Slovenian entrepreneur among world's 50 leading business thinkers

Jure Knez, co-founder and president of Dewesoft, the Trbovlje-based global developer of innovative measuring instruments, has become the first Slovenian to be included in the Leaders50 list by the international management platform Thinkers50.

Knez also received one of the six special Leaders50 Distinguished Achievement Awards - the Talent Magnet, which recognises executives who foster exceptional professional growth and talent development, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

The awards were presented at the Thinkers50 Summit in London on 2 November, an event described by the Financial Times as the "Oscars of management thinking".

The biennial Leaders50 listing evaluates candidates based on their societal impact and leadership practices rather than corporate revenue. Knez's inclusion places him alongside chief executives from major multinationals such as Microsoft, NVIDIA, Netflix, LEGO, and General Motors.

The judging panel awarded Knez the honour in recognition of Dewesoft's employee co-ownership model, its 100-year strategic sustainability plan, and his efforts to drive economic regeneration in Zasavje, a former coal mining region in central Slovenia. To support domestic startups, Knez helped establish the regional Katapult business incubator and the City of Acrobats technology park.

Accepting the award in London, Knez outlined Dewesoft's growth from a regional enterprise into a global aerospace supplier, dedicating the international recognition to the company's workforce.

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