THE MOST REMARKABLE MANAGERIAL CHANGES ACCORDING TO BUBENIK PARTNERS – THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2022
In the nine most interesting managerial changes and transfers of the last quarter, Bubenik Partners included Czech and Slovak leaders and members of top management from various fields. The previous quarter’s onboarding to the top managerial roles of significant companies based in the Czech Republic reflects recruitment trends from the first half of the year. Businesses are increasingly hungry to strengthen senior management teams. They mainly emphasize innovation, digitization, and strategy to ensure competitiveness at a time when the skill to adapt to sudden changes is critical.
„Movers and Shakers at the Top of Czech Business“ is a prestigious quarterly selection that presents a comprehensive view of what is happening on the market through the eyes of Bubenik Partners, a renowned consulting company. It is a representative overview of the most important events at the highest levels of Czech business in the given period.
New hires and transfers in the third quarter resulted from recruitment activities in the first half of this year. The number of reported changes in the top management of companies in the Czech Republic has been increasing since the pandemic. It proves that the appetite to strengthen management teams and adapt to the new challenges of the current geopolitical and economic situation is growing.
„In the previous, more conservative months, companies filled positions primarily with internal candidates. The degree of external changes and the need to adapt was manifested in an increase in courage, but also in the need to recruit managers externally,“ says Jan Bubeník, founder and managing partner of Bubenik Partners. „At the same time, the number of Czech top managers returning from foreign posts also decreased, as well as the arrival of experienced expats to manage the Czech branches of their parent companies.“
This quarter also confirms the trend that we have been observing since the pandemic – the most active in changes in the top management teams are innovative companies whose sectors are doing well, such as digital, technology, and e-commerce companies, followed by those that are modernizing their business and transforming it towards digitalization, such as traditional banks and retail chains.
In recent months, companies have often recruited managers for functions covering marketing, digitization, strategy, technology, and innovation. This confirms the desire of companies to keep up with the rapid market development and to be ready for sudden changes.
Selection of the most remarkable „Movers and Shakers“ at the top of Czech business in the third quarter of 2022
(in alphabetical order)
Jan Hanuš
CEO, Woltair
Heat pump and photovoltaic expert Woltair has a new leader. In August, the management of the company was handed over to Jan Hanuš by the company’s founder, Daniel Helcl.
The company, founded in 2018, is aiming for one billion crowns in concluded contracts this year. „Woltair has grown, and after opening a branch in Warsaw, we are also preparing to expand to Italy and Germany. The company needs an experienced and internationally seasoned leader who will make Woltair a world player in the field of energy and decarbonization of buildings,“ says Daniel Helcl.
Jan Hanuš joins the company from the position of CEO of the Czech Mall Group. Before that, he led international companies such as Kostelecké uzeniny and Telenor Hungary, the third largest mobile operator in Hungary.
Petr Jonák
Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Director, SAZKA
In July, the lottery company Sazka from the KKCG group named an experienced manager in the field, Petr Jonák, as director of the newly established external relations and sustainability division.
His competence includes the realm of public affairs, external communication, sponsorship, social responsibility, and, newly, sustainability. The latter two mentioned areas are among Sazka’s priorities; the director’s main tasks, therefore, include strengthening them, creating strategies, and deciding on the direction of the company.
Petr Jonák is also a member of the board of the Association of Industry and Transport, where he oversees sustainability and the EU internal market and covers the Association’s communications. He comes to Sazka from T-Mobile, where he worked in a similar role. Before that, he worked for Škoda, BXR, and Coca-Cola.
Lenka Madliaková
Czech Republic Country Managing Director, Accenture
In September, Lenka Madliaková became the new Country Managing Director of the Czech branch of the consulting company Accenture. She replaced Roberto Libonati in the position.
Lenka Madliaková started her career in the Slovak branch of Accenture and moved to the Czech Republic in 2008. In addition to Czech and Slovak clients, she also worked with international companies operating in Bulgaria or Japan.
Since 2018, she has been responsible for technological projects in the fields of pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, sales of consumer goods, and the automotive industry. In addition to her new role in the management of the Czech branch, Lenka Madliaková also retains her current position.
