Sanya Ristic

Job:

Director of Innovation & Client Success

Company:

illuminise

I am the Director of Innovation and Client Success at Illuminise, a leading Adobe Commerce and Magento agency. With 17 years at the company, I play a key role in driving strategy and cultivating co-creative, long-term client partnerships focused on trust, transformation, innovation, and navigating complex business and leadership challenges.

I am...

Courageous

Intuitive

Curious

The skills I use most in my job...

Listening

Systems thinking

Facilitation

Empathy

Problem solving

The most interesting thing I've worked on in my career so far...

Working on complex ecommerce transformation projects for manufacturers, distributors, and trade brands has been incredibly rewarding, especially where technology, strategy, and human collaboration all come together. In these projects, we transform complex challenges into opportunities for growth, stronger relationships, and lasting positive impact for all parties involved.

What inspired me into digital and tech...

It was my talent and natural choice to study Electrical Engineering, that led me to 10 years working in Software Engineering, until I joined my partner in his Ecommerce business, almost 20 years ago. Initial path was talent and choice and then later, one thing let to another

My educational background is...

My background is in Electrical Engineering from the University of Belgrade, Serbia. Bachelor of Science in Microelectronics Master of Science in Electronics In addition, over the last 8 years I have completed a number of Facilitation, Coaching, Leadership, Systemic thinking courses, more can be seen here https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanyaristic/details/certifications/

What advice I'd give to girls thinking about a career in digital and tech...

Don’t wait until you feel fully ready - look for opportunities, experiment, and find ways to show up. Follow your heart when making decisions, stay curious, and keep learning and moving forward. Most importantly, don’t do it alone - find supportive communities and surround yourself with people who inspire you.