Viktor Mizo is the Managing Director of Kostal Macedonia and Vice President for Governmental Affairs at Kostal Group – global leader in design and manufacturing of advanced electronics and mechatronics products for the automotive industry. He is also President of the Foreign Investors Council within the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia.

He is also President of the Association of foreign companies with technologically advanced manufacturing within the auspices of the Economic Chamber of Macedonia and an outside expert for McKinsey on various economic development, FDI and free zones projects around the World. Mr. Mizo brings to Kostal a record of exceptional leadership and strategic vision, responsible for numerous greenfield investment projects by multinational companies that have located their production or service operations in Macedonia as a CEO of the Macedonia Free Zone Authority over a period of six year.

Prior to that, he spent four years as CEO of Invest Macedonia, where he played a critical role in putting Macedonia on the radar of potential investors looking to expand in Europe and was a key member of the Government’s economic team. He co-founded and managed a technology company specialized in digital file distribution for mobile phones in Japan, as well as an internet start-up in the media and entertainment space in London and New York. Preceding this, Mr. Mizo was a technology and financial services consultant at McKinsey’s New York office.

He began his career as a design engineer at Magna International and a member of the esteemed Technical Leadership Program at General Electric where he worked on locomotive design that culminated in a Black Belt position in the Six Sigma quality initiative. Mr. Mizo received his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology, graduating summa cum laude. An alumnus of Harvard University, he holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Professor Nikica Mojsoska-Blazevski is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Macedonia2025. Nikica's prior experience was in academia, where she served two terms as Dean of the Business School at University American College-Skopje, as well as in the public administration where she worked as a Head of the Macroeconomic Policy Department at the Ministry of Finance of Republic of Macedonia.

Nikica has an extensive experience of over 15 years in research, consultancy and advisory in economic policies, social systems and policy, labour markets, and education in Macedonia, as well as the Western Balkan region. She has been working with major international economic organisations and institutions, such as the World Bank, ILO, RCC, UNDP, UN Women and the European Commission. Mojsoska-Blazevski is author of many journal articles and several book chapters, mainly in the area of social policy, labour markets, education, gender issues, youth, etc.

Nikica has served as an advisor to the government institutions in Macedonia and the Western Balkan region on economic, employment and social policy issues. Nikica is a member of several professional organizations in Macedonia, as well as of well-renowned international scientific organizations.

Mike Zafirovski is the Founder, Chairman, and President of The Zaf Group (TZG), a family office engaged in operating, investment, and advisory activities. Since the mid-2010s, TZG has focused on acquiring and building well-run founder-led businesses, with an emphasis on operational excellence and long-term value creation.

Mike serves as Chairman of TZG portfolio companies, and his wife, Robin, is Co-Chair of The Zaf Group. TZG’s current portfolio consists of two companies: Tusker and Storr Office Environments. Tusker is a fast-growing national IT solutions platform providing a broad range of advisory, professional, managed and lifecycle technology solutions. Tusker (formerly operated as ACP CreativIT) was built through the acquisition of five strong regional founder-led IT services businesses with a cumulative history of more than 175 years.

Storr Office Environments, acquired in October 2025 is one of the largest Steelcase dealers in the United States. Founded in 1914 and headquartered in Raleigh, NC, Storr provides full-service workplace furniture solutions and a growing portfolio of complementary Storr Services, including warehousing, logistics, installation, repair, and refurbishment. Before establishing TZG, Mike was an Executive Advisor to Blackstone (2011–2021) and served on the boards of Boeing (2004–2020), Stericycle (2012–2022), Apria Healthcare (2011–2022), Nortel (2006–2009), Motorola (2002–2005), and several other Blackstone portfolio companies.

During his corporate career, Mike served as President and/or CEO at Nortel, Motorola, and five GE businesses. Throughout 21+ years of full P&L leadership, revenue growth averaged over 8% annually, productivity gains exceeded 6% per year, and EBITDA margins improved by an average of 350 basis points per year. From 2006 to 2010, Mike was appointed by the President of the United States to serve on the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), advising on matters related to telecommunications, information technology, cybersecurity, and national security.

Mike and Robin established The Zafirovski Family Foundation in 2005, focusing on education, healthcare, faith-based ministries, and economic development. A native of Macedonia, Mike is also the co-founder and director of Macedonia 2025, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the country’s economic growth and democratic development. Under its umbrella, and in partnership with Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, the Zafirovski Executive Development Program has helped prepare more than 100 future CEOs and senior executives.

Mike’s other philanthropic and civic engagements include serving on the Board of Directors of Special Olympics, the Coach K Leadership & Ethics Center Advisory Board (COLE), and the Council of Chief Executives (former Chairman). He is also a member of The CEO Forum, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Economic Club of Chicago. In 2009, he cofounded the Faith@Work Ministry at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, IL, and previously chaired AUSL, an organization focused on improving teacher quality and educational outcomes in Chicago’s turnaround public schools.

Mike holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Edinboro University, where he captained the soccer and swimming teams. He received an honorary doctorate in public service in 2002 and was inducted into the University’s Sports Hall of Fame. His honors include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Leadership Award from the New York Hall of Science, the Medal of Honor from the President of Macedonia, the John L. Bitove Philanthropy Award, the Navy SEAL Foundation Patriot Award, AUSL’s Leadership Impact in Education Award. Married for 43 years, Mike and Robin have three married sons, all involved in The Zaf Group and its portfolio companies, and nine grandchildren.

His personal interests include family, mentoring, travel, and a lifelong love for endurance sports. He has completed nine Ironman races and fourteen marathons, including the California Ironman in 2024, where he won his age group and qualified for the World Championships. He is now beginning to devote more time to golf.

Viktor Mizo is the Managing Director of Kostal Macedonia and Vice President for Governmental Affairs at Kostal Group – global leader in design and manufacturing of advanced electronics and mechatronics products for the automotive industry. He is also President of the Foreign Investors Council within the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia.

He is also President of the Association of foreign companies with technologically advanced manufacturing within the auspices of the Economic Chamber of Macedonia and an outside expert for McKinsey on various economic development, FDI and free zones projects around the World. Mr. Mizo brings to Kostal a record of exceptional leadership and strategic vision, responsible for numerous greenfield investment projects by multinational companies that have located their production or service operations in Macedonia as a CEO of the Macedonia Free Zone Authority over a period of six year.

Prior to that, he spent four years as CEO of Invest Macedonia, where he played a critical role in putting Macedonia on the radar of potential investors looking to expand in Europe and was a key member of the Government’s economic team. He co-founded and managed a technology company specialized in digital file distribution for mobile phones in Japan, as well as an internet start-up in the media and entertainment space in London and New York. Preceding this, Mr. Mizo was a technology and financial services consultant at McKinsey’s New York office.

He began his career as a design engineer at Magna International and a member of the esteemed Technical Leadership Program at General Electric where he worked on locomotive design that culminated in a Black Belt position in the Six Sigma quality initiative. Mr. Mizo received his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology, graduating summa cum laude. An alumnus of Harvard University, he holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Professor Nikica Mojsoska-Blazevski is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Macedonia2025. Nikica's prior experience was in academia, where she served two terms as Dean of the Business School at University American College-Skopje, as well as in the public administration where she worked as a Head of the Macroeconomic Policy Department at the Ministry of Finance of Republic of Macedonia.

