The program is designed for: employees with high potential who are prepared and willing to lead, and would like to develop their leadership skills in a short period of time; newly appointed managers to new positions; professionals who are preparing for the next step in their career – a Management Position. For more information, please see the program brief. To attend the training, please contact AmCham Office at 3216 714 or via email communication@amcham.com.mk

We would like to announce that the Board of Directors of AmCham Macedonia has hired a new Policy and Communication Manager, Ms. Ljubinka Brashnarska. She has started from February 1, 2012. In addition, please see the new redistribution of AmCham e-mail addresses.

AmCham would like to present you the annual work plan of AmCham for 2012. Please click on this link to open the plan.

On December 15th AmCham Macedonia hosted a Christmas reception at Aleksandar Palace Hotel. The concept of this event was also to support Corporate Social Responsibility and to give an opportunity to attendees to learn about CSR activities through Habitat for Humanity Macedonia. The AmCham Executive Director, Ms. Sonja McGurk, welcomed the guests and informed the members on the past activities and achievements of the chamber. She also thanked the 2011 Patron members for their continuous support throughout the year. AmCham Macedonia wishes to thank Mr. Phil Lampron - a Peace Corps Volunteer for taking photos at the event.

During December 2011, the American Chamber of Commerce in Macedonia, in cooperation with International Development Law Organization (IDLO) Alumni Association in the Republic of Macedonia, organized two day IPR workshops (15-16/12 and 19-20/12). The event was sponsored by our Patron Member – Microsoft. On the workshops attended more than 50 representatives from the Ministry of Interior Affairs of the Republic of Macedonia, State Market Inspectorate of the Republic of Macedonia and The Coordinative Body of the Government of the R. of Macedonia for Intellectual Property Rights. This event was a great opportunity for the representatives from different governmental institutions to explain the procedures their undertake in the process of intellectual property right protection, discuss about their problems and resolve some of the procedure uncertainties. They also suggested that a List of all legal representatives of intellectual property rights in Macedonia, is necessary document for successful realization of their activities. The AmCham Macedonia agreed to contact all involved parties and prepare the List, that will be published on our website (www.amcham.com.mk) and will be timely updated.

On November 2, 2011 AmCham Macedonia in partnership with NGO-member LinkAcross (www.linkacross.org), organized customer service training, themed as: “Raising the Bar” of customer service. During the training participants had chance to learn about: the importance of the customer service skills for their businesses, about the customer services philosophy, who are most common customer service problems and what to do about them, how to establish service standards, first steps in moving towards outstanding service, how to train staff and hold them accountable.

AmCham is proud to announce that our member Tinex MT has paved the way in corporate social responsibility by establishing a CSR board and donating a first tranche of 1 million MKD to the children's hospital Kozle. For more information, please see the news coverage of the event: http://sitel.com.mk/dnevnik/makedonija/tineks-formirashe-odbor-za-opshtestvena-odgovornost

The new Makpetrol Ultra fuels are specially designed fuels by using the most advanced fuel additive technology and other technological procedures. With their use greater economy, power and acceleration, improved lubrication of the engine and reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and solids is achieved. The new fuels, for the same price and with no extra charge, offer significantly more than the current gasoline and diesel fuels present on our market. ULTRA fuels are in line with the European standards and Rulebook on the quality of liquid fuels in the Republic of Macedonia.

We are pleased to inform that POLENAK Law Firm acted as a legal counsel to the sellers in the transaction with Coca-Cola Beverages Holdings II B.V and Brau Union AG, as buyers, regarding the sale of shares in Pivara AD Skopje. The transfer of shares was carried out as a block transaction, registered with, and announced by, the Macedonian Stock Exchange on 14 December 2011.