Prague Leaders Magazine Issue 06/2011

NO 6/2011

www.leadersmagazine.cz

195,-­CZK

m a g a z i n e

Leaders Magazine No 6/2011

incl. electronic version

now available in Brussels

Bohuslav Svoboda, Lord Mayor of Prague Photo: Archive of Prague City Hall

I Stand by my

Decisions Memorial Event

Jubileum Celebration

cfo Club Event

Prague Castle Event

National Theatre

Woodrow Wilson

20th Anniversary of CERGE-EI

Be Prepared

Jazz at the Castle

Concert of Magdaléna Kožená

Returns to Prague Amid a Week of Stellar Events u

page 42

111123_PLM_Coverpage_1106_final.indd 3

u

page 80

for the Next Recession or, How to Prepare your Competitiveness Strategy u

page 110

with Déczi & Markovič Reunion u

page 132

u

page 136

11/24/2011 11:51:26 AM

Systém CESR spolehlivě ochrání vaše podnikání před nespolehlivými obchodními partnery.

The CESR system will reliably protect your business against unreliable business partners.

Rating českých ekonomických subjektů jednoznačně ukáže, na co si u dané společnosti dávat pozor a jaká rizika při spolupráci s ní očekávat

Rating of Czech economical subjects it will show unambiguously what to be aware of in particular company and what risks can be expected when cooperating with it

Hlídání insolvence program u zadaných subjektů sleduje, zda nebyl podán návrh na zahájení insolvenčního řízení, a informuje o všech změnách

Insolvency watch a program checking selected subjects for information whether an insolvency proceedings was not started against them, and informs about all changes

Hlídání změn v obchodním rejstříku program sleduje zadané subjekty v obchodním a živnostenském rejstříku a e-mailem zasílá informace o zjištěných změnách - např. likvidaci

Watching for the changes in business register a program watching selected subjects in business and trade register, and sends e-mails about noticed changes – e.g. liquidation

Registr dlužníků zadejte do systému své problematické dlužníky a dluhy se až do splacení promítnou do jejich ratingu

Register of debtors input your problematic debtors here and their debts will affect their rating until they are paid

Adresář subjektů kompletní adresář českých ekonomických subjektů, v němž lze vyhledávat podle regionu, oboru, obratu apod.

List of subject a complete list of Czech economical subjects, where one can search by region, field, turnover, etc.

www.cesr.cz Interviews.indd B

24.11.2011 17:55:51

A masterpiece only gains in value over time: like Mozart ´s music - and his stamps.

The Czech Post is introducing a new edition of art stamps with a M Mozart design.

These stamps can be used for sending letters or postcards to Europe or kept as a great souvenir that will grow in value.

znamka Mozart_eng_234x325_V6.indd 1

1.9.2011 17:23:53

PLM2009_234x325excentrPrava.qxd

14.7.2009

13:33

Page 1

WE PRINTED THIS MAGAZINE WE ARE READY TO DESIGN AND PRINT YOUR: BILLBOARD, CITYLIGHT, POSTER, STAND, BANNER, CATALOGUE, MAGAZINE, BROCHURE, LEAFLET, ETC.

D&S Design Prague, s.r.o.

Printing & Design Factory – Top Quality Products for Highly Competitive Prices Kounická 957/39, Praha 10 – Nové Strašnice, 100 00, tel.: 274 774 131, fax: 274 774 151, kabes@bigformat.cz

www.bigformat.cz

Pošlete přání plné života S každým přáním UNICEF, které odešlete, zároveň pomáháte stavět školy, dodávat vakcíny a budovat studny v oblastech, kde to je zapotřebí. UNICEF pomáhá každý den měnit k lepšímu životy milionů dětí na celém světě. Pomozte i Vy: pošlete přání plné života!

e-shop:

www.unicef.cz

Prodejny UNICEF: Dům OSN, nám. Kinských 6, Praha 5 • IKEA Praha (Zličín a Černý Most), Brno a Ostrava – v listopadu a prosinci

Bez názvu-1 1

13.11.11 22:32

publishers note & contents

Dear Readers, The autumn, with its fantastic colours and its days of gentle fog creates a very special atmosph pher ph ere. er e. It makes me restless an andd I want to do more things, to cr crea eate ea te dififfe fere fe rent re nt thi hinngs.

I want to re read and I wan antt to cre reat ate neew at conccep epts ts. I wa ts want nt to bee out utsi side side de,, bu b t also al so indooors surro urrooun ur unde dedd by canndl de dle ligh ghts gh ts.. I wa ts want nt to eaat st stew ew and ndd drriink Bour Bo urgo ur gogn go gnee wines. gn s The s. here re are a lot of mixeed fe feel elin el ings goi o ng arounnd wh while natu na ture tu ree slowl loowl wlyy sl s iddes into its lo long ng winnte ng terr slee eep. I wish foor al ee alll pe peop ople op le to ge g t thatt homelyy fee eeling ng, wh ng whic ichh he ic h lps ligh ghtt up the gh hee Chr hris istm is tmas tm as spi p rir t.. To have that th att spi piritt me piri mean anss to an to car are ab abou outt yo your urr dea eare rest re st and nea eare rest st, annd al also so thoose whoo ha have ve les ess, who ho hav avee no nowh wheere to go, who wh h may be feeel elin ingg lo in lonelyy inn a tim imee wh when fam amilililie am iess ge ie gett to t ge gether to ceeleebrat atee Ch at Chriririst stma st mass. ma What at wee sh shou ould ou ld do is too be mor oree ge gene nero ne roous us, sh shar aree a little bit of wh ar what we hav ave, e sho e, how w kinndness and int nter eres er e t inn those who hav avee le less or no noth thin th ing. in g.

This Th i is the reeal Chr hris istm is tmas tm as spirit, and nd when you shharre that at spi piririritt it givves soo much ba back ck to yo you. u. It ca can be a smi mille, a loook of un mi unde ders de rsttand rs ndin nd ing, in g, a thhank you frfrom yo om the heart off so some m boody dy.. Yo Youu fe feel el partt of the humaan fam amiliy, rega re garddle less ss of religion on, coloour or agge. on Amonng ma many ny eve vent ntss whhic nt ichh we covered inn thhis iss ssue u , I wo ue woul uldd like liike to m nttio me ionn a fe few w. Thee celebratingg of th thee dediica catition on of th thee Wo W oddroow Wilson Monnume Mo ment, witth the he unveiling ng of thhe st stat atuue of Woodrow Wi Wils lsonn, and the Gala Ga la Award Dinnneer th that at fol ollo lowe wedd, witithh evverything preeseent nted ed and nd orga gani nize zed by the Ame meriricann Friends off thee Czech Rep epuubliic (A (AFo FoCR CR)).

Anoothe An herr bi big ev eveent wass th thee celebratioon of the 20t 0thh an anni niversar aryy of o CERG CE RGE EI – an organizaatio ion wh whic ichh ed educ ucat ates es fut utur uree eccon onomic leadeerss and ranks am an amon ongg thhe to topp 6 pe perc r entt of econom mics cs dep e artmentss inn Europe.

Eu We als lsoo ha have a pho hotoo report from om the traditition onaal Com omen eniu ius Roun undd Table seminars with leaders like Mrs. Alena Vitásková, Chairwoman off the Energy Regulatory Office; Minister of Transport Mr. Pavel Dobeš; and Minister of Culture Mr. Jiří Besser. Another big event was also the CESES VII Prague Security Conference: The EU, Nato, and Russia after 20 years. What Next?

Other events you will find in this issue are CFO’s Seminars, Jazz at the Castle, National Days of Algeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the President of Georgia’s award to former President Havel, and the traditional Christmas Charity Bazaar at Hilton Hotel.

On our front page we are happy to have MUDr. Bohuslav Svoboda, Lord Mayor of Prague, accompanied by an interview. Other interesting interviews in this issue are Myy dog M dooogg Rhea Rhea Rh ea Mr. Petr Bendl, Minister of Agriculture; Mrs. Karolina Peake, Deputy Prime Minister; Mr. Jaroslav Hruška, Deputy Minister of the Interior; Mrs. Jana Bobošíková, President of the political party Suverenita; Ambassador of Israel H.E. Yaakov Levy; and Ambassador of Italy H.E. Pasquale D’Avino, again to mention a few.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas.

Benk Be nke Ai nk Aike kell I ke b nkke. be e ai aike k ll@ @leadersma maga ma gazi ga zine zi n .cz www. ww w.le l adersmag agaz azin i e. in e.cz c ww w w. w.le lead ader ersv svis isio ionn.cz cz

6

events 14 20 28 31 34 35

38 42 48 54 61 62 66 68 76 80 85 86 90 92 94 98 110 113 122

page 94 – VII Prague Security Conference, The EU, NATO and Russia after 20 years. What Next?

9th Leaders Magazine Advisory Board Dinner Honors at the Prague Castle, the President of the Czech Republic Prof. Václav Klaus Awarded State Decorations Round Table of Comenius with Alena Vitásková, Chairwoman of the Energy Regulatory Office Round Table of Comenius with Minister of Culture Jiří Besser The Presidents of Parliaments of V4 Countries Met in the Wallenstein Palace Prime Ministers of V4 Countries Met in the Senate Meeting of Senate President of the Czech Parliament with Senate President of the Parliament of Albania, Conference to Promote Cooperation between Academic and Commercial Spheres Round Table of Comenius with Pavel Dobeš, Minister of Transport Woodrow Wilson Monument Returns to Prague Amid a Week of Stellar Events 53rd International Engineering Fair and 6th International Trade Fair for Transport and Logistics Former President Václav Havel Receiving the Order of St. George from the President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili First Anniversary of ELAI Alto Grande, Super Premium Coffee Being Ambassador in the Age of Globalization Lions Club, Prague Bohemia Ambassador CFO Club: Situation on the CFO Market after the Crisis and Future Developments 20th Anniversary of CERGE-EI Democracy and the Rule of Law Augustine Hotel Launched their New Lichfield Café, Restaurant & Bar Women in Corporate Governance BCC Guy Fawkes Gala Evening VII Prague Security Conference: The EU, NATO and Russia after 20 Years.

What Next?

11th Ins nsur uran ance ce Bro roke kers rs Con onfe fere renc ncee in Pra ragu guee Be Prepared for the Next Recession or, How to Prepare your Competitiveness Strategy – VII Annual Conference on Excellence in Finance 10th Christmas Charity Bazaar Non-profit Associations Fought for Income from Gaming with Petitions

Lead Le adeers Ma ad Maga g ziine VI/ I/20 2011 20 116–117 118–119

contents.indd 6

24.11.2011 16:01:33

contents interviews

contributors

10

Not Even Prague Can Live Beyond Its Means An interview with Bohuslav Svoboda, Lord Mayor of Prague

12

I Support Anything That Helps Czech Farmers A talk with Petr Bendl, Minister of Agriculture of the Czech Republic

60 67 74 78

24

Italy will Make it Through An interview with H.E. Pasquale D´Avino, Ambassador of Italy

26

Czechs Are Israel’s Best Friends in the EU An interview with H.E. Yaakov Levy, Ambassador of Israel

50

I am not a Proponent of Quotas for Women A talk with Karolína Peake, Deputy Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Legislative Council of the Government of the Czech Republic, and the Chairman of the Government Anti-corruption Committee

108

52

I Am an Optimist – the EU has a Future as a Community of Sovereign States A talk with Jana Bobošíková, Chairwoman of the political party Suverenita, and former Member of the European Parliament

120

56

Management Structures at the Police Are Rampant A talk with Jaroslav Hruška, 1st Deputy Minister of the Interior

121

58

Celebrating 20 Years of Protecting A talk with Petr Rafaj, Chairman of the Office for the Protection of Competition A Passion for Jazz An interview with Pavel Smetáček, Smetáček Clarinettist, Clarinettist Composer and Leader of Traditional Jazz Studio KuponPlus.cz – the Next Generation Deal of the Day Discount Website An interview with Ahtam Niyazmatov and Pavel Gorshkov, Owners of KuponPlus.cz

72

106

culture events 100 107 132 135 1366 13 137

89

page 52 – A talk with Jana Bobošíková

97 103

112

Search For Something You Will Love!/Ivan Pilný The Brand Called YOU/Emil Jiménez Should we Protect Jobs or the People?/Jan Mühlfeit Business May Be Your Life – But – Life Is Your Business Part XIII: The Alchemy of Life A, B/ James A. Cusumano Public Contracts: For a More Trustworthy Public Sector/ Emanuel Šíp PR Sins and What to Do about them/Cristina Muntean Digital Revolution Forces New Approaches for Executives/By David Henderson NOMA – the Best Restaurant in the World/ Iva & Josef Drebitko The Connecting Power of Master Communicators/ Karin Genton European Navigation System Is Becoming a Reality – The First Two Galileo Satellites Are Now in Orbit/ Evžen Tošenovský South Moravia Region Donates 40,000 Euros/ČSÚZ

diplomatic events 19 64 104

President Received New Ambassadors National Nati Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Celebration of the National Day of Algeria

page 38 – Round Table of Comeniuus with Pavel Dobeš, Minister of Transpoort

Bohemia Jazz Fest Blanka anka Matragi, Mat Fashion Show, Timeless Exhibition and the Opening of a Boutique inn Prague Jazz at the Castle Cast with Déczi & Markovič Reunion, National Theatre Jakobin, National al Theatre Concertt off Magd gdalé llééna Kožžená, á Lunchh with ith the Sponsors, Natitionall Th Theattre Ceremony of State Pr Prizes, National Theatre

EU matters 124 112 24 126 1277 12 128 129

contents.indd 7

SSupporting upport rttin ing the Subsidiarity Requires Political Courage and Lots of Work Common Trade Policy and Support to Export Deba De bate te on Fu Futu ture re of Pr Prof ofes essi sion onal al Qua ualilififica catition onss in Eur urop opee Debate on the Next EU Financial Framework 2014–2020 Business News

ppag page age 70 70 – H Heelen l a Leeis le issztn ztn t er e

25.11.2011 10:23:57

info We are pleased to announce that we have considerably extended Leaders Magazine spread to include 80 topnotch restaurants in Prague.

Total circulation: cca 18.000 bi-monthly including electronic version.

Readership total: cca 500.000 Leaders Magazine is sent as a compliment to: Those who are the most influential, powerful and affluent readers in the Czech Republic. To representatives of the businesssphere, diplomatic corps and too top to p to goverment and mayor’s officiials. als. al On the board of the ČSAA bu busineess class & VIP loungees of Pra ragu guee gu aiport. We are also coop oper op erat er atiingg with at Prague City Ha H ll,, Cz Czech Innve vest st, st Czech Centre ree, Th Thee Czechh Me Medi dica di cal ca Chamber, alll Cha hamb mber mb erss of Commeer-er ce, Fo ce Foru ruum Fr Fran anco an coph co phon ph one on ne Af Affa fair ires es, es Česká Ma Mana naže na žers že rskká Aso rs soci ciac ci a e, CMC Gradua uate ua te Sch choool of Busin ines in ess, Unies vers rsitity rs ty of New Yor orkk inn Pra or ragu gue, gu e, Anglo Amer Am erican Schhoo er ooll, Uni niversity of Pitts ittts tsburg bu rggh,, CEE EELI LI Ins nstittu tute, Lion onns Cl Club ubs, ub s, R ta Ro tary ry Clu lubs, Thhe Pr Prag ague ag ue Soc ocie ietty forr ie Intt. Coo In ooperatiion on,, CZ CZEC ECH TO EC TOP 100, Czecch 10 100 0 Be Best st, CEBRE, Eurotelest graph, The Senate, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Ano pro Evropu andd many an ny mor oree.

For sale in Luxor Bookstore at Václavské náměstí.

Leadeerss Magazine ne iss av avai aillablee in all roomss off the hese se top star fine hotels andd th thei eirr re rest stau aura rants: (tel (t elepphone num umbe ber for rese serr vattio ion) n)

Aria Hotel Coda restaurant

225 334 791

Prague Marriott Hotel Brasserie restaurant 222 888 888

Crowne Plaza Harvest Restaurant

224 393 3 692

Radiiss sson on SAS Alccro ron Hotel La Rotonde 222 820 000

Grand Hotel Bohemiaa U Prašné brány ny 234 34 4 608 111 Hilton Pra raguee Czec Cz ecchH hHou ouse ou se Grill & Rotititiss Ro sser ss erie er ie

224 842 700

Hiltonn Pra ragu guee Ol gu O d To Town Rest Re stau st aurant au 221 822 303 Holiida Ho dayy Innn Pr P ag ague ue Cong Co ngre ng ress re ss Cen entter en Esprit Es

22 22 82 820 0 00 000 0

Rezidenc n e Lu nc Lund ndbo nd borg bo rg Prah Pr ahaa ah 257 011 91 25 11 Alchym ymisst Rezide ym Re de Re denc ncee No nc Nost sticcov stic ovaa Alch Al chym ch ymis ym istt Cl is Club ub Rest staaurant 257 01 11 670 Top Hotel Prah Top To ahaa ah Resttau aura rant ra nt Boh ohem emiiatopp em Rece Re cepc ce pcee pc 267 284 4 111 1

61 175 175 030 17 03 03

Hotel Hooff ffmeeisste ter Rest Re stau st aura au rant ra ant Ada

251 017 133

Hote Ho tel In te Intercontineent ntal Pra raha ha Zlaatá Pr Prah a a 296 29 6 63 6 1 11 111 Hote Ho tel Pa te Pala lace la c Praaha ce h Gour Go urmet Cl ur Club ub

Rest Re stau st aura au rant ra n Alccron nt

224 093 111

Audi Au d en di ence cee Deeci c si s on mak aker erss in the he field ldss of busi sine ness ne ss, public rel ss elattions el ns,, innde ns dependen ent pr en prof ofes of essi es sion si onss an on andd di dipl plom pl omaom cyy, go gove vern ve rnme rn mentt offi f cials, looca call offififici of ciaals.

Hotel Resideence Ho Alch Al c ymistt Gr ch Gran andd Ho an Hote tell te & Sp Spaa 257 286 011 224 302 150

Kemppins inski – Hybe Hybernská ká Hybe Hy bernnsk skáá 12, 110 11 0 00 00, Praha 1 hooteel & re r stauraant

226 226 111 11

Le Palaiss Ho Hote tell Prrag aguue Le Pap apillonn

234 63 34 61 11

Youu can fifind Yo nd the Maggaz azine in the hese se fine rest staaura rant nts: s: (te tele leph phon onee nu numb m er for reservvatiton on)) Ambien Ambi ente te – Ris istorantte Pasta Fresca 224 230 244 Ambiente – The Living Restaurants 222 727 851 Aromi 222 713 222 Azteca 257 327 389 Bar Restaurace Bílkova 13 224 829 254 Barock Bar & Café 222 329 221 Bellevue 800 123 553 Bugsy’s Bar 222 329 943 Cafe La Veranda 224 814 733 Cafe Savoy 257 329 860 Cafe De Paris 603 160 718 Casanova 257 535 127 Clementinum 224 813 892 Casa Andina 224 815 996 Dům vína U závoje 226 006 120 Francouzská restaurace v Obecním domě 222 002 745 Giardino Enot En otec ecaa co conn Cu Cuci cina na 222 513 427 Herg He rget etov ovaa Ci Cihe helna 257 25 7 535 53 534 4 Icchn hnusa – Pl Plas aská 5 Prrah ahaa 5 605 52 525 5 74 748 8 Kamp Ka mpaa Pa mp P rk 257 532 2 685 85–6 6 K vá Ka várna v Obbecním m domě mě 222 002 764 King ng Sol olom omoon 224 24 818 752 Kogoo – Hav avel elsk skáá 224 22 4 21 214 4 54 43

Kogo – Kogo Slovanský dům

221 451 259

La Perle de Prague 221 984 166 Lamborghini PastaCaffé (Vězeňská) 224 813 257 Lamborghini PastaCaffé (Vodičkova) 222 231 869 Lary Fary 222 320 154 Le Café Colonial 224 818 322 Les Moules 222 315 022 Luka Lu Restaurant 257 212 388 Lví Dvůr 224 372 361 mama lucy 222 327 207 Marco Polo IV 224 819 668 Metamorphis 221 771 068 Mirellie Mediterranean Restaurant Korunní 783/23 Praha 2 222 521 814 V.P. Čkalova 502/14, Praha 6 222 959 999 Nost No stre ress s ca cafe f gal alle lery ry 222 317 7 004 Orange Moo oonn O teria Da Claara Os

22 22 32 25 11 119 9 271 726 548 77 76 41 4 8 55 59

Pálflff fy Pallácc Pá Parnass Passeppartoout Prav Pr avda da

257 530 522 224 216 244 222 51 513 3 34 340 0 222 326 203 0

Rest Re staura race Hanilil

222 715 867 67

Contributors: James A. Cusumano, Iva Drebitko, Joseph Drebitko, Karin Genton-L’Epée, EurActiv, European Leadership & Academic Institute, David Henderson, Pavlína Holancová, Martina Hošková, Filip Hubáček, Emil Jimenez, Zuzana Kasáková, Cristina Muntean, Jan Mühlfeit, Ivan Pilný, Věra Řiháčková, Emanuel Šíp, Evžen Tošenovský Marketing/Advertising: Lynn Tourkiová, Max Salamatin, Shalva Sikharulidze Marketing & Editorial Director Vladimíra Václavíková EU Matters: CEBRE Czech Business Representation, CESES, Europlatform Photographers: Štěpán Bärtl, David Bernard, Cecil Brathwaite, Michal Červený, Saša Dobrovodský, Iva Drebitko, Joseph Drebitko, Brian Fleming, Ronald Hilmar, Jan Hrdý, Martin Janas, Zuzana Jirásková, Jakub Joachim, Richard Koubek, Michaela Kulíšková, Ermanno Leoncino, Martin Malý, Antonín Míka, Tomáš Novák, Martina Odehnalová, Paul Pacey, Anna Pecková, Lenka Pekárková, Filip Pokorný, Marie Schmerková, Hana Smejkalová, Randi Sokoloff, Jakub Stadler, Vladimír Weiss, Lillis Werder, Jiří Zach

Hote Ho tell Sa te Savooy, Restauracce Hradčaanyy

Publisher: Benke Aikell

Reesttauura rant bar Pod křídlem 224 951 741–2 Restaurant Michal 222 222 630 Restaurant Rybí trh 224 895 447 Restaurant U maltézských rytířů 257 533 666 Rio’s Vyšehrad 224 922 156 Ristorante Amici Miei 224 816 688 Ristorante Da Emanuel 224 312 934 Rusalka 224 934 109 Sahara Café/ Restaurant 774 557 763 Restaurant Kamenný most 224 097 100 U malířů U modré kachničky U Modrého Hroznu U zlaté hrušky U Závoje

257 530 000 257 320 308 222 221 185 220 514 778 226 006 122

Zá ší Res Zátiší e ta taur uran ant Z hrad Za hradaa v Op Opeř eřee Zele Ze lená ná zah ahra rada da – Šmiilovského 12 Šm 12, Praaha 2 Pr

2 2 22 22 21 15 155 5 224 22 4 23 239 9 68 685 5

222 51 22 518 8 15 159 9

Subscription service: Leaders Magazine, CEPONA, s.r.o.

Lužická 32, 120 00 Praha 2 We appreciate your opinions of Leaders Magazine.

Please send them to: Leaders Magazine Moravská 14, 120 00 Praha 2 tel.: 224 255 277 fax: 224 256 172 e-mail: info@leadersmagazine.cz www.leadersmagazine.cz Leaders Magazine comes out bi-monthly.

Licence: MK ČR E 13147 No reproduction is permitted in whole or part without the express consent of Leaders Magazine.

The advertiser is responsible for the advertising contents.

Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors or persons interviewed and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or Leaders Magazine.

All editorial material and photos in Leaders Magazine is digitally stored and may be republished by Leaders Magazine either in printed form or in various digital media. All correspondence to Leaders Magazine may be published.

Graphic design and printing: D&S Design Prague, s.r.o. tel.: 274 774 131 prague@bigformat.cz www.bigformat.cz

Leaders Magazine is member of

info.indd 8

23.11.2011 17:30:08

Leaders Magazine Advisory Board The positive sitive si itive reputation reput rep of Leaders Magazine continues to grow, however we realize that we must u maintain ust aintai ta to improve and learn, particularly during these times of dynamic change.

That at is why w w we have decided to set up an Advisory Board for the magazine. I am convinced that creating crea eati ating ng a pla platform of high profile individuals will be an excellent opportunity for the magazine to acquire a uire new iideas and define new directions of future development.

Benke B ennke A Aikel ikeell Your Yo our P Publisher ublissh There e e aare on onlyy few f projects started in the Czech Republic by foreigners which I consider as useful to this t country as Leaders Magazine. The magazine has brought to the Czech Republic the completely new concept of making important people – the decision makers Republ be tthey Czech or foreigners – visible and worthy of positive admiration.

Ass you might know this is something not very common and perhaps even not very natural in the Czech Republic. It is therefore all the more of an achievement to start and ra successfully develop a project such as Leaders Magazine. I understand fully the intention of Benke Aikell, the magazine’s founder and editor-in-chief, to progress further with Leaders Magazine, and for this purpose to form a team of experienced Czech citizens of different backgrounds to create a consulting body which would bring this project to an even higher level.

Ing. Karel Muzikář, CSc. President P e of Comenius I wa was pleased le to be invited by Benke Aikell to cooperate on the preparation of the Advisory Board pr project. I personally see one of the main goals of the project in creation of a positive environment env envir ronm nm for networking, exchange of views, presentation of new ideas, experiences, proposals propo opo posaals or suggestions. posa I am m cconvi convinced onv that the formation of a platform of highly profiled personalities and potential discussion di discu ussiio of different topics in very informal setting will be useful for both sides – for the magazine ne as a well as for the members of the Advisory Board.

Inng. Pet Ing. Petr Kubernát Director Direc cto of Pekos s.r.o.

Consulting Cons n and Training Company ADVISORY BOARD COMITTEE Beennke Aikell, Publisher, Leaders Magazine Benke B Ing. ng Pe Petr Kubernát, Director, PEKOS s.r.o. and former Czech Ambassador to the Netherlands Ing. ng. Karel K Muzikář, zik CSc., President, COMENIUS HONORARY MEMBERS ABROAD AND GOODWILL AMBASSADORS H E Mr. William J. Cabaniss, former United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic H.E. Vincent nc J. Derudder, Secretary General, The European Federation of Financial Advisers and Financial Intermediaries an Frank J. Devlyn, Rotary International President 2000–2001 and Rotary Foundation Chairman 2005–2006 H.E. Mr. Alexey L. Fedotov, former Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Czech Republic H.E. Mr. Richard Graber, former United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic H.E. Athar Mahmood, former Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the Czech Republic H.E. Dr. Zdravko Popov, former Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Czech Republic H.E. Mati Vaarmann, former Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the Czech Republic Ája Vrzáňová, Czech World Champion in Figure-skating, Sport Legend H.E. Huo Yuzhen, former Ambassador of the People´s Republic of China to the Czech Republic

Interviews.indd 9

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS PhDr. Zdeněk Čáp, Managing Partner, Equity Solutions s. r. o. o Josef Drebitko, CEO, D&COMM Prof. Ing. Jiří Fárek, CSc., Professor, Technická Univerzita Liberec and former First Deputy Mayor, City of Prague 6 Ing. Peter P. Formánek, President, Canadian Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic Mgr. Marta Gellová, Director, Česká pojišťovna and Member of the Board, AFIZ Michal Heřman, General Manager, Star Communications Václav Hudeček, Violinist Plk. Mgr. Vladislav Husák, Deputy Police President, Policejní lic prezidium ČR JUDr. PhDr. Oldřich Choděra, Lawyer, Law Firm JUDr. PhDr. Oldřich Choděra & spol.

Prof. Ing. Kamil Janáček, CSc., CNB Bank Board Member and Chief Executive Director Otto Jelinek, former Canadian Cabinet Minister Mi r and a current current member of numerous international boards r Ing. Peter Jusko, MBA, Partner, London Market et Ing. Petr Kalaš, Advisor to the Minister, M Ministry stry ry of o Agriculture Agricu Agric A ultuure of the CR and former Minister of Environment nment Ing. Josef Kreuter, CSc., former Czech Ambassador bass dor to the the EU EU Prof. Dr.h.c. JUDr. Jan Kříž, CSc., Partner, Law Firm Kříž í a Bělina s.r.o.

Ing. Jaroslav Kubišta, Secretary, Lions Club Prague Eagle gle Genmjr. JUDr. Lubomír Kvíčala, former Director of the Department of Protection of Constitutional Officials, fici Police of the Czech Republic Ing. Vladimír Laštůvka, former M.P. Ing. Jan Mühlfeit, Chairman Europe, Microsoft Corporation rp Ing. Jiří Maceška, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, ard Česká pošta a. s. and former Czech Ambassador to OECD George Parobek, Managing Director, Ifield Computer Consultancy Šárka Parobek, Director, Ifield Computer Consultancy Doc. Ing. Antonín Peltrám, CSc., Director IEI, Bankovní institut vysoká škola, a.s.

Doc. Ing. Václav Petříček, CSc., Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chamber SNS Ing. Jozef Piga, Member of the Supervisory Board, Omnipol a.s. s.

Ing. Lucie Pilipová, Partner, Via Perfecta, s.r.o.

Ing. Ivan Pilný, President, TUESDAY Business Network JUDr. Čestmír Sajda, MBA, former Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs MUDr. Richard Sequens, PhD., Head of Surgical Gastroenterology Center, Nemocnice Milosrdných sester sv. Karla Boromejského v Praze and former Senator PhDr. MgA. Miroslav Smolák, Owner, Galerie MIRO Mgr. Alb Mg lbiin E . Sybbera, Managi gingg Directtor, Sybera b Enterprises spol. s r. o.

Brigadier General Ing. Andor Šándor (ret.), Consultant a ant PhDr. Jaroslav Šedivý CSc., former Ambassador and Minister of Foreign Affairs JUDr. Josef Šesták, Assistant Professor, Vysoká škola obc obchodn obchodní bchodní v Praze, o.p.s.

Ing. Radomír Šimek, President, German-Czech Chamber hambe of Industry and Commerce Bc. Vladimír Šiška, MBA, 1stt Deputy Minister, Ministry t of Labour and Social Affairs Jaromír Šlápota, President, Československý ústav zahraniční aniční Ing. Pavel Štefka, MSc, 4-star General (ret.), Chief of Defence and Special Programs, Tatra Ing. Helena Švédová, Director, Department of Trade Administration, Czech Export Bank Ing. Josef Tauber, Advisor to the President, Czech Banking Association Ing. Jiří Vávra, Vice Chairman, STROJEXPORT, a.s.

JUDr. Petr Vyroubal, Partner, Law Firm Vyroubal Krajhanzl Školout

23.11.2011 16:51:27

Boohusslaav Svvob BBoh voobod oda ddaa Looorrd Lor rd Mayo ayyor of Pra rrag ague ag uee PPho ho hoto oto: to: AArrch to chi hhiive ivee of Pra of Praague gu Ci C ty t y Ha Hal al

“I stand by all measures taken during my mandate.”

Not Even Prague Can Live Beyond Its Means Interviews.indd 10

24.11.2011 10:47:38

An interview with Bohuslav Svoboda, Lord Mayor of Prague He is in charge of the thirteenth richest city in the European Union (EU). He took over the Town Hall after a right-left wing agreement that left a bitter taste for many local electors. However, Bohuslav Svoboda runs his office with dignity. “I stand by my decisions,” says the former gyne gy neco colo logy gy and obs bste tetr tric icss me medi dica call do doct ctor or. Sv Svob obod odaa to took ok offi fficce on Novembber 30 30, 20 2010 10. Beffore thhat he acted as the station officer of the Obstetrics-Gynecology Clinic of the 3rd Medical Faculty of the Charles University in Prague and of the Vinohrady Royal Medical Faculty (FNK (F NKV) V). In 200 003 3–20 2010 10 he se serv rved ed as th thee de dean an of th thee 3rdd medi dicall Facultlty off the Charles l University in Prague, and during 1990–1997 and 2010–2011 also as its vice-dean. In 1992 he was elected the first president of the Chamber of Medical Doctors in the Czech Republic.

