Int'l Breakfast: Sep 20

As Minister without Portfolio responsible for Foreign Investment in the Government of the Republic of Macedonia from 2006-2008, Gligor Tashkovich was one of 23 people elected by the Parliament to constitute the new government. His Ministry cut across all the other Ministries with respect to foreign investments.  At the time, Macedonia was the first country in the world to have a fully ratified Stabilization and Association Agreement with the 28 member states of the European Union. For example, this meant that a company could open a manufacturing operation in Macedonia in one of its several special economic zones and export into the European Union free of all duties and taxes. With Macedonia's low wage rates, and flat 10% corporate and personal income taxes, this is an unbeatable opportunity for companies wishing to expand into the E.U. without having the higher wage rates that such an expansion would represent.  During his mandate, his team attracted approximately US $1.5 billion dollars of new projects into the country.

Today, Minister Tashkovich serves on the advisory councils or regular boards of several organizations and companies. He is also a Registered Representative with AlphaSource Capital Securities LLC, a 100% female-owned broker-dealer, which solicits accredited investors for hedge funds and private companies. He regularly lectures on a variety of topics around the world including moderating conference sessions.

His entrepreneurial projects include being part of teams that developed the Internet worldwide; the creation of Mobile Telesystems (a GSM mobile carrier) and the Moscow International Business Center/Moscow City Center Project; the importation and distribution of Time magazine in the Republic of Macedonia (which turned the Capital Assets Pricing Model on its end); the development of the AMBO Trans-Balkan Oil Pipeline project and other ventures. Earlier assignments included working for Digital Equipment Corporation in France and Switzerland and the World Economic Forum.

Minister Tashkovich earned his B.A. from Cornell University's College of Arts & Sciences and, later, his dual-major M.B.A. from Cornell's Johnson Graduate School of Management.