“At the international level, the ICC in Paris is intensively engaged in issues related to the introduction of tariff measures that have been announced and presented by the new US administration – and thus the very real risk that these measures could trigger a harmful global trade war.” We spoke with Jitka Haubová, Chairwoman of the National Committee of the ICC Czech Republic and member of the International Chamber of Commerce’s top management, who has just returned from the ICC headquarters in Paris.
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They say that Dagmar Poláchová has a knack for quickly finding out what's wrong in a company and why it's not doing as well as its management would like. When I asked her how she does it, her answer was straightforward: "Many years of diverse professional experience have taught me how to ask the right questions - and most importantly, how to listen. Listening is often overlooked." Companies typically call her when something isn’t working, expecting her to diagnose and fix the problem. More precisely, she specializes in implementing comprehensive transformation strategies. Sustainable ones, as she emphasizes.
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It is an interesting fact that Berislav Vekić, the Serbian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, is also a renowned surgeon and university professor, who has raised several young and promising surgeons in Serbia. He also boasts a great career in healthcare management. From his own experience, he argues that medicine and diplomacy have many common grounds and synergies, which has been confirmed in practice by many (not only) Serbian diplomats. We talked to Mr. Vekić a few days after the Czech Prime Minister’s official visit to Serbia.
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Ludvík Machala, founder and CEO of ProSpánek, is a visionary with the ability to inspire his team to turn his vision into reality. His entrepreneurial story goes back to the 1990s. He began by hammering pallets together with a friend in his backyard, and today he runs a successful company that is transitioning to a corporate management style.
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“Business models must adapt to market developments,” argues Ludvík Machala, founder and CEO of ProSpánek. When the golden era of direct sales through call centres was coming to an end, he decided on an ambitious plan to build a retail chain that would offer comprehensive solutions for healthy sleeping. They did it first in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, later in Poland and Hungary, and most recently, Serbia joined the group in 2022. “Serbia was a logical choice for us when looking for further expansion eastward. It is a country with a rapidly developing economy open to the whole world. And we are always interested in potential.”
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From the comfort of their own production, warehouse, logistics, and administrative facilities, they had to move after years to rented and temporary premises. For some, this might be seen as a balancing act on the edge of survival, for others, it is an impulse to seek unconventional solutions. “I believe in the advantages and resilience of family businesses. The story of our company, founded by my parents and me, strengthens my optimism,” says Lukáš Klokan, Managing Director of PPS Engineering CZ, a family company based in Most.
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