Nikica has an extensive experience of over 15 years in research, consultancy and advisory in economic policies, social systems and policy, labour markets, and education in Macedonia, as well as the Western Balkan region. She has been working with major international economic organisations and institutions, such as the World Bank, ILO, RCC, UNDP, UN Women and the European Commission. Mojsoska-Blazevski is author of many journal articles and several book chapters, mainly in the area of social policy, labour markets, education, gender issues, youth, etc.

Nikica has served as an advisor to the government institutions in Macedonia and the Western Balkan region on economic, employment and social policy issues. Nikica is a member of several professional organizations in Macedonia, as well as of well-renowned international scientific organizations.

Mike Zafirovski is the Founder, Chairman, and President of The Zaf Group (TZG), a family office engaged in operating, investment, and advisory activities. Since the mid-2010s, TZG has focused on acquiring and building well-run founder-led businesses, with an emphasis on operational excellence and long-term value creation.

Mike serves as Chairman of TZG portfolio companies, and his wife, Robin, is Co-Chair of The Zaf Group. TZG’s current portfolio consists of two companies: Tusker and Storr Office Environments. Tusker is a fast-growing national IT solutions platform providing a broad range of advisory, professional, managed and lifecycle technology solutions. Tusker (formerly operated as ACP CreativIT) was built through the acquisition of five strong regional founder-led IT services businesses with a cumulative history of more than 175 years.

Storr Office Environments, acquired in October 2025 is one of the largest Steelcase dealers in the United States. Founded in 1914 and headquartered in Raleigh, NC, Storr provides full-service workplace furniture solutions and a growing portfolio of complementary Storr Services, including warehousing, logistics, installation, repair, and refurbishment. Before establishing TZG, Mike was an Executive Advisor to Blackstone (2011–2021) and served on the boards of Boeing (2004–2020), Stericycle (2012–2022), Apria Healthcare (2011–2022), Nortel (2006–2009), Motorola (2002–2005), and several other Blackstone portfolio companies.

During his corporate career, Mike served as President and/or CEO at Nortel, Motorola, and five GE businesses. Throughout 21+ years of full P&L leadership, revenue growth averaged over 8% annually, productivity gains exceeded 6% per year, and EBITDA margins improved by an average of 350 basis points per year. From 2006 to 2010, Mike was appointed by the President of the United States to serve on the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), advising on matters related to telecommunications, information technology, cybersecurity, and national security.

Mike and Robin established The Zafirovski Family Foundation in 2005, focusing on education, healthcare, faith-based ministries, and economic development. A native of Macedonia, Mike is also the co-founder and director of Macedonia 2025, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the country’s economic growth and democratic development. Under its umbrella, and in partnership with Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, the Zafirovski Executive Development Program has helped prepare more than 100 future CEOs and senior executives.

Mike’s other philanthropic and civic engagements include serving on the Board of Directors of Special Olympics, the Coach K Leadership & Ethics Center Advisory Board (COLE), and the Council of Chief Executives (former Chairman). He is also a member of The CEO Forum, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Economic Club of Chicago. In 2009, he cofounded the Faith@Work Ministry at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, IL, and previously chaired AUSL, an organization focused on improving teacher quality and educational outcomes in Chicago’s turnaround public schools.

Mike holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Edinboro University, where he captained the soccer and swimming teams. He received an honorary doctorate in public service in 2002 and was inducted into the University’s Sports Hall of Fame. His honors include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Leadership Award from the New York Hall of Science, the Medal of Honor from the President of Macedonia, the John L. Bitove Philanthropy Award, the Navy SEAL Foundation Patriot Award, AUSL’s Leadership Impact in Education Award. Married for 43 years, Mike and Robin have three married sons, all involved in The Zaf Group and its portfolio companies, and nine grandchildren.

His personal interests include family, mentoring, travel, and a lifelong love for endurance sports. He has completed nine Ironman races and fourteen marathons, including the California Ironman in 2024, where he won his age group and qualified for the World Championships. He is now beginning to devote more time to golf.

Professor Nikica Mojsoska-Blazevski is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Macedonia2025. Nikica's prior experience was in academia, where she served two terms as Dean of the Business School at University American College-Skopje, as well as in the public administration where she worked as a Head of the Macroeconomic Policy Department at the Ministry of Finance of Republic of Macedonia.

Nikica has an extensive experience of over 15 years in research, consultancy and advisory in economic policies, social systems and policy, labour markets, and education in Macedonia, as well as the Western Balkan region. She has been working with major international economic organisations and institutions, such as the World Bank, ILO, RCC, UNDP, UN Women and the European Commission. Mojsoska-Blazevski is author of many journal articles and several book chapters, mainly in the area of social policy, labour markets, education, gender issues, youth, etc.

Nikica has served as an advisor to the government institutions in Macedonia and the Western Balkan region on economic, employment and social policy issues. Nikica is a member of several professional organizations in Macedonia, as well as of well-renowned international scientific organizations.

Viktor Mizo is the Managing Director of Kostal Macedonia and Vice President for Governmental Affairs at Kostal Group – global leader in design and manufacturing of advanced electronics and mechatronics products for the automotive industry. He is also President of the Foreign Investors Council within the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia.

He is also President of the Association of foreign companies with technologically advanced manufacturing within the auspices of the Economic Chamber of Macedonia and an outside expert for McKinsey on various economic development, FDI and free zones projects around the World. Mr. Mizo brings to Kostal a record of exceptional leadership and strategic vision, responsible for numerous greenfield investment projects by multinational companies that have located their production or service operations in Macedonia as a CEO of the Macedonia Free Zone Authority over a period of six year.

Prior to that, he spent four years as CEO of Invest Macedonia, where he played a critical role in putting Macedonia on the radar of potential investors looking to expand in Europe and was a key member of the Government’s economic team. He co-founded and managed a technology company specialized in digital file distribution for mobile phones in Japan, as well as an internet start-up in the media and entertainment space in London and New York. Preceding this, Mr. Mizo was a technology and financial services consultant at McKinsey’s New York office.

He began his career as a design engineer at Magna International and a member of the esteemed Technical Leadership Program at General Electric where he worked on locomotive design that culminated in a Black Belt position in the Six Sigma quality initiative. Mr. Mizo received his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology, graduating summa cum laude. An alumnus of Harvard University, he holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Viktor Mizo is the Managing Director of Kostal Macedonia and Vice President for Governmental Affairs at Kostal Group – global leader in design and manufacturing of advanced electronics and mechatronics products for the automotive industry. He is also President of the Foreign Investors Council within the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia.

He is also President of the Association of foreign companies with technologically advanced manufacturing within the auspices of the Economic Chamber of Macedonia and an outside expert for McKinsey on various economic development, FDI and free zones projects around the World. Mr. Mizo brings to Kostal a record of exceptional leadership and strategic vision, responsible for numerous greenfield investment projects by multinational companies that have located their production or service operations in Macedonia as a CEO of the Macedonia Free Zone Authority over a period of six year.

Prior to that, he spent four years as CEO of Invest Macedonia, where he played a critical role in putting Macedonia on the radar of potential investors looking to expand in Europe and was a key member of the Government’s economic team. He co-founded and managed a technology company specialized in digital file distribution for mobile phones in Japan, as well as an internet start-up in the media and entertainment space in London and New York. Preceding this, Mr. Mizo was a technology and financial services consultant at McKinsey’s New York office.