Miloš Mastník
CEO, České Radiokomunikace
České Radiokomunikace, the operator of a network of television and radio transmitters, has had a new CEO since July. Miloš Mastník has worked at České Radiokomunikace since 2016 as a Sales Director.
Last year, České Radiokomunikace was bought from Macquarie Asset Management by Cordiant Digital Infrastructure, which is traded on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.
Miloš Mastník has extensive experience in the field of telecommunications. He started at Český Telecom, and for many years held leading positions in GTS Czech and GTS Central Europe. He also worked at T-Mobile CR and was director of sales and marketing at ČD – Telematika.
Aleš Struminský
President Europe Region, Board Member, Imperial Brands
In October, Aleš Struminský was appointed president for the European region and a member of the board of directors of Imperial Brands, a producer and distributor of nicotine products. He thus became one of the few Czechs to hold this position in a global company traded on public markets.
„Aleš brings to the board of Imperial Brands indisputable knowledge of our business, rich experience from individual markets and a great management style, based on cooperation and excellent results,“ says Stefan Bomhard, Chief Executive Officer of Imperial Brands.
Aleš Struminský has been working at Imperial Brands for over 20 years. In 2002, he started as a Key Account Manager in Prague and gradually worked his way up to the position of General Manager in various Imperial Brands regions.
Jakub Střeštík
Managing Director, Mall Group
At the end of July, Jakub Střeštík took over the leadership of Mall Group, the largest e-commerce platform in Central and Eastern Europe, from Jan Hanuš. For the past two years, he worked in the company in the role of Chief Commercial Officer.
The main task in his new role is to complete the integration with the Allegro shopping platform and help the entire group consolidate its position as the e-commerce champion of Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, he focuses on the development of Mall’s strengths, which historically are not only the marketplace model but also the sale of goods from its own warehouses.
Before coming to the Mall, Jakub Střeštík worked in business roles in major international companies such as Kika, Starbucks, and KFC.
Miroslav Svoboda
Country Leader, Deloitte Czech Republic
Miroslav Svoboda, a senior partner in the tax and legal department, assumed the position of Country Leader of Deloitte Czech Republic in June. He thus replaced Diana Rádl Rogerová, who had held this role since 2016.
„My vision is Deloitte as an ‘accelerator’ of knowledge and innovation, manifested in all areas where we are involved – audit, tax, law and financial, technological and risk management consulting,“ said Svoboda.
Miroslav Svoboda joined Deloitte in 2003 as a Senior Consultant and gradually worked his way up to the level of partner. Before working at Deloitte, he began his career as a tax advisor at a Brno law firm.
Martin Šlégl
General Director, STADA Czech Republic
The Czech branch of the leading European pharmaceuticals supplier STADA welcomed a new general manager in September, who will build on its success in the local market following the acquisition of the Czech company Walmark two years ago.
Martin Šlégl takes over the management of STADA’s domestic representation at a time when the company continues to grow in the local market thanks to newly emerging opportunities.
He joins STADA from IQVIA, a provider of healthcare solutions and services. There, he was first in charge of, and developed consulting in, the Central and Eastern Europe region, and in the last four years, was General Director of the Czechoslovak branch, with more than 350 employees. He started his career at Roland Berger.
Martin Vašek
CEO, Hypoteční banka and ČSOB Stavební spořitelna
In November, Martin Vašek became the CEO of Hypoteční banka and ČSOB Stavební spořitelna. Personnel changes were approved by the Czech National Bank.
Within the ČSOB group, Martin Vašek is moving from the position of CEO of ČSOB Penzijní společnost and KBC Asset Management, a branch of ČSOB, which he has held since 2019. Marcela Suchánková will replace him in these positions.
Martin Vašek has been working in the ČSOB group for more than 17 years. He joined ČSOB in 2005 as director of the Financial Markets Support department. After four years, he transferred to Hypoteční banka, where he held the position of Financial Director. In February 2013, he returned to ČSOB as the Head of the Operations Processing and Purchasing Department, then the Products and Integration Department, and subsequently became the Executive Director of the Retail Branch Network.