How would you assess the outcome of your mandate so far? What changed at the Prague Town Hall after your election?

All steps that we as a party proclaimed prior to elections are my program priorities, and they are also included in the coalition agreement. We have already implemented some of these steps. I would like to transform the fight against corruption into my main priority. If I don’t manage to put together a system that will tell the world that we are a finely cultivated democracy at the beginning of the third millennium, I would take that as my major failure.

What is your vision for Prague? Where are you planning to take Prague during your mandate?

Currently Prague shelters more than one million inhabitants. It is also the most dynamic and most highly-performing region in the Czech Republic, and also the thirteenth most successful region in the EU. I want Prague to be a good place for living. My vision for Prague is that it isn’t only a city that prospers and iis successful, f l bbutt iis also l safe f andd hospitable. h it bl A city it that grows harmonically harmonically, a city for equal chances and involved citizens, a modern city with quality and reliably-functioning infrastructure, a city with a highly efficient, easy to access and fair public transport, a city that creates quality conditions for education, development of new technologies and successful entrepreneurship.

What are the most important challenges ahead of you?

The former city management ran the city with a balanced budget and I would like to continue in this direction. However, despite this obvious positive point of the former city management, I consider it a necessity to run an audit of the most important public tenders, contracts and other property transactions of the city. We need to manage our assets better in order to retain large investments that are vital for our city. We also want to focus on smaller issues that are nonetheless important from the point of view of the satisfaction of the city’s inhabitants.

We are still including in the budget the implementation of strategic investment activities, mainly the finalization of the construction of the Blanka tunnel complex, the central water sewage system, and investments in construction and th t e ex exte tens nsio ionn of the new metro lines.

Are you somehow influenced by the frequent conflicts in the government coalition? What would you wish for next year?

The potential conflicts in the governmental coalition are of course influencing the entire political scene. However, my feeling is that lately we are reaching a certain level of appeasement, and all

coalition partners are pullingg toggether in thee sam amee direction. I am not expecting the same turbulences we faced this year to continue next year.

However, next year we are facing regional elections. Are you expecting some political impact of these elections on your activities?

The regional elections are not influencing Prague directly; however, at the same time we are also having elections for the Senate, which are also taking place in four districts of Prague. Personally I am not expecting that regional and Senate elections will end up as badly as those in 2008. The Civic Democrats (ODS (O DS)) learntt theiir lesson from the trashing they received that year, and I expect that all of us will do our best to make sure the results are as good as they can be, both in the regional and in the Senate elections.

I will personally do everything that is in my power so that ODS ends successfully both in Prague and at the country level.

We all agree that Prague needs a long-term tourism concept. It needs quality infrastructure and people that are capable of encouraging tourists to come back. What are you doing in this respect?

You are right. Prague needs a long-term strategy for the development of tourism. Incoming tourism is a very important element for Prague. Except for being an important source of revenues, it also generates more than a hundred thousand labor positions. This is why from the beginning of 2011 we have been working intensively on our new marketing concept that would set up new targets and raise the efficiency of the promotion of Prague. The City is already puttingg a higgh emph p asis onn th thee de deve velo lopm pmen entt of Pra ragu guee as a European metropolis, where large international companies and research centers are headquartered.

This is why the organization of congresses and large conferences here is an essential aspect for our development. In this regard, we have already implemented incentivized public transport fares for congress and conference visitors.

In what way do you expect the global economic uncertainties will impact your activities?

The economic uncertainties and the new wave of the ongoing global economic crisis will be experience en cedd in the C ze zech ch Rep epub ublilicc an andd in Pra ragu guee as wel elll.

It is necessary to take this factor into account, and to not waste resources unnecessarily, particularly when we have none to spend away. The economic situation will be mirrored first of all in the budget proposal for next year, which must be based on relevant facts, but also must correctlyy forecast new trends. The Czech Republic, including Prague, cannot live beyond its means.

What do you personally do to fight corruption at the Prague City Hall?

Prague has already been running its own web pages “Contracts under a Magnifying Glass” for quite a while.

It is al also so ful ulfifillllin ingg ititss ob obliliga gatition on to pu publ blis ishh pu publ blic ic ten enders in the way meant for this kind of activity. However, I would like to see an even higher transparency of the City Hall, and to improve its reputation. Last week, together with the City Hall councilor Aleksandra Udženija, we presented crucial steps for the updated Prague City Hall Strategy against corruption. We are implementing a so-called “birth number’’ of each contract, which will be publicly available on the City Hall website. We are also presenting the City Hall agenda in as much detail as possible. This strategy should ease the public’s search for individual public tenders. On the website you should gradually also find contracts signed by the City Hall, together with the invoices for the work delivered. In this field there is nothing that, in my view, shouldn’t be made public and shouldn’t be available ffor verification ifi ti by b th the citizens iti off PPrague, bbecause everything is running with their public money. money As the first city in the Czech Republic we are also planning to implement the so-called click-in budget, where people can find folder after folder of what the Town Hall has spent money on and how.

What did you learn personally after entering politics? If you were to give one piece of advice to your son who aims to enter politics, what would you say?

I learnt that time is relative in politics. As the City Hall mayor I must take part in numerous meetings that end up without any concrete result. I had a big problem with this after my take-over. I also have an issu is suee wi with th the fac actt th that at I mus ustt ha have ve a dririve verr an andd si sitt in the back seat of my car because of various security measures. I would certainly support my son in any choices he would make. If he ever wanted to enter politics, I would advise him to try something else before ending up in politics.

Now when you look back, would you do something differently?

I would lie if I would say that I have always done things right. On the other hand I dare to say that during my time spent in politics I haven’t made any fatal mistake that I would like to change with the passage of tim imee, or th that at I wou ould ld reg egrrett. Some miight ht lilikke my opinions and actions more, some less. However, I stand by all decisions and actions I have made during my mandate.

By Cristina Muntean I český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

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24.11.2011 15:44:05

interview

Petr Bendl Minister of Agriculture of the Czech Republic Photo: Archive

I SUPPORT ANYTHING That Helps Czech Farmers Interviews.indd 12

23.11.2011 16:52:00

A talk with Petr Bendl, Minister off Agriicullture off the Czechh Repubblic Petr Bendl (1966) graduated from the University of Mechanical Engineering and Textile in Liberec, in the master program of Multi-Purpose Machine Tool Design. In 1994 he became the Mayor of Kladno and remained in this position until 1998. In the years 1997–1998 he was a Deputy Chairman of the Union of Towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic. Petr Bendl was elected into the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic in 1998. In the years 2000–2008 Petr Bendl held the position of Governor of the Central Bohemia Region.

In the yea earr 20 2009 09 he wa wass th thee Mi Mini nist ster er of Tr Tran ansp spor ortt in the Gov over ernm nmen entt of the Pririme me Min inis iste terr Mi Mire rekk To Topo polá láne nekk. In th the years 20 2002 02–201 2010 0 he held the position of Chairman of the Central Bohemia Regional Organization of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS). Petr Bendl was appointed the Minister of Agriculture of the Czech Republic in October 2011.

The opposition criticized the draft budget of the Ministry of Agriculture for 2012 as inadequate.

In this respect, are you going to initiate a change of the draft budget?

The government is in a situation where its main task is to prevent further indebtedness of our country.

So, it is doing so based on various austerity measures and even the possibility of budgeting. The budget of the Ministry of Agriculture is inadequate indeed, yet it has always been so, during all previous years and governments. For 2012, we need to raise it up to 1.9 billion CZK, aimed at the national co-financing of the Rural Development Programme, which binds to the payments from the EU, as well as national additional payments – TOP UP, and aids in forest management. In this regard, I will strive to increase the budget of my Department. However, I suppose that an inadequate q amount of budgetary g y requireq ments of ministers will also come forth and increase in other sectors.

The European Commission recently presented a proposal on the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) reform. Most EU member states, however, criticized it. How is it disadvantageous for Czech farmers?

Contrary to promises on the establishment of simpler, and with red tape, a less burdened and more transparent CAP, the European Commission has proposed a new bureaucracy and new administrative measures, for instance setting a limit on direct payments of enterprises, and so-called “greening”, which requires that farmers do not farm seven per cent of their land at all. It would mean a loss of revenue of about four or five billion CZK per year. The Czech farmers rent the majority of lands, and thus paradoxically they would have to pay rent for land which the EU would not allow them to farm. It lacks any logic and it would trip the competitiveness of Czech farmers.

So, could you explain in more detail what limits for subsidy, determined by the size of farms, would mean for Czech farmers?

It will depend on the final aggreement of thee EU U in institutions. The EC proposes to restrict direct payments aimed at farmers, so that if it is more than 150 thousand euro per year, a part of the money would be deducted, and generally the farmers could not get more than 300 thousand euro a year. Yet, it would be possible to increase this amount by the wage costs of employees in the company. It is a better option than the previous ones, and for the total 890 million euro per year proposed for the Czech Republic for the period of 2014–2020, the effects were a half to four per cent. However, a new administration for businesses would have to show staff

costs in detail, and the Czech supervisory bodies would then have to verify them. Moreover, if somewhere h any miistt ake k occurs, the h businesses i will be sanctioned. So, the system would entail a large new administrative burden for both farmers and the government, which is not in line with our priority of removing bureaucracy. So I, along with ministers from the other EU countries, am going to act against it.

What are the main priorities of the Ministry of Agriculture for the reform of the CAP? Our priority is to make CAP easier, fairer, more transparent and market-oriented. Therefore, we oppose carrying out the “limited” payments and a provision limiting farmer’s market behaviour. Moreover, we are going to require an extension of the current system of direct payment, the so-called SAPS. We also strive to maintain or increase funds in the Czech rural development p pprogramme. g So,, we want fairer conditions so that Czech farmers are not financially disadvantaged compared to farmers from other countries. We want to pursue an overall simplification of the EU agricultural policy. When pursuing the aforementioned reforms, we want to co-operate intensively with the MEPs, particularly the Czech ones.

Comparisons of the economics of Czech agriculture and the agriculture of the developed EU member states show several opportunities for increasing the competitiveness of Czech agriculture. In this respect, what steps are you preparing?

Increasing the competitiveness of Czech agriculture is my priority. Yet, we have to distinguish several levels. Czech farmers currently receive only a portion of payments to which they are entitled. They are not going to receive one hundred per cent of the subsidy until 2013, and it is a crucial handicap. Another factor is that in many countries of the EU, e.g. in the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Germany, farmers receive more money per hectare than farmers in our country, and I would like to reduce these inequalities. Richer EU countries also fund their farmers frfrom om sta tate te,, re regi gion onal al or lo loca call bu budg dget etss an andd, com ompa pare redd to competition of poorer countries, the richer states thus favour their farmers. So, I’d like to eliminate this advantage. I will strive to ensure that the Czech Republic makes the most effective usage of tools in the hands the EU agricultural policy, especially rural development measures,, from which itt is pos ossi sibl blee to facilitate investment into modern technologies, consulting and education, differentiation of activities, and other things. So, I support anything that helps Czech farmers. Yet, the point is that the effort must come from their side as well. Last but not least, I will also promote the fact that the EU does not

reduce competitiveness towards third countries through absurd demands both inside and outside the CAP, such as strict requirements for animal welfare or greening.

What specific measures are you going to support that will help the competitiveness of Czech food in our market?

The marketing support of high-quality Czech food is obviously crucial. To achieve this goal we have designed a programme aimed at supporting domestic agriculture and food production. It particularly involves the “Klasa” programme and the “Regional Food” programme. Since 2003 the Minister of Agriculture has given the high-quality label KLASA to high-quality food and agricultural producers. We have had a favourable response to this from our consumers and producers. They point out that the labellingg KLASA works as ggood advertising. g The Ministryy of Agriculture was at the head of the “Regional Food” project. The target for granting this label to highquality food products is aimed at the small and medium sized producers, as well as regions of the products’ origin. Despite the negative outlook of the budget, we expect to continue both projects.

Do you consider the decision of the former Minister of Agriculture, on the merger of the Land Fund and the Land Office from 2013, to be desirable? And are you going to implement it?

Yes, it actually regards the implementation of the government resolution, particularly from March 2008. The decision to merge both institutions by 2013 was made by the former Minister of Agriculture, and measures taken have a clear task and a clear development of the new institution setting, including at the legislative and organizational levels. It actually concerns the emergence of a new organizational part of government called the State Land Office, which is going to be based on a system of land offices. After transformation of the Land Office, and the termination of his activities by December 2012 respectively, thee re th resi sidu dual al age gend ndaa go goes es to th the new offi f fice. Reggarding the transformation of the Land Office, it involves the gradual agenda takeover of detached workplaces by fourteen regional workplaces. We have at our disposal an analysis of results of existing organizational changes of the Office; it shows that its operatition ra on was not in an anyy wa wayy di dist stur urbe bedd to clilien ents ts.

By Pavlína Holancová I

český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

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25.11.2011 9:25:54

at Al at Alch c chy hymist mist stt G Gr Grand ra and Ho an Ho otel tel & Spa tel Spa pa

From left: Mrs. Joan Dine, Mrs. Mary Kasik, George Drost, Member of the Board, AFoČR, Mrs. Beth Drost, Benke Aikell, your Publisher, Mrs. Christine Bedoret, and Bob Doubek, Founder and former President, AFoČR

th

9 Leaders Magazine ADVISORY BOARD DINNER At the 9th Leaders Magazine Advisory Board dinner we had the great pleasure to enjoy the company of our guests Mrs. Joan Dine, Mrs. Mary Kasik, Mr. George Drost, Mrs. Beth Drost, Mrs. Christine Bedoret, and Mr. Bob Doubek from the society “American Friends of the Czech Republic”. They were in Prague to honour the re-erected statue of Woodrow Wilson, former president of the USA. Among our guests were also Mr. Udo Wichert, Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Cook and Mr. Dušan Bartoš, M.D., Ph.D., Director ot the Institute of Aviation Medicine, Prague.

Members and guests enjoyed culinary dishes and wines of the highest quality.

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From left: Genmjr. JUDr. Lubomír Kvíčala, former Director of the Department of Protection of Constitutional Officials, Police of the Czech Republic with his wife and Prof. Ing. Kamil Janáček, CSc., Bank Board Member and Chief Executive Director, CNB with his wife

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

25.11.2011 8:43:41

From left: Ing. Ivan Pilný, President, TUESDAY Business Network with his wife, Albín Sybera, Sybera Enterprises spol. s r.o., Prof.

Ing. Jiří Fárek, CSc., Professor, Technická univerzita Liberec and former First Deputy Mayor, City of Prague 6, and Ing. Jan Mühlfeit, Chairman Europe, Microsoft Corporation

From left: Ing. Jiří Maceška, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Česká pošta a. s., Ing. Věra Kudynová, Writer and Media Consultant, and JUDr. Čestmír Sajda, MBA, former Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs

The positive reputation of Leaders Magazine continues to grow, however we realize that we must maintain to improve and learn, particularly during these times of dynamic change. That is why we have decided to set up an Advisory Board for the magazine. I am convinced that creating a platform of high profile individuals will be an excellent opportunity for the magazine to acquire new ideas and define new directions of future development.

Benke Aikell, Your Publisher

The evening´s menu

JUDr. Petr Vyroubal, Partner, Law Firm Vyroubal Krajhanzl Školout and Ing. Vladimíra Václavíková, Marketing and Editorial Director, Leaders Magazine

Josef Drebitko, CEO, D&COMM

From left: Ing. Peter P. Formánek, President, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, PhDr. MgA. Miro Smolák, Owner, Miro Gallery, and Ing. Peter Jusko, MBA, Partner, London Market

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24.11.2011 12:58:05

From left: Benke Aikell, your Publisher, Mgr. Marta Gellová, Director, Česká pojišťovna and Member of the Board, AFIZ, and Ing. Jiří Maceška, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Česká pošta a.s.

Ing. Vladimíra Václavíková, Marketing and Editorial Director, Leaders Magazine and Dušan Bartoš, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Institute of Aviation Medicine, Prague

Mrs. Christine Bedoret

From left: Ing. Vladimír Laštůvka, former M.P., Ing. Helena Švédová, Director, Department of Trade Administration, Czech Export Bank, and Ing. Miloš Drdla, Dr., MBA, Chairman of the Board of Directors, B.I.B.S., a.s.

Ing. Petr Kubernát, Director, PEKOS spol. s r.o.

From left: Ing. Jiří Maceška, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Česká pošta a.s. and Ing. Vladimír Laštůvka, former M.P.

From left: Prof. Ing. Jiří Fárek, CSc., Professor, Technická univerzita Liberec and former First Deputy Mayor, City of Prague 6, Karel Muzikář, President, Comenius, and Tomáš Čáp, Executive Vice President, Comenius

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There are only few projects started in the Czech Republic by foreigners which I consider as useful to this country as Leaders Magazine. The magazine has brought to the Czech Republic the completely new concept of making important people – the decision makers be they Czech or foreigners – visible and worthy of positive admiration. As you might know this is something not very common and perhaps even not very natural in the Czech Republic. It is therefore all the more of an achievement to start and successfully develop a project such as Leaders Magazine.

I understand fully the intention of Benke Aikell, the magazine’s founder and editor-in-chief, to progress further with Leaders Magazine, and for this purpose to form a team of experienced Czech citizens of different backgrounds to create a consulting body which would bring this project to an even higher level.

Ing. Karel Muzikář, CSc., President of Comenius

24.11.2011 12:58:52

In the front: Ing. Jaroslav Kubišta, Secretary, Lions Club Prague Eagle and former Chief Public Officer, Telefónica O2

Ing. Arch. Iva Drebitko, President, TRIGA, Patrons of Art and Ing. Vladimír Laštůvka, former M.P.

From left: JUDr. Josef Šesták, Assistant Professor, Vysoká škola obchodní v Praze, o.p.s., Jaromír Šlápota, Chairman, Czechoslovak Foreign Institute (ČSÚZ), and Udo Wichert, Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Cook, s.r.o.

From left: Jaromír Šlápota, Chairman, Czechoslovak Foreign Institute (ČSÚZ), Mgr. Marta Gellová, Director, Česká pojišťovna and Member of the Board, AFIZ, and JUDr. PhDr. Oldřich Choděra, Lawyer, Law Firm JUDr. PhDr. Oldřich Choděra & spol.

Mgr. Marta Gellová, Director, Česká pojišťovna and Member of the Board, AFIZ and Ing. Miloš Drdla, Dr., MBA, Chairman of the Board of Directors, B.I.B.S., a.s.

From left: Ing. Radomír Šimek, President, German-Czech Chamber of Industry and Commerce with his wife, Udo Wichert, Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Cook, s.r.o., and JUDr. Josef Šesták, Assistant Professor, Vysoká škola obchodní v Praze, o.p.s.

From left: Suzanne Formanek and Ing. Vladimíra Václavíková, Marketing and Editorial Director, Leaders Magazine

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Bob Doubek, Founder and former President, AFoČR

From left: Prof. Ing. Jiří Fárek, CSc. Professor, Technická univerzita Liberec and former First Deputy Mayor, City of Prague 6, PhDr. MgA. Miro Smolák, Owner, Miro Gallery, and JUDr. PhDr. Oldřich Choděra, Lawyer, Law Firm JUDr. PhDr. Oldřich Choděra & spol.

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24.11.2011 12:59:51

Tourism Industry in Prague

Tourism, or incominng tourism, is very important for Prague. Not onlyy is it a source of income, but it also creates aroundd 100,000 jobs. Last year, the city attracted over 4.7 million tourists who spent nearly 12.1 million nights, which seems to give an impression that Praague is beginning to recover from the crisis thatt hit it like most tourist destinations. The annuaal increase in the number of guests by 8.9% doess not however tell the full story.

Nearly 90% of tourissts in Prague are foreign visitors, and the vast majority of them are coming individually. These are two fundamental factors, which must be takenn into account when assessing the economic prosppects and benefits of tourism to both the city and state coffers. In recent years, the expenditure of tourists in Prague has significantly decreased; this trend is mainly reflected in the expenditure for accommodation. Prices of Prague’s hotels aree already at their very minimum, and they deecreased significantly since 2008 when the econnomic crisis came. The income from tourism thereefore does not correspond to the optimistic numbber of visitors, also partly due to the strong CZK, which with no doubt strongly influences their speending.

LOOKING FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES Since 2011, a new w initiative has been taken up by the working advisorr y group of Jan Kalousek, the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations and Tourism of Praggue City Assembly, to come up with a new conceptt of long-term development of tourism, whose maain thesis has been already approved by the Com mmittee.

Overall, this propoosal is based on the fact that current marketing activities focus on promoting

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Prague abroad, and are largely fragm mented and uncoordinated. This situation shows thhe need for a unified marketing concept, clear goalss, a creation of a single brand of Prague, and more eff fective promotion of the city. Each year, public and private organizations deploy considerable fundds (approximately CZK 500 million) in promoting the capital abroad, but often very ineffectively froom the long term perspective. Rather than adopting a single approach, they all focus on individual cam mpaigns with different messages targeted at different markets, which is, of course, partly natural, as thhey all have their own marketing interests. The mainn task of the long-term strategy to promote Praguee abroad is therefore to create a unified image of thee city and to coordinate marketing campaigns, harmoonize public and private sectors´ spending, and to ennsure effective use of common funds. The objecttives of the long-term strategy are divided into threee segments: leisure tourism, congress tourism and support of film makers.

In the leisure tourism segment, the main issue is to target large, several-day lasting annd repeated events of global significance, with a foreiign visit rate of 50 percent or more. It will also involvve competition for hosting prestigious one-off eventt s that could increase awareness about Prague amonng potential visitors. At the same time, it is necessaryy to increase not only the quality of Prague´s servicees, but also the under standing of Prague´s citizens of the benefits of tourism, so that their attitude towards the city’s visitors becomes more welcoming..

Part of the long-term strategy must be an international promotional campaign, createed jointly by the public and private sectors, working to promote the brand of Prague, with an emphasis on online channels, print and other media. Trackinng the development of key markets and surveying the tourism industry should be the basis for an objecttive assessment of Prague´s opportunities in the Euuropean and global markets.

In the field of congress tourism, the strategy will focus on developing Prague as a primarr y European metropolis and a residence of international corporate headquarters and centres of reseearch excellence. It will also aim to develop a strategy for EU events/association conferences/exhibitions and fairs, which would correspond to the cuurrent infrastructure of the city. A significant part of this strategy will also be to create incentives for congresses and conference organizers. Here we reccall the very first initiative – the introduction of the Congress ticket for congress participants, who receive free public transport tickets, subsidized by thhe municipal budget.

The responsibility for support of internnational film producers in terms of financial incentivess lies mainly on the shoulders of the Ministry of Culturre, although Prague focuses on the same issue in term ms of service and facilities and other potential stimulii. This includes supporting big-budget films, where Prague will “play” Prague; making effective use of film and television projects for marketing of the cityy, and providing basic services to the film crews inn the newly established Prague Film Office, whosee form and funding is currently under discussion.

Although this is only a basic proposition so far, which will be revised for each calendar year separately, some initiatives are already being implemented this year. Besides the Congress ticket, which has been mentioned, the first action of 2011 became planning the foreign marketing campaign, which will be launched in 2012 in six segments. It will include broadcasting commercials in foreign television aimed both at the general public as well as athletes – as it is hoped that the new impetus to visit Prague will become golf tourism. The second segment is the promotion of Prague in the field of congress and conference tourism, which is significant not only for its economic benefits – Congress visitors spend three times as much as ordinary visitors – but also for increasing the prestige of the city internationally.

Marketing support will include the promotion of leisure tourism in the form of advertising campaigns in selected destinations and on the Internet. The integral part of the whole strategy will be journalistic travels and familiarisation trips for organizers of congresses and conferences.

Promotion of the city is an important part of every campaign, but as a Czech proverb says – “It is good to sweep before ones doorstep first”. This means improving the quality of services in all spheres of infrastructure, which is the reason why the city of Prague involves itself in a number of legislative processes, and which should help to eliminate the most bold problems.

An example might be negotiations with the Czech National Bank about the possibility of improving currency exchange services, given the current preparation of an amendment to the Foreign Exchange Act. Here The Ministry of Finance and Czech National Bank are debating on the issues of regulation of exchange activity.

The next step in improving the quality of Prague is the provision of the Working Group of the Mayor of Prague, which will address the issue of advertising and graphic art in the city. Even this problem is closely related to Prague´s tourism – the critique of the visual appearance of the city is often one of the subjects of the negative reactions of visitors and the very citizens of Prague alike. The main tasks of the Working Group will include the creation of conditions for the development of a new visual appearance for the Prague Historical Reservation and the zones of conservation and protection, so that a unified system of control of advertisements in public places can be put in place.

The activity of commissions, assemblies and advisory groups certainly does not end here. We could continue – there are plans for changing the operation of the Prague Information Service, which should administer the promotion of Prague in the field of congresses and conferences, and that should also contribute to the support of film crews´ activities in Prague, especially in the field of information and research, and provide local incentives. The realization of a long-term tourism strategy for Prague is certainly a long haul race.

I

24.11.2011 15:21:57

Three new ambassadors presented their credentials to President Václav Klaus on Monday, October 17, 2011 at the Prague Castle

castle event

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

PRESIDENT

From left: H.E. Mons. Giuseppe Leanza, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Holy See and Prof.

Václav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic

RECEIVED NEW AMBASSADORS

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz From left: H.E. Mr. Aliyar Lebbe Abdul Azeez, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, based in Vienna and Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic

LM_1106_events_1.indd 19

From left: H.E. Mr. Pascual Ignacio Navarro Ríos, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Spain and Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic

24.11.2011 13:20:54

On the occasion of Honors Day on October 28, 2011, the President decided to reward outstanding civic contributions to the building of a free democratic society, excellent work results, contributions to homeland defense, and heroic and extraordinary deeds of some prominent personalities, and he granted or bestowed them state decorations of the Czech Republic.

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

The President awarded the Medal of Merit to Vladimír Renčín for contributions to the state in culture and art. The Medal was received by daughter of Vladimír Renčín.

Honors at the Prague Castle THE PRESIDENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC PROF. VÁCLAV KLAUS AWARDED STATE DECORATIONS Photo: archive of the Office of the President of the Czech Republic

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more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

The President awarded the Medal of Merit to Prof.

PhDr. Petr Piťha, CSc. for contributions to the state in science and education

24.11.2011 14:50:38

The President awarded the Medal of Merit to Prof. MUDr. Jan Černý, CSc. for contributions to the state in science

The President awarded the Medal of Merit to Prof. Dr. Jan Kruliš-Randa for contributions to the state in science and education

The President awarded the Medal of Merit to Jiří Srnec for contributions to the state in culture and art

The President awarded the Medal of Merit to Emil Viklický for contributions to the state in culture and art

The president bestowed the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk to Marie Škarecká for outstanding contributions to the development of democracy, humanity and human rights

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24.11.2011 14:50:58

PMpropagace_Leaders_234x325mm:Layout 1

11.7.2011

18:44

Page 1

politika • ekonomika • byznys

Máme vliv Parlamentní magazín je seriózní politicko-ekonomick˘ mûsíãník s aktuálním a ucelen˘m zpravodajstvím z oblasti celé státní správy a podnikatelského sektoru.

Elektronickou podobu ãasopisu najdete na www.parlamentnimagazin.cz

Interviews.indd 23

23.11.2011 17:06:13

interview

“It is much easier to break an atom than to break a prejudice.”

H.E. Pasquale D´Avino Ambassador of Italy Photo: Vladimír Weiss

Italy will Make it Through Interviews.indd 24

23.11.2011 17:06:56

An interview with H.E. Pasquale D´Avino, Ambassador of Italy Pasquale D´Avino, the new Italian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, was appointed in June 2011. An energetic personality, he aims to boost the cooperation between Italyy and the Czech Reppublic at all leveels, including cultural, trade and regional exchanges. His message is one of strong openness and support for European values. He believes that with endurance and focus on our strengths and talent we will make it through the difficult economic times.

Your Excellency, what is your agenda for this mandate?

I have some clear priorities. The first is to foster bilateral relations. Here we don’t have any dispute with the Czech government or with Czech companies. We enjoy a wonderful story of friendship. The general picture is very positive, yet we can do much more in terms of trade and culture.

What would you like to foster in trade, for example?

We have a huge potential in terms of investments and trade relations. In the field of automotive and mechanics we both have an extraordinary tradition. We are already workingg on this,, and we al alre read adyy ha have ve som omee co comp mpan anie iess that want to invest more in the Czech Republic and vice versa. In terms of trade, we have companies from Italy that want to invest more and trade more in all the major fields of the Italian economy; for instance in agriculture, food and wines, tourism, real estate and so on.

Can you name a few Italian companies that you would like to see investing in the Czech Republic?

I cannot disclose private negotiations, but I can tell you that nowadays we are talking about companies wellestablished in the area. We are talking about Italian companies that are interested especially in the highly skillful labor here – the good number of highly skilled engineers. One example is Brembo, which acts in the sector of automotive components, more specifically brakes. They’re doing brakes for brands like Porsche and Audi. We are talking about car components of course, bbutt it can also l be b trucks t k andd other th automotive. t ti You mentioned tourism. One very important aspect of the Czech market is that even though Prague is a very attractive tourist destination, the quality of services here does not always meet foreign tourists’ expectations. Do you see any potential for developing some sort of educational exchange where Czech staff could learn from your tourism experience?

Certainly. I must say there is a great potential to improve services. The nation as such – not only Prague because Prague already has something – has things that can be improved on in terms of facilities in older hotels; for example wireless Internet services, parking and so on. What is really impressive is the difference in services between Prague and other cities. You have to consider that we have an increasing number of Italian visitors to Brno, to Ostrava, to cities that are not exactly tourism targets, but more business targets. There you also need better infrastructure. We think that we have a lot of programs, especially between the regions of Italy and the Czech Republic. For example Zlín, Eastern Moravia, has a ‘twinning’ program with the region of Piedmont.

You see regions together with national governments working for training and improving tourism exchanges.

Prague is the third destination of tourism for Italians after Paris and London, so this is quite a tangible sign of how much Italians love Prague and the Czech Republic.

How are the numbers of Italian tourists developing?

We are now close to 400,000 Italians coming to Prague yearly. Overall, we are talking about roughly 1.5 million visits of Italians to the Czech Republic. Vice versa it is also very intense, but we need to diversify destinations. Currently Czechs go more to northern Italy – Milan, Venice – and not so much to Rome, Naples or Palermo.

I assume that people avoid Naples and Palermo because of security concerns. What is your message for Czech tourists who would consider going there but maybe they are afraid?

There is a famous sentence from Albert Einstein that says it is ‘much easier to break an atom than to break a prejudice.’ It is just a prejudice. If Czech tourists interested in Naples go to any internet site and see how many tourists from all over the world come to Capri, to Pompeii or to Sorrento and they see the infrastructure and hotels, hotels well, well maybe they will start looking in a more concrete way without prejudices. Of course you don’t have to go to the most critical areas such as here in Prague. So, there is much to do in terms of overcoming clichés.

What is your message for Czech entrepreneurs who would like to develop business with Italy?

I think first you need to have the right information.

When you know what the environment is, what the economic and financial lessons are, what the real and concrete t bbusiness i opportunities t iti are, then th your general g l impression can change dramatically. For example, the largest investment by a Czech company in Italy – Škoda Transportation – has not been made in Lombardi, but in Sardinia. How did it happen? It happened because when you move from general ideas to the real business opportunities, you can see that many of these regions in the sou outh th, in incl clud udin ingg Sa Sard rdin inia ia, of offe ferr be bett tter er incentitives in terms of local taxes and supply of whatever services.

