DevHosted: Solidarity Remains the Most Important Story of the Conference

The fourth DevHosted conference, held in Banja Luka, once again confirmed that the strength of the IT community is not measured solely by lines of code, but also by empathy, solidarity, and good intentions.

As in previous years, DevHosted donated all proceeds from ticket sales to oncology patients as part of the global Movember movement.

Designed in a format far removed from traditional, formal lectures, the event brought together regional experts while staying true to its humanitarian mission.

Over the years, the very essence of DevHosted has evolved into a platform where dialogue consistently outweighs monologue.

This is not a conference for passive listening. The key story of the event is not only what was said from the stage, but what emerged from the audience itself.

Discussions were intense, and audience questions were thoughtful and constructive.

The best example of this was the lecture on the future of IT delivered by industry veteran Namik Hrle. Audience interest was so strong that participants simply would not allow the session to end as planned, resulting in additional discussions and perspectives on the world of IT.

Throughout his distinguished career, Namik Hrle has developed 79 patented innovations that have influenced both the IT industry and society as a whole. He previously led IBM’s global development teams in the areas of databases and artificial intelligence and served as Director of IBM’s largest development laboratory in Germany.

Radovan Baćović from GitLab spoke about the advantages and challenges of all-remote work in a company with more than 2,000 employees, no physical offices, and a global leadership position in multiple IT domains. His presentation challenged conventional views of “working from home” versus working in an office.

An excellent presentation on AI trends and how companies can leverage artificial intelligence in their strategies and operations was delivered by Igor Irić. Using concrete examples from projects for companies such as Nestlé, Coca-Cola, BMW, Lidl, and Siemens, he guided the audience toward practical conclusions about AI.

Proceeds from the sale of his book GitHub for Next-Generation Coders were also donated to charitable causes. The conference also addressed the importance of men’s health and prevention through a lecture delivered by Nebojša Grbić, a specialist in urology.

When a conference has to adjust its schedule due to an overwhelming number of high-quality questions from the audience, it is a clear sign that something has been done right.