THE MOST REMARKABLE MANAGERIAL CHANGES ACCORDING TO BUBENIK PARTNERS – THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2022
In the nine most interesting managerial changes and transfers of the last quarter, Bubenik Partners included Czech and Slovak leaders and members of top management from various fields. The previous quarter’s onboarding to the top managerial roles of significant companies based in the Czech Republic reflects recruitment trends from the first half of the year. Businesses are increasingly hungry to strengthen senior management teams. They mainly emphasize innovation, digitization, and strategy to ensure competitiveness at a time when the skill to adapt to sudden changes is critical.
„Movers and Shakers at the Top of Czech Business“ is a prestigious quarterly selection that presents a comprehensive view of what is happening on the market through the eyes of Bubenik Partners, a renowned consulting company. It is a representative overview of the most important events at the highest levels of Czech business in the given period.
New hires and transfers in the third quarter resulted from recruitment activities in the first half of this year. The number of reported changes in the top management of companies in the Czech Republic has been increasing since the pandemic. It proves that the appetite to strengthen management teams and adapt to the new challenges of the current geopolitical and economic situation is growing.
„In the previous, more conservative months, companies filled positions primarily with internal candidates. The degree of external changes and the need to adapt was manifested in an increase in courage, but also in the need to recruit managers externally,“ says Jan Bubeník, founder and managing partner of Bubenik Partners. „At the same time, the number of Czech top managers returning from foreign posts also decreased, as well as the arrival of experienced expats to manage the Czech branches of their parent companies.“
This quarter also confirms the trend that we have been observing since the pandemic – the most active in changes in the top management teams are innovative companies whose sectors are doing well, such as digital, technology, and e-commerce companies, followed by those that are modernizing their business and transforming it towards digitalization, such as traditional banks and retail chains.
In recent months, companies have often recruited managers for functions covering marketing, digitization, strategy, technology, and innovation. This confirms the desire of companies to keep up with the rapid market development and to be ready for sudden changes.
Selection of the most remarkable „Movers and Shakers“ at the top of Czech business in the third quarter of 2022
(in alphabetical order)
Jan Hanuš
CEO, Woltair
Heat pump and photovoltaic expert Woltair has a new leader. In August, the management of the company was handed over to Jan Hanuš by the company’s founder, Daniel Helcl.
The company, founded in 2018, is aiming for one billion crowns in concluded contracts this year. „Woltair has grown, and after opening a branch in Warsaw, we are also preparing to expand to Italy and Germany. The company needs an experienced and internationally seasoned leader who will make Woltair a world player in the field of energy and decarbonization of buildings,“ says Daniel Helcl.
Jan Hanuš joins the company from the position of CEO of the Czech Mall Group. Before that, he led international companies such as Kostelecké uzeniny and Telenor Hungary, the third largest mobile operator in Hungary.
Petr Jonák
Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Director, SAZKA
In July, the lottery company Sazka from the KKCG group named an experienced manager in the field, Petr Jonák, as director of the newly established external relations and sustainability division.
His competence includes the realm of public affairs, external communication, sponsorship, social responsibility, and, newly, sustainability. The latter two mentioned areas are among Sazka’s priorities; the director’s main tasks, therefore, include strengthening them, creating strategies, and deciding on the direction of the company.
Petr Jonák is also a member of the board of the Association of Industry and Transport, where he oversees sustainability and the EU internal market and covers the Association’s communications. He comes to Sazka from T-Mobile, where he worked in a similar role. Before that, he worked for Škoda, BXR, and Coca-Cola.
Lenka Madliaková
Czech Republic Country Managing Director, Accenture
In September, Lenka Madliaková became the new Country Managing Director of the Czech branch of the consulting company Accenture. She replaced Roberto Libonati in the position.
Lenka Madliaková started her career in the Slovak branch of Accenture and moved to the Czech Republic in 2008. In addition to Czech and Slovak clients, she also worked with international companies operating in Bulgaria or Japan.
Since 2018, she has been responsible for technological projects in the fields of pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, sales of consumer goods, and the automotive industry. In addition to her new role in the management of the Czech branch, Lenka Madliaková also retains her current position.