He began his career as a design engineer at Magna International and a member of the esteemed Technical Leadership Program at General Electric where he worked on locomotive design that culminated in a Black Belt position in the Six Sigma quality initiative. Mr. Mizo received his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology, graduating summa cum laude. An alumnus of Harvard University, he holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Professor Nikica Mojsoska-Blazevski is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Macedonia2025. Nikica's prior experience was in academia, where she served two terms as Dean of the Business School at University American College-Skopje, as well as in the public administration where she worked as a Head of the Macroeconomic Policy Department at the Ministry of Finance of Republic of Macedonia.

Nikica has an extensive experience of over 15 years in research, consultancy and advisory in economic policies, social systems and policy, labour markets, and education in Macedonia, as well as the Western Balkan region. She has been working with major international economic organisations and institutions, such as the World Bank, ILO, RCC, UNDP, UN Women and the European Commission. Mojsoska-Blazevski is author of many journal articles and several book chapters, mainly in the area of social policy, labour markets, education, gender issues, youth, etc.

Nikica has served as an advisor to the government institutions in Macedonia and the Western Balkan region on economic, employment and social policy issues. Nikica is a member of several professional organizations in Macedonia, as well as of well-renowned international scientific organizations.

Mike Zafirovski is the Founder, Chairman, and President of The Zaf Group (TZG), a family office engaged in operating, investment, and advisory activities. Since the mid-2010s, TZG has focused on acquiring and building well-run founder-led businesses, with an emphasis on operational excellence and long-term value creation.

Mike serves as Chairman of TZG portfolio companies, and his wife, Robin, is Co-Chair of The Zaf Group. TZG’s current portfolio consists of two companies: Tusker and Storr Office Environments. Tusker is a fast-growing national IT solutions platform providing a broad range of advisory, professional, managed and lifecycle technology solutions. Tusker (formerly operated as ACP CreativIT) was built through the acquisition of five strong regional founder-led IT services businesses with a cumulative history of more than 175 years.

Storr Office Environments, acquired in October 2025 is one of the largest Steelcase dealers in the United States. Founded in 1914 and headquartered in Raleigh, NC, Storr provides full-service workplace furniture solutions and a growing portfolio of complementary Storr Services, including warehousing, logistics, installation, repair, and refurbishment. Before establishing TZG, Mike was an Executive Advisor to Blackstone (2011–2021) and served on the boards of Boeing (2004–2020), Stericycle (2012–2022), Apria Healthcare (2011–2022), Nortel (2006–2009), Motorola (2002–2005), and several other Blackstone portfolio companies.

During his corporate career, Mike served as President and/or CEO at Nortel, Motorola, and five GE businesses. Throughout 21+ years of full P&L leadership, revenue growth averaged over 8% annually, productivity gains exceeded 6% per year, and EBITDA margins improved by an average of 350 basis points per year. From 2006 to 2010, Mike was appointed by the President of the United States to serve on the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), advising on matters related to telecommunications, information technology, cybersecurity, and national security.

Mike and Robin established The Zafirovski Family Foundation in 2005, focusing on education, healthcare, faith-based ministries, and economic development. A native of Macedonia, Mike is also the co-founder and director of Macedonia 2025, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the country’s economic growth and democratic development. Under its umbrella, and in partnership with Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, the Zafirovski Executive Development Program has helped prepare more than 100 future CEOs and senior executives.

Mike’s other philanthropic and civic engagements include serving on the Board of Directors of Special Olympics, the Coach K Leadership & Ethics Center Advisory Board (COLE), and the Council of Chief Executives (former Chairman). He is also a member of The CEO Forum, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Economic Club of Chicago. In 2009, he cofounded the Faith@Work Ministry at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, IL, and previously chaired AUSL, an organization focused on improving teacher quality and educational outcomes in Chicago’s turnaround public schools.

Mike holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Edinboro University, where he captained the soccer and swimming teams. He received an honorary doctorate in public service in 2002 and was inducted into the University’s Sports Hall of Fame. His honors include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Leadership Award from the New York Hall of Science, the Medal of Honor from the President of Macedonia, the John L. Bitove Philanthropy Award, the Navy SEAL Foundation Patriot Award, AUSL’s Leadership Impact in Education Award. Married for 43 years, Mike and Robin have three married sons, all involved in The Zaf Group and its portfolio companies, and nine grandchildren.

His personal interests include family, mentoring, travel, and a lifelong love for endurance sports. He has completed nine Ironman races and fourteen marathons, including the California Ironman in 2024, where he won his age group and qualified for the World Championships. He is now beginning to devote more time to golf.

Professor Nikica Mojsoska-Blazevski is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Macedonia2025. Nikica's prior experience was in academia, where she served two terms as Dean of the Business School at University American College-Skopje, as well as in the public administration where she worked as a Head of the Macroeconomic Policy Department at the Ministry of Finance of Republic of Macedonia.

Nikica has an extensive experience of over 15 years in research, consultancy and advisory in economic policies, social systems and policy, labour markets, and education in Macedonia, as well as the Western Balkan region. She has been working with major international economic organisations and institutions, such as the World Bank, ILO, RCC, UNDP, UN Women and the European Commission. Mojsoska-Blazevski is author of many journal articles and several book chapters, mainly in the area of social policy, labour markets, education, gender issues, youth, etc.

Nikica has served as an advisor to the government institutions in Macedonia and the Western Balkan region on economic, employment and social policy issues. Nikica is a member of several professional organizations in Macedonia, as well as of well-renowned international scientific organizations.

Borijan Borozanov has more than 20 years of experience in international management and corporate leadership roles. Currently, he is serving as Manufacturing Director for Central and Eastern Europe for Johnson Matthey, a FTSE 100 company, and a leading global provider of clean air technologies. His earlier work history includes building up the new Delphi Electronic Systems factory and serving as plant manager for Aptiv Services.

Borijan had a variety of positions in the European automotive sector before moving back to North Macedonia, including Strategic Manufacturing Footprint Planner as part of his Rotational Leadership Development Program. Additionally, he oversaw Invest Macedonia’s Investor Servicing Division and contributed to the execution of over 12 investment projects in North Macedonia’s automotive supply chain.

Mike Zafirovski is the Founder, Chairman, and President of The Zaf Group (TZG), a family office engaged in operating, investment, and advisory activities. Since the mid-2010s, TZG has focused on acquiring and building well-run founder-led businesses, with an emphasis on operational excellence and long-term value creation.

Mike serves as Chairman of TZG portfolio companies, and his wife, Robin, is Co-Chair of The Zaf Group. TZG’s current portfolio consists of two companies: Tusker and Storr Office Environments. Tusker is a fast-growing national IT solutions platform providing a broad range of advisory, professional, managed and lifecycle technology solutions. Tusker (formerly operated as ACP CreativIT) was built through the acquisition of five strong regional founder-led IT services businesses with a cumulative history of more than 175 years.

Storr Office Environments, acquired in October 2025 is one of the largest Steelcase dealers in the United States. Founded in 1914 and headquartered in Raleigh, NC, Storr provides full-service workplace furniture solutions and a growing portfolio of complementary Storr Services, including warehousing, logistics, installation, repair, and refurbishment. Before establishing TZG, Mike was an Executive Advisor to Blackstone (2011–2021) and served on the boards of Boeing (2004–2020), Stericycle (2012–2022), Apria Healthcare (2011–2022), Nortel (2006–2009), Motorola (2002–2005), and several other Blackstone portfolio companies.

During his corporate career, Mike served as President and/or CEO at Nortel, Motorola, and five GE businesses. Throughout 21+ years of full P&L leadership, revenue growth averaged over 8% annually, productivity gains exceeded 6% per year, and EBITDA margins improved by an average of 350 basis points per year. From 2006 to 2010, Mike was appointed by the President of the United States to serve on the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), advising on matters related to telecommunications, information technology, cybersecurity, and national security.

