The Republika Srpska Office for Cooperation, Trade and Investment was opened in October 2013.  Its mission is to help companies industries of Republika Srpska and Bosnia & Herzegovina establish better business relations with entities in the United States and assist in trade and investment in Republika Srpska in a number of ways.

 

Obrad Kesic is the Director of the Republika Srpska Office for Cooperation, Trade and Investment.  He is a political consultant and Balkans expert, and senior partner at TSM Global Consulting, LLC with considerable government affairs experience in Washington.  Born in Smederevo, Serbia and growing up in the United States, Obrad received his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and English, at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, and his Masters of Arts in International Studies at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.  He was the Director of the Office of Governmental Affairs for ICN Pharmaceuticals, and prior to that the Program Coordinator for the Democratic Transition Program as well as the Program Officer for Media and Central and East European Programs at the international non-profit organization, IREX in Washington DC.  A columnist and frequent media commentator, Obrad has published numerous articles in Serbian and English and has appeared on a number of American and international television and radio shows.  He also participated as guest speaker and presented papers at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Center for Strategic and International Studies, The Heritage Foundation, US Institute for Peace, Council on Foreign Relations, Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, Virginia, Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Republika Srpska in Banja Luka, Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies and other academic and foreign policy institutions.