So in a way, they are more interesting than the more advanced regions that cannot offer special incentives because of European legislation. That is what I think is important for the embassy to do, and that’s what we are doing.

The Czech Republic is not a member of the Eurozone, while Italy is. We are all aware of the economic troubles the Eurozone is now confronted with. What approach do you expect from the Czech side towards the Euro during your mandate?

When you have a story you have to see the past, the present and the future. And if you look at the euro, it is something that is a major challenge to the world, not just in Europe. The Czech authorities – not just the Government or the Parliament but als lsoo th thee le lead ader erss of industry and the banking system – don’t see very well that the Euro has a massive potential in terms of strength. You cannot have an economic area in the

world without a strong currency. Just to give you an example: the immense power of the US after the World War II was connected with a strong dollar.

The euro is something that is preventing all the Eurozone members, including Italy, from having tremendous inflation because we have a stability pact. Thank God we have the euro; families in Italy, Germany, Austria and other places where the euro is don’t have to pay much higher mortgage prices because we have the euro.

For the first time a new currency, the European currency, is challenging the leadership of the dollar, the British pound, the yen.

When you read some newspapers written in these Wh countries, they are very critical of the euro. Yet, don’t forget that we are their competitor. So, I invite the Czech authorities to be careful, when they read some newspapers from certain countries, to understand what game we are playing and to see the numbers that tell you that inflation has been kept very low thanks to the euro.

I think thi k that th t it’s it’ in i the th interest i t t off the th Czech C h authorities th iti to go along when they feel comfortable about it.

What are your expectations from the economic development of your country and how do you see the future of the Italian economy?

Italy has a history of continuous ups and downs.

When we joined Europe, Italy was an agricultural country. What is Italy now? It is one of the most industrialized countries in this part of the G-7. We have such a solid p at o because platform ecause wee have a e been ee working o g and a producing p o uc g for centuries, not just from today. The strength of Italy is there, even if we have some internal problems with public finances. For example, an Italian has just been appointed President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi. That means that people trust not just a man but a country. Again, you must look at the history.

We had tre reme mend ndou ouss in inflflat atio ionn in the ’70 70s; s; now we ar aree average. We had tremendous unemployment; now we are a little less than the European average. We used to be a country of immigrants, now we are a country that is welcoming or trying to welcome many foreigners not just from Mediterranean areas, but from all of Africa, Eastern Europe and from countries very far away like ones in Latin America. That means that people still believe that Italy is an attractive and a solid economy, and one way or another we will overcome this. A private example: Fiat, an Italian company has bought an American one and now we have Fiat – Chrysler. Can this be done by everybody? No, probably just a few countries have this strength and this talent to be able to still have a vision and to go on, regardless of the circumstances.

By Cri rist stin inaa Mu Munt ntea eann I český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

Leaders Magazine i VI/201 I 1

Interviews.indd 25

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23.11.2011 17:10:49

H.E. Yaakov Levy Ambassador of Israel Photo: ČTK

Czechs Are Israel’s

“Sovereignty and freedom cannot be taken for granted.”

BEST FRIENDS IN THE EU Interviews.indd 26

23.11.2011 17:11:13

An interview with H.E E. Yaakov Levy, Ambassador of Israel “Prague is an inspiring place,” says Yaakov Levy, the Israeli ambassador to the Czech Republic. This is why he decided to apply for an extended mandate here, which was indeed granted. Active and focused, the ambassador spe p aks pa p ssionatelyy about the large g num u be ber of o pro roje ject ctss th thee tw twoo countries are developing together; the most fruitful fields are research and development (R&D) and culture. However, there is still a lot of untapped potential, since the Czech Republic and Israel share not only history but also several values such as sovereignty and freedom, Levy says.

What is the basis for your desire to prolong your Czech term?

There are many reasons. First, it’s the history of the Bohemian and Moravian lands and the strong historical connections between the Jewish community and these lands. These connections go back 1,000 years. They are rabbinical; they are intellectual, academic and a little political. The second reason is that the Czech Republic is a key member of the Europe p an Union,, of NATO O an andd th thee EU EU.. Th This is is ve very ry important for Israel. The third reason is that the Czech Republic is considered today as one of Israel’s best friends in the EU, so it is a pleasure to serve in such a capital which is so friendly. The fourth reason is that I have found it very easy to work here. Czechs are precise, they are serious, they are business-like, and they like initiatives. I travel around the country a lot and I can see there is a high interest in Israel, so we can do manyy proje ject ctss to toge geth ther er..

Where do you see the largest potential for developing common projects?

From the Czech point of view it’s economic and scientific. It’s a great path, and there are some very concrete elements in our work together. One is the research and development agreement that we signed two years ago and which we are now implementing. It is the first in the Czech Republic and we have had several such agreements for three or four decades.

The second is a primary research agreement which will benefit universities on both sides. The third is the Isra Is rael elii co comp mpan anie iess wh whic ichh op oper erat atee he here re, an andd th thee Cz Czec echh companies with subsidiaries working in Israel. The final one will take place next May – for the first time, four recent Israeli Nobel laureates in science will come together in Prague for an academic conference and public events.

Your Excellency, you mentioned the interest of Czech companies acting in Israel. We know that for the Czech economy it is essential that Czech exporters start selling more to non-EU markets.

What perspectives do you see for Czech exporters in your country?

The reality according to the Czech statistics is that Israel is the fourth largest trading partner outside of the EU. Czech exports to Israel have increased measurably over the last year-and-a half. Statistics show that Czech exports reached $350 million dollars last year, while Israeli exports are less than half of that. Czech expo ex port rtss ar aree do doin ingg ve very ry wel elll. Isr srae aell is an in inte tere rest stin ingg country, even if it is small. The potential is there and we are looking to exploit it in both directions.

What segments would be the most lucrative for Czech exporters?

Today the automotive market is one of the most fruitful. Czech suppliers often cannot meet the demand existing in the Israeli market – for example,

recent rece ntly ly for sev ever eral al mon onth thss Cz Czec echh su supp pplilier erss fo foun undd it difficult to meet Israeli demand. Israeli ministers travel in Czech cars, and Czech taxi cabs are also very common in the Israeli market. What Israel also offers to Czechs is expertise in incubators and in high-tech start-ups, because these areas are more developed in Israel. For example, this summer we had the first high-tech delegation here, and Czech and Israeli companies have matched up together, with wi th the hop opee th that at the inn nnov ovat atio ionn th that at the heyy wi willll dev eveelop together will be potentially lucrative for both markets. This is a long-term project; when we started this in the US and Canada it took many years, but since then it brought about business opportunities worth billions of dollars on both sides.

If we take a look at the political situation, on Oct. 31 the Czech Republic voted against the membership of Palestine in UNESCO. It was one of 14 countries, together with Israel and the US, to do so. Why is the Czech Republic such a close friend of Israel that it would follow in such major decisions?

You have both historical and current elements here. Historically we are talking about two small countries surrounded by larger powers – while your area was once hostile to Czech sovereignty, our area is hostile today. I think the Czech historical experience shows that sovereignty and freedom cannot be taken for granted. Unlike some other Western Europeans who have been living like this for many decades, Czechs have recent experiences which we shar sh aree to toda dayy. You can’t’t fallll prey to larger andd hostile entities. Czechs appreciate our stand today towards radical movements, terrorism and threats of such nature. That is historical. Currently, I think Czechs realize Israel is of strategic importance in the area, and that it is the only democracy in the area that is stable. There are major changes now in the Middle East, and there is uncertainty about which way they will lead – hopefully to democracy, but they could go in a di diff ffeerentt di directition. Andd here you have an island of democracy, of stability and friendship to Europe, of similar cultural, historical and other values, and I think that Czechs appreciate it more than others who take everything for granted.

Your Excellency, you also invest a lot in security.

Is there something that Czechs can learn from your experience in providing security to your citizens?

The fact is that many Czechs in this field travel to Isra Is rael el to co consultlt with ith Israelilis about b security, from the Parliament to the executive level.

We have been witnessing a rise in drug trafficking and crime in the Czech Republic. Do you see a potential increase in your cooperation in this type of security matter?

We have our own problem with drugs infiltrating into Israel from neighboring countries – from Lebanon

tradititio trad iona nallllyy an andd mo most st rec ecen entltlyy frfrom the Sinai.i Th There is less control of the Sinai because of what’s happening in Egypt. As a result, many criminal and terroristic elements gathered in the Sinai, and we have had an increased flow of weapons, terrorism and of drugs as well as human trafficking. We are taking defensive measures by building a fence in order to prevent this kind of smuggling as much as possible.

Getting back to economic issues, can you mention a few relevant Israeli investments in the Czech Republic?

Sure, and it also works the other way around. We have several companies working here. The largest investment has been by TEVA, a pharmaceutical giant which two years ago invested a $100 million in their plant in Opava, North Moravia, and doubled their capacity. The company called ISCAR has just exhibited in Brno in a major trade show. [In November 2011] 61 C ze zech ch exp xper erts ts wen entt to Israell for an internati t tionall conference on water management. We also have companies p in real estate and other sectors. There are a lot of businesses, these are just a few of them.

How do you perceive Czechs’ interest in Israeli culture?

I take a great satisfaction from the multitude of cultural activities that we have here and from the Czechs’ great interest in Israeli music, literature and theater, which is greater than in other countries in Europe. Just to give you a few examples, this year we will translate seven Israeli writers into Czech, some of them famous, but some of them yet unknown to the Czech public. Israeli musicians perform here regularly in jazz and classical music. Israeli plays, sometimes to my surprise, are performing here commercially for the third season in a row, not only in Prague but also in other towns. So, this is another area of satisfaction that makes me want to stay here even more.

What are your expectations for your extended term?

We have many important items on our agenda: high level visits of official personalities, historical events, scientific and trade events next year in May and so on. In the high school field we are doing a project that is the first of its kind – a competition among Czech high schools for writing the best article about Israel. The winners will go to Israel for a weeklong project and we hope for participation by hundreds of students from high schools throughout the country. Whenever you look, every month we have many projects here, and that gives me a lot of satisfaction.

By Cristina Muntean I český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

Leaders Magazine i VI/201 I 1

Interviews.indd 27

27

23.11.2011 17:11:29

networking/discussion event

Special thanks to Ifield Computer Consultancy and Laic Aktiengesellschaft for making this reportage possible

From left: Pavel Elis, General Director, Pražská Energetika and Karel Muzikář, President, Comenius

Round Table of Comenius with Alena Vitásková, Chairwoman of the Energy Regulatory Office The “Round Table of Comenius“ took place on September 22, as the second discussion evening of this month. Its VIP guest was the Chairwoman of the Energy Regulatory Office Alena Vitásková. The chairwoman shared three areas necessary to be taken into consideration – heritage of the previous office management, changes of the office and power industry in relation to the European Union. The Energy Regulatory Office was introduced and it was discussed what belonged to its authority. It was mentioned how the increasing energy price ruins some companies and expressed the importance of this Energy Regulatory Office to regulate the prices to prevent such a damage to the economy.

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

28 2 8

Comenius.indd 28

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IFIELD COMPUTER CONSULTANCY AND LAIC AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

From left: Renáta Vesecká, Attorney, Attorney Office Kropáčová Kalcsová, Blanka Kalcsová, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, MEDIS Holding, Alena Vitásková, Chairwoman, Energy Regulatory Office, and Beata Rajská, Beata Rajská – design

24.11.2011 11:36:39

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

networking/discussion event

From left: Lucie Čadilová, Director, Representation of Prague in Brussels and Alena Vitásková, Chairwoman, Energy Regulatory Office

From left: Josef Kvapil, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Jokva Olomouc, Arnošt Thon, Managing Director, A.T. Plyn, and Břetislav Piprek, Executive Head, TDS

From left: Theodor Dvořák, Deputy Chairman, Regional Chamber of Commerce of South Moravia and Pavel Dědek, Director, Financial Advisory, Deloitte CR

From left: H.E. Peter Brňo, Ambassador of Slovakia and Benke Aikell, your Publisher

Pavel Smutný, Partner, Císař, Češka, Smutný a spol.

Marie Kousalíková, Mayor of Prague 6 and Hugo Kysilka, Marketing Director, Vemex

From left: Lucie Čadilová, Director, Representation of Prague in Brussels, Marie Kousalíková, Mayor of Prague 6, and Karel Muzikář, President, Comenius

From left: Josef Kvapil, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Jokva Olomouc and Břetislav Piprek, Executive Head, TDS

Comenius.indd 29

From left: Josef Tauber, Managing Director, Czech Bank Association and Vladimír Kysela, Senior Vice President, PS Division Manager, ABB

From left: Albin E. Sybera, Managing Director, Sybera Enterprises, Jiří Krš, Chairman of the Board, General Director, Plynostav Pardubice Holding, Radovan Sitař, Publisher, Parlament, Vláda Samospráva, and Stanislav Novák, Vice President, Comenius

29

25.11.2011 10:48:50

networking/discussion event

Otakar Hora, Partner, KPMG CR

Special thanks to Ifield Computer Consultancy and Laic Aktiengesellschaft for making this reportage possible

Tomislav Šimeček, Chairman, Občanské sdružení majitelů domů, bytů a jiných nemovitostí

Peter Kozma, Executive Head, Crytex

Milan Hampl, Director, PREdistribuce

Michal Štefl, Chairman of the Board, General Director, OHL ŽS

From left: Renáta Vesecká, Attorney, Attorney Office Kropáčová Kalcsová, Karel Muzikář, President, Comenius, and Blanka Kalcsová, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, MEDIS Holding

From left: Albin Sybera Jr., Advisor to the Director, State Environmental Fund of the CR, Eva Trotter, Member of the Board of Directors, PEM-Invest, and Albin E. Sybera, Managing Director, Sybera Enterprises

During the lively debate with the participants the renewable resources of energy were discussed. The most frequent topic of the evening was the issue of photovoltaic system and its regulation. Situation of nuclear power plants was mentioned as well.

Partners of the event were companies Deloitte, Pražská Energetika, RWE and Vemex, all represented by their top managers.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IFIELD COMPUTER CONSULTANCY AND LAIC AK TIENGESELLSCHAFT Comenius.indd 30

From left: Pavel Elis, General Director, Pražská Energetika, Alena Vitásková, Chairwoman, Energy Regulatory Office, Karel Muzikář, President, Comenius, Marie Kousalíková, Mayor of Prague 6, and Hugo Kysilka, Marketing Director, Vemex

24.11.2011 11:38:47

Special thanks to Ifield Computer Consultancy and Laic Aktiengesellschaft for making this reportage possible

networking/discussion event The participants of the well attended discussion dinner focusing on culture came from various backgrounds and contributed to a lively discussion.

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

From left: Karel Novák, Editor in Chief, Czech Television and Karel Muzikář, President, Comenius

Round Table of Comenius Discussion Dinner with Mr. Jiří Besser, Minister of Culture, Hotel Ambassador, Throughout the evening the minister reflected upon the very nature of the experience of working in the field of culture and commented that from his point of view the cultural sector is more emotional rather than pragmatic and that his attitude tends to be pragmatic which according to the minister is a useful combination for all future work.

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz From left: Fawad Nadri, President, Czech-Afghan Chamber of Commerce, Stanislav Beneš, General Director for Central Europe, Infram, and Jiř í Staněk, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, VOP-026 Šternberk

Comenius.indd 31

November 15, 2011

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IFIELD COMPUTER CONSULTANCY AND LAIC AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT Minister Besser pointed out that his main obligation of the moment is financially supporting state cultural institutions rather than donating to private art projects. Another important topic Mr. Besser touched upon is the state and EU support of the Czech film production, which is viewed as essential by not only the Czech government but also the EU. The entire discussion dinner turned out to be valuable and well appreciated by all.

24.11.2011 11:40:05

networking/discussion event

Special thanks to Ifield Computer Consultancy and Laic Aktiengesellschaft for making this reportage possible

Klára Tomková, Head of Marketing Events and Sponsorship, Komerční banka, Ondřej Černý, Director, National Theatre, and Zdeněk Pelc, CEO, GZ Digital Media

From left: Michal Donath, CEO, Donath Business & Media and Pavel Smutný, Partner, Císař, Češka, Smutný a spol.

Světlana Jahodová, Director, Talichův komorní orchestr and Miroslav Švenda, Partner, Vyroubal, Krajhanzl, Školout, Law Office

From left: Fawad Nadri, President, Czech-Afghan Chamber of Commerce, Jiř í Staněk, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, VOP-026 Šternberk, and Martin Lukš, Sales Director, CS Data

From left: Albín Sybera, CEO, Sybera Enterprises and Jan Tašek, Executive Head and Co-owner, ASE

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IFIELD COMPUTER CONSULTANCY AND LAIC AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT Comenius.indd 32

From left: Jan Wiesner, Honorary Chairman, Union of Czech and Moravian Production Cooperatives, Soňa van Deelenová, General Director, Union of Czech and Moravian Production Cooperatives, and Jiří Maceška, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Czech Post

24.11.2011 11:40:53

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

networking/discussion event

From left: Petr Kala, Corporate Sales Manager, BMW Group Czech Republic, Tomáš Čáp, Vice President, Comenius, Pavel Baštář, Executive Director, Invelt, and Martin Lukš, Sales Director, CS Data

From left: Benke Aikell, your Publisher and Miro Smolák, Owner, Miro Gallery

From left: Pavel Smutný, Partner, Císař, Češka, Smutný a spol. and Petr Tichý, Vice Chairman of the Board and Sales Director, Barrandov Studio

From left: Karel Muzikář, President, Comenius, Jiř í Besser, Minister of Culture of the CR, and Petra Buzková, Partner, Vyroubal Krajhanzl Školout, Law Office

From left: Klára Tomková, Head of Marketing Events and Sponsorship, Komerční banka, Ondřej Černý, Director, National Theatre, Zdeněk Pelc, CEO, GZ Digital Media, Petra Buzková, Partner, Vyroubal Krajhanzl Školout, Law Office, Jiří Besser, Minister of Culture of the CR, Karel Muzikář, President, Comenius, and Bohdana Horáčková, Head of Communications, ČEZ

Comenius.indd 33

24.11.2011 11:41:59

On thhee 15t On 5th aannd 166thh of Sept Sept Se ptem embe ber, er,r, the he Con onfe onfe fere fere renc ence nncce of Prreesiide of dent nts off Par arliam lliiam amennttss of V4 V4 coouunt unnttri rieess waass helldd in thhe W he Waalllllen enst en nst stei teeiin PPaalaaccee, w wiitthhin in the he ffrram ameew amew woorrk of of the he Czzeech ch Pre reside siddeennccy of si of the he Vis iseg seggra ra d Grroouupp.. Thhee mee G eettiing ng was as ledd by Se Sena nate te Prreesi esi side iddeenntt off the he Cze zech zech ch Par arlliiaam m men entt,, Mililaann Ště en těch ěcchh.

The Presidents of Parliaments of

From left: Richard Sulík, Chairman, National Council of the Slovak Republic, László Kövér, Chairman, National Assembly of Hungary, Milan Štěch, President, Senate of the CR, and Bogdan Borusewicz, Marshal, Polish Senate at a press conference after the meeting of the Presidents of Parliaments of V4 countries.

V4 Countries Met in the Wallenstein Palace Prime Ministers of V4 Countries Met in the Senate

On Friday the 14th of October, Wallenstein Palace hosted a summit of prime ministers of member countries of the Visegrad Group. The participants of the meeting, Prime Minister Petr Nečas, the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán, were welcomed by the Senate 34 President of the Czech Parliament Milan Štěch.

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IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE From left: Petr Nečas, Prime Minister of the CR, Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland, and Milan Štěch, President, Senate, Parliament of the CR

24.11.2011 14:06:14

On Tuesday the 11th of Octobberr, Senate Presidentt Mila ilan an Ště těcchh held a lun uncheon in hon onnouur off thee Prres esident of the Parrliliam a ennt am off the Republic off Alb lban aannnia iaa, Mrs. Jozzeff ina Topalli wi with t sppoous th use. e..

Milan Štěch, President, Senate, Parliament of the Czech Republic and Jozefina Topalli, President, Parliament of the Republic of Albania

Meeting of Senate President of the Czech Parliament with Senate President of the Parliament of Albania

From left: Prof. RNDr. Antonín Holý, DrSc., dr. h.c. mult. and Milan Štěch, President, Senate, Parliament of the Czech Republic

On the 4th of November, Senate President Milan Štěch awarded a Silver Commemoration Medal to Prof. RNDr. Antonín Holý, DrSc., dr. h.c. mult. for his outstanding contribution to research and development of virostatics.

Conference to Promote Cooperation between ACADEMIC AND COMMERCIAL SPHERES 35

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24.11.2011 14:06:37

Crystal Ballroom This brand new ballroom with hightech multimedia equipment is a unique place for your meeting, private dinner, wedding, conference, fashion show or cocktail party. The Crystal Ballroom has a capacity for up to 100 people with natural daylight and an adjacent summer garden.

Events at Alchymist Hotel

Hunting Gallery This Chateau style salon can perfectly accomodate small meetings, unique private dining, presentations or cocktail aperitive.

The Hunting Gallery has a capacity for up to 50 people.

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25.11.2011 11:35:13

Garden Our Summer Garden is the ideal complement to our Crystal Ballroom for coffee breaks, lunch buffets or cocktails, and also an idyllic space for your wedding receptions.

Alchymist Grand Hotel and Spa Prague Tržiště 19, 118 00 Prague 1 Czech Republic

T: +420 257 286 005, F: +420 257 286 010 foodandbeverage@alchymisthotel.com www.alchymisthotel.com

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24.11.2011 13:28:03

networking/discussion event

H.E. Celia-Sandra Botha, Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa and Pavel Dobeš, Minister of Transportation

Special thanks to Ifield Computer Consultancy and Laic Aktiengesellschaft for making this reportage possible

with Pavel Dobeš, Minister of Transport

Round Table of Comenius Due to the increased demand for an English speaking Round Table, the discussion dinner with Minister Dobeš took place in English and therefore was amply attended

by Ambassadors and other international participants. Such attendance resulted in a lively debate during which participants contributed with a range of comments and practical suggestions from all over the world. H.E. the Ambassador of Austria pronounced a sincere wish that Minister Dobeš should stay in his post for a longer period of time than his predecessors and reminded him that the central location of the Czech Republic within Europe is a great advantage which the Ministry of Transport should turn into an opportunity rather than an obstacle.

38 38

Comenius.indd 38

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IFIELD COMPUTER CONSULTANCY AND LAIC AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

From left: Benke Aikell, your Publisher, Karel Muzikář, President, Comenius, H.E. Yu Qingtai, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, and Fawad Nadri, President, Czech-Afghan Chamber of Commerce

24.11.2011 11:43:04

networking/discussion event

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

From left: David Vrba, CEO, 3M Česko, H.E. Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria, and Jan Klas, General Director, Air Navigation Services of the CR

Karel Muzikář Jr., Managing Partner, Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Lucie Čadilová, Head of the Prague House in Brussels

From left: H.E. George Monteiro Prata, Ambassador of Brazil and H.E. Jan Cornelis Henneman, Ambassador of the Netherlands

From right: Zdeněk Pelc, CEO, GZ Digital Media and Jan Wiesner, Honorary Chairman, Union of Czech and Moravian Production Cooperatives

From left: Pavel Baštář, Managing Director, Invelt and Albín Sybera, CEO, Sybera Enterprises

Minister Dobeš briefly described several projects the ministry is already engaged in and the primary interest is to complete them at the best possible cost. This comment started a discussion about how challenging it is to find the best quality/cost service.

Mr. Dobeš also expressed the ministry’s sincere efforts to boost up the air connection with Asia, speedway connections within our country and also the railway connection with Eastern Europe.

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz From left: H.E. Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria, Pavel Dobeš, Minister of Transportation, and H.E. Jan Cornelis Henneman, Ambassador of the Netherlands

Comenius.indd 39

Besides the obvious projects in transportation Mr. Dobeš also briefly touched upon the efforts of the ministry in space industry which require a close cooperation with other ministries and the EU. In the future the ministry is also looking at an expensive project dealing with river transportation within Central Europe and the hottest topic of the present is the completion of Prague-Brno speedway renovation works which should be finished by 2015.

24.11.2011 11:43:27

networking/discussion event

From left: Jiří Maceška, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Czech Post, Jan Wiesner, Honorary Chairman, Union of Czech and Moravian Production Cooperatives, H.E. Peter Brňo, Ambassador of Slovakia, Zdeněk Pelc, CEO, GZ Digital Media, and Jan Mühlfeit, Chairman Europe, Microsoft Corporation

From left: H.E. Venkatesan Ashok, Ambassador of the Republic of India and H.E. Tigran Seiranian, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia

H.E. Gabriel Oh, Ambassador of Korea and Patricia Tiso Ferulíková, Director, Department of EU Funds, Prague City Hall

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IFIELD COMPUTER CONSULTANCY AND LAIC AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT Comenius.indd 40

Special thanks to Ifield Computer Consultancy and Laic Aktiengesellschaft for making this reportage possible

From right: Philippe Moreels, Chairman of the Board, Czech Airlines and H.E. Renilde Loeckx, Ambassador of Belgium

From right: Karel Muzikář, President, Comenius and Pavel Dobeš, Minister of Transportation

From left: Jan Klas, General Director, Air Navigation Services of the CR, Petr Fajtl, Director of Planning and Development Division, Air Navigation Services of the CR, and Josef Rada, General Director, Civil Aviation Authority

24.11.2011 11:45:57

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

networking/discussion event

From left: Petr Žaluda, General Director and Chairman of the Board, Czech Railways, Philippe Moreels, Chairman of the Board, Czech Airlines, Miroslav Dvořák, Chairman of the Board, Český Aeroholding, Josef Rada, General Director, Civil Aviation Authority, and Jiří Pos, Chairman of the Board, Prague Airport

From left: Kryštof Šabacký, Managing Director, maXmedia and Karel Svoboda, Executive Head, ToiToi

H.E. Daniela Anda Grigore Gitman, Ambassador of Romania with a question

H.E. José Luis Bernal, Ambassador of the United Mexican States with a question

Comenius.indd 41

Josef Kotrba, Lead Partner, Deloitte Czech Republic

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25.11.2011 11:52:40

Monument Again Stands as Symbol of Respect for a Great Statesman and of Friendship and Common Values between the Czech and American People.

memorial event

Photo: Lillis Werder and Lenka Pekárková

From left: Fred Malek, Chairman, AFoCR presents the MasarykWilson Award for Freedom and Democracy to Šimon Pánek, Executive Director, People in Need, at the Gala Award Dinner at the Rudolfinum, October 4, 2011

Woodrow Wilson Monument

Returns to Prague Amid a Week of Stellar Events The historic unveiling and dedication of the Woodrow Wilson Monument attracted hundreds of visitors to Prague as political leaders, business leaders, and other luminaries gathered to pay their respects to the newly minted monument honoring the 14th president of the United States. The events were sponsored

by American Friends of the Czech Republic who spearheaded the project to rebuild the monument that was destroyed by the Nazis during the dark days of the World War II occupation of Prague. The dedication week started with a reception at the Four Seasons Hotel attended by five current and former ambassadors, former Member of Congress Jane Harman and former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright.

Gala Award Dinner at the Rudolfinum for approximately 300 guests, October 4, 2011

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24.11.2011 14:20:13

From left: Marek Skolil, former Czech Consul General in Chicago, Mrs. Jaroslava Kolářová, and Přemysl Sobotka, 1st Vice President, Czech Senate at the Gala Award Dinner at the Rudolfinum, October 4, 2011 Thomas A. Dine, President, AFoCR, during his speech at the Gala Dinner

Unveiling of the Woodrow Wilson Monument in Vrchlického sady, October 5, 2011

From left: H.E. Petr Kolář, former Czech Ambassador to the USA, now Czech Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State, Mrs. Jaroslava Kolářová, and Jiří Boudník, Advisor, AFoCR at the Celebratory Gathering at Autoklub, October 5, 2011

TThe ev e en entss bui uiltlt tow owar ardd th thee de dedi dica catition on mom omen entt on Oct ctob ober er 5. Fi Firs rstt th the op open enin ing of a historicall exxhi h biit at a the Nattioona nall Mu Muse seum um,, Vo Voic ices es fro rom m th thee Pa Past st, Wi Wils lson on,, Ma Masa sary rykk and the Fo F rm mat atio ionn of Cze zech c os ch oslo lloova vaki kia, a,, and n a sym y ppoosi s um at thhe Cz Czer erni er ninn Pa ni Pala lace la ace, cee, home hoome of th the he Mi Mini nist ni stry st ry of Fo Fore reign Af A fa fair irs. s. Atttten ende dees es at th thee sy symp mpos osiu ium m we were re tre reat ated ed to an acaddem emic tou our de for o cee on th t e su subj bjec bj e t of Willsoon’ ec n’s le lega gacy ga cy in th thee 211stt ceenntu tury ryy by sc scho hola lars rs of Wi Wils lson on and n Masaryk ykk who joi oine nedd wi with th Pre resi side dent nt Hav avel el and for orme merr Se Secr cret etar aryy of State t Maddeelleiine n K. AAllbr lbr b ig ightt to la layy ou outt th thee st stor oryy off how w the h rel elattiioons ons nshi hip betw betw be twee een Wi Wilsson Wils on and Mas asar aryk ykk, tw twoo reemaark rkab able le sta tate tesm smen en witithh vi visi sion on and lea eade ders rshi hip, p, led to th thee deeve v lopm pmen ennt of a fre r e an and de demo dem mocr crat atic at ic Cze zech chos ch oslo os lova lo vaki va kiaa att the ki he clo lose of Woorl r d Wa Warr I;I; and n how the pri rinc ncip nc ipple les thhatt guuiide dedd Wi Wils lson onn and Mas asar aryk y are rel yk elev evan antt to the mod oder ernn C ec Cz e h Re Repu eppuubl b ic and arroound unnd thhe woorl rld. d Nexxt a Ga d.

Gala la Awa w rrdd Din inne nerr ki kick ckked off the ceelleb ebra rraatit onns as as US an and Cz Czec eecch viisi sito ttoors gat athe here he redd at thee hissto re tori ori ricc Ru Rudo dolflfin do dolf innuum m Hal all,l, to ceele l bbrrate atte thhe coomp mple letitiioonn of thhe 4 year le year ye a pro roje ject je ct andd to aw ct a ar ard the thhe fifirs rstt Ma rs Masa s rykryyk-Wi Wils ils lson o Awa on ward rd forr Dem mooccra racy c andd Freeed edom edom om. Th Thee awar awaarrd went aw wentt to th we thee pr prom ominnent ennt annd we w lllreegaard rdded ed intter e nnaatiionnall aid organ rganniizzat rg atio ion, Peo ion, io eopl p e inn Nee pl eed. d. The here ree to reece ceiv iivve tthhe aaw waarrdss waass Peopl eoopl plee in Nee eedd Co Co-f o -f-fou fou o nd nder eerr andd Ex an Exec ecut ec utiv ivve Di Dire rect re ctor ct or Šim imon on Pán ánek ek. k.