Mike and Robin established The Zafirovski Family Foundation in 2005, focusing on education, healthcare, faith-based ministries, and economic development. A native of Macedonia, Mike is also the co-founder and director of Macedonia 2025, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the country’s economic growth and democratic development. Under its umbrella, and in partnership with Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, the Zafirovski Executive Development Program has helped prepare more than 100 future CEOs and senior executives.

Mike’s other philanthropic and civic engagements include serving on the Board of Directors of Special Olympics, the Coach K Leadership & Ethics Center Advisory Board (COLE), and the Council of Chief Executives (former Chairman). He is also a member of The CEO Forum, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Economic Club of Chicago. In 2009, he cofounded the Faith@Work Ministry at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, IL, and previously chaired AUSL, an organization focused on improving teacher quality and educational outcomes in Chicago’s turnaround public schools.

Mike holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Edinboro University, where he captained the soccer and swimming teams. He received an honorary doctorate in public service in 2002 and was inducted into the University’s Sports Hall of Fame. His honors include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Leadership Award from the New York Hall of Science, the Medal of Honor from the President of Macedonia, the John L. Bitove Philanthropy Award, the Navy SEAL Foundation Patriot Award, AUSL’s Leadership Impact in Education Award. Married for 43 years, Mike and Robin have three married sons, all involved in The Zaf Group and its portfolio companies, and nine grandchildren.

His personal interests include family, mentoring, travel, and a lifelong love for endurance sports. He has completed nine Ironman races and fourteen marathons, including the California Ironman in 2024, where he won his age group and qualified for the World Championships. He is now beginning to devote more time to golf.

John I. Bitove has a distinguished record of accomplishment in the corporate, sports and community endeavours. He is the sole shareholder of Obelysk, which has major investments in the wireless, satellite radio, real estate, restaurants and other businesses. He is one of the founders of alternative asset investment firm, PointNorth Capital. Recently Obelysk has obtained the right to develop the Canadian market for Bird e-scooters, and the franchise right to develop Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants in Canada. Mr. Bitove was the founder, Chairman and controlling shareholder of Canadian Satellite Radio Inc. which brought satellite radio service to Canadians, in partnership with U.S.-based XM Satellite Radio. XM later merged with Sirius to become SiriusXM Canada, Canada’s fastest growing media subscription business with over 3 million subscribers. SiriusXM Canada went public in 2005 and has now gone private with Mr. Bitove remaining as a shareholder.

Mr. Bitove was the founder, principal shareholder and CEO of KEYreit, Canada’s premier “small-box” retail property owner with over 220 retail real estate properties in eight provinces across Canada. He was also the founder of Mobilicity, one of Canada’s new entrant wireless operators, which was sold to Rogers in 2015. Mr. Bitove acquired Scott’s Restaurants in 1999. Scott’s was renamed as Priszm and grew to almost 700 restaurants across Canada under the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell brands, serving 2 million customers a week and employing over 10,000 people. Priszm was eventually taken public as an Income Trust. A passionate Canadian, Mr. Bitove was the volunteer President and Chief Executive Officer of Toronto’s Bid for the 2008 Olympic Games (awarded to Beijing, China).

He was the head of the organizing committees that brought the successful World Indoor Athletics (Track & Field) Championships and World Championships of Basketball to Canada in 1993 and 1994 respectively. In 1993, he founded the Toronto Raptors Basketball Club. He led the NBA franchise-bid process, launched the team and created the Air Canada Centre (now Scotiabank Arena), Toronto’s major sports and entertainment venue. A strong believer of giving back to the community, Mr. Bitove founded S’Cool Life Fund, to support public elementary schools across Canada. Since the launch in 2005, S’Cool Life Fund has raised and donated over $3 million helping to make school life more enjoyable for thousands of public elementary school kids.

Since year 2006, Mukaetov is heading the biggest Macedonian pharmaceutical industry, “Alkaloid AD Skopje”.Founded in 1936, “Alkaloid” brand is recognizable and well-established, just like its motto- “Health above all”…slogan of one of the key drivers of the Macedonian economy and one of the leading pharmaceutical industries in Southeastern Europe. Headquartered in Skopje, “Alkaloid” places its products in over 40 countries worldwide through its 20 subsidiaries abroad.

For his extraordinary endeavors in the sphere of culture, sports, business and corporate social responsibility, Mukaetov was awarded various national and international acknowledgments. He was decorated with two orders: “Order of the Danish Flag” on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark for valuable services as Consul General of the Kingdom of Denmark (a function he’s performing since 2007) and the “Order of Merit” by the President of the Republic of North Macedonia, H.E. Mr. Stevo Pendarovski for impeccable professional standards in the modern corporate management in the pharmaceutical industry, investments in new technology, education as well as philanthropic culture and broad social responsibility.Mukaetov is a member of the management boards of various economically important institutions in his country, such as vice-president of the “Chamber of Commerce”.

Since 2013, he is President of the “Macedonian Handball Federation” presently running his third mandate and besides being a patron of the Chess Club “Alkaloid”, in 2021 he founded the Handball Club “Alkaloid” aimed at supporting young Macedonian handball talents.In 2014, Mukaetov joined the prestigious organization “Forum of Young Global Leaders”. Under their auspices, he attended trainings at the prestigious American “University of Yale” in New Haven, CT the “Harvard Kennedy School” in Cambridge, MA and the United Kingdom’s “Saїd Business School” in Oxford.Since 2007, Mukaetov is presiding the Foundation “Trajche Mukaetov” aimed at supporting young and talented students and professionals who devoted their careers to medicine and pharmacy. Up to date, this Foundation donated EUR 1.9 million for scholarships and premiums to valedictorians.Zhivko and his wife Emilija are devoted parents of four children.

Mike Zafirovski is the Founder, Chairman, and President of The Zaf Group (TZG), a family office engaged in operating, investment, and advisory activities. Since the mid-2010s, TZG has focused on acquiring and building well-run founder-led businesses, with an emphasis on operational excellence and long-term value creation.

Mike serves as Chairman of TZG portfolio companies, and his wife, Robin, is Co-Chair of The Zaf Group. TZG’s current portfolio consists of two companies: Tusker and Storr Office Environments. Tusker is a fast-growing national IT solutions platform providing a broad range of advisory, professional, managed and lifecycle technology solutions. Tusker (formerly operated as ACP CreativIT) was built through the acquisition of five strong regional founder-led IT services businesses with a cumulative history of more than 175 years.

Storr Office Environments, acquired in October 2025 is one of the largest Steelcase dealers in the United States. Founded in 1914 and headquartered in Raleigh, NC, Storr provides full-service workplace furniture solutions and a growing portfolio of complementary Storr Services, including warehousing, logistics, installation, repair, and refurbishment. Before establishing TZG, Mike was an Executive Advisor to Blackstone (2011–2021) and served on the boards of Boeing (2004–2020), Stericycle (2012–2022), Apria Healthcare (2011–2022), Nortel (2006–2009), Motorola (2002–2005), and several other Blackstone portfolio companies.

During his corporate career, Mike served as President and/or CEO at Nortel, Motorola, and five GE businesses. Throughout 21+ years of full P&L leadership, revenue growth averaged over 8% annually, productivity gains exceeded 6% per year, and EBITDA margins improved by an average of 350 basis points per year. From 2006 to 2010, Mike was appointed by the President of the United States to serve on the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), advising on matters related to telecommunications, information technology, cybersecurity, and national security.

