Lucija Živa Sajevec has significantly improved AMZS's key business figures since she became director of Slovenia's automotive club in 2014, said the GZS, which praised the company for its strategy which promotes innovation, investment and sales, while its human resources strategy focuses on education.

Andrej Ribič was rewarded for Elektro Ljubljana having increased its net profit, profitability and return on equity by over 300%. The GZS said the electricity distributor generated EUR 95,000 in added value per employee in 2018, while it also pays much attention to the environment.

Joining Elrad International in 1999, Iztok Lipnik and Branko Šeruga, have helped the company specialising in electronic manufacturing services increase added value by almost 22% a year over the last three years, which makes it a leader in the industry.

TKK executive director Uroš Lozar has turned the producer of chemical products for construction industry into one of the best among rivals at home. Its long-term development strategy focuses on high-tech solutions while the company has also become a centre of excellence for the entire holding.

Window and door producer M Sora and its manager Aleš Dolenc were praised for the in-house R&D, high R&D investment and internal innovation systems. The company has received several regional and national awards for innovation, with various national and European projects having also contributed to its development in recent years.

TRO Rezalna Orodja, led by director Sebastijan Suhovršnik, has made it abroad by constantly investing in modernisation, human resources development and R&D. The GZS also praised Suhovršnik for introducing participatory management.

Jakob Šušterič co-funded MESI, a developer and manufacturer of medical devices for early diagnostics, since in 2010. The company is present in 50 markets and plans to become the leader on its key markets. In 2018, it received the Red Dot design award.

The oldest Slovenian awards of its kind are designed to honour business executives who can be credited with multi-annual outstandings results at home and abroad, have an innovative business philosophy and make well thought-out business decisions.

A total of 376 business executives have so far received the award, this year's recipients included.