At the January Gathering 2024, the Manager's Association (MAS) awarded Michal Maco the Young Manager of the Year 2023. Hailing from Slovakia, Maco has been the director of Corwin Slovenia for the past four years. During his tenure, he has significantly increased the number of projects, established partnerships with some of the world's most renowned architectural studios, and expanded the team from seven to 44 employees. In 2022, the company's revenue increased tenfold compared to the previous year. Maco is a strong advocate for sustainability, living and leading the company by example.

His passion for spatial design and planning has been with him since childhood, leading him to pursue studies in urban planning and take his knowledge to Stockholm, Ljubljana, Berlin, and Bratislava. While pursuing his doctorate in Bratislava, he founded an NGO to transform neglected urban spaces into vital green areas. He has carried this mission over to his work at Corwin, infusing his business with the values that have shaped him. After losing his parents and going through a divorce within a year, Maco learned to live in the moment and appreciate what he has. He has learned to prioritize and recognize what truly matters, both in his personal life and in business.

With a clear vision to build a strong local real estate company that is both innovative and memorable, and that adds value and improves the quality of life for Ljubljana's residents, Michal Maco has significantly grown Corwin Slovenia over the past four years. He has increased the number of projects, established partnerships with world-renowned architectural studios, and expanded the team from seven to 44 employees. Additionally, he has successfully obtained sustainability certifications and all necessary permits. In 2022, the company achieved a tenfold increase in revenue, reaching over €20 million with a profit of €29,000.

Corwin, a pioneer in sustainable development, unique architecture, and advanced technologies, operates in three markets (Bratislava, Ljubljana, and Prague). Currently, the Ljubljana market, led by Michal Maco, is the largest, encompassing the construction of approximately 2,000 new apartments and 70,000 m2 of new office space. This has made Corwin the largest real estate developer in Slovenia.

What is his leadership style based on? Transparency, honesty, open communication, and a willingness to address challenges head-on. He promotes an open-door policy, fostering a sense of being heard, valued, respected, and secure among employees. Clear rules, competitive salaries, encouragement of innovation, new ideas, and employee training are also key components of his approach. Maco recognizes the importance of his own mental health in creating a positive work environment. He invests heavily in self-development, learning about new trends, and seeking therapy and coaching. Last year, employees in his team had an average of 3-4 sick days, and the company supports employee health by covering the cost of preventive medical examinations. Two months ago, all employees were offered free prostate and breast cancer screenings.

As his primary goal is to inspire the entire construction industry and set an example of how everyone can contribute to the sustainable development of European cities, he has delved into the literature on sustainability since completing his doctorate, focusing on urban living. His aim is to create cities with shorter distances, enabling residents to walk or bike to everything they need: home, school, work, and leisure. Convinced that a successful business leader leads by example, he also embodies sustainability in his personal life. He primarily uses recycled materials, even for his hiking sandwiches, and his pets are worms.

Michal Maco is also one of the founders of the successful Slovak clothing brand Bratiska.

About the award

With the Young Manager award, MAS recognizes and celebrates young, successful, and promising managers who are making their mark on the Slovenian management landscape. The award highlights individuals at the beginning of their managerial careers who build trust and respect both within and outside their organizations, while achieving business results based on the highest standards of sustainable leadership.

Last year's recipient of the Young Manager award was Primož Zelenšek, director of Chipolo.

The recipient of the award is decided by the votes of the commission (70% of the final ranking), the votes of the participants of the January Gathering (20%) and the votes of the general public (10%). The committee for the selection of the recipient of the Young Manager 2023 award consisted of: Tanja Subotić Levanič (president), Lucija Sajevec, dr. Polona Domadenik, dr. Maja Fesel Kamenik, Katja Jelerčič, Klaudija Javornik, Klemen Medved, Aleš Muhič, Primož Zelenšek.