(on the left) Jane Harman, President, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, (in the middle) Karel Schwarzenberg, Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Norman Eisen, U.S. Ambassador to the CR, Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State, Václav Havel, former President of the CR, and (on the right) Prof. John Milton Cooper, together with AFoCR officers and directors Thomas A. Dine, Fred Malek, Gail Naughton, George Drost, Kristyna Driehaus, and Phillip Kasik at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at The Legacy of Wilson and Masaryk in the 21st Century Symposium on the occasion of the dedication of the Wilson Monument in Prague, Czernin Palace, October 4, 2011

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IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE 43

moore m r e photo hoto ho tos an and ellec e tr tr on tron oniicc v ersi err si siion on n avai avai av aila ail labl bllee on on w ww w w.llea eaders eade deersma r sma rs maggaazine maga zine zi ne.c ne.c .cz cz

24.11.2011 14:21:08

From left: Peter Bisek, Director, AFoCR, Martin Palouš, former Czech Ambassador to the USA, and Thomas A. Dine, President, AFoCR at the Four Seasons Hotel reception, October 3, 2011

Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State, during her speech

Wendy W. Luers, President, Foundation for a Civil Society and AFoCR Advisor and Thomas A. Dine, President, AFoCR at the Gala Award Dinner at the Rudolfinum, October 4, 2011

Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the CR, in his speech during the historic unveiling and the dedication of the Woodrow Wilson Monument

44

Woodrow Wilson Monument...

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From left: Thomas Bitnar, Mrs. Alexandra Lobkowicz, and William Lobkowicz at the Gala Award Dinner at the Rudolfinum, October 4, 2011

From left: Mrs. Michaela Bakala and Mr. Zdeněk Bakala, and H.E. Norman Eisen, U.S. Ambassador to the CR with his wife Dr. M. Lindsay Kaplan at the Gala Award Dinner at the Rudolfinum, October 4, 2011

24.11.2011 14:22:30

From left: H.E. Petr Gandalovič, Czech Ambassador to the USA, H.E. Michael Žantovský, Czech Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State, and H.E. Petr Kolář, former Czech Ambassador to the USA, now Czech Ambassador to the Russian Federation at the Four Seasons Hotel reception, October 3, 2011

Mons. Dominik Duka, Prague Archbishop and Czech Primate blessing the food From left: Mrs. Jaroslava Kolářová and Mrs. Marlene Malek at the Four Seasons Hotel reception, October 3, 2011

Václav Havel, former President of the CR speaking at the symposium on the occasion of the dedication of the Wilson Monument in Prague, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Czernin Palace, October 4, 2011

Preparing to unveil the statue. From left: Bohuslav Svoboda, Lord Mayor of Prague, Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the CR, Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State, and Fred Malek, Chairman, AFoCR.

Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State, H.E. Norman Eisen, U.S. Ambassador to the CR, and Bohuslav Svoboda, Lord Mayor of Prague at the Woodrow Wilson Monument dedication ceremony, October 5, 2011

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE The day of dedication came and with it hundreds of Americans and Czechs clamored to become historic witnesses as the ceremonial music, speeches and leaders took note of the significance of the moment. Joined by former President Havel who attended the ceremony, the speakers included, President Klaus, Lord Mayor Svoboda, former Secretary of State Albright as well as AFoCR Chairman Malek from Washington. With unusually warm weather, the crowd became witness 45 to a historic event, which with military precision, unveiled and dedicated a new monument in the capital city. A celebratory gathering followed the ceremony, along with a reception held by the US Ambassador at his residence.

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25.11.2011 11:27:38

Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State and Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the CR

From left: Philip M. Kasik, Vice President, AFoCR and Robert W. Doubek, Secretary, AFoCR

Mgr. Tomáš Chalupa, Minister of Environment of the CR and Kristyna Pellouchoud Driehaus, Director, AFoCR

From left: Přemysl Sobotka, 1st Vice President, Senate and Václav Havel, former President of the CR

Zdeněk Bakala and Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State at the Gala Award Dinner at the Rudolfinum, October 4, 2011

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From left: Thomas A. Dine, President, AFoCR, Karel Schwarzenberg, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State, and Václav Havel, former President of the CR at the symposium on the occasion of the dedication of the Wilson Monument in Prague, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Czernin Palace, October 4, 2011

24.11.2011 14:25:04

From left: Mrs. Louise Beauchamp, René Beauchamp, General Manager, Four Seasons Hotels, and Terrence Valeski, T-Mobile International with his wife

Benke Aikell, Your Publisher and Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State

Fred Malek, Chairman, AFoCR, during his speech

Jane Harman, President, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and H.E. Norman Eisen, U.S. Ambassador to the CR at the Gala Award Dinner at the Rudolfinum, October 4, 2011

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE LM_1106_events__2.indd 47

From left: Mrs. Catherine Cabaniss, Jack Stack, Advisor, AFoCR, Bill Cabaniss, Executive Vice President, AFoCR, and Patricia Stack, Director, AFoCR at the Gala Award Dinner at the Rudolfinum, October 4, 2011

From left: H.E. Petr Gandalovič, Czech Ambassador to the USA, Bohuslav Svoboda, Lord Mayor of Prague, H.E. Norman Eisen, U.S. Ambassador to the CR, Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the CR, and Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State at Woodrow Wilson Monument dedication ceremony, October 5, 2011

24.11.2011 16:34:03

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

Tenn pe Te perc rccen entt in incr crea cr eaase in thhe nuumber mbber m er of ex exxhi hhiibi bito tors rs as wweellll as vviisi sittoorrss Thee 53 Th 5 rd Int nternaatition onal on al Eng ngin inee in eeri ee ring ri ng Fai airr an andd thee 6t 6 h IInnte tern rnnattio iona n l Faairr for na or Tra rans ans nspo port rt annd Lo Logi gist gi s ic st icss exxperi rien ence en cedd an inc ce n re r as ased ed int nter eres er estt fr es from om m exh xh orss (t(the xhibitor h re wer he eree at leaast 159 5922 exhi ex hibi hi bitititing bi ng f iirrms reg eggis iste teere red) d),, as we d) wellll as fr from om the proofe fes iona fess n l co comm m un u itiy. y Inn to totall thhe faiir at attr t ac acte tedd 79 79,2 ,296 vis ,2 i ittors orrs, whi hich ch is 1100% more than last s yeaar. The fai a r wa wass visi vi site si tedd by te by man anyy VIIP guues ests t hea e ded byy the President n and Priime me Min inis iste is terr te off the Cze zech chh Rep epubli p ic. c Forei eign gn delleg e ations nss arr rriv ived iv ed froom, m, abov ab ove alll – Ru ov Russ ssia, Be Bela laru laru rus, s, Pol s, olan annd, and, Fraannccee, Sl Fr Slov ovaak akia anndd reg egio ions io n off th the Russssia iann Fe Fede d ra ratition on. on n. The Th pa p rt r neer coountr tryy of MSV S 200111 wa w s Pola l ndd.

rd

53 International

Press conference of the Confederation of Industry and Transport – from left: Petr Nečas, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Martin Jahn, President, Automotive Industry Association, Radek Špicar, Vice President, Confederation of Industry of the CR, Pavel Juříček, Vice President, Confederation of Industry of the CR, and Jan Rataj, Spokesperson, Confederation of Industry of the CR

ENGINEERING FAIR AND 6TH INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR FOR TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS

From left: Jiří Kuliš, General Director, Veletrhy Brno, Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the CR, and Herbert Vogt, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Veletrhy Brno

Business Day of the Russian Federation: H.E. Sergey Kiselev, Ambassador of the Russian Federation in the CR

Czech-Polish Economic Forum: Grazyna Henclewska, Deputy Minister of Economy, Republic of Poland

48

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Participants of the Assembly of the Confederation of Industry of the CR

Slovak National Day – from left: Jiří Kuliš, General Director, Veletrhy Brno, Milan Hovorka, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the CR, Kristián Takáč, State Secretary, Ministry of Economy of the SR, and H.E. Peter Brňo, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic in the CR

24.11.2011 13:59:41

now available in Brussels

LEADERS MAGAZINE PHOTO COVERAGES FROM TOP EVENTS CONCERTS – SEMINARS – CONFERENCES – GALA EVENINGS

INTERVIEWS WITH TOP PEOPLE CULTURE – BUSINESS – POLITICS – SPORTS

PR ARTICLES, ANALYSIS AND MUCH MORE

® focuses on lifestyle, estyle interviews, business, culture and luxury products and covers many r important and interesting events. Our readers are people from diplomatic society, government officials t and decision makers in business. The targeted distribution is cca 20 000 copies including 1400 pcs to the top EU officials in Brussels. hovo s význanými osobnostmi obchodní, politické, umělecké a kulturní Leaders Magazine® publikuje rozhovory sféry a přináší fotoreportáže z důležitých společenských událostí v ČR. Našimi čtenáři jsou osoby s rozhodovacími pravomocemi v diplomatické, státní a soukromé sféře. Cílená distribuce je cca 20 000 ks včetně 1400 ks představitelům EU v Bruselu.

For Full Electronic Version Go To www.leadersmagazine.cz

Interviews.indd 49

22.11.2011 18:12:10

A talk with Karolínna Peake, Deputy Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Legislative Council of the Government of the Czech Republic, and the Chairman of the Governm ment Anti-corruption Committee

I am not a Proponent of Quotas for Women Photoss: Arch Photos chive ive of of th thee Gove Governm rnm nment entt of the he Czzech ec Re Repub public pub lic

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Interviews.indd 50

Karolína Peake (*1975) graduated from the Faculty of Law of Charles University in Prague. Afterwards she worked as a clerk at the law offices of Baker&McKenzie.

She has been a councilwoman for Prague 1 since 2006. She was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the Věci veřejné party and became the chairwoman of the constitutional law committee in 2010.

From April to July 2011 she was the chairwoman of Věci veřejné’s parliamentary club. In July 2011 Karolína Peake was appointed the Deputy Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Legislative Council of the Government of the Czech Republic, and the Chairman of the Government Anti-corruption Committee.

As a member of parliament, she is actively involved in the creation of the Government’s anticorruption strategy.

She has taken part in amendments on arbitration hearings, amendments to the criminal code, an amendment to the law on conflicts of interest, the topic of strengthening independence and, at the same time, she has taken part in the responsibility for state prosecutors and judges and the direct election of the president. Karolína Peake is married, has two sons, for whom she devoted a total of five years of family leave. She co-founded a maternal centre along with other mothers from Prague 1. It was through issues relating to children and children’s´ playgrounds that she became involved in local politics and the Věci veřejné party.

Leaders Magazinne VI/2011

23.11.2011 17:12:35

You are the only woman in the current government’s cabinet. How do you explain the low representation of women across the political spectrum? Do women not have interest in high politics, or it is hard to penetrate the network of ambitious men?

I can see a lot of reasonable colleagues around me here in parliament, unfortunately they are not “decision-makers” within their political parties, and they simply do not have sharp elbows. I am not a proponent of quotas forr women. Yet if there were quotas aimed for “normal people” in politics, I would take it. So, ratherr than more women in politics I would like to see more sharp elbows of the reasonable politicians within.

In what way does the female political culture differ from the male political culture?

Don’t you feel that women rather imitate the men’s style?

Look around the office, shops, schools… women, no matter what side they are on, can usually come to some sort of agreement, though sometimes it may be quite time consuming. Yet, they are willing to compromise and agree to comply. Moreover, women do not involve emotions in their politics, and therefore they can be faster and easier to agree. Even I dare to say, they keep their word more often.

One of your priorities is to improve the political style. What is, in this respect, your ideal vision?

Just more talking together, even informally, might be sufficient. The main objective is to clearly explain our positions, our reasons, and to present factual arguments. I can understand that political partners have their own political beliefs and opinions. But I still do not think we need to cling only to our narrow views.

You have participated in the creation of the Governmental Anticorruption Strategy for 2011 to 2012. Are you satisfied with its final form?

Yes, Věci veřejné took part in the Anticorruption strategy in accordance with the Government Policy Statement. We are obviously tryingg to enforce and implement as many incentives as possible. Oftentimes it was a very hard contested compromise.

Thus, we have tried to incorporate most of ourr programme within the Anticorruption strategy.

Unfortunately, I began to encounter other departments’ proposals in my position, which would ultimately lead to the abandonment off some anti-corruption measures or repealingg certain anti-corruption steps. These proposals certainly do not help make the public procurement and tenders more transparent. On top off that, I believe that some attempts to blast particular parts of the Anti-corruption strategy were the result of inconsistencies rather than of intentions.

Are you talking about those points that the Government recently deleted from the Anticorruption Strategy, i.e. the “effective repentance” or draft proposal on the establishment of a “national registry account”? Are you going to strive for its implementation?

I would like to correct you a little bit. The Government did not delete the aforementioned points from the Strategy, yet to my great regret, it has not adopted any resolution resulting in the realisation of follow-ups. Thus, it is my and my colleague’s effort to complete and implement these thus far unfinished measures and tools.

My frequent discussions with police and public prosecution experts, and with those who contend directly on the street with crime concerning bribes, the abuse of subsidies, and similar crimes, strengthen my view on the desirability of these steps. Yes, these tools alone can’t save us; those are not the tools which could exorcise corruption today or tomorrow. However, all these tools, and their combined usage and applications, are exactly what narrows and limits the scope of corruption.

Part of the Government’s strategy for combating corruption is a greater transparency of political parties’ funding. What is the main pillar of the planned new legislation?

We spoke with colleagues, experts and representatives of state institutions and NGOs about this topic at the last meeting of my advisory

board. There is certainly not only one solution to this issue. The paarticular measures can make the current statee funding of political parties altogether more transparent. Simplifying and setting clear criteeria aimed at political parties and group fundingg, independent oversight and the right of recoveery, is the minimum prerequisite. Among otherr topics that still remain to be discussed are thee introduction of the financial ceiling of political campaigns, and limits on billboards and ads.

Věci veřejné is, however, facing suspicion of several corruption violations. How do you want to convince voters in future elections that your party is behaving in a transparent way?

Various media accusations against a political party are perhapps not surprising, especially against a party whhich, after twenty years, is the only one trying to implement measures leading to transparency of public procurement and law enforcement. Unddoubtedly, there are a lot of groups that are feeeding off the current system.

Perhaps in our early days, we saw things simply and naively, but thhat does not mean that we will leave our program m only because we may be a thorn in the eyess of some interest groups.

By Pavlína Holancová I český překlaad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazzínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

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Jana Bobošíková Chairwoman of the political p ty Suverenita, and par fo mer Member for of the European Parliameent Photo: Archivee

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A talk with Jana Boboošíkková, Chaiirwom man of the politicall paarty Suverrenitaa, annd formeer Member of the European Parliament Jana Bobošíková (1964) is a Czech moderator, editor and politician. She graduated from the University of Economics in Prague in 1987.

Shh be She bega g n to worrk in Czeechh tel e ev e is isio ionn as an eedditor, and in i 199 993– 3 19 994 4 as ann edi d tor at a the h Hos o ppoodářs řskéé nov ovin inyy daily. y There y. r afteer, shee be sh beca came mee thee eco cono nomi no m c edit mi eddittor of ec econ onom o ic cover om erag agee of Cze ag zech ch tel elev e isio ev ission on. All at on oncee, sh shee mo mode dera rate tedd th t e ne news ws pro rogr gram gr amme am me “21 21” 21 annd coop coopper co erat ated at ed witithh ra radi dioo Fr di Frek ekve ek venc n e 1.

1. She h becam amee an adv dvis isor is or to th thee Ch Chai airm rm mann of th thee Cham Chham ambber ber of Deput eputie ies, ie s, Vác ácla laav Klau Klau auss in 200 000 0 andd, inn th an thee saame yea e r, she wass apppoi oint n ed the man nt anag agin ag inng di directtor of cove cove vera rage ra g of Cz ge Czec e h Te ec T leevisi isi sion on. Sh Shee moode derateed thhe po p liititica call tallk ca lk show sh ow “Se Sedm d ičkaa” off tellevissioon No dm Nova va inn 20 2 01 1–2 –200 004. Fro 00 rom m 20 2004 04 to 2009 09 she h was a non on-a -attac ache chedd MEEP. Jan anaa Bo Bobo boší šíko kováá bec ko ecam ame the Ch Chai a rw wom man of the po polilitical pa part rtyy Po P liititika ka 21 1 in 200 06. Shee found n ed the politic ical al bloc Suuve verenitaa in 2009, wh whic ichh waas tr transforrme m d intto thee politic in ical al par arty ty Suv uver eren eniita in Jun unee 2011 20 011, andd sh shee be became me the h Cha hairirwo woma mann of Suveren enititaa as wel ell.l. Jan ana Bobooší šíkováá is ma marriedd annd ha has tw wo daughter ers. s As shee sa says ys, she does not ot like onnlyy to st standd by and wat atch c , she pr pref efer ers to acc c omplish. h.

Do you find political identification important in politics, or as a woman do you feel that you can introduce a different culture into politics?

I fifind nd the ide deol olog ogy, y, or po polilititica call id iden entitififica catition on witithi hinn the de demoocr crat atic ic sys yste tem, m, an ab abso solu luttely crucial al patteern rn,, andd it iss the basic eq an equi u pment of eac achh po polilititiccian an, bo bothh malee and fem emal ale. e. I am m ne neitithe herr an idealist no nor a femi ministt; I am ni a the heaad of a politiccal a par arty ty whi hich ch hass a cleaar poolititica call pr prog ogra ramm mmee ba base sedd on rea eadable valuues with clear political targets. As a woman I obviouslyy brinng my feminine nature into politics cs, which is given by my biological predestination to be a mother, and to go through all things g related to motherhood. So care, love, helpp, understand n ing, tolerannce… Yet, I also consistently require compliance of the ag agre reed upon up on rules,, an andd if nec ecessa sary ry, I willll als lso “b “bend a tree ee while it is young” uncompromissingly. Moreove ver,r, I am m also al so a dau augh ghte teer an a d wi w fe fe,, thhus fam amililyy or gen enerationa naal cohe h sion on doees no nott mean emp mpty ty rhe h tooriricc foor mee, butt a pr prec eciious ec ious val a ue.

What was the decisive moment in the founding of Suverenita?

Thher eree were ree sev eveeral eral imppul ulse sess. se s. But f ivve ye year arss inn Euro Eu rope pean pe ann Parli arliam am men entt we werre re for me, in th this iss resspe pect ct, perh pe rhap rh a s th thee mo most s imp st mpor orta r taantt inc n ent entive ve.. EU U polliticc s iss abouut thhe prag agma matiticc advoocaacyy of in inte tere restt s off paarr ticula larr stt at ates es shroude hr ded inn hypocri yp rititica call sp ca s ee eech ch about u solidaarity, coomp mpet etititiivven eness s an andd mutual a aid. Unforrtunatelyy, polilitician a s withhin the EU U en envi viro r nmen e t have complet e elyy fo forgot o teen byy whom m they were sent too Brussel els. s After all, th they e have noot acquired a man a date from no da non-existeentt “Eu Eurociitize zens” or “Eurobu buer cr ro crat ats” s”, butt frfrom om C zechhs, Gerrma mans ns,, Po Pole les, and Daane nes… s… Tho hose s peo eoplle ga gavee the h pol o ititiciaanss theeir voiccess in orde derr too boo oost st the heir int nterests ts and n the he int nteereests of theeir countries, not to boost the dubiouss “euro-idea” of multiculturalism, a super-state, the unification of all etc. Thhe resulting democratic deficit cannnot lead to anything good in thhe long term.

Moreover, the collapse of existing political parties on our political scene, the abdication of care for citizens, o a balanced state bu of b dget, of a strategy of national economy, and last but not least, of a definition of the national interests in Europe and beyond, magnified my decision even more.

However, you have not become a parliamentary party yet; don’t you feel a little bit disappointed?

Certt ai a nly not.. When considering the to t tal bloc o kade

by the media, and th the handling n of the election o surv ys ve y , I coonssidder the gai ainn of 3.6 .67 per cent nt a successs for our gr ou grou oupp of 21 no nonn-pa parlliame ment ntar aryy as asso s ciat atio ions ns and part pa rtie ies, s, whi hich ch I led to th thee el elec ectition on.. Ad Addi ditition onal ally ly,, I fe feel el grea gr eatt su suppport andd in inteere rest st fro rom m cititize zens ns dur urin ingg our travels to vililla tr lage gess andd ci c ties in the Cz Czechh Republic ic.

You are heading to the regional and Senate elections next year. What are the priority themes of the election campaign?

Thhe ke keyy priority is to protect the interests t of the Cz C echh Republ blic and its citizens. So this means n not the interests of Brussels, of multinational groups, nor of illegal immigrants. On top of that, we are a party based on values aimeed at law enfor o cement, the fighht against corrupption, respect for work and order;r; not sim de impl plyy thhe popu pulilist st theme mes of wor o king ng for one el elec e tion, whether re r gional orr at the nationaal level.

Of cou o rse, e, the reg egio ionall el elec ectititionss haave theeirr loc ocal al too pics witithi h n the area eass of emp mplo loyment,t edu duca cationn, health care annd tr he t ansp ansppor ort.t. Our mem mbe bers rs participa pate t in loc ocal al and n mun unic iccip ipal al cou ounncil ncils; s; the heyy kn knoow ow the is suees i diffe in f rent n par arts ts of th the co the country, and prepare the hese se regi gion onal on al top opic ics. E xp xper e iencce sh shoows, ow how owev ow ever ev er,, th er that at regi re g on onall eleecttions inn re recent nt yea ears rs hav avee es e pe peci cial ci ally al lyy chan ch ange an gedd innto a nat ge a io i nw n idde re refe ferre fe rend ndum dum on na n tition ion o al a thhemes,, e. e.g. g. on a “330 CZ C K fee” e at thhe doocttor o . So So,, ou o r prog pr o ramm og mm me is goi oing ng too be pre repare red we welllll conce ceern rnin ingg in both bo th reggioona n l, and eventuaallllyy “nnationw nwid idee re refe ferendum” m issuees. Additiona nally, the h regional el e ectionss arre going to be a hot test of a neewl w y cr c eaated po p litiica c l paartt y, for we ceertainly wa want to streng ngth t en our organiza ni zational a struc uctu t re in re regi g ons, cititiees andd mu muniicipaaliities.

What election candidates have you approached already? What will be the proportion of women?

I am reallly ve v ry happyy that womenn are actively seeking a way into Suverenita. I have spoken with many, and found that the h y have respe p ct for motherhood, family l , work and age within our party. Due to the fact that our party’s leadership has a premium share of women based on European policy, it will certainly be ref e lected in the ba b llots. The main aiim of Suverenita, however, is to unify small fragmented political entities, which will be reflected in our regional ballots as well. Some political parties have already dampened their activities, and their members have transferred to our political party (e.g. Democratic Green Party). We dea eal with the h Party for the Openn

SSociety, which is very succeessfuul in Liber e ec, with the h p litica po cal pa p rtyy Mo M ra r vi vian anss, with peop ople from m the po political partyy ar arou ound nd exx-pr prim imee mi mini nist ster er Mililoš oš Zem eman an,, an andd with wi th som omee pe peop ople le fro rom m th thee Ch Chririst stia iann De Demo mocr crat atic ic Unio Un ionn – Cz Czec echo hoslovak Peo eople’’s Pa Part rtyy.

How do you imagine the future of the EU and eventual deepening of European integration?

As I have alreead adyy inndica cate ted, d Europpeaan in i tegration haas pr prog ogrees sedd too far andd inn thhe wr wron ongg di d reect c io ion. n Sinc Si nce the initia iall economic co-oper e ation, n we arrrivedd to the monet e ary un u ion, and there has even been talk about a fiscal and budgetary union. If this was a natural democratic process and the wish of the majority of EU´s citizens, then it would be ok. Yet,t thee EU coun u tries’ citizens ha h ve begun to resent Bru russels’ ideas more and more. So, o now it is nec eces essa s ry too ta takee sev everal step st e s back. We need to focus us on econ onom omic co-opperaatiton, an andd on o the he rem emov oval ov a of ba al barr rrie iers from th thee moovement of go me good ods, s cap apitital, an andd pe p ople le. Be Beyond, on on the Euro r peean level, we shooul uldd on only lyy decidee on is sues wher wh ere addva vant n ag nt ages es and savvin ings gs cle lear arly ly pre reva vaill. Th Thee rest re st of th t e issu s es shooul uldd bee ret etur urned ur r d to t whe here re theyy bellong be longg, i.i e. to th thee naatitonnal staate lev evvel el.

So, in your view, should the Czech Republic leave the EU? The C zecch Re Repu p bl pu b ic musst re r main inn a sov o errei e gnn Eur uroo opean sta tate ate t witithh se selff-c -con onfifide d nt cittiz izen ens. s How o ev ever er,, I am conv co nvinnced ced th that at witthdrawal from the he EU is not on th thee a enda ag da. Just look at the str t uctu t re of ourr foreign trade, e annd th t e deecisive share of multinattio i naal fifrms from o EU counntriess in our co u GDP, an a d you ca c n see how me m aningg less thi h s qu questition o is. s But I wannt too say som methiing else.

IfI we don’ n’tt mana nage ge too ch chaangee the EU´ U´ss di direect ctio ionn, iff Brus Br usse sels elites fu furt rthe h r un unde demo mocr c at atical a ly ignor o e thhe willl of ci wi citizeens ns, annd if unifificaatition o ten ende denccie iess of alll and e eryt ev ything f in i allly prevail (including federalist tendencies, further weakening, and thus finally the loss of the sovereignty of nation states), then the quuestion is whether we will want to remain within such an organization. Yet, I am an optimist, and I believe that the EU has a future as a community of equal sovereign states, mutual a ly coooperating and respecting the democratic will of citizens and economic laws.

By Pavlína Holancová I český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magaa zínu naa www.leadder e smag a azine. e cz c

Leaders Magazine i VI/201 I 1

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IN COOPERATION WITH LEAADERS MAG GAZINE

From left: Mikheil Saakashvili, President of Georgia and Václav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic

Former President Václav Havel RECEIVING THE ORDER OF ST. GEORGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF GEORGIA MIKHEIL SAAKASHVILI

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From left: H.E. Peter Brňo, Ambassador of Slovakia, H.E. Renilde Loeckx, Ambassador of Belgium, Luděk Sefzig, Chairman of the Committee on EU Affairs, Member of the Parliament of the CR, Senate, and Václav Koukal, Member of the Parliament of the CR, Senate

24.11.2011 12:52:50

H.E. Nina Nakashidze, Ambassador of Georgia and H.E. Daniela Anda Grigore Gitman, Ambassador of Romania

Michael Kocáb, former Minister for Human Rights and National Minorities and Leila Abbasová, Founder, Endowment Fund Asante Kenya

From left: H.E. Ivan Grytsak, Ambassador of Ukraine and H.E. Tagir Taghizadeh, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan

From left: Petr Kroužek, Department of Northern and Eastern Europe, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the CR and H.E. Stefan Gorda, Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Moldova

Mikheil Saakashvili, President of Georgia

From left: Jefim Fistein, Broadcaster, RadioFreeEurope, RadioLiberty and Boris Gagua

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

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From left: Važa Kiknavelidze, Permanent Representative of the Georgian CCI in the CR, Jefim Fistein, Broadcaster, RadioFreeEurope, RadioLiberty, and H.E. Nina Nakashidze, Ambassador of Georgia

24.11.2011 12:55:51

A talk with Jaroslav Hruška, 1stt Deputty Miniistter off the Interiior

Management Structures AT THE POLICE ARE RAMPANT Jaroslav Hruška (1975) graduated from the Police Academy of the Czech Republic in Prague, with a Bachelors´ degree in the field of security and law, and from the Academy of Police Corps in Bratislava, with a Master’s degree in the field of protection of persons and property. He joined the military service in the years 1994–1995. He worked in Západočeské Muzeum in Pilsen in 1995. In the years 1996 19 96–1998 1 he worked in the Service of Criminal Police in the West Bohemia Region Administration. Jaroslav Hruška was engaged at the Organized Crime Unit (SKPV) in the years 1998–2007. He pursued private ecology farmingg from 2007–2011. On the 2nd of May 201 011, 1, Jaroslav Hruška was appointed the 1st Deputy Minister of the Interior responsible for homeland security. Jaroslav Hruška is married.

Photo: Archive of the Ministry of the Interior

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You have been working as a policeman at the Organized Crime Unit for several years. If you compare both positions, where did you achieve greater satisfaction, and the chance to successfully influence things around you – as policeman, or now at the position of high ministerial officer?

I do not see it in terms of satisfaction, but rather in terms of the ability to influence events around me, which I certainly feel is greater as the Deputy Minister. Mainly, I can address concepptual and strateggicc iss ssue ues, s, whi hich ch have a direct impact on policing. Well, as a policeman I had an opportunity to decipher some of the things, and it was not always easy, yet the approach and possibilities of a high-ranking official are very different and, as I have already said, have a direct impact on the functioning of the police. Indeed, that’s why I accepted the offer.

Currently the completion of the Police of the Czech Republic draft reform is culminating. Can you name the most important systemic changes that should be in force from the 1st of January 2012?

At pre ressentt (note t off auth thor: the inter t view i tookk place l on the 26th of October 2011) we must first familiarize ourselves with the reactions of police management to the conclusions of expert committees, which we have created together with the Police Presidium of the Czech Republic. Thus, a subsequent internal discussion must take place,, which should happpe pen at the lev evel elss of the Interior Ministry and the Police of the Czech Republic.

Additionally, the discussion should take place in the next few days. Nonetheless, the direction that we set and want to meet is on restrictions of governing structures of the police.

Can you specify this?

In our opinion, it’s impossible to reduce the number of those employees who perform in direct service, or who are working on the streets, and thus citizens come into contact with them most often. So, if there is any space for police cuts, it is just in these management structures, which are ramppant in some pl p aces,, and certainlyy th ther eree are not so many people needed. The main idea of the changes that we want to implement is that precisely these positions are going to be transferred into ordinal positions.

So, the police expect large cuts and layoffs. Won’t this fact reflect in the quality of policing and citizens’ safety (e.g. a reduction in the number of service helicopters is highly criticized by trade unions)?

In this respect, what are the Interior Ministry’s priorities?

The abovementioned reduction in helicopters was solely a partial draft of the experts of Commission which was rejected by the Minister from the very beginning. It was only a topic for discussion and it is not true that the Minister would ever seriously consider it. Therefore, we emphasize that it is first necessary to communicate similar themes at the professional level, and then only to inform the pu p blic about it. As for the laayo yoffs, s, I wou ould ld not call it a great number of layoffs. As I outlined in my previous answer, the style of changes which we seek lies in the abolition of the leading positions, and their conversion into ordinary places that pertain to direct safety.

The fact that the police are expecting cuts is true, due Th to the economic situation, which is occurring not only in the Czech Republic. Thus, as I stated, the path that

we want to take k iis suchh that h the h iimpact on citizens ii will ill bbe minimized, and so that it will not be reflected in their safetyy.

A special police squad for uncovering corruption and financial crime (ÚOKFK) faces the departure of elite investigators. The reason, according to them, is mainly that they were not able to investigate corruption cases effectively. How are you going to solve this?

Ten polilicemen are leaviing ÚO ÚOKFK, five of which will go into retirement. The Minister has already either talked to the remainingg po p licemen,, or offeereed a pe pers rson onal al mee eetiting ng with them, as well as a helping hand. However, the final decision is up to the policemen and the Interior Minister is very limited in this respect. These men have their direct superiors. There are several motivations for their departure, e.g. a certain distrust of the criminal proceeding. The issue of trust is the question of established relations within particular teams, much like established relations which they have with the Ministry of Justice.

Thiss unf nfor ortu tuna nate tely ly can anno nott be cha hang nged ed by th thee Mi Mini nist ster er from day to day. On the other hand, it is of course a serious signal, but it cannot be immediately resolved.

Another motivation is also departure for the purpose of receiving retirement contributions. However, the financial incentive is a matter for the direct superiors.

What is the long-term strategy of the Ministry of the Interior for solving problems in Šluknov? What

particular work are the police doing in this risky area at present?

Thee st Th stra rate tegy gy of th thee In Inte teririor or Min inis istrtryy is to fo focu cuss on cririme me prevention. What is taking place at the moment, the harsh security measures – is intended to extinguish the smouldering problem. I’d like to point out that the Ministry of the Interior should not primarily deal with this issue. It is a social problem which grows into larger security problems. The Ministry of the Interior can operate in this area just in terms of crime prevention, primarily through the programme “Úsvit” (dawn). We also offered professional advice to mayo ma yors rs,, as wel elll as pre reve vent ntio ionn pr prog ogra ramm mmes es, an andd we are see ee-king money for CCTV systems. We also strive to integrate professionals in police patrols, and we also train municipal police. This is a set of measures which we can implement.

