to how we developed Ekonomik: internationally understandable, but firmly grounded in Montenegro. A foreign investor should not have to choose between local knowledge and international service standards.

How did your earlier international management career influence the way you helped develop Ekonomik?

Before working with Ekonomik, I spent many years leading large operational organisations and transformation programmes in European telecommunications. Those roles taught me that service quality is not created by slogans. It comes from clear responsibility, measurable processes, capable people and management that stays close to the customer experience.

I brought that perspective into Ekonomik. My contribution has largely been entrepreneurial and strategic: developing the market position, building relationships with international clients and helping the organisation move from a traditional accounting practice towards a broader professional-services firm. That meant investing in people, systems, risk management and communication, while remaining commercially realistic about the needs of clients.

Today I am a shareholder and authorised representative. Ivana leads the company operationally as Executive Director. Our roles are different, but complementary: she brings strong day-to-day leadership and deep knowledge of the Montenegrin environment, while I remain involved in strategic development, international relationships and selected complex matters.

What did international companies find most difficult when entering Montenegro?

The greatest difficulty was usually not one individual law. It was the distance between formal rules, administrative practice and the expectations of an international head office. A group finance department may need precise deadlines, documented controls and reporting in a particular format, while the local company also has to deal with payroll, tax filings, permits and institutions in real time.

A good local adviser translates between those worlds. The client should understand not only what the law says, but what must be done, by whom, by when and with which evidence.

You have often argued that accounting should not be treated as a commodity. Why?

Because the consequences of weak accounting are rarely limited to the accounting fee. They can affect tax exposure, management decisions, banking relationships, audits, transactions and ultimately the reputation of the business. The cheapest provider may be perfectly adequate for a simple case, but price alone says very little about competence, capacity, internal controls or professional responsibility.

Clients should look at the quality of the people, the security of the systems, the reliability of the processes and whether the adviser is willing to raise difficult issues early. A strong accountant is part of the company’s control environment.

What does the strategic partnership with Unija ETL mean for Ekonomik?

It represents the next stage of professionalisation. Ekonomik developed a strong position in Montenegro, particularly among international clients. Unija ETL adds regional depth, specialist knowledge, technology and access to the wider ETL Global network. That combination allows the firm to support clients whose needs extend beyond one jurisdiction or one discipline.

Equally important, the partnership validates what the team built locally. It was not a decision to replace Ekonomik’s identity, but to strengthen it with a larger professional infrastructure and a longer-term platform for employees and clients.

How do you see Montenegro’s position for international investors?

Montenegro has real advantages: a strategic location, the euro, a relatively accessible market and a clear European direction. Its scale can also be an advantage because decisions and relationships are often closer than in larger jurisdictions.

The opportunity is strongest when the country combines those advantages with predictable implementation, digital administration and consistent professional standards. Serious investors can work with complexity; what they find difficult is uncertainty that cannot be planned or priced.

What have you learned from building a company together with Ivana?

That complementary leadership is more valuable than identical leadership. We do not approach every subject in the same way, and that has often improved the result. Ivana is extremely strong in execution, and the realities of the local market. I tend to focus more on positioning, structure and the perspective of international clients.

The important part is having shared standards and being honest about who is best placed to make a particular decision. A professional firm cannot depend indefinitely on one personality; it must develop a team and systems that remain reliable as the organisation grows.

What should clients expect from the next chapter of Ekonomik?

Continuity in the values that built the firm, combined with greater regional and international capability. Clients should continue to receive direct, practical guidance and clear responsibility, while gaining access to broader expertise where a matter crosses borders or requires a specialist.

For me, sustainable growth means that the quality of the organisation increases with its size. Growth is useful only when it creates greater security, better advice and more opportunities for the people who work in the firm.