Rodoljub
Petrović

Born on 26 June 1950 in Zemun, Belgrade, Rodoljub Petrović dedicated his professional life to diplomacy, international relations, economic development, and the building of strategic partnerships between Serbia and the international community.

After graduating from the Faculty of Law at the University of Belgrade, he began his career within the institutions of the former Republic of Yugoslavia, working in international scientific, educational, cultural and economic cooperation. Throughout the 1980s, he helped strengthen relationships with institutions across Europe, the United States and the Middle East, contributing to Yugoslavia's international relations and economic development.

Following the political changes in the region, he later served as Vice Minister for International Economic Relations of the Republic of Serbia, continuing to strengthen international partnerships and foreign investment.

Throughout the 1990s, he expanded his international business activities in the Russian Federation, first as the official representative of SIMPO Vranje, one of Serbia's leading furniture manufacturers, developing its presence on the Russian market. He later founded and managed Gallery RODA, a business showroom based in Saint Petersburg, which became a meeting place for Serbian and Russian companies, entrepreneurs and international business partners while promoting Serbian products and industry abroad.

During the following decades, he continuously developed economic cooperation between Serbia, the Russian Federation and Italy, connecting companies, industries and investors through long-term international partnerships. For many years, he represented Serbian business interests in the Russian Federation and actively cooperated with governmental institutions, chambers of commerce and international economic organisations. He also collaborated with major international economic initiatives associated with the Roscongress Foundation, contributing to the development of business dialogue and international cooperation.

Alongside his distinguished international career, Rodoljub Petrović was also a passionate painter and visual artist. During the later years of his life, painting became an important part of his creative expression, and his works were exhibited in the Russian Federation under the artistic name RODA Petrović.

His life reflected a unique combination of diplomacy, entrepreneurship, international cooperation and art, always guided by the belief that culture, education and business are powerful instruments for bringing people together.

He passed away on 22 June 2020 after complications caused by COVID-19, unexpectedly bringing to an end numerous international projects and future initiatives that he was actively developing. Today, his vision continues through the Petrović Foundation.