Mike and Robin established The Zafirovski Family Foundation in 2005, focusing on education, healthcare, faith-based ministries, and economic development. A native of Macedonia, Mike is also the co-founder and director of Macedonia 2025, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the country’s economic growth and democratic development. Under its umbrella, and in partnership with Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, the Zafirovski Executive Development Program has helped prepare more than 100 future CEOs and senior executives.

Mike’s other philanthropic and civic engagements include serving on the Board of Directors of Special Olympics, the Coach K Leadership & Ethics Center Advisory Board (COLE), and the Council of Chief Executives (former Chairman). He is also a member of The CEO Forum, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Economic Club of Chicago. In 2009, he cofounded the Faith@Work Ministry at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, IL, and previously chaired AUSL, an organization focused on improving teacher quality and educational outcomes in Chicago’s turnaround public schools.

Mike holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Edinboro University, where he captained the soccer and swimming teams. He received an honorary doctorate in public service in 2002 and was inducted into the University’s Sports Hall of Fame. His honors include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Leadership Award from the New York Hall of Science, the Medal of Honor from the President of Macedonia, the John L. Bitove Philanthropy Award, the Navy SEAL Foundation Patriot Award, AUSL’s Leadership Impact in Education Award. Married for 43 years, Mike and Robin have three married sons, all involved in The Zaf Group and its portfolio companies, and nine grandchildren.

His personal interests include family, mentoring, travel, and a lifelong love for endurance sports. He has completed nine Ironman races and fourteen marathons, including the California Ironman in 2024, where he won his age group and qualified for the World Championships. He is now beginning to devote more time to golf.

Nika Gilauri has been a managing partner of Reformatics since 2012 and a senior advisor to McKinsey; Company since 2014. Earlier, he spent 8 years in the Georgian government, where he served as Minister of Energy (2004-2007), Minister of Finance (2007-2009) and Prime Minister (2009-2012).Nika’s term as Prime Minister was notably marked by rapid economic recovery and growth in the aftermath of the 2008-2009 global economic crisis: Georgia’s GDP rose from -9.0% when Nika was appointed (Q2 2009) to +8.1% when his term came to an end (Q2 2012).

Georgia’s budgetary deficit also decreased during his term as prime minister, dropping from 9% in 2009 to 3% in 2012.During his time in government, Nika also guided reforms in the energy sector, fiscal policy, healthcare, customs, education and other spheres of economic development, and contributed to efforts to improve Georgia’s overall business environment. His greatest achievement as Minister of Energy was to transform Georgia from being a country of semi-permanent blackouts into a net exporter of electricity to all its neighbors.

In his more recent capacity as managing partner of Reformatics, Nika has been involved in over 20 advisory assignments on three continents for various high-ranking government officials and politicians including presidents and prime ministers.Nika holds a BA in Economics and Finance from the University of Limerick (Ireland) and an MA in International Business Management from Temple University (USA). Before joining the Georgian government in 2004, he worked as a private consultant in the energy sector. He is fluent in English and Russian.

Blagica Petreski – Chief Economist – Executive Director of Finance Think Dr. Blagica Petreski is the Executive Director of Finance Think, a think tank based in North Macedonia and the leader of the Western Balkan Economic Think Tank Network – WEBecon. She is a committed advocate for effective economic policies as well actively engaged in shaping the public debate on economic issues in the country and the region. Holding a PhD in Economics from the University Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, she furthered her expertise as a Fulbright scholar at the University of Illinois in Chicago, USA, focusing on research in public finance management.

As an Associate Professor at the University American College Skopje, Blagica imparts her knowledge in Public Economic Policy. With a 15-year career, 13 of which have been dedicated to labor market, public finance policies and socio-economic topics. Blagica's expertise lies in research and designing policy measures based on evidence. Published widely, including 13 papers in prominent peer-reviewed journals indexed on the Web of Science. Overseeing or contributing to more than 50 projects from international donors.

She is the country representative in the Brussels-based European Economic and Social Committee. She is exposed to international research community, and is a Research Fellow of Partnership for Economic Policy. She is also an alumnus of Young Transatlantic Innovative Leaders Initiative and IMF Fellow.

Polish and British banker and public official. Undersecretary of State successively at the Ministry of Development, Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology, and Ministry of Finance from 2019–2020 and 2021–2022. He served as Minister of Finance from 2020–2021 and Minister of Finance, Funds, and Regional Policy in the government of Mateusz Morawiecki, and from 2022–2023, as Secretary of State in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister (KPRM).

Borko Handjiski is Associate Partner with McKinsey & Company. He joined McKinsey's Middle East office in June 2015 and has been primarily serving public sector clients in the Gulf region.

Before joining McKinsey, Borko Handjiski worked for the World Bank in Washington DC as Senior Economist. Borko began his career at the Macedonian central bank and worked for the European Commission in Macedonia where he advised the government on economic policies related to EU accession.

Throughout his 14-year career, Borko has worked with governments in Europe, Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East in the areas of economic development, public finances, investment, trade, and labor markets. Borko holds an MBA degree in finance from Purdue University and a BA in Economics from the University of Skopje. He resides with his family in Dubai.

H.E. Abdulla Ali AlSubousi is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates to Italy, non-resident Ambassador to the Republics of Malta and San Marino, and Designate Ambassador to the Republic of North Macedonia with residence in Rome.He has previously served as UAE Ambassador to Australia and non-resident Ambassador to the Pacific Islands of Vanuatu, Samoa and Solomon Islands. Prior to this assignment, he has served as Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in Los Angeles covering all the West Coast area in the United States. 

H.E. AlSubousi has previously been Director of the American and Pacific Affairs Department at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, holding the title of Ambassador.H.E. Abdulla AlSubousi has also served two tours in the UAE Embassy in Washington D.C., firstly as Director of Congressional Affairs, then as Consul and Head of Legal Affairs and finally as Head of the Political Section. 

Prior to that, H.E. AlSubousi worked as Chief of the European Union desk and was involved in the European Union – Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) free trade negotiations at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was also member of the UAE official delegation to the United Nations General Assembly Millennium Session in New York. He led, and was a member of, numerous UAE delegations to several regional and international conferences. 

Ambassador AlSubousi graduated from the University of Minnesota with a double major in Political Science and International Relations and a minor in History. He also attended courses at the National Defense University and Brookings Institute. He received many awards and letters of appreciation during his diplomatic career, most recently for the best diplomatic mission in 2019 and the award of distinguished diplomat from the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Vasko Kronevski, B.Sc. Degree in Information Technology is an established entrepreneur and digital transformation strategist focused on the economic growth of organizations utilizing digital transformation solutions. He has been developing his expertise in digital transformation and ICT business since 1996, being General Manager at software development companies.

Vasko is CEO and co-founder of Nextsense, ICT company specialized in digital transformation solutions founded in 2001 and digital transformation leader in the CEE region. Vasko is responsible for shaping the vision, strategy, and directly involved in the digital transformation products strategy. Vasko’s carrier development encounters more than 25 years of professional experience in driving digital transformation processes for prominent enterprises in the telecom and finance industry, as well as governmental institutions across Europe and wider.

During his professional journey, he established a valuable partnership with business, government, and academia to generate opportunities and build capacities for sustainable economic growth, helping them build a stronger organization and improve their business opportunities. He is skilled at identifying key economic challenges of organizations and guiding them in implementing digital solutions. His strong vision and expertise in ICT and sustainable economic development placed him among the most engaged experts and digital strategists on international projects and speakers on a wide array of high level (reputable) conferences.