Miloš Mastník
CEO, České Radiokomunikace
České Radiokomunikace, the operator of a network of television and radio transmitters, has had a new CEO since July. Miloš Mastník has worked at České Radiokomunikace since 2016 as a Sales Director.
Last year, České Radiokomunikace was bought from Macquarie Asset Management by Cordiant Digital Infrastructure, which is traded on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.
Miloš Mastník has extensive experience in the field of telecommunications. He started at Český Telecom, and for many years held leading positions in GTS Czech and GTS Central Europe. He also worked at T-Mobile CR and was director of sales and marketing at ČD – Telematika.
Aleš Struminský
President Europe Region, Board Member, Imperial Brands
In October, Aleš Struminský was appointed president for the European region and a member of the board of directors of Imperial Brands, a producer and distributor of nicotine products. He thus became one of the few Czechs to hold this position in a global company traded on public markets.
„Aleš brings to the board of Imperial Brands indisputable knowledge of our business, rich experience from individual markets and a great management style, based on cooperation and excellent results,“ says Stefan Bomhard, Chief Executive Officer of Imperial Brands.
Aleš Struminský has been working at Imperial Brands for over 20 years. In 2002, he started as a Key Account Manager in Prague and gradually worked his way up to the position of General Manager in various Imperial Brands regions.
Jakub Střeštík
Managing Director, Mall Group
At the end of July, Jakub Střeštík took over the leadership of Mall Group, the largest e-commerce platform in Central and Eastern Europe, from Jan Hanuš. For the past two years, he worked in the company in the role of Chief Commercial Officer.
The main task in his new role is to complete the integration with the Allegro shopping platform and help the entire group consolidate its position as the e-commerce champion of Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, he focuses on the development of Mall’s strengths, which historically are not only the marketplace model but also the sale of goods from its own warehouses.
Before coming to the Mall, Jakub Střeštík worked in business roles in major international companies such as Kika, Starbucks, and KFC.
Miroslav Svoboda
Country Leader, Deloitte Czech Republic
Miroslav Svoboda, a senior partner in the tax and legal department, assumed the position of Country Leader of Deloitte Czech Republic in June. He thus replaced Diana Rádl Rogerová, who had held this role since 2016.
„My vision is Deloitte as an ‘accelerator’ of knowledge and innovation, manifested in all areas where we are involved – audit, tax, law and financial, technological and risk management consulting,“ said Svoboda.
Miroslav Svoboda joined Deloitte in 2003 as a Senior Consultant and gradually worked his way up to the level of partner. Before working at Deloitte, he began his career as a tax advisor at a Brno law firm.
Martin Šlégl
General Director, STADA Czech Republic
The Czech branch of the leading European pharmaceuticals supplier STADA welcomed a new general manager in September, who will build on its success in the local market following the acquisition of the Czech company Walmark two years ago.
Martin Šlégl takes over the management of STADA’s domestic representation at a time when the company continues to grow in the local market thanks to newly emerging opportunities.
He joins STADA from IQVIA, a provider of healthcare solutions and services. There, he was first in charge of, and developed consulting in, the Central and Eastern Europe region, and in the last four years, was General Director of the Czechoslovak branch, with more than 350 employees. He started his career at Roland Berger.
Martin Vašek
CEO, Hypoteční banka and ČSOB Stavební spořitelna
In November, Martin Vašek became the CEO of Hypoteční banka and ČSOB Stavební spořitelna. Personnel changes were approved by the Czech National Bank.
Within the ČSOB group, Martin Vašek is moving from the position of CEO of ČSOB Penzijní společnost and KBC Asset Management, a branch of ČSOB, which he has held since 2019. Marcela Suchánková will replace him in these positions.
Martin Vašek has been working in the ČSOB group for more than 17 years. He joined ČSOB in 2005 as director of the Financial Markets Support department. After four years, he transferred to Hypoteční banka, where he held the position of Financial Director. In February 2013, he returned to ČSOB as the Head of the Operations Processing and Purchasing Department, then the Products and Integration Department, and subsequently became the Executive Director of the Retail Branch Network.