Jovan Despotovski is director of the North Macedonia Free Zones Authority – the focal point for investors seeking support to invest in North Macedonia free economic and industrial zones. In the past three years, he developed a new concept for attracting and promoting investments, which puts Macedonia on the map of countries that have the capacity and competence for large investments. Prior to this position, he was director of the State Fund for Innovations and Technology Development. In his three years mandate as the director of the Fund, he has made significant change in the innovation sector in the country, developed a new concept of the state support program for SMEs that resulted in complete transformation of the economy in the country. 

He is known for his innovative and future-oriented approach in his work. Mr. Despotovski, Bachelor in Economy and Finance, started working for the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia in 2003, as part of the Secretariat for European Affairs. He was leading the working group on Economic criteria within the process of preparing Answers to EC Questionnaire in 2004 that led to EU awarding candidate status to Macedonia. In the period 2008 – 2016, he was engaged in different EU and bilateral countries’ funded programmes on infrastructure and capacity building for state institutions. He is one of the founders of MENSA Macedonia.