However, much of the work and responsibility does not lie solely with the state but also with the local government.

In this context, are you considering further police reinforcement in Šluknov?

As for police reinforcement in this area, we are conside si deriring ng the cre reat atio ionn of a per erma mane nent nt pol olic icee un unitit whi hich ch would act as a mobile patrol in the Ústecký Region, and which would operatively address the problems that have occurred.

By Pavlílína Holanco l váá I český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

Leaders Magazine i VI/201 I 1

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interview

Petr Rafaj Chairman of the OfďŹ ce for the Protection of Competition Photo: Archive

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25.11.2011 14:47:22

A talk with Petr Rafaj, Chairman of the Office for the Protection of Competition Petr Rafaj (1961) graduated from the Faculty of Mining and Geology of the Technical University of Ostrava. Soon afterward, he became a builder of thee mai ainn pr prod oduc uctition on bui uild ldin ingg fo forr th thee co comp mpan anyy Si Siln lnic icee Os Ostr trav avaa a.ss. whe here re he wo work rked ed for ten yea ears rs. Fr From om 199 995 5–19 1998 98, Pe Pete terr Rafaj served as director of JEWA Export-Import Ltd., and from that year until 2003 he was a partner of the company as well. He joined the Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) in 1997. He was elected the representative of the City of Frýdek-Místek a year later, where for one term he was its deputy mayor. In 1999–2006 he presided over the local organization of the ČSSD Frýdek-Místek. In the period 2000–2002 he sat in the Assembly of the local authority of the Moravian-Silesian Region and, in the same year he was the Chairman of the Euroregion Beskydy. In 2002, he won the mandate into the Parliament of the Czech Republic. Since 2006, he was a member of the city council of the city of Frýdek-Místek. Petr Rafaj was appointed the Chairman of the Office for the Protection of Competition in 2009. We asked him how the Office for the Protection of Competition has changed in the 20 years of its existence.

This year, the Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚOHS) reminds us that 20 years have passed since its inception. Are you going to celebrate its anniversary?

Yees, the ÚOH OHSS ha hass be been en inf nflu luen enci cing ng the Cze zech ch economy with its decisions and expertise for two decades. It also seeks to cultivate the competitive environment within both the business sector and thee pu th publ blic ic pro rocu cure reme ment nt. We Wellll, rath ther than festitiviities,, we are ggoingg to celebrate the significant g anniversary with our work. We are organizing a threeday St. Martin Conference, mainly for professionals, at the beginning of December. We want to invite the leaders of our state. We also approached the European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso, as well as more than 30 representatives of Competition Offices from across Europe.

Moreover, I believe that this event will attract most of the leading Czech competition lawyers. The Conference will pay attention not only to competition, but a substantial part of the programme should also include public procurement, state aid and issues of significant market power.

Could you give us an idea of how the agenda of ÚOHS has developed?

Our Office began 20 years ago as a body solely dedicated to the oversight of competition. However, we already have four areas of competence at present. Besides competition, we also oversee procurement, control the abuse of significant market power, and we also perform monitoring, coordination and consulting within the area of public support. We have been dealing with the public procurement since 1995, and with public support since 2000. Yet, I have to remind you that until the acce ac cess ssio ionn of the Czechh Republi blic to the EU, we hadd the decision-making power within this area. Thus, our latest competence involves the observance of laws on significant market power, and abuses of those laws, which came into force in February 2010 20 10. In con ontr tras astt to its beg egin inni ning ngss, the ÚOH OHSS ha hass thus significantly changed, and not only in terms of its powers, but also from other perspectives.

What exactly do you mean? Are you referring to the size of the ÚOHS and its perception by the general public?

We can say that virtually everything has changedd – the h aforementioned increase in power, the

number and quality of our staff, our more professional meetings with representatives of the parties. I should not forget the representative seat of our office which we received in 2008. When thee ÚO th ÚOHS HS beg egan an its act ctiv ivitityy in the sum umme merr of 1991, it consisted of its then Chairman, Stanislav Bělehrádek, and a few employees. Over 20 people are working here at present, of which the vast majjoritit y are highl hly qualif lifiied lawyers and economists. In pparticular,, within the area of competition p we are trying to keep up with developed countries of mature competition policy, and moreover, to implement modern elements that facilitate greater predictability and transparency in decision-making activities. At the same time, we are introducing more effective investigative tools into our practices, e.g. the so-called leniency programme, and advanced analytical methods within the more economic approach.

Are you satisfied with the amendment to the act on public procurement? Do you have any reservations?

No authority or officer may take exception to the laws which must be followed. We are here to apply the laws in the ways they were approved by legislators. The will of the legislators is obviously binding for an officer. Most crucial is how it affects the public, and what potential problems may be caused to the contractors. It would clearly be wrong for the law to become a burden for contracting work, and to complicate the work procedure.

However, this may only show up in practice.

What mistakes do the bidders most often make?

The most common violation of the act on public procurement, perpetrated by bidders, includes dividing the contract into smaller parts, so that the procurement does not have to run at all. Other errors include the non-transparent evaluation or incorrect defining of the qualifications. I would like to men entition on tha hatt in the sta tage ge of a co cont ntract’t ’s pubb lication, the frequent offense of tender publication occurs only on a national level, and not on a supranational level. This leads to a preference of domestic applicants and does not involve potential foreign bidders.

In this respect, are you offering training for the bidders of public procurement?

Well, I have to say that organizing such training is not a priority for our Office. However, we have prepared a special project called “Transparency of Bidders”. In this project, we hold three training sess se ssio ions ns per yea earr di dire rect ctly ly in ou ourr Of Offifice. Moreover, our selected staff is going to visit all regions where we organize training for bidders. Beyond this, I’d like to say that we have a special web page for this as well.

The Parliament of the Czech Republic is discussing the draft law on criminal liability of legal persons. You are a critic of it, can you explain why?

I am not a critic of the law on criminal liability of legal persons. I only defended the effectiveness of our Office. In three points, there is an overlap of this Act with the Act on Protection on Competition.

The result of the overlap could be such that within the area of competition and public procurement, a good lawyer may argue for impunity. Fortunately, this issue was revealed and removed at the time of the law’s adoption. Therefore, I can say that the biggest problems were removed from this legal norm.

The European Commission and the Offices for the Protection of Competition in all EU member states co-operate through the European Competition Network (ECN). In what way does the ÚOHS take part in this co-operation?

We have been very active in the field of international co-operation in recent years. This obviously applies to co-operation within the ECN as well. Our office has put major emphasis on participation in working groups on common issues, issues of abuse of a dominant position. Within the sectorial sub-groups we can exchange information and experiences on issues such as energy, pharmaceuticals, or issues of relations to the consumer.

Recommendations from the work of these groups can come to our office when applying the competitition rules l and, d where h applicable, for any proposed legislative changes.

By Pavlína Holancová I

česk če skýý přek ř eklladd nalleznete t v ellekt ktroniické ké ver zii magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

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SEARCH FOR SOMETHING

YOU WILL LOVE! A few days ago, Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, died. It is indeed a reason for sadness, but also food for thought...

I am sitting behind my Apple MacBook Air and looking sadly down on a box of colour crayons in the colours of the bitten Apple logo. A few boxes were left to me from the beginning of the 90’s, when I used to sell Apple computers. When I first saw this computer, I immediately felt that it was truly a pe p rsonal compu p ter. And furthermore, it was beautiful. Yes, it did create its own personal space, which back then was a tremendous achievement. It was loved by students as well as professionals. It went through its ups and downs, just like me.

Even at the time that I became a director at Microsoft, I used to take my Apple PowerBook with me on trips to Munich. In the meantime, Intel, Dell, IBM, and Microsoft came to dominate the PC world. Steve Jobs was ousted from Apple by a “sugar water seller”, and the company almost disappeared from the market. But loyal adherents remained, and Steve Jobs later returned. He broke all the clichés about how technology should be impersonal.

He returned technology to its true nature. He changed the music industry business model.

We once again found beautiful machines on our tables and in our pockets.

This is all great, but it’s not Steve Jobs’ entire legacy. To everyone, not just students, I recommend listening to Jobs’ speech to graduates at Stanford University in 2005.

Here is just one short quote from that unforgettable speech: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. “ When I think about it, this should be a credo for everyone who does not want to complete his life as a copy of someone or something

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Leaders Magazine VI/2011

Photo: Vladimír Weiss

else. I do not know if Steve Jobs was a visionary. This term is often abused; many visionaries rightfully disappear in the ebb and flow of history. He was said to be very authoritative, yet something within Steve Jobs forced people to stay around him, to follow him.

I have never been fortun t ate t enough gh to meett with him personally, and regret tably I will never get that chance. As someone with huge internal motivation, he will always remain

a wonderful example and a challenge to me, though large and remote. For even my time, as everyone’s, is limited.

By Ivan Pilný I President of Tuesday Business Network Former Chaiirman off Czechh Telecom l český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

25.11.2011 10:59:06

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

From left: Veronika Vymětalová, Chairwoman of the Board of Pellé´s Villa, Councillor of the Council of the Municipal District of Prague 6, Marie Kousalíková, Mayor of the Municipal District of Prague 6, and Jana Ryšlinková, Dean of the US Business School Prague

Photo: Štěpán Bärtl

First Anniversary of ELAI The European Leadership & Academic Institute (ELAI) recently celebrated its first anniversary at the Pellé´s Villa. Among those who came to wish ELAI a happy birthday were the mayor of Prague 6, Marie Kousalíková, who honoured us by cutting the birthday cake, together with some of our patrons such as Petr Bučík, Partner of KPMG, Jan Los, Sales Director of SAP, Eva Williams, Vice Chairwoman at the British Chamber of Commerce in the CR, and Radek Špicar, Vice President at the Confederation of Industry of the CR. We were all able to enjoy great jazz music by the Greifoner jazz trio, watch a performance piece by the improvisation theatre Improvize, and admire the modern art and African statues of Anderle Gallery. The nice weather also allowed us to enjoy the villa’s garden with refreshments and a glass of choice wine. We believe that this evening was the beginning of a new tradition and we will be looking forward to meeting everybody next year to celebrate once again.

From left: Eva Williams, Patron of the European Leadership & Academic Institute, Vice Chairwoman at the British Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic, Chairwoman at Tesco Nadační Fond, Radek Špicar, Patron of the European Leadership & Academic Institute, Vice President of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic, Petr Jonák, Director of Corporate Communication, Advanced World Transport, Jan Los, Patron of the European Leadership & Academic Institute, Sales Director of SAP Czech Republic, and Irena Kalhousová, Co-Founder and Program Director of the European Leadership & Academic Institute, Chief Analyst of the Prague Security Studies Institute

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz Irena Kalhousová, Co-Founder and Program Director of the European Leadership & Academic Institute, Chief Analyst of the Prague Security Studies Institute and Lukáš Sedláček, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the European Leadership & Academic Institute, President of Oxford & Cambridge Alumni Society Czech Republic

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61 Participants

24.11.2011 12:44:32

launching alto grande coffee

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters and Alto Grande Presented Alto Grande Super Premium Coffee to the Czech Republic.

Alto Grande Super Premium Coffee was officially introduced by the US Ambassador to the Czech Republic on September 19, 2011 in his residence.

Representatives of the diplomatic community, finest hotels and restaurants and other business circles as well as the media were present at the event.

Alto Grande is one of only three super premium coffees in the world (together with Blue Mountain of Jamaica and Kona Coffee of Hawaii).

Since the 19th century Alto Grande Super Premium Coffee has become the favorite coffee of the Vatican and the royal and imperial courts of Europe and Japan.

Alto Grande Super Premium Coffee H.E. Norman Eisen, Ambassador of the USA

From left: Florian Müller, President and CEO, Mercedes-Benz CR, s.r.o. and Dr. Alan Krautstengl, Partner, Alto Grande s.r.o

From left: Vojtěch Kačerovský, General Manager, Hotel Jalta and Peter Knoll, General Manager, Kempinski Hybernská

Ing. Katerina Zalozhneva, General Manager, Hotel Klarov and Ing. Radek Dohnal, General Manager, TOP HOTEL Praha and Congress Centre

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From left: Patrick O’Brien and Ing. Zdeněk Bureš, Partner, Alto Grande

Renata Hendrychová, Grand Cafe Orient and Tomáš Břínek, Grand Cafe Orient

24.11.2011 12:41:02

Peter Formanek, President, Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Olga Rühle, MBA, Medon, s.r.o.

From left: Pavel Krejcárek, Castle Dobříš, Vladimíra Václavíková, Marketing and Editorial Director, Leaders Magazine, and Miroslav Krupař, Executive Chef, Hotel Evropa Ing. Eva Dvořáková, Executive General Manager, Hotel Ambassador and JUDr. Jakub Vozáb, Attorney at Law, Vozáb and Co.

Mrs. Mašínová and Mr. Mašín

From left: H.E. Norman Eisen, Ambassador of the USA, Marvin Lange, and Ellen Metzger Jana Ruckerová, Commercial Specialist, U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, American Embassy, and Dr. Alan Krautstengl, Partner, Alto Grande s.r.o.

This highest quality coffee grown in the mountains of Puerto Rico comes from a variety of shrub known as Arabic. Alto Grande Arabic is of the type Typica, Bourbon and Caturra and has the HB (hard beans) classification. Each Arabic tree only produces one pound of coffee a year, a limited production, but of an unsurpassable quality.

Alto Grande Super Premium Coffee is known as “the very best” because its unique Arabic beans are grown under ideal soil and climate conditions and processed to the most exacting standards. Experts enthusiastically describe it as “this rare and exotic Puerto Rican coffee has a very bright, sparkling flavor and a sweet pointed aroma”.

Alto Grande, s.r.o. is the exclusive importer of this coffee to the Czech Republic and Slovakia and was founded in 2011 to enable our coffee lovers and connoisseurs to enjoy the best the world of coffee has to offer. This fine product may be ordered at www.altogrande.cz where you can also find detailed information about the coffee.

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more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz From left: H.E. Jens Eikaas, Ambassador of Norway, H.E. Jose Luis Bernal, Ambassador of Mexico, H.E. Norman Eisen, Ambassador of the USA, and Dr. Alan Krautstengl, Partner, Alto Grande s.r.o.

24.11.2011 17:21:41

diplomatic event

National Day of the

From left: H.E. Mohammad Kabir Farahi, Ambassador of Iraq and H.E. Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Alsheikh, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia with his wife

KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

From left: H.E. Gabriel Oh, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, H.E. Victor Julian Hernandez, Ambassador of Venezuela, H.E. Nediljko Bilić, Ambassador of Bosnia and Hercegovina with his wife, and H.E. Frane Krnić, Ambassador of Croatia

From left: Mohammed Abduldaim, Deputy Head of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Ing. Milan Hovorka, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, and H.E. Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Alsheikh, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia From left: H.E. Cihad Erginay, Ambassador of Turkey and H.E. Aitzaz Ahmed, Ambassador of Pakistan

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H.E. Tagir Taghizadeh, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan with his wife

From left: H.E. Toshio Kunikata, Ambassador of Japan with his wife and H.E. George Monteiro Prata, Ambassador of Brazil

24.11.2011 12:27:20

From left: H.E. YU Qingtai, Ambassador of China and H.E. Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Alsheikh, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia

From left: Mrs. Marchiche, H.E. Stefan Gorda, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova with his wife, and H.E. Nina Nakashidze, Ambassador of Georgia

H.E. Daniela Anda Grigore Gitman, Ambassador of Romania and H.E. Mohamed Salaymeh, Ambassador of Palestine

From left: H.E. Aitzaz Ahmed, Ambassador of Pakistan, H.E. Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Alsheikh, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia, and H.E. Mohamed Salaymeh, Ambassador of Palestine

From left: H.E. Frane Krnić, Ambassador of Croatia and H.E. Kaspars Ozolinť, Ambassador of Latvia

H.E. Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Alsheikh, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in the middle of the Saudi Arabian volleyball team

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65 more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

24.11.2011 12:28:24

Spec Sp ecia ial Gu ial Gues estt: H. es H.E. E . Pas E. asqu qquuale alle DAv D’Av D’ Avin inno, new ew Amb mbasssaaddoor ooff Italy l in the in h Cze zechh Reppub ublil c Prese Pr essente enteer: M en Maarcco Si Sipi pione,, Depputy uty Ch C ai airm rman rm mann of It Ital Ital alia ian Visioon C ub andd Preesi Cl sideent nt of Ha Harv r ar rv ard’ d Aluumn d’ m i As A so soci ciat ci atio at ion. ion.

IN COOPPERATION WITH LEAD DERRS MAGAZINE

Being Ambassador in the Age of Globalization From left: Marco Sipione, Deputy Chairman, Italian Vision Club and President, Harvard’ Alumni Association and H.E. Pasquale D’Avino, new Ambassador of Italy in the Czech Republic

From right: Andreas Pieralli, Editor in Chief, Progetto Repubblica Ceca, Massimiliano Pastore, Attorney at Law, Smed Jorgensen Law Firm, Giulio Melli, Pi.emme, Francesco Aletti, Team Leader, OnLine, Anna Sabanci, Valeta Company, and Francesco Caprodossi, Manager, OnLine Tiziano Giraudo Ferrero, Vice President, Italian Vision Club

Chiara Angeloni, Member of the Governing Board, Italian Vision Club

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more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

From left: Massimo Bechi, Managing Director, ENI/AGIP CR, Lino De Marchi, Presidency Office, Regional Council of Veneto, Roberto Valente, Presidency Office, Regional Council of Veneto, Elena Peruzzo, Presidency Office, Regional Council of Veneto, Rossana Ruggero, Director, Italian Institute of Culture, John Robbart, Gianclemente De Felice, Deputy Italian Ambassador, and Andrej Fercej, Economic Counsellor, Embassy of Slovenia

25.11.2011 11:11:16

The Brand Called YOU Emil Jimenez started working in the communications industry in 1998 as a web designer in NYC. After graduating Rutgers University with a degree in Psychology he moved to Miami where he continued his education and received a Masters in Creative Communications from Florida International University and the renowned Miami Ad School. Mr. Jimenez has worked for United Bank of Switzerland, Citibank, MTV Latin America, Leo Burnett Budapest, Leo Burnett Prague, Lowe worldwide Prague and has recently opened Passion Communications.

Passion Communications is a full service communications agency which specializes in bridging traditional media with the digital world. emil@passioncommunications.com People are just like brands. They are born, they go through growing pains, they mature, and they die. However, many people fail to look at themselves as brands. It is a strange notion that we are a commodity to be bought and sold, however the reality is that we are always selling something. We sell our time in the form of a wage, we sell our desires by convincing others, and we even merge with other brands through the clothes we wear and the products we buy in order to elevate our own brand equity. As such, it is imperative that we manage ourselves as brands. This involves constantly adhering to your brand values, continuously managing your image, and building equity through reinvestments as well as strategic partnerships.

The very foundation of a brands are its values.

People and brands that stray away from those values tend to fail because they are not being true to themselves h l or their h i customers. For F allll off our clients li we create what we call a brand manifesto. One to three sentences which define the brand values and serve as the point of reference should any questions arise. This ensures that the messaging is consistent, clear and concise. A perfect example of a brand using its values as a foundation is Apple.

In 1997, Apple was dying. It had 3 months of working capital left when Steve Jobs was brought back as CEO. During the Apple conference that year Jobs began the conference by saying, “Marketing is about values, this is a very complicated world, a very noisy world, and we are not going to get the h chance for people to remember much about us. So we have to be really clear on what we want them to know about us.” After his speech, Jobs presented the marketing campaign which put Apple back on the map titled “Think Different”. It showed images of Picasso, Einstein, Audrey Hepburn, and the people in history who somehow or another thought different and brought the human race forward. As Jobs aptly said before showing the ads, “We know that if the people you are about to see were alive today, they would use a mac”. By realigning the Apple brand back to its roots of innovation Jobs saved the company from brink of collapse and was able to transcend and industry. In the case of Apple, Steve Jobs was the persona of the brand and his values were those of Apple. You too should define your values and stay true to them because in this complicated world, that is what people will remember. In the past people spoke of others as

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“honorable” but what they are truly saying is that these people have good values and can be trusted.

As values form the person on the inside, your brand image shows people who you are on the outside. The days where others will reward your hard work and pat you on the back are gone. As the workforce has become increasingly global and people move jobs frequently, the image you portray is vital for your brand. It is becoming significantly more difficult to climb the corporate ladder on merit alone. People must fine tune their image to fit how they want to be portrayed. According to marketing expert Seth Godin, “Many of us are taught to do our best and then let the world decide how to judge us. I think it’s better to do your best and decide how you want to be judged. And act that way.” What is most interesting from this quote is the h liline about b hhow one should h ld “act “ that h way”. ” As A the h saying goes, perception is reality. If you perceive to the world that you are a confident and successful brand, the world will believe you. That being said, if you as a brand begin to steer yourself from your core values and try to be someone you are not, eventually you will be brought to light. In the age of social media this form of publicity can be very dangerous.

Your social media profile is your first impression and first line of defense, therefore you should guard it with your life. Similar to when people are making a purchhase, the h f irst thing h they h wililll do is Googlle you.

As a brand you should make sure that there are no compromising images, negative comments or inaccurate information. Managing your brand online is just as important as managing yourself in the real world. This involves creating a network of friends in your professional and personal world that can account for your credibility. Major brands increase their credibility through corporate social responsibility programs yet people can do this through positive comments from colleagues. These people are not just your colleagues, they are your audience and advocates. Recently Google launch a new search algorithm called Panda and according to many search experts the number one criteria for search is now user generated comments. Therefore just like brands depend on word of mouth for promotion, so should you.

The last building block in a successful brand YOU is increasing your brand equity. Brands generally do

Emil Jimenez Photo: Brian Fleming

this by building relationships with other brands as is the case with celebrity endorsements, sponsorships, or mergers. People too need to build this equity but this should be done through business associations, reinvesting in yourself, and surrounding yourself with people who are better than you.

Business associations will work well for advertising your product, building business relationships, and increasing your credibility as a good person to do busi bu sine ness ss witith. h. Inv nves estiting ng in yo your urse selflf thr hrou ough gh tra rain inin ingg and education is crucial because these newly acquired skills increase your brand value. In addition, it helps in the process of reinventing yourself and not resting on your laurels. Which leads me to why you should surround yourself with people who are better than you. When one is challenged by their peers in mutual respect, it is best for all. At Passion Communications we have a saying that if we are both agreeing, one of us isn´t working. This constant struggle to maintain yourself at the top of your game keeps you hungry and humble. There is always someone else is out there trying to knock you off your pedestal so mange yourself and your brand accordingly. In conclusion, stay true to your values, keep consistent in your brand message, and always seek to improve the brand called YOU.

By Emil Jimenez, CEO, CCO, Passion Communications I

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24.11.2011 17:36:08

networking/charity IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

Guest of Honor: Ing. Pavel Páral, Editor in Chief of the weekly EURO and leading economic journalist Topic: The economic crisis of the euro and the European Union

Photos: Antonín Míka

Lions Club

From left: JUDr. PhDr. Oldřich Choděra, Lawyer, Charterpresident of LC Praha Bohemia Ambassador and former Governor of LCI D122 Czech Republic and Slovak Republic and Prof. ThDr. Jiří Huber, Dean, Vyšehradská kapitula

Prague Bohemia Ambassador

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more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

From left: Benke Aikell, your Publisher, Mirko Lachman, Senior Advisor, Leaders Magazine, MUDr. Blanka Seifertová, General Practitioner, and JUDr. PhDr. Oldřich Choděra, Lawyer, Charterpresident of LC Praha Bohemia Ambassador and former Governor of LCI D122 Czech Republic and Slovak Republic

25.11.2011 12:43:57

JUDr. Vladimír Galuška, Lawyer and MUDr. Blanka Seifertová, General Practitioner

Ing. Pavel Páral, Editor in Chief, EURO, Guest of Honor of this evening

From left: Ing. Jiří Málek, former President of LC Praha Bohemia Ambassador, Ing. Milan Maxa, Director and Owner, TECHEM CZ, s.r.o. Praha, and Ing. Jiří Nejezchleb, Tax Advisor MUDr. Blanka Seifertová, General Practitioner and Ing. Jiří Opichal, Executive Head, Allimex Trading s.r.o. and former President of LC Praha Bohemia Ambassador

Photo: Tomáš Novák, EURO

From left: JUDr. Vladimír Galuška, Lawyer and Ing. Anton Gerák, CSc., Commercial Director, Secretary, LCI D122 Czech Republic and Slovak Republic

From left: PhDr. Karel Vondrášek, Entrepreneur, PhDr. Ladislav Říha, Owner, CK RI-Tours and former President of LC Praha Bohemia Ambassador, and Ing. Tomáš Jadrníček, Project Engineer

From left: PhDr. Martin Komárek, Chief Commentator, MF Dnes and Ing. Jiří Nejezchleb, Tax Advisor

From left: Ing. Jiří Opichal, Executive Head, Allimex Trading s.r.o. and former President of LC Praha Bohemia Ambassador, Ing. Antonín Mika, Regional Director for Foreign Trade, and Ing. Jiří Málek, former President of LC Praha Bohemia Ambassador

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24.11.2011 13:19:11

Helena Kroftová Leisztner Helena Kroftová Leisztner is a painter, a photographer and a clothing designer all wrapped up in one package, and she’s presenting her creations with her own multimedia Art & Fashion Show in the Czech Republic and abroad. All her work and her seminars are coining the phrase; “Intuition is the God for all of us”.

Her inspiration has come from Prague, Paris and, most significantly, Venice. Venice is her most magical city with its influence of movement, as well as its energy of water, salt and seaweed that brings the stones to life. Her exhibition expresses a human desire to conserve the kaleidoscopic images and the eternal existence of this unique city, while enhancing these feelings even more so. Her photographs of Venice have been prepared in the format on 150 x 150 cm and 10 x 10 cm canvases. These Italian mandalas are also a part of these listed luxurious design studios: Versace, Ipe Cavalli, Visionnaire, Abitare, and Luxury Living by Studio Nika.

Nika Mrs. Leisztner is an avid traveler, which is why her work has a lot of cultural influences. She’s developed the technique from Spain and Latin America, and mainly creates her artworks in squares and circles. The mandala is a symbol of infinity with the energy coming from within the center, which this energy is redirected back to achieve the harmony from all her creations.

Her visit to Thailand has also influ influenced enced her work to such an extent that she started to arrange her oil paintings and create mandalas of women’s bodies with erotic undertones underr the name “Colours of Women”.

These images mainly involve the orgasmic feelings and other female emotions. The paintings are supplemented by her own poetry.

Addi Ad ditition onal al pho hoto toss in incl clud uded ed witithh th thee “C Col olou ours rs of Women” series, depict other the feminine symbols from Tenerife and the Amazon.

Project Praga Caput Regni – Rei publicae, PRIZES 1988 – ZENIT – ČSSR Young Fashion Designer 1990 – TALENT ‘90 – 30 Ways of Clothing 2003 – Masaryk Academy of Art Prize (for synthesizing visual arts) 2006 – Nominated for Woman of the Year for culture Ing. Helena Kroftová Leisztner leisztner@mybox.cz www.leisztner-art.com

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Arts in Washington, as well as a member of the Women’s forum, and a patron of Ženy.s.r.o.

Helena has also received citations for her fashion designs. She also has received the award from the Masaryk Academy of Art for her synthesis of visual arts. She’s very well received by renowned individuals such as M. Forman, and A. Bocceli. Her work was also published in R.B. Maniscalchi’s book, “Celebrity and Fine Art”, which is available in the National Library of New York and in Florence.

THE INTERNATIONAL PRIZE LIMEN ART

2005, is another part of the exhibition, which consists of artistic fashion designs with national colors and icons, along with images of Czech Miss, Miss Universe, Miss International, and Miss Earth. Mrs. Leisztner’s specialty is creating them th emat atic ic clo lotthi hing ng pro rodduct ctss, as wellll as th the logos of prestigious companies, such as the endoscope and the Japanese flag for Fujifilm Fujinon Fy, Siemens, and International Biennial of Modern Art, National Gallery.

One of her most interesting pictures is Eden with the 3D turning effect, which was selected for the International Exhibition of Modern Art, an exhibition of 27 artists from 27 EU countries, organized under the auspices of Rotary International in Paris, La Coupole, on March–October.

Although it is not very typical for her, Mrs. Leisztner is currently involved in the production of unusual corner showers, side panels and ceramic tiles. Apart from this and her many other activities, she is one of the founding and Board members of the Czech Citizens’ Association – Friends of the National Museum of Women in the

The International Prize Limen Art: is an important manifestation of international contemporary art, which celebrates its third edition in 2011. It is organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Vibo Valentia (Calabria) and is reserved to artists, both Italian and foreigners, selected by a restrict number of art critics in the following areas: painting, installation on the wall, installation on the ground, sculpture and ambient. The Director of the International Prize Limen Art is Prof. Giorgio Di Genova, a well known Contemporary Art Historian, while it is being curated by Prof. Genny di Bert, Art Critic and Art Historian, Journalist and Professor at Rome University of Fine Arts.

Helena Kroftová Leisztner will be representing the Czech Republic at the International Prize Limen Art with her painting „Sans Mandal“ from her Project Venice. „Sans Mandal“ is a painting full of stones in the diamond style. It is in the colour of champagne.

Helena Kroftová Leisztner’s painting has been selected for the painting’s area, taking in to account Ing. Leisztner‘s creativity in performing in many artistic areas such as design, painting, fashion, photograph etc., always with extremely good res go esul ults ts.. In add ddititio ion, n, the sel elec ectitive ve com ommi mitt tee appreciated the sophisticated technique, the multicultural contamination and the strong combination between emotion and rationality, that are found in Ing. Helena Kroftová Leisztner’s works.

The exhibit will take place from December, 16th 2011 to January, 25th 2012.

VENICE INFINITY The kaleidoscopic rendering is a desire to preserve this world “super-jewel”. This is the reason why there are so many paintings symbolizing eternity, They are hinged, with 3D effect, filled with colored stones, and emphasizing symbolically the desire of mankind for the preservation and protection of cultural values.

The imagge of San Mar a co is a sy symb mbol ol of a modern monstrance.

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25.11.2011 12:07:30

Gondols in the Night (150 x 150 cm) – Venice infinity

San Marco (150 x 150 cm) – Venice infinity and Petra Soukupová, Czech Miss 2006 participant in Helena Leisztner Kroftová’s variable dress

Project Praga Caput Regni – Rei publicae – 2005–2011

Unusual shower

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Photo: Paul Pacey

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24.11.2011 18:32:22

An interview with Pavel Smetáček, Clarinettist, Composer and Leader of Traditional Jazz Studio

A PASSION FOR JAZZ Pavel Smetáček (*1940) graduated as a clarinetist from the Prague Conservatory in 1963. He then studied musicology at the Charles University Faculty of Arts in Prague, but after two years he was expelled due to ideological disagreements.

In 1959, he and his brother Ivan founded Traditional Jazz Studio band. They performed all round the world, cooperated with prominent Czechoslovak and foreign personalities, and released over 40 LPs and CDs albums and 30 SPs not only at home, but also abroad. Pavel Smetáček also tried to convey his music to people through articles in newspapers and journals, TV and radio broadcasting. After the Velvet Revolution he joined the Czechoslovak People’s Party (now Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People’s Party, KDU-ČSL) and engaged himself in municipal politics in Prague (1990–1994). In 1994 he became First Counsellor at the Czech Embassy in Rome. After almost five years, he decided to leave the diplomatic service to dedicate himself fully to music, to writing memoirs and foundation activities. He received a number of Czech as well as foreign awards for his activities.

