The latest episode of the Business Club podcast with Branko Azeski featured Andrea Serafimovski, Member of the Management Board of GD Granit AD Skopje and President of the Association of Construction, Building Materials and Non-metal Industries at the Economic Chamber. Serafimovski has built his professional career in the construction sector, taking part in the realization of numerous major projects both in the country and abroad. The discussion focused on the current state and challenges facing the construction industry in the country and the wider region.

Serafimovski began his career as a civil engineer in the operations department of Granit AD Skopje — a company with a 75-year tradition and a long list of landmark projects completed over the decades. Through his work on numerous high-rise and infrastructure projects, he gained extensive hands-on experience in the field of construction.

Speaking about the company, he noted: “In the past, Granit AD was part of the ‘Big Four’ of construction companies, known for its projects around the world. Today, despite regional and global changes, it remains one of the four most recognized companies in the region.”

“Granit represents a system built on solid foundations. When you come to work at Granit, at first you don’t contribute — you learn everything the system has to offer. The company provides opportunities for professional growth and development, and every link in the company chain has its own value that contributes to creating added value,” Serafimovski added.

Owing to his dedication and results, Serafimovski was appointed in 2011 as Director of the newly established High-Rise Construction Division, and in 2015 he assumed the role of Director of the new Operations Sector, which oversees the construction of motorways, airports, and other infrastructure projects, as well as related services such as heavy machinery, quarries, and concrete and asphalt plants.

Reflecting on advancement opportunities within the company, he stated: “At Granit, anyone can advance, because knowledge and expertise are what matter most. In 2013, the then-director, Strasho Milkovski — a man of vision — replaced an entire generation in the company and hired young engineers. Today, they are successful project managers and directors. The company also employs foreign professionals whose expertise contributes to the exchange of knowledge and experience.”

In the podcast, Serafimovski also addressed the overall state of the construction sector, emphasizing that construction remains one of the three largest industries in the country, employing around 50,000 people — yet its potential is still underutilized. According to him, construction could serve as an engine of the economy, with the capacity to become the country’s largest exporter — both of labor and of foreign capital inflow.

Serafimovski added that Macedonian construction has strong potential for development, but what is needed are a long-term strategy and short-term measures to fully harness that potential — creating added value for the economy both domestically and on foreign markets.

“Behind every major construction company in other countries stand the state institutions. Without state support, construction companies cannot survive, because it is the state that defines ongoing investments,” he stressed.

He welcomed the cooperation established with the Government through a working body initiated by the President of the Economic Chamber, Branko Azeski, which meets weekly and promotes activities in the construction sector.

“There has been genuine progress recently, and for the first time, the Government is positioned as a partner rather than a supervisor. All stakeholders must act together, without subordination, to address challenges on equal footing,” Serafimovski said.

Throughout his career, Serafimovski has received numerous awards and recognitions, including: award for best achievement in the field of structural construction (2015) for projects such as the State Archives of the Republic of Macedonia, Constitutional Court of Macedonia, and Archaeological Museum of Skopje; a special recognition from the Ministry of Culture (2017) for his work on the roof and facade of the Macedonian Philharmonic; and an award from the 20^th International Symposium of the Association of Structural Engineers of Macedonia (2022) for the construction of the ASNOМ Boulevard Bridge (Phase II) — from “Vasko Karangeleski” Street to “Industriska” Street — as an outstanding achievement in structural engineering.