The fifth edition of the Future Tense conference took place in Zagreb on 8 May 2025, bringing together a wide range of business leaders to discuss technology, innovation, sustainability, and the vital importance of forward thinking in an era of constant change. The conference opened with keynote speeches by Dr Howard Yu, PhD, who emphasised the need for strategic foresight, and Tamira Snell, a cultural sociologist from the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies.
“Firefighting companies survive today’s challenges but remain extremely vulnerable to tomorrow’s. Create an organisation that can adapt – and grow the business in a meaningful way – rather than chasing short-term profits. No advantage is permanent. That’s why investing in future opportunities must always be a priority,” said Dr Howard Yu, Professor of Management and Innovation at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland. His remarks were part of the lecture “The Future-Ready Mindset: Strategic Resilience in a World of Rapid Change.”
Tamira Snell also pointed out that, beyond seeing climate change as a series of isolated events, many people avoid changing their behaviour due to a deep sense of comfort and a fear of change.
“Our everyday lives are shaped by comforts like cars, flights, or fast fashion, and changing these habits requires effort, time, and money. When the system doesn’t change – when policies, infrastructure, and corporations remain the same – many wonder if there’s any point in changing. That’s where fear comes in, because when the problem seems too big, people often retreat instead of acting,” she explained.
Once again, this year’s conference brought together futurists, industry leaders, and representatives from public administration – all committed to thinking ahead, investing in the future, and shaping it through strategic action. One of the speakers at the conference was JGL's Chief Executive Officer, Mislav Vučić, who took part in the panel “Investment in Research and Innovation as a Prerequisite for Europe’s Competitiveness.”
“The global pharmaceutical industry invests nearly 300 billion dollars annually in research and development. JGL currently invests around six per cent of its annual revenue into R&D – double the EU’s long-term target of three per cent of GDP. These investments are primarily directed towards dermatology, with a focus on acne treatments, and ophthalmology, where we are developing therapies for dry eye and glaucoma. It is important to emphasise that every investment in our industry, including in R&D, must begin and end with the patient. The goal is to create added value and address unmet patient needs,” said Vučić.
He also pointed out that excessive regulation and bureaucracy within the European Union remain significant barriers to innovation and competitiveness in the pharmaceutical sector.
As part of the conference, the presentation area featured free eye screenings using by Vizol S Hydro Lipid Balance, with eye pressure measurements and assessments for dry eye. Ophthalmology specialists and residents from Sv. Duh Hospital, Croatia Polyclinic, and “Sestre milosrdnice” Clinical Hospital Centre conducted a total of 68 examination, 13 of which revealed elevated eye pressure.