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Photo: Vladimír Weiss

23.11.2011 17:23:41

You are from a musical family. While young, did you consider a direction other than music?

I considered other things as well, but I soon realized that I wanted to devote myself fully to music.

Why did you choose the clarinet?

My fat athe herr, Vác ácla lavv Sm Smet etáč áček ek, wa wass no nott on only ly a con onductor, but as an instrumentalist, he was also an oboist. He was a founder and leader of the first Czech chamber wind group – Prague Wind Quintet, whose rehearsals he conducted in our flat. I liked all the instruments: oboe, flute, clarinet, bassoon and french-horn. I was most captivated by the clarinet, both by its beautiful sound as well as tone register, andd by genre miscellaneousness. The clarinet is used in almost all genres of Euro-American music culture including jazz. My sympathies to the clarinet were also influenced by the personality of a sympathetic gentleman who played the clarinet in my father’s quintet. He took care of me a lot and explained everything to me patiently. This was Professor Vladimír Říha, who by coincidence became my teac te ache herr at the Conservatory t t wenty years later.

What attracts you to jazz?

Jazz always got and still gets me excited over its flexible tension between output prepared in advance and output that is always new, which is directly improvised during the performance. It is not always possible to determine precisely which of these components in an individual jazz performance prevails. As a result, jazz music is equivocal and impressively surprising and even arouses dramatic thririlllls. th s.

Why traditional jazz?

Modern jazz is as a matter of fact traditional too.

When Wh en I was you oung ng “sw swin ing” g was in ititss fu fullll str tren engt gthh and early “be-bop” matured concurrently, which later became a part of larger style of jazz called “mainstream”. The development of each traditional culture lasts for a long time and possesses qualities that allow its use in various environments environments, functions and social fulfilments. For the music to be comprehensible, it has to be grounded in more traditional roots, not only repeated solely, but to exist in an intelligibly creative relationship. This was and is the case with jazz. Jazz became, unlike the other local cultltur cu ures es, a co cosm smopolit litan phhenomenon with constant internal development. It is not possible to play in the same way all the time without any relation to the environment which is constantly changing. It is necessary not only to process changes, but also to fulfil them with the overlap into permanent communicativeness. Traditional jazz, as we envisaged in our early years, had both style cohesiveness and open op enne ness ss. It is ov over er f ififty ty yea ears rs since our begi ginning, i during which many other musicians with their personal output have continued to grow. We are trying to reflect these changes, and at the same time to remain ourselves.

Did you have a role model?

My primary role model was Louis Armstrong, of course. However, Afro-American, alto saxopphonist Benn Be nnyy Ca Cart rter er witithh hi hiss or orch ches estr tras as and cha hamb mber er jaz azzz influenced me even earlier. As for the clarinettist, Albert Nicholas from New Orleans, with whom we, as band, played and recorded, affected us most

closely. These are people who were born at the beginning of the 20th century and got on worldwide from their twenties. Then swing musicians came, of whom Benny Goodman appealed to me most.

What led you to found your own group?

It was an eff f fort to do not only something that would amuse me or my brother, but also to convey our music to a broader circle of people. In the autumn of 1957 we founded two student groups (The South Dixie and The Traditional Jazzmen) that merged in 1959. Generally, young pubescent people deeply and sincerely oppose authority. At that time we did not opp ppos osee ou ourr pa pare rent ntss, but the regime which controlled us in Czechoslovakia. Jazz was presented in the frontier between a so-called culture of American imperialism and suffering black people. So it was interpreted in these two ways. On the one hand, it really bears inside the divergence of all regional folk cultures, on the other hand, it goes beyond them by its cosmopolitan nature. If we wanted to playy in pu p blic,, we had ad to be approved officially and registered. So we were not forbidden, but ideological officers were suspicious of us.

How were your first public performances?

At first, we performed among our schoolmates and relatives. Outside of our circles of families and friends we first gained useful public experience through the Competitions of Youth Creativity, which were ideologically very pro-regime. We mostly failed there, while those who played academically sterile pseu ps eudo do-j -jaz azzz we were re pra rais ised ed, be beca caus usee th they ey did not threaten their surroundings by broadminded individuality.

Why did you choose the name Traditional Jazz Studio?

When we merged two bands into one in 1959, the new group was named from the authority as follows: Study group of traditional jazz by the Circle of jazz and modern dance music of the Company committee of the Revolutionary trade movement of national enterprise State music publisherr (Studijní skupina tradičního jazzu při Kruhu jazzové a moderní taneční hudby Závodního výboru Revolučního odborového hnutí národního podniku Státní hudeb ební ní v yd ydav avat atel elství). It was an unpronounceable name. That’s why we decided to shorten it to the Study Group of Traditional Jazz. In spite of the fact that we did not intend to change the name, because we managed to get into general awareness, in the middle of the sixties our father, director and principal conductor of the Prague Symphonic Orchestra enabled us to create a multilingual brochure through g his colleagues in publicity. They recommended an unified English name not to be translated into individual languages: Traditional Jazz Studio. I found it reasonable, so I thanked them and accepted their proposal. Although it is a compound name, it is apt and a bit shorter in comparison to the previous ones.

Again, it was not only our idea.

You performed all over the world. Does the environment influence you during your performance? Is it reflected in the degree of your improvisation?

The hall or other space is sometimes decisive and

sometimes not. Jazz as music is suitable for very different environs and everywhere asserts itself with a whole miscellaneousness of content. However, various environments change jazz a bit in some so me det etai ails ls: in a smallller spa pace ce it is mor oree in intitima mate te and immediate.

Where do you find incentives for your musical activities?

Initially in my family, which did not keep me at home even in my childhood, so I used to go out at a very young age. I was influenced by theatre as well as concert environments. On the other hand, I wa wass al also so aff ffec ecte tedd by pla lace cess ou outt sid ide off Prague, even country environs, where I used to visit my relatives.

You worked in diplomatic services for a while.

Why? My parents were brought up in the representative democracy of the First Czechoslovak Republic. My father also met diplomats accompanying a foreign solo so lois istt wh whoo co coop oper erat ated ed witithh us us. In thi hiss so soci ciet etyy I go gott to know terms such as democratic governance and foreign, not only cultural relations. After the fall of the Iron Curtain I considered it natural to be interested in work in the diplomatic services. At the beginning of the 1990’s I joined the Czechoslovak People’s Party, later the KDU-ČSL, for which I was elected a member of the Prague 7 Local Authority and became the chairman of the Culture Committee.

During my party activities I took up with the then president of the KDU-ČSL,, Josef Lu Lux. x. He no nomi mina nate tedd me for a vac acat atedd postt off thhe ambassador to Rome.

However, with regard to the party coalition’s ties I became First Cou ouns nsel ello lor.r.

Were your expectations fulfilled?

I served in the diplomatic services with honest devotion, especially in Rome. Although a diplomat is a member of the white-collar state, they live and work in a bohemian, even unrestrained way and means. The work includes less administration than means societal meetings, negotiations and travelling. So you are in various environments. I also established many steady friendships there.

What languages do you speak?

I ha hadd to com ommu muni nica cate te pro rofe fess ssio iona nallllyy in It alilian, with my German-speaking colleagues in German and with others in English if possible. In my music career I also used Russian, Polish and Spanish.

What are you working on now?

I am now trying to document and make available the lifelong work of myself and my colleagues. I do almost nothing else other than look for tangible docu do cume ment nts, s, pre ress ss res espo pons nses es, ph phot otos os and not yet released records. As for the group itself, we travel and play with regard to my colleagues’ commitments, who play in other groups or teach.

That’s why we do not have more than fifty performances a year. The public subjectivity of Traditional Jazz Studio is based on ideas rather than on administration.

By Zuzana Kasáková I český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

Leaders d Magazine i VI/201 I 1

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global perspectives

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

Jan M端hlfeit Chairman Europe Microsoft Corporation Photo: Paul Pacey

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global perspectives

SHOULD WE PROTECT JOBS OR THE PEOPLE? According to Moore’s law, the number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits doubles every 18 months, signifying a 100% exponential growth in IT and electronic capability and the vast potential and increasing power technology has in today’s world and on our society and lives. This trend has existed for more than half a century and will be expected to continue into the future. With the current economic crisis and rising trend of long-term unemployment and youth joblessness across Europe, we have to ask ourselves; are people prepared for jobs of the future?

As the Economist wrote in one of their recent articles, “Globalisation and technological innovation are bringing about long-term changes in the world economy that are altering the structure of the labour market”. Although what we had 20 years ago; trains, cars, the internet etc. are still in existence, how they function today is very different from then. Take for example a Mercedes vehicle today: it has an average of 19 computers, and about 60% of manufacturing cost goes into software for the car. This was certainly not the way cars worked 10 years ago, and will probably not be 10 years later. The truth is: we are no longer in the industrial era of the past, but in a new period of re-industrialisation. Technological acceleration is changing how things are done today at a much faster pace, and hence our policies, education system and labour reforms will have to keep up with this change if we are to harness the full potential of technology for our people and economy in the long run.

PROTECT PEOPLE, NOT JOBS If we take a look at the skills pyramid developed by the INSEAD eLab, it shows us the three types of skills needed for continuous innovation and sustainable growth to happen; literacy and basic skills, followed by occupational skills and global knowledge economy talents. Technological developments will ensure that the skills pyramid continues to evolve, and occupational skills required today will continue to evolve tomorrow.

Therefore, we should protect people and prepare them for future jobs, rather than protecting the existence of current jobs which might no longer be in existence tomorrow, through education, re-skilling, up-skilling and life-long learning.

One appalling fact about today’s labour force is that 90% of jobs in the future require basic ICT skills, and yet 38% of Europe’s workforce has no eSkills. Statistics from the OECD also show that between one-third and two-thirds of the adult population do not master minimum levels of the core skills necessary to cope with the complexities of life and work in the 21st century, due to missed opportunities in early childhood and school education – the determinant factor of skills. Furthermore,

there is a disproportionate share of those out of work are young, and youth unemployment is on a rise, signalling lower future wages and greater likelihood of future unemployment, together with a vicious unemployment cycle if we do not address the skills disparity soon enough.

LET’S LOOK BEYOND GDP Now with a clear mismatch in skills our workforce has today with the jobs available, let’s look into the root of the problem which is skills. Clearly, looking at our GDP, we are not progressing at maximum capacity, and any economist would tell you that our GDP could grow more.

If we continue to look take the approach of looking inward into how we can increase GDP, we might be able to solve demographic and debt issues at most, but we are still not tackling the root problem, which are the factors that impact skills in our workforce. We need a change in perspective in addressing unemployment both as economic issues, but also the social side of the coin. It is really about upgrading our education system, putting in place labour reform policies and investing in up-skilling and re-skilling our workforce, and integrate life-wide and life-long learning into our society.

Earlier this year, it was published in the Harvard Business Review about how educational structures in our global, innovation-based economy of the 21st century should focus on life-wide learning. It also cited that we are more ready than ever today in making that shift in our education model; not just because we have an imminent need to meet society’s needs, but because we can no longer finance and support an educational system based on inefficient use of expensive human labour. Instead, modern technologies are providing us ways of coordinating a distributed system of learning and teaching to benefit both educators and students in maximising on opportunities to learn in and outside of the classroom. So let’s look beyond GDP and into how we can take advantage of technology to grow skills in our workforce and long-term potential in our economy.

TAKE A SPOONFUL OF POLITICAL COURAGE On the policy side, I’m sure there’s no lack of ideas and policies on how we can up-skill the labour force and reach long-term sustainable growth in GDP. Denmark has shown a great example with their Flexicurity policy, investing in a social system that heavily focuses on retraining and up-skilling the unemployed. Germany’s labour policy of having some days of up-skilling integrated into a five-day work week is another fine example of a policy that has seen benefits reaped for its society today. However, how many politicians have the courage to see this through? I bring this question to you, at the same time quoting the former Finnish Prime Minister, Esko Aho on his decision to increase spending on

education amidst the cut in government spending after the fall of the USSR in 1991. As he said, a politician should always look at the long-term vision for the country, and be prepared not to be re-elected with short-term unpopular policy roll-out.

Speaking of policies, current hiring/firing policies should be relooked to make way for more flexible labour laws, for instance, making it easier for SMEs to hire and fire. I cannot emphasise further, the importance of SMEs in the European economy, where 90 million jobs in Europe are fuelled by 23 million small businesses, and are vital for innovation in Europe to flourish.

Similarly, we should also continue to enhance and develop high-level business universities partnerships to generate the “Global Knowledge Economy” skills which Europe needs to be a leader in innovation. Just take a look at some of the unique models emerging for example Innovation university in Finland, putting together technology, art and economy.

EMPOWERING YOUTH AND ENCOURAGING LIFE-LONG LEARNING Coupled with this policy shift, a perspective shift to protect people and not the jobs alone by investing in life-long learning and up-skilling is also crucial. As I just highlighted, it is especially important in youth to gain practical working skills and knowledge outside of the classroom to increase productivity. I know organisations which focus on youth development such as AIESEC, which does a great job at empowering youth with skills for their future, by giving youth opportunities to work abroad, interact and work with different cultures and build soft-skills all through experiential learning. By supporting and investing in youth organisations that encourage life-wide and life-long learning in our future generations, this can be done.

One important takeaway from my article this time is that; learning and education, when acquired, will always remain in you – the individual, and with this knowledge we will continue to learn and build other learning on it.

Statistics from the OECD has also shown that an extra year of education brings about a higher long-term employability for an individual. Today, it is more about how we can enable human talent to catch-up with how technology is enabling the economy. And as much as there has been said about waste in the environment, why not start focusing on how we can stop wasting human talent?

Jan Mühlfeit Chairman Europe Microsoft Corporation český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

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CFO club event

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

Photo: Jakub Joachim

CFO CLUB:

From left: Jan Bubeník, Founder and Managing Partner, Bubenik Partners, Martin Klika, Consultant, Egon Zehnder International, Dean Brabec, Managing Director CEE, Arthur D. Little and CFO Club President, Petra Grabmayer, Country Manager for the CZ, Pedersen & Partners, and Michal Źižka, Managing Partner, Sunberg s.r.o.

SITUATION ON THE CFO MARKET AFTER THE CRISIS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS The programme for the regular CFO Club member meetings continued on Wednesday, October 19, at the AUREOLE Fusion Restaurant & Lounge with a discussion and social evening focused chiefly on current and anticipated developments on the CFO market. Moderated by Dean Brabec, CEE Managing Director of Arthur D. Little and President of the CFO Club, the speakers on the discussion panel were: Michal Žižka, Managing Partner of Sunberg; Jan Bubeník, Founder and Managing Partner of Bubenik Partners; Martin Klika, Consultant for Egon Zehnder International; and Petra Grabmayer, Country Manager for the Czech Republic at Pedersen & Partners. The close of the discussion part of the evening was followed by the social part, which featured a buffet and Davidoff cigars tasting.

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View of the restaurant Aureole Fusion

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

24.11.2011 13:52:22

From left: Eliška Hašková Coolidge, Eva Vašková Čejková, Partner, ConPro, s.r.o., and Petr Budinský, Vice President for Business and External Relations, Vysoká škola finanční a správní, o.p.s.

From left: Alois Kohout, Chief Financial Officer and Administrative Director, ISS Facility Services s.r.o. and Jiří Šmíd, Chief Clerk, Finance Director, AVE CZ odpadové hospodářství s.r.o.

From left: Martin Kašák, Regulation and Legislation Expert, ČEZ, a. s. and Dean Brabec, Managing Director CEE, Arthur D. Little and CFO Club President

From left: Martin Novák, Member of the Board, Chief Financial Officer, ČEZ, a. s. and Dean Brabec, Managing Director CEE, Arthur D. Little and CFO Club President

From left: Martin Klika, Consultant, Egon Zehnder International, Jan Bubeník, Founder and Managing Partner, Bubenik Partners, Dean Brabec, Managing Director CEE, Arthur D. Little and CFO Club President, Petra Grabmayer, Country Manager for the CZ, Pedersen & Partners, and Michal Źižka, Managing Partner, Sunberg s.r.o.

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From left: Dirk Simons, Vice Chairman of the Board, CFO, RWE Transgas, a.s., Patrik Choleva, Vice Chairman of the Board and Chief Financial Officer, Skanska a.s., and Petr Michálek, Director of Finance Department, Skanska a.s.

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

Business May Be Your Life – But – Life Is Your Business Part XIII: The Alchemy of Life A, B

James A. Cusumano, PhD

“Alchemy is an experiential journey of intentionally reaching your full potential at an accelerated rate.”

Dr. Theresa Bullard, Alchemist & Physicist KEY CONCEPTS: Alchemy is an art and science that has been developed over the last several thousand years, and has been completely misunderstood by many people over the centuries, due primarily to the actions of Medieval, wealth-seeking, charlatans who pretended to be alchemists as a means of extorting financial support from royalty.

Many of the most successful authentic alchemists who developed this science have been famous historical figures such as Lao-Tzu, Pythagoras, Aristotle and Isaac Newton, and in modern times, even Albert Einstein studied alchemy.

True alchemists exist to this very day in all walks of life, and their primary goal is to speed up physical and conscious evolution, and in doing so, to expand human awareness, and accelerate the evolution of Nature towards perfection.

Alchemy is the predecessor of today’s modern sciences such as chemistry, physics, pharmacology, and psychology. In addition to its powerful potential for elevating human consciousness, it provides the means to produce healing herbal medicinals and essential oils.

A MISUNDERSTOOD ART AND SCIENCE Alchemy – the ancient predecessor of modern chemistry, physics, pharmacology, psychology and other sciences – is a powerful art and science that has existed for thousands of years, but has been vastly misunderstood by most people.

Why is this? Over the centuries there were three primary reasons. First, the human potential of alchemy is so significant that it has usually threatened those in power, particularly governments and organized religions, because alchemy provides great power to the individual, diminishing the need for organized governing institutions. Thus, faced with persecution, humiliation and in centuries gone by, with torture and death, true alchemists went “underground” and hid their secrets in complex and often unintelligible formulas and symbols (See Figure 1).

Second, alchemy was maligned and misused by charlatans who thought they could discover the Philosopher’s Stone,

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the ultimate metaphorical goal of the alchemist, and was purported to provide an elixir of immortality and the means to transform base metals such as lead into noble metals such as silver or gold. These misguided greedy “quacks” frequently appropriated significant funds from royalty and aristocrats with the promise of “eventually” delivering great riches and immortality. However, nobility, at times impatient, uncovered these imposters and more often than not the charlatans discovered their own mortality at the gallows or guillotine.

ALCHEMY RE-EMERGES Alchemy has also met with disdain in modern times for a thirdd reason, and it is perhaps even more significant in today’s social settings. Successful alchemy requires intimate participation of the alchemist’s body, mind and spirit. Spirit here does not have a religious connotation, but refers to consciousness. Since development of the scientific method during the 18th century when the then combined disciplines of science and philosophy went their separate ways, references to the terms spirit, consciousness or soul have made people uncomfortable and suspicious of any subject that has involved these ephemeral concepts.

However, developments in quantum physics have forced science to come face-to-face with spirit and consciousness once again 1 and, as a consequence there is an emerging rekindled interest in alchemy. Modern quantum physics has proven that the “reality” we experience through our five senses is not true reality; the “observer” and the “observed” are intimately entangled together and cannot be separated 2.

In simple terms, our consciousness directly creates what we see in the world, and for that matter in the universe. In other words, everything is a vibrational energy field going in and out of existence. It is observation that brings our five-sensebased perception of “reality” into focus.

Alchemy has been metaphorically compared to a universal force that behaves as an underground “river” that surfaced at certain points in history to facilitate physical and conscious evolution and then re-submerged when the powers that be were threatened by its presence. Its force has been cited historically as responsible for the births of farming and animal domestication; cities; the technologies of ancient Egypt and Persia; the technologies of ancient Greece and Rome; the Renaissance; the Belle Epoch; the Industrial revolution; and even our modern Information Age – e.g., Steve Jobs, cofounder of Apple Computer was a student of alchemy.

The growing interest in alchemy can be seen by the significant success of the International Alchemy Conferences, held each of the last several years in Long Beach, California. These conferences have been attended by several hundred international participants, including both conventional scientists and practicing alchemists, the latter having kept a low profile until recently 3. The conferences have been the largest public gathering of alchemists in more than 500 years.

WHAT IS ALCHEMY? Alchemy is the art and science of transformation and transmutation. It has been called the “Ancient Science of the Soul,” and is a physical and spiritual technology for the

evolution of humankind. It provides a means to catalyze or speed up physical and conscious evolution. Its key objective is to expand human awareness, purify and heal the self – physically, mentally, spiritually – and to intentionally accelerate the evolution of Nature towards perfection 4.

Most of us think of alchemy as a strictly laboratory science, with the alchemist toiling long hours in a smoke filled laboratory. In part, this is correct. However, an extensive component of alchemy addresses consciousness and deals with the nature of true reality and how to transition it closer to perfection. In fact, there are numerous practicing alchemists throughout the world today, who do not spend time in a laboratory, but focus on the alchemical nature of consciousness.

This approach was highly developed by the famous psychiatrist, Carl Jung (1875–1961).

An important aspect of alchemy is that it is not necessary to be a technically trained professional to practice it. It is an art and science that anyone can study, understand and practice. There are several recent books that provide an excellent introduction to the subject 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Those by Dennis William Hauck are particularly easy to understand and provide practical guidance.

WHERE DID ALCHEMY COME FROM? The term alchemy comes from the Arabic word “al Khemia”, meaning from the land of Khem, another name for ancient Egypt 10. Alchemy was discovered, developed, and practiced in Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Persia, India, Japan, Korea, China, in Classical Greece and Rome, in the Muslim civilizations, and then in Europe up to the 19th century – in a complex network of schools and philosophical systems spanning at least 2,500 years 11. Throughout the centuries, great alchemists have included Lao-Tzu (6th Century BC), author of Tao Te Ching; Pythagoras (580–490 BCE), mathematician and philosopher; Aristotle (384–322 BCE), philosopher; Rumi (1207–1273), Sufi Mystic; Roger Bacon (1214–1294), scientist and physician; Robert Boyle (1627–1691), Father of modern chemistry; Isaac Newton (1642–1727) physicist; Carl Jung (1875–1961), psychologist; among many others.

The secrets of pure alchemy are said to have been written in a single document known as the “Emerald Tablet” 12 (See Figure 2). It contained a metaphorically coded formulation that was said to provide the means by which all transformation and creation occurs in the universe. It was noted that those A) EDITOR’S NOTE – This is Part XIII in a series of articles based on the author’s experience as an entrepreneur, having founded several successful businesses, including Catalytica Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a billion-dollar public company. His business experience base spans “5 lives” – Recording artist; R&D Director for Exxon; Chairman & founder of 2 public companies; CEO, founder and Executive Producer for Chateau Wally Films; Chairman & Owner of Chateau Mcely, an international award-winning luxury hotel & SPA. This article is extracted from his latest book, presently in preparation and entitled, “Business May Be Your Life Bout Life is Your Business – Tales of Purpose, Passion & Enterprise.”

B) The author may be reached at Jim@ChateauMcely.Com.

Leaders Magazine VI/2011

24.11.2011 18:45:22

TO BE CONTINUED...

who were able to translate the pictorial metaphors on this tablet discovered powers that enabled them to assume more fully their role as co-creators of themselves and the universe with what alchemist refer to as the Source or the One 13. It is most interesting to read the Arabic and Latin translations of the Emerald Tablet and especially that by Sir Isaac Newton, a practicing alchemist and one of the most accomplished scientists of all times 14.

SHOULD ALCHEMY BE OF INTEREST TO YOU? Although alchemy has been practiced successfully in the physical, chemical, herbal and medicinal sciences, ultimately its true goal has been expressed eloquently by Dr. Theresa Bullard. “The true meaning of “immortality” and achieving the Philosopher’s Stone is the Individuation of the alchemist him/herself. With individuation comes the full realization and acceptance that as spirit, we are immortal, that death is merely a transformation from one cycle into the next, and that it is our birthright and purpose to fully awaken and manifest our divine potential in this physical world.” Dr. Bullard offers an astute summary of alchemy, its history and what it can do for the individual. She rightly states that, unlike the much maligned reputation that alchemy has garnered over the ages, its concepts and methods are now beginning to gain respectable recognition in modern science in areas such as Quantum Field Theory, Systems Theory, the Holographic Model, Quantum Entanglement and Non-locality studies, String Theory and the Zero-Point Field.

What about lead to gold and immortality? Based on known principles of modern chemistry and physics, it is not possible to transmute lead into gold at normal laboratory conditions. This is only possible to a very limited extent in a nuclear reactor, where changes can occur within the atomic nucleus of lead and convert it to a gold atom. Thus, any successful transmutation of lead to gold in a chemical or alchemical laboratory would require the power of the laws of meta-physics.

Since there is no concrete proof that the Philosopher’s Stone was ever synthesized by any alchemist, it may well be that this term is a metaphor for the change from something of lesser value to something of greater value, i.e., forced evolutionary change toward perfection. As Dr. Bullard notes, “In seeking to turn the “lead” of your own being into “gold,” you step onto a journey of transformation that gives purpose and direction to your life.”

However, to balance this perspective on the transmutation of base metals, we should note that successful creation of the Philosopher’s Stone has been alluded to by Isaac Newton in a letter to the famous chemist and alchemist Robert Boyle, wherein Newton begged Boyle not to disclose this secret to humanity as its presence in the hands of the “ordinary man” could well cause global havoc 15. Also, Nicolas Flamel, perhaps the most dedicated and accomplished of all European alchemists and who lived during the 14th century, is alleged to have produced the Philosopher’s Stone and to have created from it the “Elixir of Life” which was ingested by his wife, Perenelle who received immortality.

Returning to the “mortal” state, it can be said that alchemy

provides you with the power and capabilities to create those changes you want most to make in your life. It also ultimately gives reasonable answers to the most profound questions in the universe; • Who am I? • Why am I here?

• Where did I come from?

• Is there more to me than a physical body, and if so what happens after I die?

• Is it possible to accelerate my evolution – physically, intellectually, and spiritually – and if so, how?

If any of this is correct, you can understand why those in power have felt threatened by alchemy.

ALCHEMY AT CHATEAU MCELY Alchemy is practiced daily at Chateau Mcely in the production of Mcely Bouquet™, our line of completely natural, healing skincare cosmetic products (See Figure 3). Each of these products is manufactured on site in our alchemical laboratory, and is based on a unique complex formula of essential oils that have been carefully separated from their native plants through a special, low-temperature distillation process that maintains the true natural aroma, color and healing properties of the oils. These products are in stark contrast to numerous modern cosmetics, which contain synthetic chemical fillers and preservatives, and in some cases are Figure 2: A 17th Century etching depiction of the Emerald Tablet

by Heinrich Khunrath

more damaging to the skin, rather than providing the healing properties purported by the manufacturers. Mcely Bouquet™ products are used exclusively in Mcely SPA, and currently sold only at Chateau Mcely and at its Boutique E-Shop (http:// www.chateaumcely.com/eshop/en/mcely-boutique/).

ALCHEMICAL TEACHERS If you have an interest in the potential of alchemy to make you “healthier, wealthier and wiser,” it would profit you to apprentice with a knowledgeable, reliable teacher. With today’s informational technology, this can be accomplished by distance learning on a computer. It would be beneficial to seek someone who has prominent credentials as both a scientist and an alchemist. I can recommend Dr. Theresa Bullard, whom I have referenced throughout this article. She is a practicing alchemist and an accomplished Ph.D. physicist associated with the University of Washington in the United States. You might first consider buying and reading her brief E-book. If her approach resonates with you, she can be contacted directly through her website to discuss possible arrangements.

WHY ALCHEMY TODAY? The world appears headed for a critical tipping point. At that point, I feel that there are two equally probable outcomes.

First, it could “implode” and civilization as we know it would dramatically change making life much more challenging for all of us. This is not an acceptable option. Alternatively, it would blossom into a higher level of consciousness for most of us living on this planet. For this to happen will require that many

Figure 3: Mcely Bouquet products are made in Chateau Mcely’s on-site laboratory using proprietary alchemical methods and are completely natural and healing, containing no synthetic fillers, alcohol or chemicals. www.mcelybouquet.com/en/unique_gifts.php

Figure 1: Alchemists developed a secret code to describe their work, and save them from being discovered and charged with heresy by government and Church officials

of us take personal responsibility to awaken the powerful potential in our own lives, setting an example for others, and supporting higher-level conscious leaders and institutions that will help bring about this transition and flourish in this elevated level of consciousness. Alchemy provides the means to do this. Shouldn’t we begin the journey?

James A. Cusumano, PhD 1 James A. Cusumano, “Cosmic Consciousness – A Journey to Well-being, Happiness and Success,” Fortuna Libri, Prague, 2011.

2 Ibid, pp. 29-33.

3 http://www.alchemyconference.com/.

4 Theresa Bullard, “Modern Alchemy – Reviving the Ancient Art and Science of Alchemy in the 21st Century”, available as an E-book at http://quantumlea palchemy.com/home/.

5 Dennis William Hauck, “The Emerald Tablet: Alchemy for Persona Transformation,” Penguin Press (1999).

6 Dennis William Hauck, “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Alchemy, Alpha Press (2008).

7 Francis Melville, “The Book of Alchemy,” (2002).

8 Robert Allen Bartlett, “Real Alchemy – A Primer of Practical Alchemy” Ibis, 3rd Edition (2009).

9 Dennis William Hauck, “The Sorcerer’s Stone,” Citadel Press, 2004.

10 Ibid.

11 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy.

12 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_Tablet.

13 Some might equate the Source with the concept of God as developed by most organized religions. In fact, many alchemists believe that the Source is The First Mover, responsible for precipitating what we call the Big Bang; however, without all of the man-created attributes and complexities usually attributed to God by organized religions.

14 Op. Cit., Reference 12 15 Op. Cit., Reference 1, p. 12.

About the Author: James A. Cusumano is Chairman and Owner of Chateau Mcely (www.ChateauMcely.Com), chosen in 2007 by the European Union as the only “Green” 5-star luxury hotel in Central and Eastern Europe and in 2008 by the World Travel Awards as the Leading Green Hotel in the World. He is a former Research Director for Exxon, and subsequently founded two public companies in Silicon Valley, one in clean power generation, the other in pharmaceuticals manufacture via environmentally-benign, low-cost, catalytic technologies. While he was Chairman and CEO, the latter – Catalytica Pharmaceuticals, Inc. – grew in less than 5 years, to a $1 billion enterprise with 2,000 employees. He is coauthor of “Freedom from Mid-East Oil,” recently released by World Business Academy Press (www.WorldBusiness.Org) and the author of “Cosmic Consciousness – A Journey to Well-being, Happiness and Success,” published in English and Czech by Fortuna Libri, 2011.

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jubileum celebration

CE ERG GEE-EI EI,, a jo join int wo w rkpl p ace of thee Aca cade demy my of Sc Scie ienc nces e of th es thee Cz C ec eh Repu Re p blic ic and Cha harl rles es Uniive vers rssiti y, org rgan aniz an ized ed a ser erie iess of eve vent ntss too cel nt elebra ebra eb rate tee ititss tw twoo decaade dess of exccellle lenc ncce inn eco cono noomi m c re rese sear se arch ar chh and gra radu duuat atee educ ed ucat atio ion. n. Offffer e in ing a US-style PhhD D proogr gram am m cha hart rter rt ered er ed by th thee St Stat a e of at o New w York Yo rk and accredited by the Cze zech ch Min inis istr is t y off Edu tr duca catitition ca on,, CE on CERG RGERG E--E EII educ ed ucat ates es future economic ic leade ders rs and ran anks ks amo mong ng the topp 6 per erce cent ce ntt of econ ec onom on om omic mic i s de depa p rt pa rtme ment me ntts in i Eur u oppe. e.

