Mario Lešina
Episode · #358
VRIJEME JE ZA GOSPODARSTVO Mario Lešina
Guest Mario LešinaHosted by Darko BukovićMay 3, 2026
Mario Lešina
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
Croatia's manufacturing sector often struggles for recognition, yet it quietly produces some of the world's best footwear, primarily for export. Mario Lešina, director and owner of Midal, is at the helm of one such company in Varaždin, an area known for its industrial prowess. His perspective extends beyond the factory floor; as a university lecturer and a local politician, Lešina offers a view on how industry shapes society, what it takes to compete globally from a small market, and why the next industrial revolution might be Croatia's most important opportunity yet. You will consider how deep-seated economic realities dictate where industries thrive, and what it truly means to modernize a traditional business.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Twelve thousand people work in Croatia's leather and footwear sector, largely in the north, producing what Mario Lešina calls 'the best shoes in the world.' Yet, because companies like his, Midal, are heavily export-oriented, they rarely appear in domestic media. Success often thrives in the absence of local headlines, especially when your market is global.
02
Leather, Lešina points out, elevates any product — a car with leather seats is automatically more valuable, a leather garment is always luxurious. Today, leather shoes are priced similarly to jewelry. A material's inherent quality and perceived elegance can position even everyday items in a premium category.
03
Major shopping centers across Croatia, and globally, consistently feature the same brands in the same positions because they are part of international investment funds with global agreements. This structure leaves little room for local brands to enter or gain visibility. The retail landscape is shaped by global capital flows, not local market variety.
04
Clusterization was a strategy of a decade or two ago, Lešina explains, but today it only pits smaller players against larger, uniform global brands. Instead, companies must find and own their specific niche. In a market dominated by giants, the path to survival is often through sharp differentiation, not broad aggregation.
05
Industry, especially labor-intensive manufacturing, demands a high population density to ensure a sufficient workforce; you can't build a factory employing a hundred people in a region of fifty thousand residents. This fundamental need for a concentrated labor pool explains why industrial hubs naturally form in densely populated areas, while agriculture thrives where people are sparse.
06
Croatian businesses universally cite labor shortages, skilled worker scarcity, and wages outpacing productivity as their biggest challenges. Mario Lešina sees Industry 4.0 as the direct answer: replacing human cognitive abilities with machines. This shift allows for higher productivity per worker, enabling wage growth and compensating for skill gaps.
07
Croatia missed the first industrial revolution (no electricity or asphalt in 1820) and the second (the first car arrived decades late). Lešina argues that Industry 4.0 presents a rare, perhaps singular, chance for the country to make a substantial leap forward. A nation's historical industrial lag can be overcome by decisively embracing the latest technological wave.
08
Midal, a family firm founded by Mario Lešina’s father, has consistently invested heavily in technology, recently installing its first robots in production. This commitment reflects a long-term strategy for moving towards Industry 4.0. Sustained technological investment, even in traditional manufacturing, is essential for continuous adaptation and competitive relevance.