When you meet Aleksa Marinovic today, one thing quickly becomes clear: here is someone who not only leads, but also gets involved. Someone who tackles problems head-on, questions things, and is not afraid to take responsibility and stick with it. Aleksa is not someone who hides behind titles. He is a doer—with attitude, heart, and a clear opinion.
Yet his path has been anything but conventional. Originally from Bad Homburg, Aleksa experimented with computers in his youth – the first short circuit was not long in coming after he fitted nine tower PCs with lights. Today, he can laugh about it. His passion for technology was there early on, but his career path initially took him somewhere else entirely: first to retail, then to construction sites, where he worked as a foreman. Taking responsibility has always come naturally to him. “At some point, I just got the plan from the architect and built it. He simply trusted me.”
But the appeal of IT never left him. A school project in which a small student IT company looked after friends and family became a lightbulb moment: “That's where I learned how to explain complex things in simple terms. For example, I was allowed to explain IT to an elderly lady who had no idea about the subject.” It is precisely this ability that has shaped him to this day.
A career change with prospects
His entry into IT did not follow the traditional path. Instead, he joined a small company that fully immersed him in system architecture—from cable pulling to server setup. When the company restructured, Aleksa started looking for a new job—and came across elio. At the time, it was a small team of around ten people. He immediately sensed that there was potential here. And that he could make a difference: “It was the relaxed and unconventional atmosphere that appealed to me. No stuffy suits. The conversation with Sascha was on an equal footing.”
He started with an internship in web development—HTML, CSS, PHP—and quickly realized that this was his thing. After a short time, he began training as an IT specialist for application development. And the rest? History. Today, almost 13 years later, Aleksa is COO of elio.
What defines him
Aleksa is someone who absorbs knowledge like a sponge—and quickly puts it into practice. He doesn't think in silos. He thinks in networks, both technically and humanly. And he questions things—even when it's uncomfortable. “Sometimes feedback is uncomfortable. But that's exactly what moves us forward. In the end, you're glad that someone is paying attention,” says Aleksa.
He doesn't see himself as a traditional boss, but as a leader in the best sense of the word: someone who gets involved. Someone who stands in front of his team – especially when the going gets tough. And someone who sometimes says, “Take a break – work-life balance is important. You can't buy health.”
Sometimes feedback is uncomfortable. But that's exactly what moves us forward.
Aleksa Marinovic
COO at elio
Career is skyrocketing
A decisive moment in his career was a large customer project. The customer was technically savvy—but not from the web world. Aleksa stepped into the breach, took responsibility, and found his place in consulting. “That's when it just clicked for me. I can use my technical know-how—and translate it at the same time.” This moment was formative: Aleksa discovered his strength in building bridges—between clients, systems, and teams.
This step was no coincidence, but the result of a path he was able to actively shape at elio from the very beginning: from trainee to developer, from project manager to salesman—and finally into business development, partner management, and strategic client consulting. There is hardly an area he has not worked in. “I soak up knowledge – whether from books, conversations, or simply by participating. I acquire things, utilize them, develop them further, and ultimately make them my own.”
What kept him going? The culture at elio. "Here, you're allowed to do things. Here, you're supposed to do things. Don't discuss it ten times first – just get started. This attitude permeates the entire company, from the top down to the team. And it gave me the space to try things out, recognize my strengths, and take on responsibility.“ As COO, Aleksa now sees his role as setting an example: enabling, encouraging, and doing. ”I learned a lot by watching others, especially the pragmatism of our founder Sascha: no politics, no vanity—just do it. And that's exactly what I pass on today."
COO today – and tomorrow?
Today, Aleksa is responsible for operations. He coordinates, drives things forward, thinks ahead—and beyond. Whether it's e-commerce, automation, or AI, he loves the diversity at elio. No two projects are alike. No two customers are alike. He loves the challenge—and the opportunity to pass on his knowledge. “I can see at first glance whether something is right or not. I've honed this eye for detail over the years.” This is another skill he learned in one of his countless positions.
In his free time? Family. Two small children keep him busy. Strength training and martial arts provide balance. “I need the physical activity – it helps me clear my head.”
What's easy to forget amid all this is that Aleksa knows elio like no one else. Starting as an intern in 2012, he has helped shape the company over many years. From a small team with a manageable portfolio to a strategically positioned software company focused on automation with a strong partner network. New technologies, new services, new alliances – Aleksa has always been at the heart of it all.
His recipe for success? Taking responsibility, putting in the hard work, remaining open to change – and never losing sight of the fun in what he does. Anyone who knows him knows that this is exactly how he lives his life. With a clear eye for processes, a feel for people, and his heart in the right place.
Aleksa Marinovic, 35. COO. Family man. Computer scientist with attitude. And someone who has not only grown at elio – but is now an important part of it.
25 years of elio – a special milestone!
This article is part of our anniversary series, in which we take you behind the scenes at elio. Look forward to personal insights, stories from the team, and what has been driving us for a quarter of a century.