Thee festivitties includ Th uded a cel eleb ebra eb rato ra toory pan tory anel el fea eatu turi tu riing CE ER RGE G -E EI’I s founnders ders with the Rector de or of Ch Char arle less Un Univ ivver ersi sity and thee Pre sity resi siide dent nt of th the he Accad adeemy off Sci cien ence en cees, a gal a aa-di dinn di nner nn er forr sttuude dent n s, faccul nt ulty ty,, alum ty allum umni ni and frie fr i nd ie ndss off CER ERGE GE-E GE -EI,I,I and a lec -E ectu tuuree by No N be bel Pr P iz i ee-wi winn wi nnnin i g econ ec onnom omis istt Jo is J seeph Stitigl glititz. gl z. Pro rofe fess ssor ss or Sttiigl glittzz,, a mem mbe b r off CER ERGE GE-E GE -E EI’I’ss E ec Ex ecut utiv ut ivee an iv andd Su S pe perv rvis rv isor is o y Co or C mm mmitititte t ee,, als te l o ga gave vvee thee ope peni ning ni ng reema mark rkss an rk a d pa part rtticcippat a ed in a di disc s us sc u siion o witithh Hern Heernnan a do d d Sotto at de at thi hiss ye year ar’s’ss ediitition ar oonn off the Foorruum m 200 0000 co c nf nfer eren er ence tittle en ence ledd “Dem “D emoc em o ra oc racy cy and the he Rul ulee off Law aw”, ”, wher wh eree CE er CERG CERG RGEE-EI EEI coo oorrga gani nize ni zedd ze eeccon connom o ic icss ppaane nels ls.. ls

TH

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Photo: David Bernard Prof. Joseph Stiglitz, Columbia University, Nobel Prize in Economics 2001, Member, Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI

Anniversary of CERGE-EI

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more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

CERGE-EI – Alumnae, from left: Kristina Lenkova, PhD., Head of Product Factory, CSOB, Ella Kallai, PhD., Chief Economist, Alpha Bank Romania, Anna Loguinova, Art Curator, Private Collection, Irena Dushi, PhD., Economist, Division of Policy Evaluation, Social Security Administration, Anita Taci, PhD., Senior Economist, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Emilia Zampieri, MA, Independent Financial Services Professional, Česká spořitelna

24.11.2011 13:02:11

From left: Magdalena Souček, Managing Partner for Central and Eastern European Region, Country Managing Partner, Czech Republic, Ernst & Young and Monika Landmanová, IBM Czech Republic, Board Member, Foundation CERGE-EI

From left: Ing. Vladimír Dlouhý, CSc., Adviser, Goldman Sachs and Libor Dušek, PhD, Assistant Professor and Deputy Director, CERGE-EI

Ing. Josef Kotrba PhD., Managing Partner, Deloitte Czech Republic

From left: Doc. Štěpán Jurajda, PhD., Director, CERGE-EI and Prof. Ing. Jiří Drahoš, DrSc., dr. h.c., President, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

From left: Miroslav Singer, PhD., Governor, Czech National Bank and Gabriel Eichler, Principal, Benson Oak Capital

From left: Prof. Jan Švejnar, Founder and Chair of Executive and Supervisory Committee CERGE-EI, University of Michigan, Prof. Randall Filer, President CERGE-EI Foundation, Professor, City University of New York, Prof. Richard Quandt, Founder CERGE-EI, Professor Emeritus, Princeton University, Prof. Radim Palouš, Dr. h.c. mult, Philosopher, former dissident, first rector of Charles University after the Velvet Revolution, Doc. Ing. Josef Zieleniec, CSc., Founder and Member of Executive and Supervisory Committee CERGE-EI, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Member of the European Parliament, Prof. RNDr. Ing. František Turnovec, CSc., Institute of Economic Studies, Charles University, and PhDr. Jiří Beneš, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

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From left: Doc. PhDr. Jitka Malečková, CSc., Head of the Turkish Studies Program and Associate Professor, Department of Middle Eastern and African Studies, Charles University, Prague, and Research Fellow at CERGE-EI and Barbara Forbes, Marketing Design and Website Project Management, CERGE-EI Jan Macháček, Journalist, Respekt

From left: Prof. Jan Kmenta, University of Michigan, Member, Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI, Dr. Karel Kánský, Professor Emeritus, University of Pittsburgh, and Doc. Ing. Josef Zieleniec, CSc., Founder and Member of Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Member of the European Parliament

Prof. Jan Švejnar, Founder, Chair of Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI, University of Michigan

From left: Jack J. Stack, Erste Bank, Chairman and CEO (ret) Česká spořitelna, Member, CERGE-EI Foundation and Prof. Ing. Michal Mejstřík, CSc., Institute of Economic Studies, Charles University

From left: Filip Linek, CEO, Oskarplast and Jan Žůrek, Managing Partner, KPMG Czech Republic

From left: Jan Novotný, CERGE-EI PhD. Student, Ing. Michal Zděnek M.A., CERGE-EI Instructor, PhD. Student at Norwegian School of Economics, Prof. Gérard Roland, University of California Berkeley, Member, Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI, Tomáš Lichard, CERGE-EI PhD. Student, Peter Katuščák, PhD., Assistant Professor, CERGE-EI, Fabio Michelucci, PhD., Assistant Professor, CERGE-EI, Evangelia Vourvachaki, PhD., Assistant Professor, CERGE-EI, and Byeongju Jeong, PhD., Mellon Endowment Associate Professor with Tenure, CERGE-EI

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Prof. Michelle White, University of California, San Diego, Member, Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI

From left: Dr. Cyril Svoboda, Director, Diplomatic Academy, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Pavel Bratinka, Principal, Euroffice Praha-Brusel, a.s.

24.11.2011 13:06:25

Prof. John Sutton, London School of Economics, Member, Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI

Anita Taci, PhD., Senior Economist, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Prof. Ing. Jiří Drahoš, DrSc., dr. h.c., President, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

From left: Doc. Ing. Josef Zieleniec, CSc., Founder and Member of Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Member of the European Parliament and Mgr. Daniel Herman, Director, Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes

Prof. Gérard Roland, University of California, Member, Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI, Benke Aikell, your Publisher (behind), Prof. Radim Palouš Dr. h.c. mult. Philosopher, former dissident, first rector of Charles University after the Velvet Revolution, Jiří Moser, Managing Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Czech Republic (behind left), and Antonín Fryč, Director, Warex, spol. s r.o. (behind right)

Petra Weissová, Deputy Director for Development and Public Relations, CERGE-EI

From left: Prof. RNDr. Václav Hampl, DrSc., Rector, Charles University and Prof. Jan Švejnar, Founder and Chair of Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI, University of Michigan

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From left: Anita Taci, PhD., Senior Economist, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Prof. RNDr. Václav Hampl, DrSc., Rector, Charles University, Prof. Ing. Jiří Drahoš, DrSc., dr. h.c., President, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Doc. Štěpán Jurajda, PhD, Director, CERGE-EI, Prof. Richard Quandt, Founder, CERGE-EI, Professor Emeritus, Princeton University, and Doc. Ing. Josef Zieleniec, CSc., Founder, Member of Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Member of the European Parliament

24.11.2011 13:09:41

From left: Prof. RNDr. Václav Hampl, DrSc., Rector, Charles University, Prof. Jan Švejnar, Founder, Chair of Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI, University of Michigan, Magdalena Souček, Managing Partner for Central and Eastern European Region, Country Managing Partner, Czech Republic, Ernst & Young, and Prof. Ing. Jiří Drahoš, DrSc., dr. h.c., President, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

From left: Benke Aikell, your Publisher and Markus Hermann, Managing Director, MAROM, Board Member, Nadace CERGE-EI From left: Jan Straka, Development & PR Manager, CERGEEI, Doc. Ing. Daniel Münich, PhD, Associate Professor, CERGE-EI, Member, National Economic Council, and Tomáš Jelínek, Public Affairs Director, DBM

From left: Prof. Randall Filer, President, CERGE-EI Foundation, Professor City University of New York, Marc Ellenbogen, Chairman Global Panel Foundation, CERGEEI Board Member, and Prof. Jan Švejnar, Founder and Chair of Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGEEI, University of Michigan

Prof. Ing. Michal Mejstřík, CSc., Institute of Economic Studies, Charles University From left: Antonín Fryč, Director, Warex, spol. s r.o., Prof. Jan Švejnar, Founder and Chair of Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI, University of Michigan, and Tomáš Klvaňa, Executive Director The Zdeněk Bakala Global Non-Profit Programs

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From left: Prof. Gérard Roland, University of California Berkeley, Member, Executive and Supervisory Committee, CERGE-EI and Burkhard Dallosch, Chief Operating Officer, Asset Management, Deka Immobilien GmbH, Board Member, CERGE-EI Foundation

24.11.2011 13:12:31

15th Forum 2000 Conference, titled “Democracy and the Rule of Law”, October 9–11, 2011. The conference is organized annually by the Forum 2000 Foundation under the auspices of Václav Havel. This year, the economic panels were co-organized by CERGE-EI, as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations.

Photos: Forum 2000 Foundation “Corruption and Society”, Žofín Palace, October 11, 2011. From left: Grigory Yavlinsky, Economist and Politician, author of The 500 Days Programme, a plan for the transition of the USSR to a free-market economy, and founder of the liberal Yabloko party, Russia, Avi Dichter, Member of the Israeli Knesset for Kadima, former Minister of Internal Security, Israel, Peter Eigen, Founder and Chairman of the Advisory Council of Transparency International, and Professor Randall Filer, City University of New York, President, CERGE-EI Foundation.

Democracy and the Rule of Law

Opening Ceremony, Prague Crossroads, October 9, 2011. From left: Professor Joseph Stiglitz, Columbia University, Nobel Laureate in Economics 2001, Professor Jan Švejnar, CERGE-EI and University of Michigan, H.E. Norman L. Eisen, Ambassador of the United States to the Czech Republic, and Václav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic.

“Shattering the Glass Ceiling: Women Leaders in Tomorrow’s World” (panel organized in cooperation with International Herald Tribune), Goethe-Institut, October 10, 2011. From left: Mariko Gakiya, Advisor, The Harvard International Negotiation Program, USA/Japan, Susan Walton, Principal, Frost Consulting UK, Board Member, CERGE-EI Foundation, Magdalena Vášáryová, Politician, Diplomat, Slovakia, and Stephanie Shirley, British Government’s Founding Ambassador for Philanthropy, United Kingdom.

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“Legal Institutions and Transition Success”, Žofín Palace, October 11, 2011. From left: Boris Nemtsov, leader of the Russian opposition People’s Freedom Party and former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Professor Kenneth W. Dam, Professor Emeritus, University of Chicago Law School, Hana Lešenarová, Member of Corporate Council, Forum 2000 Foundation, and Associate Director of Control Risks Deutschland, Germany/Czech Republic, and Professor Gérard Roland, University of California, Berkeley and CERGE-EI.

“The Limits of Regulation”, CERGE-EI, October 10, 2011. From left: Hassane Cisse, Deputy General Counsel, Knowledge and Research, World Bank Group, Senegal, Professor Robert Hahn, Director of Economics at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at Oxford University, Hana Lešenarová, Member of Corporate Council, Forum 2000 Foundation, and Associate Director of Control Risks Deutschland, Germany/Czech Republic, and Zdeněk Tůma, Advisor, KPMG, former Governor of the Czech National Bank.

24.11.2011 13:16:38

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE On the On he 15t 5th N Noove vemb mbber m er,, 20 2 11 11 thhee Aug ugus gustitiine Hot o ell offffic ff iccia iallllly laun la laun unched unch ched ch ed its ts new w con once c pptt Liicchhfiiel ce e d Ca Café f , Re fé Rest ssttau aura rant ra nt & Barr.

The laun Th laauunnch ch eveenntt was as hos o te ted byy Sir Roc occo coo For orte tee, th thee CE CEO O and an nd C Chhaaiirm man a of R Roocccco Fo F rt rtee Ho H te tels ls,, annd To ls T m Sm Smititt, thhe Ch Chaaiirman rm man an of th the he ho hote tel’l’s de te deve deve v lo l pm pmen entt co en comp mpan mp any, ny Wal alde ddeeck eck Cappiitaal.l. The Ca he res esta taur ta uraannt is nam ur amed ed aftfter er the he wor orld ld-f-fam a ouss Brit Br riittis tis ish ph phot phot otoggra raph p eerr, Lo ph L rd Pat atri rick ckk Lichf icchfie i ldd, wh whoo wa wass a lo l ng ntitime time me fri r en e d of Siirr Roocccoo, an and thhe Li L ch c fifiel eldd Ca Café féé, Re R st stau auura aura rant nt and an nd Baar is the he onl n y pe perm rm man aneent exhi exxhiibi bititition on of Lo L rd Licchf hfie ield ld’s’s work wo rk out u si side d of Lo de Lond ndon nd on,, wi on w th t mor ore th than 80 off his original woorkks on w work on dissppllayy. In adddititio ionn to thhee stuunn io nnin i g ph in phot otog ogra og raph p ic ph exhi ex exhi h bi bititition on,, th on thee re rest sttau stau a ra r nt offffer erss all da d y di dini n ngg, wi w th ccuust stom stom omeerrs ab able le to ch le choo ooose fro rom aann ine nexp xpensi xp s ve new ‘ br bras as s rriie’e sty se tyle l men le e uu,, as well weell as tthhe use of thee hot otel el’s’s wonnddeerf rfull couurrtyyar cour co a d an and ga g rddenns fo f r su summ mmer er eve vent nts.s. The lauunc nchh evennt wa ev was at atteend n ed e by m maannyy of Pr Prag ague ue’ss bes ue’s estt kn know know ownn busi bu ussiinneeess ss lea ss eade ders de ers rs a s w weelll as a nu numb mber er of ce cele leebr brittie ies frroom ies m the he fash fa fash shio hiioonn,, art rt and nd mus usic ic wor ic o ld lds.s.

Sir Rocco Forte in his welcoming speech

Augustine Hotel Launched Their New Lichfield Café, Restaurant & Bar

From left: Mrs. Karen Hartley, Heinz Reigl, CEO, EHR and President of Skål and Florentine Rehm, Sales Manager, Augustine Hotel

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From left: Robert Y. G. Ho, Director of Economic Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Prague and Giampietro Pastorelli, Commercial Attaché, Italian Embassy

Ms. Denisa Kvapilová and Andrea Hanušová Hamanová, Bohemia Events

From left: Milan Mikuš, Galerie Maldoror with his wife and Dagmar Smit, Managing Director, SC-Master

25.11.2011 9:04:31

Petr Kouล il, Managing Director Central Europe, Bowfonds s.r.o. and Jo Weaver, Managing Director, JWA Prague

Jo Weaver, Managing Director, JWA Prague and Erik Best, Publisher, The Fleet Sheet

Mrs. Patricia Schmitt Lisรก and Jitka Klett, Fashion Design, Prague

From left: Brendan Donnellan, Managing Director, Passion Communications and Emil Jimenez, CEO/CCO, Passion Communications

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

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Anwar El Ahmad, General Manager, Four Seasons Travel and Lucie Hasalovรก, Project Manager, Four Seasons Travel

From left: Peter Formanek, President, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Joseph Drebitko, CEO, D&COMM, Dagmar Smit, Managing Director, SC-Master, Iva Drebitko, President, TRIGA, Patrons of Art, and Thomas Smit, President, Waldeck Capital LLC

25.11.2011 9:05:30

From left: Giampietro Pastorelli, Commercial Attaché, Italian Embassy, Blanka Turturro, President, Slow Food Prague, and Sir Rocco Forte, Owner, Rocco Forte Hotels

Jadran Šetlík, Photographer and Ms. Iva Taťounová

Petr Kouřil, Managing Director Central Europe, Bowfonds s.r.o. and Jana Tomášková, IAM Unlimited s.r.o., International Artist Management

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Tomáš Janeba, Managing Director, Carollinum and Ing. Helena Leisztner, Artist and Member of the Board of FNMWA

From left: Petr Kouřil, Managing Director Central Europe, Bowfonds s.r.o. and Ken Dittrich, General Manager, Augustine Hotel

From left: Zuzana Poláčková, Obsession, Dagmar Smit, Managing Director, SC-Master, and Monika Ferby, Obsession

Thomas Smit, President, Waldeck Capital LLC and Jo Weaver, Managing Director, JWA Prague

From left: Jadran Šetlík, Photographer, Peter Formanek, President, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and Benke Aikell, your Publisher

25.11.2011 9:18:42

PUBLIC CONTRACTS: For a More Trustworthy Public Sector At the beginning of November 2011, the Czech Chamber of Deputies adopted the long-expected bill of amendment of the Act on Public Contracts (137/2006 Coll.). The amendment is a step towards the materialization of one of the points of the anti-corruption part of the Government’s policy statement, and it is a result of the legislative activity of the Ministry of Regional Development. Its aim is to reduce space for corrupt, discriminatory and nontransparent behaviour of public contracting entities.

One of its marked features is halving the existing financial threshold amounts for public contracts, i.e., for public supply contracts or public service contracts, to CZK 1 million (ca. EUR 40,000) and for public works contracts to CZK 3 million (EUR 120,000); the latter is also to be scaled down to CZK 1 million as of January 1, 2014. The reduction of thresholds will mean (in practice) a substantial increase of the number of contracts to be subjected to the procedure stipulated by the Act. This will, of course, enhance the transparency of the process, but, at the same time, create a larger administrative and financial burden for contracting entities.

Furthermore, the Office for the Protection of Competition will probably have to face much more numerous cases of proceedings upon reviews of practices of contracting entities.

A desired change in the Act is the abolition of the existing legal institute of economic and financial qualification prerequisites, which is to be replaced by a solemn declaration of a tenderer on their economic and financial qualifications for fulfilling the public contract. The option for the contracting entity to require certificates of a quality management system from tenderers is also to be abolished. These changes will considerably extend the possibility of participation for smaller firms that are able to supply lower prices, which have been excluded from public contracts by excessively demanding conditions for qualification thus far. It can be expected, however, that the new institute of solemn declaration of the supplier to be capable of fulfilling the public contract will not suffice to guarantee its real capability. The more important issue will be an appropriate determination of technical, fifinanciiall andd qualilitatiive condi ditiions off the h publ bliic contract by the contracting entity.

Another new feature is the introduction of socalled important public contracts by a public

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contracting entity with the value of a contract higher than CZK 300 million (EUR 12 million) in the case of state central administrative bodies and their subordinate entities, and CZK 50 million (EUR 2 million) in the case of regions, the Capital City of Prague, and municipalities. Also new are specific rules for the size and composition of the evaluation committee, which apply for the governmental sector where 2 members and 2 alternate members shall be nominated from the so-called list of evaluators, managed by the Ministry of Regional Development and with the committee appointed by the Government. An evaluator may initiate an action of the Office for the Protection of Competition in the case of a public contract attended in the evaluation committee, provided he/she finds irregularities in the proceedings.

An inception of proceedings of an important public contract is to be conditioned by previous reasoning of the purpose of the contract, which shall become part of a prior information notice by the contracting authority. The contents of reasoning are to be set by a special regulation.

A very important stipulation newly inserted into the Act is the duty to publish the text of concluded contracts incl. the amount of the actually reimbursed price of the contract within 15 days from the origin of the respective legal fact. This duty is not to refer to small-scale public contracts with a value under CZK 500,000 (EUR 20,000), or to contracts containing classified information.

Simultaneously, contracting entities shall be obliged to cancel the public contract, provided that only a single tender should be evaluated.

This stipulation is intended to prevent cases of contracts “fit to measure” to a specific supplier.

On the other hand, the cancellation of the contract may cause problems to contracting entities in cases of projects dependent on pre-set deadlines, or materialized on the basis of operational programmes of the European Union, when the cancellation may cause the loss of national cofinancing from the respective yearly budget, and thus a potential termination of the project itself.

Legal experts generally agree that the amendment means an improvement in transparency and equal treatment in public contracts, as well as an abbolilitiion off some stiipulati l ions thhat have been often misused in daily practice, but, simultaneously, also means an enhancement of administrative and financial requirements on both

Photo: Mr. Šíp´s archive

contracting entities and tenderers, and a general prolongation of the tendering process. Nor has it brought a remedy for the broadly criticized participation of companies with a non-transparent property structure and bearer stock in public contracts. Other problems may stem from relatively high requirements for secondary legislative instruments.

Now the bill of the amendment of the Act is to proceed to the discussion in the Senate, and in case of its approval, to the enacting signature of the President. Its entry into effect is so far expected as of April 1, 2012. Even if it can be presumed that good features of the proposed amendment will remain preserved, the mere strengthening of the Act on Public Contracts is not enough. It should be complemented by a more strict control of the financing of political parties, and also by measures encouraging civic control of public procurement deals during their whole economic lives.

By Emanuel Šíp Partner Allied Progress Consultants Associiati tion český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

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conference/networking

T e se Th s co cond nd “Wo Wome menn in Corpora raate t Govverrna nanc n e Co nc Conf nfer nf eren er e ce” en ce” to ce took okk pla lace ce on Octo Oc t be to berr 1133, 2011 2011 20 11,, annd aggai ainn it prove vedd to to be th thee co c nf nfer eren ren ence ce whheere re shaari ring ng ng a d givi an giiviing n is mo more re thhaan ju j st s pre rese seent sent ntin ingg.. in ing

The open atmosphere was energized by the openness and authenticity of all the women managerial elite speakers, and well-targeted questions and comments from men and women in the audience.

From left: Petr Kavalíř, Partner, CGPartners, Founder of the Women in Corporate Governance Conference and Eliška Hašková-Coolidge, Coolidge Consulting Services Photo: Michal Červený

Women in Corporate Governance

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From left: Radek Špicar, Director for External Affairs, Škoda Auto, Renata Mrázová, Chief Executive Officer, ING Insurance CZ/SK, Monika Horníková, Chief Executive Officer, GlaxoSmithKline, Barbora Stejskalová, HR Director, T-Mobile, and Jitka Adámková, HR Director, RWE Transgas

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE 24.11.2011 13:56:45

Radek Špicar, Director for External Affairs, Škoda Auto

Petra Janíčková, Executive Director, British Chamber of Commerce

Eva Vencovská, Chief Executive Officer, Nutricia

Jitka Adámková, HR Director, RWE Transgas

From left: Renata Mrázová, Chief Executive Officer, ING Insurance CZ/SK, Monika Horníková, Chief Executive Officer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Barbora Stejskalová, HR Director, T-Mobile

Irena Kalhousová, Director, ELAI

While hearing personal stories describing the difficulties and invisible barriers that exist on the way to the highest managerial floors rs, we reaalilize zedd that ze thhat a int nteg eggri rity ty,, ty courage and willpower are of the most importance. The discussions concluded with an impressive closing speech by Eliška Hašková-Coolidge, whhich left everyonne with lots of food for thought. The annual Women in Corporate Governance Conference is an initiative of Petr Kavalíř, Managing Partner of CGPartners.

From left: Magdalena Souček, Partner, Ernst&Young, Andrea Květoňová, Chief Financial Officer, BXR Partners, Eva Williams, Board Member, Tesco Stores ČR, and Jan Bubeník, Partner, Bubeník Partners

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moore r e ph hooto tos an and nd el eleeccttrr on onic ic v er er siion on avai av aila ilabl labl la ble on w ww w.l .leaade ders r sm maaggaazine ziinee.c .cz

It aims to create a platform that supports women’s career advancement toward the highest managerial positions, nurture exchanges of experience, and promote the best practices of the very women and men who are inspiring, revitalizing and transforming businesses today.

24.11.2011 13:57:08

gala event bcc

The Chamber celebrated Guy Fawkes night with fireworks at midnight

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

The British Chamber of Commerce celebrated Bonfire Night with a gala evening on November 4th. This unforgettable gala, the highlight of the British Chamber’s year, took place at the Martinický Palace. On arrival, guests were welcomed by fires, fire juggling and oysters whilst listening to musicians from FOK, the Prague Symphony Orchestra. During the delicious meal provided

by Zátiší Catering, there was a British history quiz by the Prague British School and Scottish country dancing organised by Václav Rout. Afterwards, guests were entertained with Scottish whisky tasting, molecular gastronomy, and pralines tasting. A cheque for over 53,000czk was given to Nadace Partnertsví, the charity partner. The evening concluded at midnight with a fireworks display in the Martinický Palace courtyard.

BCC GUY FAWKES GALA EVENING

Tesco Stores CR, partner of the event From left: Robert Pitt, Director, Zabka with his wife, Adam Dury, Director CR/SR, Hardline with his wife, Phil Clarke, General Director, Tesco Stores with his wife Christina, and Marcus Chipchase, Managing Director, CR/SR Department Stores with his wife Caroline

From left: Markéta Schnellerová, H.E. Sian MacLeod, Ambassador of the UK, and Luděk Vrána, Chairman, British Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic taking part in the British history quiz with Eva Usai Blumental, Deloitte behind them

mooree pho m hottoos an and el eleecctro tr on tr onic ic v er er ssiion ers ion on avai av aila labblle on on w ww w w..lleeaaders ders de r sma rsma maga gazi zinnee.c .cz Tim Roberts, Head of the Senior School, the Prague British School, General Partner for the evening, acting as quizmaster

Miroslav Kundrata, General Director, Nadace Partnerství, charity partner

Guests

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From left: Julian Walton, Chairman, Austro-British Chamber of Commerce and Richard Robinson, General Director, British Chamber of Commerce

From left: Silvia Bušniaková, Senior Manager, BCC, Renata Lukášová, Head of Sales, Zátiší Group, and Petra Janíčková, Executive Director, BCC

25.11.2011 12:48:12

PF 2012 • Nine hole golf course • The largest training areas in the Czech Republic The 2012 membership for CZK 3,000 only with bonuses: • 25% discount on driving range balls • 10% discount on the 9-hole course • 1 0 % discount on the AboutGolf simulator • 1 0% discount in the local Pro-Shop All4Golf • 5 % discount in the La Tour and River Golf Café restaurants • Free entry and parking in the resort

LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU IN 2012

That is Golf Hodkovičky in Prague 4.

See Hodkovičky on Facebook

www.hodkovicky.cz

IN COOPERATION WITHH LEADERS MAGAZINE

The VI Th VIII PPrrag a uee Sec ecur u iti y Co ur Conf nfer nf e enncee was hel er eldd onn Fri rida rida day 11 1 Novem ovvembe em mbe br a thee Nat at atio ioona nal Te T ch c niical cal Li ca L brrarr y. y Thi hiss ye year a it wa ar wass de devo vote t d too the te he toppic ic “T The EU, U, NAT ATO O an andd Ru R ss ssia ia aftfter err 20 ye y ar arss.. W hhaaatt ne next extt?” ?

T e coonfer Th nfer nf eren e ce, en ce, or ce o gaani nize z d by the Cen ze ente teer ffoor Se S cu curi rity tyy Pol olic iccyy,, hass met e with wi th greeatt inntter eres estt an es a d mo more rree tha hann 30 3 0 apppl p ican ican ic ants ts rep ts e re reseent ntin ing a wi in ing wide de sppeecctrum trrum m of pr prof offes essi sion o alls, on s gov o er ernm nmeennt annd accad nm adem miaa haavve reeggiisstter e edd so aass to at a te t nd nd it.t.

From Left: Janusz Onyszkiewicz, President, Euro-Atlantic Association of Poland, former VicePresident, European Parliament (2004–2007) and former Minister of Defence of Poland (1991–1993, 1997–2000), Miloš Balabán, Head of the Center for Security Policy, CESES FSV UK, Valery Fedorov, Director General, All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM), and Prof. Christian Hacke, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

VII Prague Security Conference THE EU, NATO AND RUSSIA AFTER 20 YEARS. WHAT NEXT?

Mirko Hempel, Director, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Prague and Dorota Kafara, Project Manager, Institute for Eastern Studies, Warsaw

From left: Prof. Otto Pick, Ambassador at large of the Czech Republic and Libor Rouček, VicePresident, European Parliament

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Jiří Parkmann, Head of OSCE Office in Prague

Alexander Duleba, Director of Research, Slovak Foreign Policy Association

Valery Fedorov, Director General, All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center

25.11.2011 12:51:54

From Left: Libor Rouček, Vice-President, European Parliament, Alexander Duleba, Director of Research, Slovak Foreign Policy Association, Lubomír Zaorálek, Vice-Chairman, Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament, Prof. Michal Reiman, FSV UK, and Daniel Koštoval, Director of the Security Policy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, CR

From left: Andrey Konoplyanik, Professor, Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas, Consultant to the Board Gazprombank, JSC, Milan Hovorka, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Mikhail Delyagin, Director, Institute on Problems of Globalization (IPROG), and Stanislaw Ciosek, Chairman, Council of the Polish-Russian Chamber of Trade and Industry, Secretary General, Eastern Club for Support of Economic Cooperation with the East, former Polish ambassador to the USSR and Russian Federation (1989–1996) and foreign policy adviser to Mr. Aleksander Kwaśniewski, President of Poland (1997–2005)

From left: Miloš Balabán, Head of the Center for Security Policy, CESES FSV UK, Jiří Linke, Attorney Solil, Linke, Richter, and Mrs. Marie Kousalíková, Mayor, Prague 6

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

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95 Auditorium

24.11.2011 10:53:27

Libor Rouček, Vice-President, European Parliament

Lubomír Zaorálek, Vice-Chairman, Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament

From left: Stanislaw Ciosek, Chairman, Council of the Polish-Russian Chamber of Trade and Industry, Secretary General, Eastern Club for Support of Economic Cooperation with the East, former Polish ambassador to the USSR and Russian Federation (1989–1996) and foreign policy adviser to Mr. Aleksander Kwaśniewski, President of Poland (1997–2005) and David Koubek, Czech Radio 1 – Radiožurnál

Janusz Onyszkiewicz, President, Euro-Atlantic Association of Poland, former Vice-President, European Parliament (2004–2007) and former Minister of Defence of Poland (1991–1993, 1997–2000)

Prof. Christian Hacke, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

From left: H.E. Jan Pastwa, Ambassador of Poland, Miloš Balabán, Head of the Center for Security Policy, CESES FSV UK, Tomáš Chalupa, Minister of the Environment, and Mrs. Marie Kousalíková, Mayor, Prague 6

From left: Karel Hirman, Adviser to the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic on Energy Security, Bratislava, Pavel Kavina, Director, Raw Materials and Energy Security Division, Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Jaroslav Ungerman, Member of the Board of Directors, First Czech-Russian Bank

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25.11.2011 12:53:59

PR SINS AND WHAT to Do about them A series of recent experiences showed me that sometimes a PR representative is paradoxically the biggest barrier in promoting an organization. When you have journalists leaving your building by slamming the door and you don’t understand why, you may want to take a look inside your PR department.

Let’s examine the Top 10 most common sins that PR reps indulge in and which ones drive journalists crazy.

1. Blatant lies. “This information has never been published before; it’s all yours.” Sure, until Google shows you that something which you thought would be your scoop was already published.

2. Cheap manipulation. “I invite you for an exclusive interview with our manager.” Yet when you arrive, you find five more colleagues waiting for the same “exclusive” interview. Outraged, you ask how that is possible.

“Well, they are from other media: radio, TV, a daily, a weekly. They are not your competitors,” the PR rep says. After you swallow your list of curses, you want to ask: who are you y to define myy competition? p Secondly, y since when do you have the right to define exclusivity?

As my good friend and excellent Czech journalist Ondřej Malý once said, exclusivity has only one meaning. If you don’t know it, go check the dictionary before applying for a job in PR. 3. Overwhelming ego. Recently I dealt with a PR person who insisted that his name appear in a press release together with a company quote. I asked him if we couldn’t get the CEO’s name for the quote. He said: “Why, am I not good enough?” Well, since when

Cristina Muntean is a media adviser with more than 12 years’ experience in the Czech, Romanian and international media.