As a strategist, strong analyst and mediator, Vasko has been a member (past and present) in many distinguished professional bodies: World Information Technology and Service Alliance (WITSA) Member of Board; MASIT – Macedonian ICT Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Assembly, President of the Board; Vice President; Steering Committee Coordinator; South East Europe ICT Forum Private sector board member; Member of EBA-European Business Association; e-Democracy Conference Chairman.

Founder of scty, former global head of McKinsey&Co. Digital Public Sector An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Matthias Daub is the founder of scty – serving society through technology. Scty builds digital platforms that connect citizens, companies and the public administration to bring positive impact to society. His mission is to support societies make better use of technology to create more opportunities and greater access to healthcare, safety and education for citizens around the world.Dr. Daub has successfully supported governments and large corporations in their most challenging transformations.

He designed new delivery models that combine digital services and people centricity and helped countries innovate their defense systems. He is also dedicating significant effort to philanthropic causes, supporting children in need and facilitating their growth and re-integration into society.In 2022, he founded scty (scty.ai) bringing together top consulting and engineering professionals with offices in Germany – Berlin, Munich and in Romania – Bucharest and Iasi.Between 2002 and 2021, he was a consultant with McKinsey&Co. (most recently as Senior Partner) acting as global leader for Digital Public Sector and Service Operations working with governments and corporations in Europe, Middle East, Asia and the Americas.

Since 1996, he created and scaled organizations to support disadvantaged children around the world and is currently acting as founder and manager of Courage foundation, Berlin – investing in education for children in Moldova, Romania, and Cambodia (scty.ai/courage).Dr. Daub holds an MBA from European Business School and a PhD from ESCP Europe, Berlin, on multinational coordination of technology programs.

Chris Pavlovski is a serial and global entrepreneur. On the heels of selling multiple businesses, and founding numerous successful companies, Chris became a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010. Shortly there after, one of the businesses Chris founded, is a global IT business with offices in Europe & North America. The business was ranked as the 2nd best employer in Macedonia and has been the recipient of numerous awards. Currently, Chris is the CEO and Founder of Rumble.com. Rumble is a video platform that has distribution partnerships with over ten established media companies, including but not limited to Microsoft, Yahoo, and Bell. Chris also sits on numerous boards. He serves on the board of Every Day Child; a non-profit charity organization. He serves on the advisory board of Close.com; a social network for close friends and family, and also sits Macedonia 2025’s Senior Board.

Paolo Ardoino is the Chief Executive Officer of Tether, the world’s largest and most widely used stablecoin. He also serves as the Chief Technology Officer of Bitfinex, and is the Co-founder of Keet, a fully encrypted video calling application, where he holds the position of Chief Strategy Officer. Paolo is a technology enthusiast with a background in distributed systems and cryptography. He is a driving force behind innovation in finance and cutting-edge technologies like AI and brain-computer interfaces. His career has been characterized by his relentless pursuit of technological innovation and his commitment to transforming the financial landscape.

Viktor Mizo is the Managing Director of Kostal Macedonia and Vice President for Governmental Affairs at Kostal Group – global leader in design and manufacturing of advanced electronics and mechatronics products for the automotive industry. He is also President of the Foreign Investors Council within the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia.

He is also President of the Association of foreign companies with technologically advanced manufacturing within the auspices of the Economic Chamber of Macedonia and an outside expert for McKinsey on various economic development, FDI and free zones projects around the World. Mr. Mizo brings to Kostal a record of exceptional leadership and strategic vision, responsible for numerous greenfield investment projects by multinational companies that have located their production or service operations in Macedonia as a CEO of the Macedonia Free Zone Authority over a period of six year.

Prior to that, he spent four years as CEO of Invest Macedonia, where he played a critical role in putting Macedonia on the radar of potential investors looking to expand in Europe and was a key member of the Government’s economic team. He co-founded and managed a technology company specialized in digital file distribution for mobile phones in Japan, as well as an internet start-up in the media and entertainment space in London and New York. Preceding this, Mr. Mizo was a technology and financial services consultant at McKinsey’s New York office.

He began his career as a design engineer at Magna International and a member of the esteemed Technical Leadership Program at General Electric where he worked on locomotive design that culminated in a Black Belt position in the Six Sigma quality initiative. Mr. Mizo received his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology, graduating summa cum laude. An alumnus of Harvard University, he holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Jacopo Dettoni is the editor of fDi Intelligence and spearheads the title’s editorial vision and strategic growth. A seasoned journalist, Jacopo has reported on some of the world`s most dynamic economies and transformative industries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America for international and local media. He is a regular speaker and moderator at forums on international trade and investment and holds a master’s degree in Economics and Finance from the Catholic University of Milan.

Martin is a specialist in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and the role of Investment PromotionAgencies (IPAs) and other Triple Helix structures within this wider context.As VP Strategy and Corporate Development of a German Mittelstand’s company and hiddenchampion in the automotive industry, he is also responsible for internationalization projects(Greenfields) and has thus first-hand experience of FDI promotion and facilitation from thecorporate perspective.He has completed his PhD on “The role of Investment Promotion Agencies (IPA) in the location-choice processes” at Durham University, and is a regular speaker / panelist at national and sub-national IPAs, International Organizations (UNCTAD, OECD, ILO) and professional bodies (WAIPA,AIM).

He has been invited to become a member of the Commentary Group on Investment Facilitation,advise governments on FDI-attraction and is a regular attendee at the BoKoWiTa, bilateral multi-party coordination meetings, and Ditchley.Martin has a bi-monthly column in fDi intelligence (the FDI-focused magazine of the FT group)and is regularly publishing articles in Investment Monitor and UNIDO-IAP.

Venera Krliu is the Deputy CEO, Chief Operations Officer, and Vice President of the Board of Directors at the University American College Skopje (UACS). Besides these management positions, she is also an Associate Professor in Organizational Behavior at the School of Business Economics and Management and Vice-Rector for Education. In 2012, Assoc. Prof. Krliu, PhD, was awarded the “Business Leader of the Year” award by the European Business Association in Macedonia. She has completed executive education courses, European Entrepreneurship Colloquiums by Harvard Business School in 2009 and 2015, as well as the Young Managers Programme, organized by the IEDC-Bled School of Management, Slovenia. Assoc.

Prof. Krliu’s long-term charity work and support was recognized in 2017 by the highest state award “Mother Teresa” for humanity and human solidarity, and for encouraging, promoting mutual understanding and developing cooperation, both between peoples and between members of different communities, cultures and religions in Macedonia.

Prof. Vesna Janevska, PhD, is the Minister of Education and Science of North Macedonia and a distinguished Specialist Pathologist and full professor at the Institute of Pathology at the Faculty of Medicine in Skopje. She holds medical degrees from the University “St. Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje, including a PhD in pathology.With extensive experience in academia and pathology, Prof. Janevska has contributed to the field through over 230 publications in international and domestic journals.

She has been a key figure in various research projects, including those focused on congenital dysplasia, salivary gland tumors, and chemotherapy effects in osteosarcomas.In addition to her academic role, Prof. Janevska served as a member of the Macedonian Parliament (2006-2008) and has been actively involved in professional organizations, including the European Society of Pathology and the Macedonian Medical Association. She has received several accolades for her contributions to medical science, including the prestigious “Dr. Trifun Panovski” Charter.

