Bijan Sabet took up the post in Prague about a year ago, presenting his credentials as U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic in February 2023. The son of immigrants, this former tech executive and venture capitalist brings to his diplomatic assignment deep experience in business and business development. A co-founder and leading figure at Spark Capital, he has helped many tech start-ups grow into large multinationals. He has left his mark on brands such as Twitter, Slack and Discord. In line with the overall focus of this issue of TRADE NEWS, we spoke mainly about California, where Mr. Sabet worked in the tech industry and as an investor for twenty years, ten of which directly in Silicon Valley.
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Komerční banka (KB) economists conclude that the worst days are now over for the Czech economy and forecast an improved performance in 2024 after last year’s decline. However, the growth will be very moderate and won’t become more noticeable until the second half of the year. "Still, our country's economy has proven to be robust, and if we look at it as a whole, it’s like a big ship that can maintain a straight course even in rough seas. I am happy that our bank contributes to this with our stability and strength," says David Formánek, member of the KB board responsible for corporate and investment banking.
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"African and Asian markets are remote, and they carry a number of risks for our exporters. However, companies should realize that those who don't take healthy risks and just keep waiting for a lucky opportunity may eventually miss out completely," says Ilja Mazánek Sr., chairman of the foreign section of the Czech Chamber of Commerce and commercial director of Transcon Electronic Systems, a global leader in airport technology production and supplier of the unique concept of modular airports.
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The key to succeed in African markets is to think long-term, create strong links and be resilient. “If you manage all that, it makes a big difference eventually,” says Nicolas Tauvel, Deputy Managing Director, Corporate & Institutional Customers and Payments at Société Générale Senegal. We spoke to Mr. Tauvel about the unique opportunities (not only) in Senegal.
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Despite the general skepticism, the Czech Republic is lucky to have a relatively high number of skilled and energetic people. Besides state-of-the art technologies, Tiyo, one of the largest accredited labs in the country operating mostly in automotive, has also relied on an innovative staffing system.
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If you ever feel that the Czech healthcare system is collapsing, just look at the UK to get a different perspective. The bad reputation of the National Health Service (NHS) has UK citizens look for other ways to solve their health problems, often abroad. The Czech Republic is a common destination for reproductive medicine or plastic surgery, and eye surgery has recently come to the fore as well. "In the UK, the waiting time for a cataract surgery, for example, is up to two years. Here we can do it in six weeks’ time. On top, UK residents are not allowed to pay extra for a better implant within the NHS. As a result, they have to turn to private providers, which is often expensive," says Adam Janek, director of Eye Centre Prague (OCP), which has served foreign clients for five years.
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