"The pharmaceutical industry is quite unique. On one hand, it is extremely dynamic; on the other, heavily regulated. Consequently, even if you want to, certain things cannot yield an immediate impact. We definitely operate based on extensive analytics and extensive figures on one hand, but on the other, yes, intuition is sometimes necessary to make decisions. I would describe it as a combination of both, but the fact remains that we strive to base our decisions primarily on analytics." The approach is multidimensional—incorporating both analytics and intuition, said the Chief Executive Officer of Alkaloid AD, Zhivko Mukaetov, in an interview for 360 Degrees on MRT 1.

Reflecting on the 90^th anniversary of Alkaloid's founding, Mukaetov recalled his earliest memories of the company as a child, when his father served as general director.

"I grew up in the spirit of Alkaloid. When my father became general director in 1985, I was 11 years old. However, I also remember the period prior to that, because he led the company's IT Center, and I remember accompanying him to work as a child, especially on Saturdays. In 2006, I was appointed general director, and I have now led the company for 20 years. What I consider essential is what Trajche Mukaetov once said: that Alkaloid is a company for all times, and that every one of us must safeguard its future," Mukaetov pointed out.

"In sales and marketing, a new team was brought in that pursued a far more aggressive strategy, working on building numerous new brands that have now become major assets within the company. Meanwhile, across all technical and specialized departments, we maintained a core of top-tier professionals who stayed on from the preceding management structure. Together, I believe we achieved a synergistic operation that enabled Alkaloid to grow and advance year after year, ultimately bringing us to where we stand today. Yes, 90 years. And I want to emphasize that people are the most important element of all; our goal is to build a company of fulfilled, motivated individuals who can channel their expertise and skills so that, collectively, we can achieve even greater results."

Alkaloid's chief executive added that Macedonia's membership in the European Union would unlock substantial opportunities for domestic enterprises rather than pose a threat to their operations, countering the perception among segments of the public that the country's most successful business leaders oppose EU accession.

The full interview can be viewed here: