Dragutin Kamenski
Episode · #314
RITAM POSLA Dragutin Kamenski
Guest Dragutin KamenskiHosted by Lidija KiseljakMay 3, 2026
Dragutin Kamenski
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
Dragutin Kamenski founded Kamgrad in 1979 as a small craft business, growing it into one of Croatia's leading construction companies, employing nearly a thousand people. His story is one of sustained expansion through multiple economic cycles, culminating in a smooth leadership transition to the next generation. This conversation explores the unique challenges of building a generational business in a volatile sector, from navigating a chronic labor shortage to preparing for a post-pandemic future. Kamenski shares how Kamgrad has weathered these storms, and what it takes to build a company that outlasts its founder.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Kamgrad's path began in 1979 as a small craft with a single worker, growing to become one of Croatia's leading construction firms with nearly a thousand employees today. This demonstrates that market leadership is often built through decades of organic expansion, where consistent project delivery, rather than rapid scaling, compounds into significant size.
02
The leadership transition at Kamgrad to the founder's sons is, as Dragutin Kamenski puts it, "practically passing without any traumatic situations." A truly successful generational handover is not just about willingness, but about the next generation's "engagement and approach" being so strong that "the market won't even feel it." The goal of succession is continuity, not just a change of guard.
03
Kamenski describes the construction sector as "extremely cyclical," where "today 500 employees are too few, tomorrow 50 are too many." In highly unpredictable industries, workforce planning demands constant adaptation, not fixed targets. Success comes from reacting in real-time and planning far ahead, rather than optimizing for a static headcount.
04
Croatia "too late recognized" the problem of labor shortages, restricting foreign worker imports for too long. Short-sighted labor policies, such as ignoring the structure of unemployment while restricting foreign workers, lead to a double loss: the emigration of domestic talent and the depletion of potential labor pools in neighboring countries. The cost of delayed action is a diminished workforce.
05
Kamenski notes the "false perception that foreign workers are cheap," stating that "all costs associated with a foreign worker mean he ends up being more expensive than a domestic one." The true cost of foreign labor extends far beyond wages, encompassing significant expenses for adaptation, education, language barriers (Kamgrad once had six translators), and initial inefficiency. Employers must account for these hidden costs, which often make foreign hires more expensive.
06
Workers from Bosnia and Herzegovina were "ideal" for the Croatian construction sector, offering a fourfold increase in wages compared to BiH, along with organized housing, transport, and cultural similarities. Croatia made a "historic mistake" by not capitalizing on this regional labor pool: proximity, cultural fit, and a strong economic incentive (Marka vs. Euro) could have made Croatia a preferred destination over Western Europe for these workers. The failure to act meant losing a critical talent source to other markets.