The guest of Branko Azeski, President of the Economic Chamber, in the latest thirteenth edition of the Business Club podcast, is Anatol Kutrevski, Second Executive Director of Pekabesko AD Skopje. He discusses the labor shortage as a serious problem for the Macedonian economy and the company’s investments in automation to mitigate the workforce deficit.

"We are directing investments toward automation and upgrading old machinery because we are facing a labor shortage, and we see this as a way to compensate by investing in machines that require fewer workers. However, people cannot be entirely replaced. There are manual processes where people can be substituted, but there are also processes where human involvement remains essential," stated Kutrevski.

In the discussion, Kutrevski emphasized that declining demographics are becoming a serious issue for the country, leading to a lack of workforce, which in turn affects national development. According to him, if there are no people, there will be no one to produce for in the future, and even companies investing in automation will eventually struggle to find operators for the machines.

"We are heading toward a situation where many companies in the country will be forced to reject work orders due to a lack of labor," said Kutrevski.

In the podcast with Branko Azeski, Kutrevski discussed his education at the American College in Thessaloniki, majoring in Business Administration, and his master’s degree from Ohio State University, USA. He highlighted that academic programs at these institutions focus on critical thinking and problem-solving. Their goal is not to produce graduates with encyclopedic knowledge, but rather to teach students how to think critically, draw conclusions, and make informed decisions to resolve problems effectively.

Despite studying abroad, Kutrevski began his professional career in his home country, joining the family business, Pekabesko, a company with 405 employees, an annual turnover of €100 million, and exports worth €15 million.

In the podcast, he elaborated on his role within the company, its growth, and investment strategies for further development. However, he stressed that if the company aims to expand its production into the European market, it must establish a corporate structure and maintain a constant presence in those markets to ensure control and hierarchical oversight. According to him, employee education is crucial, which is why they consistently invest in internal training within the company, while also utilizing training programs offered by the Economic Chamber.

When asked why product prices are constantly increasing, Kutrevski pointed out that the Macedonian economy is import-dependent, which directly affects pricing. He also noted that no substantial measures are being taken to improve the situation.

To further enhance his education, Kutrevski participated in the Kellogg Executive Program at Northwestern University, organized by Macedonia 2025, which allowed him to apply acquired knowledge and experience in his professional work.