Dr. Behar Molad holds a PhD in Global Business Management and is the Managing Director of Adizes Executive Education. With 30+ years of global consulting experience, she has worked with the World Bank, served as a US State Department advisor, and spent over 10 years as a professor and consultant to the government of North Macedonia. She has also won four Fulbright Scholarships and authored “Will Women Rule the Internet?”.

Arben is an entrepreneur from North Macedonia, known for building businesses that have made an impact both locally and internationally.He started his career in Europe’s conferences and training sector before moving to the UAE and Saudi Arabia in 2007, where he saw an opportunity to transform corporate learning.In 2010, he co-founded LEORON Institute, an EdTech and corporate training company that has grown into a leading provider of talent development solutions across the Middle East, Europe, and Northern Africa. His hands-on leadership and focus on HR and performance improvement initiatives have been central to the company’s success.Arben remains passionate about innovation, economic growth, and proudly representing North Macedonia on the global stage.

Previously, Kati led Azure Stream Analytics, Microsoft’s mission-critical real-time analytics service, recognized as a market leader by Forrester. Her earlier work includes significant contributions to foundational data technologies such as the .NET Entity Framework and Power Query.

With experience working across three continents, Kati is deeply committed to building diverse, inclusive, and high-performing teams. She is especially passionate about supporting women in technology and regularly advocates for girls to explore computer science and STEM careers.

Kati holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, and a Master of Science in Computer Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She currently lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband Alek and their two children. Outside of work, she enjoys skiing, running, hiking and yoga.

In June 2024, Dao Jensen became President of the new Compass UOL  AWS North America business unit following the successful acquisition of her company Oak Rocket, where she served as CEO since its establishment in 2013. As the first female minority-owned company on the West Coast born in the Cloud, Oak Rocket optimized cloud solutions for SMBs, startups, and digital-native clients on AWS. With a client roster that includes notable companies such as Upstart, Jackson Hewitt, Gainsight, Starburst, and Planful, Oak Rocket earned a reputation for excellence and innovation.

Dao’s leadership has propelled Oak Rocket to achieve significant milestones, including being named Ingram Micro Cloud’s Most Valuable Player for 2021 and 2022, and consistently appearing on the Inc. 5000 and WPO’s Fastest-Growing Women/Led Companies lists. Her vision successfully established Oak Rocket as the leading minority-owned cloud enablement company in the U.S. Dao is also a. contributor to the community through her involvement on the advisory board of the Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University Chicago. She is also a founding member of First Board.io and the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW), and has been elected to the YPO Board for 2022.

Dao is a 2022 graduate of Harvard Business School’s OPM Executive program. Outside of her professional endeavors, Dao is a dedicated community activist and mother of four. She enjoys reading, traveling, and cooking, and is passionate about helping others achieve their dreams and fostering entrepreneurial spirit. Outside of her professional achievements, Dao is a dedicated community activist and a mother of four. She enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, and sharing meals with friends and family. Dao is passionate about helping others achieve their dreams, living life to the fullest, and creating opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Mitko Andonov is an acknowledged Business Development Manager at Kolid International, leader company in distribution of FMCG and production of confectionery products. Co- owner of Gama Dizajn, factory producing wood pallets. Founder of Eon Eden ltd, marketing and strategy. Master franchisor for Macedonia for Jumping Clay and event coordinator at Eventum team. He has almost fifteen years of experience in sales and marketing, specializing in brand management, marketing strategy, business development and market research.Mr. Andonov holds a degree in Financial Management from the University of Goce Delcev, Shtip.

He spent a few years in Chicago, USA where he worked on his professional development. Today he is helping or being part of a few organizations: president of AC Strumica, founder of Vita Honesta, Youth Council, Business Club Strumica etc.He is born and lives in Strumica, constantly participating and taking part in various events, like FMCG summits, social entrepreneurship, startups and motivational talks. Devoted to the idea that social entrepreneurship and sincere nonpolitical acting can play a major role in creating a positive impulse and a big difference for a better future.Mitko Andonov is an acknowledged Business Development Manager at Kolid International, leader company in distribution of FMCG and production of confectionery products.

Co- owner of Gama Dizajn, factory producing wood pallets. Founder of Eon Eden ltd, marketing and strategy. Master franchisor for Macedonia for Jumping Clay and event coordinator at Eventum team. He has almost fifteen years of experience in sales and marketing, specializing in brand management, marketing strategy, business development and market research.Mr. Andonov holds a degree in Financial Management from the University of Goce Delcev, Shtip. He spent a few years in Chicago, USA where he worked on his professional development.

Today he is helping or being part of a few organizations: president of AC Strumica, founder of Vita Honesta, Youth Council, Business Club Strumica etc.He is born and lives in Strumica, constantly participating and taking part in various events, like FMCG summits, social entrepreneurship, startups and motivational talks. Devoted to the idea that social entrepreneurship and sincere nonpolitical acting can play a major role in creating a positive impulse and a big difference for a better future.

Dr. Miriam Stankovich, PhD, LLM, is a globally recognized expert in AI and digital policy, with an illustrious career spanning over two decades. She has collaborated with leading international organizations, including UNESCO, USAID, ITU, UNDP and the World Bank, providing expertise in AI regulation, digital innovation, and technology transfer. Her advice on digital economy reforms, cybersecurity, and data protection in countries across Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America is underpinned by a proven track record in coordinating large-scale policy and regulatory development projects, mentoring emerging digital governance talents, and fostering partnerships with governments, development partners, and private sector stakeholders.Dr Stankovich is an advisor for UNESCO on AI and human rights, contributing to the development of a Global Toolkit on AI and the Rule of Law for the Judiciary.

She also co-authored the ITU Report on Artificial Intelligence and Big Data for Development 4.0 and serves as a lecturer at the ITU Academy, imparting knowledge on emerging technologies.Her contributions to the World Bank include serving as a core regulatory expert for the AI Governance Note and developing an assessment framework for regulating the digital economy in Africa.

Dr Stankovich has also contributed to significant USAID projects focusing on digital transformation and cybersecurity, such as Digital Frontiers, the Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure initiative in Ukraine and the Georgia National Governance Program.Her academic accolades include a PhD in Technology Transfer and Development Economics, a World Bank McNamara Fellowship, and a Fulbright Fellowship in Intellectual Property and Technology Law at Duke University. Fluent in multiple languages, Dr. Stankovich is a prolific author and speaker, contributing to numerous publications and global conferences on AI, digital policy, and intellectual property.

Dalibor Bobić is a graduate engineer in electrical engineering and computer science and the director of EXOR ETI Belgrade, Serbia, the official representative of the Austrian company COPA-DATA GmbH. His primary focus is on the zenon software platform, designed for automation and digitalization in industry, energy, and infrastructure. He began his career in the military, where he spent six years working on the maintenance of complex electronic systems.

Over the past decade, he has been actively involved in projects helping companies improve their production processes, increase the efficiency of machines, production lines and auxiliary systems, optimize energy management and modernize the control of substations, solar power plants and battery storage systems.

He is especially dedicated to supporting companies in their transition toward Industry 4.0 and compliance with modern directives such as NIS2, CBAM and ESG, through the implementation of reliable, flexible and scalable solutions based on the zenon platform.

Spase Miloseski – Visionary Entrepreneur and Digital Transformation LeaderSpase Miloseski is a dynamic technology strategist and entrepreneur whose career has been defined by embracing change and pioneering innovation.Early in his career as CIO in the publishing industry, he led a pivotal digital transformation—shifting from print to multimedia at a time of major disruption. That experience shaped his deep understanding of digital ecosystems and the power of strategic adaptation.Today, Spase brings that same innovative mindset to the kitchen and bath industry as Co-Founder and CEO of Luxcraft Cabinets, Cabinet Deals, and KBB Suite.

At Luxcraft, he transformed the traditional cabinet-buying process by creating a personalized, design-driven customer experience. Through Cabinet Deals, he harnessed e-commerce to make quality cabinetry more accessible and convenient for all. With KBB Suite, he delivers a smart SaaS platform that empowers kitchen and bath professionals to operate more efficiently and deliver elevated service.Spase’s career is defined by his ability to leverage technology to improve how people interact with products and services—consistently creating value, enhancing customer experiences, and redefining what’s possible in any industry he touches.

Metodija Mirchev started his career in the FMCG industry in Poland by holding managerial positions in several international companies. Before moving into the telecom industry, he held an executive position in L’Oréal Poland.In 2005, he was appointed Head of Sales at Cosmofon, and two years later he became Chief Commercial Officer. In 2011 he was appointed Director of Sales and Marketing at One, and in 2013 he was promoted to Executive Member of the Board of Directors as Chief Operating Officer.He holds an MBA from several prestigious business schools such as London Business School, HEC Paris and NHH Norway.He was appointed Executive Director of A1 Makedonija in January 2020, and in April 2024 he was promoted to the position of CEO.

Ivan Skenderoski is a founder and managing partner of Salience, a telecom management consulting and professional services organization. He has been with the company since its launch in 2010 and is based in Dubai, UAE since 2008. Ivan is the Engagement Lead on a number of Salience projects, strategist on National Broadband enablement and lead on the New Operator Launch practice.

He is a board member of Salience, management team member and is involved in setting the company’s strategic vision and direction. In addition, he also has a hands on approach in the financial and operational management of the company.He has over 17 years of dedicated telecom experience across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Prior to Salience, Ivan was working for the UK incumbent operator, British Telecom (BT) on numerous roles – Principal consultant in the Middle East, Specialist technology and service advisor for BT’s bid to acquire telecom license in Singapore, Head of the Asian Innovation Centre in Malaysia as well as the UK based technology roles at the BT Labs in Martlesham.

He is also a Board Member of Awasr Oman, the first regional fibre only operator.Ivan is a recognized thought leader, speaking frequently at Telecom conferences covering broadband strategy. He has contributed to several Salience whitepapers on National Broadband, Next Generations Access Networks and Fibre to the Home. He holds MSc in Telecom Engineering from Macedonia.

Hélène Panova is the Head of M&A and Partnerships at TONOMUS. A veteran professional with over 10 years of experience in the industry, she has amassed extensive knowledge and skills throughout her career of advising on complex transactions. Her expertise encompasses various aspects of M&A and includes working for notable companies like Santande and Lazard.

John I. Bitove has a distinguished record of accomplishment in the corporate, sports and community endeavours. He is the sole shareholder of Obelysk, which has major investments in the wireless, satellite radio, real estate, restaurants and other businesses. He is one of the founders of alternative asset investment firm, PointNorth Capital. Recently Obelysk has obtained the right to develop the Canadian market for Bird e-scooters, and the franchise right to develop Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants in Canada. Mr. Bitove was the founder, Chairman and controlling shareholder of Canadian Satellite Radio Inc. which brought satellite radio service to Canadians, in partnership with U.S.-based XM Satellite Radio. XM later merged with Sirius to become SiriusXM Canada, Canada’s fastest growing media subscription business with over 3 million subscribers. SiriusXM Canada went public in 2005 and has now gone private with Mr. Bitove remaining as a shareholder.

Mr. Bitove was the founder, principal shareholder and CEO of KEYreit, Canada’s premier “small-box” retail property owner with over 220 retail real estate properties in eight provinces across Canada. He was also the founder of Mobilicity, one of Canada’s new entrant wireless operators, which was sold to Rogers in 2015. Mr. Bitove acquired Scott’s Restaurants in 1999. Scott’s was renamed as Priszm and grew to almost 700 restaurants across Canada under the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell brands, serving 2 million customers a week and employing over 10,000 people. Priszm was eventually taken public as an Income Trust. A passionate Canadian, Mr. Bitove was the volunteer President and Chief Executive Officer of Toronto’s Bid for the 2008 Olympic Games (awarded to Beijing, China).

He was the head of the organizing committees that brought the successful World Indoor Athletics (Track & Field) Championships and World Championships of Basketball to Canada in 1993 and 1994 respectively. In 1993, he founded the Toronto Raptors Basketball Club. He led the NBA franchise-bid process, launched the team and created the Air Canada Centre (now Scotiabank Arena), Toronto’s major sports and entertainment venue. A strong believer of giving back to the community, Mr. Bitove founded S’Cool Life Fund, to support public elementary schools across Canada. Since the launch in 2005, S’Cool Life Fund has raised and donated over $3 million helping to make school life more enjoyable for thousands of public elementary school kids.

Dalibor is the CEO of Sorsix and has over 15 years of experience in working with complex systems to drive business outcomes in healthcare. Sorsix provides a national EHR backbone to the Ministries of Health in Macedonia and Serbia, and works with private healthcare companies and governments globally to deliver transformative technology solutions. Sorsix products together hold over 25 million patient records in 10+ countries on 4 continents, and engage with more than 300k patients every day. Dalibor holds several patents in medical technology.

Rexhino is a young successful entrepreneur with broad interest in tech, he has co-founded Trifolium, a company that operates the betaPlan Coding Bootcamps program in partnership with Coding Dojo, one of the leading US based Edtech companies in the US. Trifolium has experiences in other SEE countries such as Kosovo. Up to now more than 400 people were trained through this shared income partnership.

He is co-owner of Çekrezi Metal, a leading recycling company in the country, with business partnerships all over the reagion, and a key player in the Albanian circular economy. He has also supported alphaPlan centre, an NGO that works in the Edtech sector, helping young Albanians to craft coding and design thinking skills and exposing them to the American best practices, and leveraging technologies of US based firms such for example the Low Code / No Code ones.

Due to his contribution in the tech sector, lobbying for the EdTech focused on US partnerships, and entrepreneurship model, he was elected deputy President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Albania, with a relevant support from the business membership. During this first mandate he is working with the members and other stakeholders to foster the tech workforce in the country and in the region, as an important factor for the digital transformation of the region.

Ivan Skenderoski is a founder and managing partner of Salience, a telecom management consulting and professional services organization. He has been with the company since its launch in 2010 and is based in Dubai, UAE since 2008. Ivan is the Engagement Lead on a number of Salience projects, strategist on National Broadband enablement and lead on the New Operator Launch practice.

He is a board member of Salience, management team member and is involved in setting the company’s strategic vision and direction. In addition, he also has a hands on approach in the financial and operational management of the company.He has over 17 years of dedicated telecom experience across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Prior to Salience, Ivan was working for the UK incumbent operator, British Telecom (BT) on numerous roles – Principal consultant in the Middle East, Specialist technology and service advisor for BT’s bid to acquire telecom license in Singapore, Head of the Asian Innovation Centre in Malaysia as well as the UK based technology roles at the BT Labs in Martlesham.

He is also a Board Member of Awasr Oman, the first regional fibre only operator.Ivan is a recognized thought leader, speaking frequently at Telecom conferences covering broadband strategy. He has contributed to several Salience whitepapers on National Broadband, Next Generations Access Networks and Fibre to the Home. He holds MSc in Telecom Engineering from Macedonia.