Between 2005–10 Cristina worked for the English-language economic magazine Czech Business Weeklyy (CBW) in Prague.

During this time she wrote more than 3,000 news articles, features and interviews. Cristina graduated in journalism from the University of Bucharest, Romania.

She also holds a master’s degree in project management. On June 2011 Cristina was elected president of the Czech PR Klub.

Currently, she provides media training, coaching and advisory to managers, communication specialists and public officials across Central and Eastern Europe.

Cristina speaks Romanian, French, English and Czech and can be reached at cm@ mediaed.cz.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

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are journalists eager to quote a spokesperson and not a company leader?

4. The Cerberus complex. In another case I dealt with a spokeswoman who told me: “We pay you to do media training. This is what I want you to tell them because this is what they need to know and nothing more.” It was hard not to tell her: lady, you work in an environment with people who can think for themselves. If you don’t like that, go work at the zoo.

5. The emotion killer. “Sometimes I feel all my ideas get killed in the PR department,” a client told me. What is going on? This clever, enthusiastic and resultsdriven manager has dozen of juicy, meaningful stories to tell. However, when he clashes with a fear-driven PR rep that removes all anecdotes, parallels, life and enthusiasm from a story, for the sake of a lame but safe press release, stories get killed. Bye bye visibility.

6. Disrespect. Journalists write stories, have deadlines and respond to editors. However, this simple equation is not always common sense among PR reps.

A PR person’s lack of understanding for the journa journalist’s constraints can come from the fact that she never spent an hour in a newsroom, or that she simply doesn’t care, which is even worse. In any case, showing disrespect for a reporter’s deadlines, work regime, hierarchy and so on can make a journalist your enemy forever.

7. Insistence Insistence. There is a special place in hell for PR people who call reporters to check whether they have received a press release, and if they will publish anything from it. All journalists know that press releases feature very little new information for publication. On top of getting spammed day by day, there is no bigger pain than to keep track of that spam AND answer a PR rep’s phone calls on it. Even better: call around 4 pm when reporters are on deadlines. Failure guaranteed.

8. Impertinence. “You were here with my CEO for 30 minutes, so you must write something, no?” No. 9. Inconsideration. Lack of help with setting up an appointment, lack of interest for the public’s needs, talking down to people, lack of care – all these are the best ingredients to keep a reporter away from your door forever.

10. The Barbie complex. “I won’t get my hands dirty with this work; this is for the agency.” If your PR rep has a clean nails policy and all hard work goes to your external agency PR staff, you might want to reconsider her engagement with your company.

If you foundd that anyy off these sin inss pe pert rtai ainn to you ourr PR rep, think twice. Only one of these sins is enough to write the name of your organization with sparkling red letters into the memory of a journalist. If you want no visibility, it’s your right. Good luck when you’re in a crisis, but go for it. However, if you’re yelling out loud that you want visibility, and you get reporters to run an interview with you, but you then treat them with one of

Photo: Jakub Stadler

the sins I have mentioned above, you might want to reconsider your stance.

What you should check when you want to hire a PR rep: 1. Personal profile management. You hire a communicator. If the person can’t take care of their own image, face-to-face or online, why would they do any better for your company?

2. Awareness and professional competencies.

Would you ever give the social media strategy of your company to someone who doesn’t have a LinkedIn profile?

3. Credentials from former companies. How well did a PR rep do to protect a company when in crisis, and to enhance the company’s visibility?

4. Credentials from journalists. Are they respected by at least five reporters from media that you’d like to see your name in? If the PR person has an impeccable reputation, hire them, empower them and stick to them.

5. Credentials from former PR agencies. If a rep is clear-minded, knows what they want, and knows how to assign tasks, they will do the same for you, which means they will save you money from the budget you invest with your PR agency.

In a world where true communication professionals are rarer than hen’s teeth, your company’s communication should start with the basics. If your goal is to achi hieve outstandi t dingg results ts thr hrou ough gh com ommu muni nica cation, but your PR backyard smells awkward, don’t be afraid to do a spring cleaning despite the late autumn.

By Cristina Muntean ■ český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

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25.11.2011 10:32:07

conference by AČPM

Photo: Ronald Hilmar

th

11 Insurance

Ing. Zdeněk Voharčík, Chairman, AČPM (in the middle), in discussion with Ing. Ivan Špirakus, Vice Chairman, AČPM (standing to his left) and Ing. Tomáš Sýkora, MBA, Executive Director, Czech Insurance Association (ČAP)

BROKERS CONFERENCE IN PRAGUE

From left: academic circles were represented at the Conference by Ing. Václav Křivohlávek, Vysoká škola finanční a správní, Prof. Eva Ducháčková, VŠE Prague, and Prof. Jaroslav Daňhel, VŠE Prague

From left: Pavel Wiesner, Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna and Ing. Jitka Hradilová, Presidium Member, AČPM

From left: Ing. Ivan Špirakus, Vice Chairman, AČPM and Ing. Ivan Paparega, Vice Chairman, AČPM

98 Heimo Ernst Weiss, Managing Director, Belfor Austria

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more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

From left: Ing. Pavel Hollmann, ČNB, Ing. Gustav Vacek, Presidium Member, AČPM, and Ing. Zdeněk Voharčík, Chairman, AČPM

24.11.2011 13:54:59

Enrico Bertagna, European Regional Director, Lloyd´s, world´s oldest and largest insurance market, as special guest

From left: Ing. Konštantín Alexejenko, Deputy CEO, Kooperativa pojišťovna and Ing. Zdeňka Indruchová, Executive Director, AČPM

Ing. Martin Růžička, Country Manager, Coface, Partner of the Conference

Ing. Tomáš Sýkora, MBA, Executive Director, ČAP, one of the regular speakers at Brokers´ Conferences

Ing. Petr Hettner, CEO, Belfor Czechia, Partner of the Conference

From left: Ing. Ivan Špirakus, Vice Chairman, AČPM and Ing. Hynek Černý, Director of Control Department, ČNB

Over Ov er 250 brooke kers rs,, innsu sura ranc n e co nc comp mpan mp anyy ma an mana nageers, an nage a d gu gues esstss gath atthe here erreed fo for an anot othe herr an annu nual al Confe f rence or orga gani ga nize ni zedd by by thee Ass ssoc ocia oc iatitit on of Cz ia Czec echh In ec Insuura r nc ncee Br Brok oker e s (A (AČP ČPM)). ČPM) ČP The ev The e ennt to took ok pla lace cee in th thee Prrag ague ue U Háj ájků k Con ků ongr g es gr esss Ce Cent ntre nt re and was mos ostltly tlly de devo evo vote ted to t for ores essee een chan annge gess in the cuurrrre rent re nt Cze zech ch andd Eur u op opea eann le ea legi g sl gi slat attion atio ion go io g ve vern rning ing tthhe in innsu sura r nc ra ncee se sect ctor o . Thhese issuues werre cooveered reed by by lea eadiing expper erts ts bootth th fr f om o thee Czech Nat atio iona io naal Ba Bannkk andd the Min inis istr is t y of Fin inan aannce ce.. Th Thee pa part rtic rt icip ic ipan ip aannts als lsoo we welc lcom com omed edd an o er ov ervi view of th the woorlld´ d´s ol olde dest de st ins n ur uran ance an cee mar a ke k t,t, given iven iv e by Ll Lloy oyd´ d´´s Re R ggiion onal all Direc irre tor Mr Mr. En E riicoo Ber e ta tagn gna, a a spe peciiall gue u stt to the thhe Co C nfer nffer e en ence cee. Fo Follllllow owin ow ingg thhe trrad in aditititio ion io on, n, thhe insu innsu sura ranc ra n e br nc brokerrs haad ann opp ppor ortu or tuni tu nity ty to leear arnn ab abou outt ne new w wayss of seervingg thhei eirr co corp rpor rp orrat a e clients: ela labo b ra bo rate te insstr truc u tit on uc ons to thi h s en endd we were re pre rese s nt se nted e by C ed Czzecch br branchhes es of ren enow owne nedd intern rnat attiona ionaal fifirm io rm rms ms Co Cofa f ce (onn cre fa redit insurancce andd re receivabless ma m nageme meent nt)) an andd Be B lflfor (on the he min inim imiz im izat iz attio atio ionn off dam amag agee th throoug ughh re rest stor st o at atio ionn an io andd re repaair repa ir).)

An informal exchange of views and experience among Conference participants continued in the Congress Centre foyer during a closing reception prepared by the famous Le Marc Restaurant.

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Ing. Stanislav Svoboda, Uniqa pojišťovna, (left) greets Ing. Pavel Hollmann, Section Director, Czech National Bank. On looking are Ing. Václav Křivohlávek, CSc., VŠFS, (left) and PhDr. Vladimír Přikryl, Ministry of Finance (right).

24.11.2011 13:55:58

celebration

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

Bohemia Jazz Fest - one of the largest open air jazz festivals in Europe, had their annual celebration for their sponsors and supporters at the Minister of Culture by invitation from Minister Jiří Besser.

Rudy Linka, Jazz Musician and Director, Bohemia Jazz Fest

Bohemia Jazz Fest

From left: Petr Hejma, Multiprojekt Group a.s., Mrs. Tereza Hejmová, Petr Bratský, Senator, and Roman Strejček, Chairman, Management Board OSA with his wife

100 Filip Kec, Sales Director, News Outdoor with his wife

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From left: Renata Klaková, Marketing Director, EuroNews and Anna Linka, Organizer of Bohemia Jazz Fest

From left: Mrs. Tereza Hejmová, Petr Bratský, Senator, and Peter Hejma, Multiprojekt Group a.s.

25.11.2011 10:40:55

From left: Markéta Reedová, Director General, Center for Regional Development of the Czech Republic, Anna Linka, Organizer of Bohenia Jazz Fest and Mrs. Irina Kondratenko

From left: Benke Aikell, your Publisher, H.E. Ole Moesby, Ambassador of Denmark, and Tijana Balac Nilsen, Deputy Head Mission, Royal Norwegian Embassy

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

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MgA. Radek Zdráhal, Deputy Minister of Culture

From left: Rudy Linka, Jazz Musician and Director, Bohemia Jazz Fest with his wife Anna Linka and MUDr. Bohuslav Svoboda, Lord Mayor of Prague

25.11.2011 13:04:58

From left: MUDr. Bohuslav Svoboda, Lord Mayor of Prague, Rudy Linka, Jazz Musician and Director, Bohemia Jazz Fest, and Benke Aikell, your Publisher

Jaroslav Menčík, Director, Ministry of Development with his wife Monika Dr. Paolo Sabbatini, Director, Italian Cultural Institute and Mrs. Rossana Ruggiero

Marie Jelínková, PR Senior, ČEZ and her guest

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Bohemia Jazz Fest

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From left: MUDr. Bohuslav Svoboda, Lord Mayor of Prague and Radek Zdráhal, Deputy Minister of Culture with his wife

From left: David J, Gainer, Cultural Attaché, U.S. Embassy Prague, Anna Linka, Organizer of Bohemia Jazz Fest, Frank Kuznik, Blogger, and Rudy Linka, Jazz Musician and Director, Bohemia Jazz Fest

24.11.2011 10:51:11

DIGITAL REVOLUTION Forces New Approaches for Executives The rapidly changing face of technology in recent years – particularly the online digital revolution – has had profound effects on all manner and styl st yles es of ho how w we for orm m op opin inio ions ns, ga gath ther er inf nfor orma mation and connect with each other. Everything about how we communicate has changed, not just in our own communities or countries but globally ... and, instantly.

What is happening in technology and online is taking the world from connected to hyperconnected and individuals from empowered to superempowered. It is going to change everything about how companies and societies operate.

It is no longer sufficient enough for a leader or executive to rely on public relations experts for advice or delegate the job of communications.

Today’s leaders must take control in order to provide visionary leadership with four simple rules: • Know who you are • Be open and transparent • Be ready for change • Learn how to communicate through storytelling which creates favorable news Top leaders are examining a critical reality of successful f l lleadership d hi in i today’s t d ’ media di ddriven i world: Protecting a brand reputation begins with understanding the implications and potential cost of not protecting a reputation.

These people know that, according to research on the importance of brand management, roughly 82 percent of shareholder value is intangible. It’s merely a perception, impression, or … feeling that people have about their brands. As such, these leaders are keenly aware that reputations can be injured with a single misstep.

They also know that the investment to protect a reputation is infinitely less than the expense needed to fix one that is damaged, sometimes by self-inflicted mistakes.

Smart executives are taking the time – as leaders in their respective fields – to understand how to connect better with important audiences and how the media works. As newsmakers, they know what to say and how to deliver their messages so that reporters will pay attention and will most often write positive stories.

Such leaders know that reporters look for sound bites and quotable quotes – not lengthy

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

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and often-boring explanations – so they get to their point quickly when communicating their messages. They concisely and clearly articulate thee viision th i off theiri respec tive i organizations in a way that excites people and creates positive results.

Although these executives may have support staff, they have not delegated the voice of their organizations to others. They are the accountable and respected face of their organizations. We, as a public and an audience, immediately recognize these leaders and trust what they say.

Captivating leaders know that in today’s highly competitive world, successful endeavors become even more successful when they reflect the perper sonality and charisma of the person at the helm.

Perhaps most profound, there is an awareness that the days of massive spending on advertising campaigns to debut new products or ideas are waning and quickly becoming history. The influence of traditional advertising is declining dramatically as audiences swarm to online information preferences and resources.

Generating influence today requires clever exposure across the diverse and evolving channels of the traditional news media together with highly effective use of fast-evolving online media, brand journalism, blogs, social media, streaming video, and engaging audiences openly online.

Business executives who take the time to learn this new world of communications will enable their organizations and companies to reach new heights of prominence and success.

The most important dynamic in today’s style of corporate communications is to not talk about yourself or your company ... because no one cares.

Thiinkk about Th b t it … do yo youu re real ally ly car aree “aabo bout ut” XY XYZZ Corporation or do you only have time to possibly be interested in how their products or services might help your own business or lifestyle … the value to you? In today’s information overload environment, we tend to tune-out and dismiss those people who talk about themselves.

Customers, vendors, clients, shareholders and others only care about the value … the benefit … of your services and products to themselves, to their lives. Anything else is just irrelevant noise.

Competitive differentiation, distinctive awareness and leadership comes from communicating in clear and simple words why audiences will

Photo: Cecil Brathwaite

David Henderson is an accomplished author, Washington-based media and communications strategist and award-winning journalist. Online: www.davidhenderson.com

benefit from your products and services. That is a form of storytelling and at the core of how to generate favorable news in the digital era.

The fundamental elements to accurately communicating news and generating meaningful media attention in this new world order may sound a little old-fashioned old fashioned, but are astonishin astonishingly effective: • Take responsibility, as a leader, for being the face and voice of your organization.

• Create visionary messages that people will find captivating.

• Communicate your messages through a clever story. A good story is precisely want the media wants.

• Get to the point – quickly and clearly – using words we all understand.

• Interweave your messagges through g out all levels of your organization, like a beacon shining on a path to enhance understanding.

• Be consistent, timely, truthful, and relevant in your messages.

• Avoid talking about your organization but rather talk about the value of what your organization does.

Each point is common sense that respects today’s audiences, the news media and others.

These techniques capture important and favorable media coverage that reach vast audiences.

By David Henderson I

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23.11.2011 17:26:24

diplomatic event

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

Celebration of the National Day of Algeria From left: Ing. Milan Hovorka, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade and H.E. Belaid Hadjem, Ambassador of Algeria with his wife Sabrina Hadjem

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

From left: Dr. Donald E. Fuller, Senior Lecturer, AngloAmerican University in Prague, H.E. Jose Luis Bernal Rodriguez, Ambassador of Mexico, and H.E. Belaid Hadjem, Ambassador of Algeria

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From left: H.E. Belaid Hadjem, Ambassador of Algeria, Vítězslav Grepl, Senior Director, non-European countries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mrs. Kateřina Lukešová, Director American States, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

From left: Prof. Jiří Fárek, former Deputy Mayor of Prague 6, H.E. Belaid Hadjem, Ambassador of Algeria, and Cyril Svoboda, Director, Diplomatic Academy

From left: H.E. Krisana Chandraprabha, Ambassador of Thailand and H.E. Sergey B. Kiselev, Ambassador of the Russian Federation with his wife

24.11.2011 14:27:21

From left: MUDr. Jamal Karra CSc., D.D.S, MS, Senior Consultant, Private Dental and Maxillo Facial Clinic, with his wife and Mrs. Jana Germenis, Owner of Castle Blatná with her husband

From left: H.E. George Monteiro Prata, Ambassador of Brazil with his wife Miriam Cecilia Prata and H.E. Belaid Hadjem, Ambassador of Algeria with his wife Sabrina Hadjem From left: Mrs. Najwa Al Riffai, Minister Counselor, Embassy of Syria and H.E. Nadra Sayaf, Ambassador of Syria

From left: František Dohnal, Director, Supreme Audit Office with his wife in red and H.E. Belaid Hadjem, Ambassador of Algeria with his wife

From left: Nicolas de Lacoste with his wife, H.E. Belaid Hadjem, Ambassador of Algeria with his wife on the left, and H.E. Pierre Levy, Ambassador of France

From left: Mrs. Bertha Alicia Garcia Rangel, wife of the Ambassador of Mexico, H.E. Diana Espino Pugliese de Papantonakis, Ambassador of Uruguay, and H.E. Belaid Hadjem, Ambassador of Algeria with his wife Sabrina Hadjem

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From left: H.E. Bady Kedidi, Ambassador of Tunisia with his wife and H.E. Belaid Hadjem, Ambassador of Algeria with his wife on the left

From left: Ivan Dvořák, Director of Defense and Strategy, Ministry of Defense and H.E. Belaid Hadjem, Ambassador of Algeria with his wife Sabrina Hadjem

From left: H.E. Mohamed Ibrahim Abdel Hakam, Ambassador of Egypt, H.E. Bady Kedidi, Ambassador of Tunisia, H.E. Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Alsheikh, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Hussain Saleh Majeed Mualla, Ambassador of Iraq, and H.E. Mohamed Salaymeh, Ambassador of Palestine

24.11.2011 14:28:21

An interview with Ahtam Niyazmatov and Pavel Gorshkov, Owners of KuponPlus.cz

KUPONPLUS.CZ the Next Generation Deal of the Day Discount Website

What is KuponPlus.cz and what makes your new concept better than the existing model?

KuponPlus.cz is the next generation deal of the day discount website with a brand new and revolutionary concept of sales which drastically differs from others.

We work differently than the average deal of the day website, so that instead of selling a pre-chosen voucher for its full discounted price, the customer on our website simply buys a coupon for a set discount in the range of 29 CZK to 99 CZK. With our KuponPlus.cz coupon the customer then pays the discounted price himself directly to the business, and therefore chooses what goods and services he wants, and how much of them he would like to use.

To recap, for example, while the standard model might offer you a discount in a restaurant on a certain specific meal, our model offers the client the choice of the whole menu, leaving it up to the consumer to decide what and how much he would like to eat. This concept has also proven to be adaptable and beneficial for our partners, who acquire clients through our services in one of the most effective and fastest growing market segments in the world.

of our extensive portfolio from top of the line GT Gold Card partners in areas of gastronomy, entertainment, leisure, health, beauty, and numerous others.

Since the launch of the first deal of the day discount websites, we have observed the market and were unsatisfied with the classic business model. We saw an opportunity on the market and believed that we have a system in which the old classic system could be greatly improved and overhauled for both the customer and the business. Our business stemmed from an idea to establish a deal of the day discount market place where the customer would not be limited by his or her choice, while giving unprecedented freedom for the businesses to promote their brand and their entire range of services.

The market as a whole has since grown into a multibillion dollar industry worldwide and has required innovation. Due to the monthly increasing demand in our product and approach, we are confident that we might be the innovation the market was gearing towards.

However, keeping in line with the GT Gold Card approach, we only seek out the best quality representations of their offered services on the Czech market.

As far as strategic partnerships on the market, we have long term cooperation with the best of online deal aggregators Slevin.cz and Skrz.cz. With a few of our partners we organize mass prize giveaways to the people who visit their aggregators, and our website gives away more than 1000 prizes over the course of two weeks.

What makes your customer retention rate so high?

Our precedence is always in placing the customer as a number one priority, as well as providing him with a wide choice, quality, and availability of the presented offers.

In addition to standard online payment methods we also offer extensive choices of payment methods, from mobile phone payments by SMS to direct cash payment though Pay+ terminals that can be found all across Prague, and very soon the whole of Czech Republic.

How do you choose which business to work with?

Have there been any offers to buy out your business?

KuponPlus.cz is an extremely multisided business which offers anything from restaurants, bars, and cafes to hotels, beauty salons, and clothes stores from the best brands. In our approach we only look for long term partnerships with our partners, thus providing the maximum benefits to both consumers and businesses.

Because of our original and beneficial approach we have a plethora of businesses contacting us who want to advertise their businesses though our website.

We have had a few people approach us, but until now we have been too focused on further development and continual growth and innovation to even seriously consider any offer. However, if we were to sell any part of the business it would be to a partner who would have the means to move the project as a whole to the next stage of development.

Compiled by Leaders Magazine I

What is your key to success?

We have had the contacts and experience for the establishment of the deal of the day website long before any deal of the day website appeared in the Czech Republic. We have been working on the Czech discount market since 2009, with our other project the GT Gold Card concept. The GT Gold Card is a top of the line benefits discount card that offers exclusive benefits and cooperation with some of the largest and most respected brands on the Czech market. Therefore, we developed KuponPlus.cz with the help and support

From left: Ahtam Niyazmatov and Pavel Gorshkov

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From left: Iveta Lutovská, Model, Czech Miss 2009 and Blanka Matragi, Fashion Designer

Photos: Archive Via Perfecta

fashion Fashion Show and Timeless Exhibition Energetic and creative fashion designer and academic painter Blanka Matragi, who won the title Outstanding Czech-born Woman in the World in 2003, is celebrating in 2012 the 30th year of her creations and the founding of her fashion salon Blanka - Haute Couture in Beirut, where she has lived since 1980. The celebrations began on the 6th of October 2011 with a great ceremonial fashion show connected to a gala evening in all salons of the Municipal House. Following the evening, a permanent retrospective exhibition of Blanka Matragi’s archive and her contemporary work was opened in the Municipal House. The archive of Blanka Matragi, priceless in its value, will be supplemented by gifts of royal families, specially dedicated for this exhibition.

New Boutique Matragi in Prague and Fashion Studio Matragi Design On the 7th of October 2011, Blanka Matragi launched the sale of her entirely new sports collection and accessories in her boutique located in U Prašné brány 2 street, Prague 1.

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

BLANKA MATRAGI FASHION SHOW, TIMELESS EXHIBITION AND THE OPENING OF A BOUTIQUE IN PRAGUE

From left: Mrs. Blanka Matragi, Fashion Designer, Mr. Matram Matragi, and Mrs. Alice Bulbol

Mrs. Blanka Matragi, Fashion Designer (in the middle) with models Blanka Matragi Photo: Lucie Robinson

From left: Mrs. Lucie Pilipová, Partner, Via Perfecta with daughters, Mrs. Blanka Matragi, Fashion Designer, and Ivan Pilip, private Financial Consultant and former Minister of Finace

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From left: Mrs. Alice Bulbol, Mr. Makram Matragi, Mrs. Michel Moujais, Mrs. Blanka Matragi, Fashion Designer, Mrs. Salwa Nsouli, Mr. Abd Nsouli, and Mrs. May Chahin

24.11.2011 11:06:11

NOMA – THE BEST RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD Feerr rran an Adr dria ia, th ia thee gr grea eaates teest st che hef in thee wor orld ld,, ssome so ome meti t me ti m s call calllled ca edd the h Sal a va vado d r D do Daalili of cu culililna nary ryy arts ar tss, is i now w paassséé, allon ongg wiith th his ressta t ur uran annt El Bull Bu ulllli inn sun u ny n Cat atal alon al onia on iaa, whhich icch fo for th t e pa past sev eveer eral rall y ar ye ars atttr trac acte ac ted te ed go g urrme m tss froom aarrouund nd the h wor orld ld too exp xper erie er ieenncce hi hiss mole moolleecu ecuula lar cuuissinne. The cha h ng ngee i noott beccau is ause se thhee phe heno nome no meena nal co nal cook ookk reellenntteed in hiss arr t, hi t, butt beccau a see 8000 world orrld ld exp x eerr tt-go t-go gour u mets ur mets me t , topp ch to chef e s, ef s, ren e ow owne n d re ne rest sttau a raant nt own wnerrs, s and n spe p cial aliz liz ized edd int nter erna natti na tion onal aall cri riti tiics tics cs hav a e di disc sccoovver ered ed a ne new dark daark hor orse see in an anot othe ot h r ccoorn he orner er of th thee woorlld, d h dd hi d enn fro rom or o di dina nary ary epi picu cure cu re,, iinn the norr tthh Eur urop ope, op e e, inn Dennma m rk rk..

T he ririsi Th The s ng sta t r is 35 ye y arr old Ren e é Reedz d eppi, a nat a iv ivee of Dennm maark r witth a si sing n ul ng ular a sense ns forr cul u innar aryy cr c af aftt aass weell as huumo well mour our. urr. Itt was in 20 2010 1 whe h n Re René néé too ookk do d wnn thhe re rest stau st aura au rant ra n El Bu nt B llli frfom o its tss thr hrow ow wn fo forr th the ffiirs the rstt titime m me

with wi thh his res esta taur ta uran antt Noom an maa. It sho h uld ulld be be not oted ote ed ho ed, howw wevver, err, th that at on hiis ro r add to fa fame mee, RReene n Reddzeeppii spe p nt t wo year tw yeearr s att El Bu Bulllli, llli, anndd dreew onn the exp xper e ieenc er n e that thhat hee gatthe here redd inn hiss hom re omee co c uunntr try. y T he y. he sec ecre rett off his re is suucc cces ess,, thee Big es ig Ban angg inn cullinnar a y ar art,t, liees iinn the h sim mpplle ph phililos ossopphy of uussinng lo osop locca cal annd se seas asson onaal al prroodu duct cts, ct s, a d in the an heiriri proce rooce cess ssssinng, g, in th thee foorm m of re rein innveent nted ed tra r ddiitition onal on a Nor al ordi dic meeth di thod hod ods. s As a re s. resu sultltlt, yo su youu w wiill not taast stee a ddrropp of olivve oi o l he here ree oorr a pie re, iece ce of to ce toma mato to,, gaarlrlic ic,, th ic thym me, e, egggppllaannt or o per e ha haps p foi oiee gr gras a s s . In as ass. thes th ese pa part r s ooff thee wor rt o ld ld,, yo you wi willlll f in i d thhe flflavvou our of sea foa of oam m in inst stteaad, d t as aste ttees ooff pur u pl p e mo m raasses ssseess, sa saps pss ooff birirch chh bar ark, k, moss s annd fe fern rnns, rns, s iod o in i e, e, wili d woorm r wooodd andd cood sp an s er e m, m if yo youu lilike k . Do ke D ess thhiis so s un undd inntitimi m daami tiingg ? Is it deest s inned e for o a riddiccul u ou o s cuulil na n ryy par arod oddy?? ody?

C rt Ce r ai ainl nlyy it is noot.t T he h cullin inar a y ex ar expe p ririen pe ennce ce is a di disc scoo oveery ry,, a flav avvourf ourf ou rful ul sur u pr pris isse, e and mag agni nifififceent n , an andd th thee reessuult is ssiimp m lyy rav avis iisshiing ng.. W Whho ho wo wouuulld no now w ob o je ject ct to

From Fro m r igh igght: Renné Redz e epi ep an andd his par a tne tn r

o st oy s eerr s, s, seaawe weed edd, seepi ed, p a innk orr cavviar?? New e fruuititss ddoo e isst,t one ex n mus ustt oonnllyy t ak akee th t e effo eff fort too fif nd n theem an a d trr y th thei eeiir guust stator o y an andd nuutr tritititio i nal qu io q al a ititie ies. s T he hey ca c n surp su rprir se rpri s you ou, u, ch char arm m yoouu,, or ma m ke youu ner ervo voouss, liikee a y ne an new th new thing. g. But g. ut theey will will cer wi er ta t ainnly imppre ress s s you ss o . Th T e c aft cr aff t of Ren ené lies es in hi h s sk skililll ttoo capptu ture ree andd em mppha h ssiizzee aut u he hent n ic ic f llaavoour ur s, s, andd to se serv rve ve thhem m in a fo form orm m

Embankment of the historical center of Copenhagen

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ooff cul ulinnar a y aaddveenttur u ee.. New ew ing ngre redi re d en di e ts t the h n reevi vive ve ve thee ta th tast stte of del elic iccious ioous us chi h ckken en,, fiirsst cl c as a s be b ef ef, ffrres eshh fif sshh and lan anngoous u te te.. Th Thee crus crrusstyy andd aro roma matiic ta tast sstte ooff ryye br b ea eadd wi w lll beew wililde deer yo y u an a d pers peerssuade uade you thaat ua eevven an or ordi dina di nary r mea ry eall caan be beco c mee an ex e tr t aord aoor innar ay d liicaacy de cy und n err the han ands d of cr c aaff ts tsme men. n n.

RReest st auura rant nt Nom o a can be fouund nd on thhe wa wate tteerfro roontt off Cooppeennha hage gen, ge n, inn th t e ol o d po p rt r doocck.. Nom omaa meean a s Noord rdic icc mea e l or o Nordi dicc ccuuis isinne. e T hhoose s who h boo ookk an a ex tr extr ex t ao aord rddinnar a y gour u me m t ex e pe periien ence c for ce o 100 pe peopple or m ree wililll be ser mo erve ved on ve on thee f irir st st f looor or, wh w ich icch fe featturres e ititss own own ki kitche tcchen, heen whi h le the he mai a n kkiitc tche henn wi with th equ qual a ly al e ce ex celllent ccuuissinne iss loc ocat ated at ed on th thee gr grou o ndd f looor ou or.

Folllllow Fo o in i g th thee ap a eerrittif is a pr prem emiuum wh em whiti e exx tr traa br brut utt chhampa am mpaagn g e byy Jac a qu ques ess L as assa saaiggnee (vi v nt ntag agge un unsp spesp ecifif ed ci cifi e )),, whiich c iss serv seerv r ed ed on thhe do door o ya y rd rd,, to t whi hich cchh you must mu st wal a k thhrroough ugg thhe wh whol olee sppar ol arkl k inng cl kl c eaan ki kitc t hen, tc heen, paasss alll thee ser pass ervers and n gre reet et the cou ount ntle nt less le ss sm miiliing ng chef ch eeff ss,, in orrde derr too get bacck to the h water atterr frfron ontt annd as on as-ceenndd to th thee el eleg egan eg a t hall an haa witth itt s frieennddlyy atm mossph pher ee er and booar an a d foor teen di d ne ners rss. Here Heeree youu wiilll fifnd n thee Mec ecca ca o gourm of met e s. s Ass sooon as as the gueests stt s ar aree se seat ated at ed, wa ed w itter erss ha hand ndd ever ev e yyoone n a meetter e -lonng re reed eeedd witith ith a hheead likke an an art r i-chokke,, and ch chok nd peele eeeleed up to a so soft ft spr p ou out off thee core orre, e, whhich yo w you th t en e soa o k inn the he sub ubtlte suubssta tannc nce th that hat at,, once on ce t as ce asted, ted, will te illl di d sp sper eerr se on yo y ur ton ongu g e an gu andd brriinng all yo al all your ur t as a te budds in i ttoo plaay. Aft f ter err a verr y loong ng ran anggee of varrioous of us sna nack ckks, “am am mus usee-bo b uc bo u he h s” s , go go and n ref effreeshh your yo uurr se selff on th thee tteerr rrac acce and annd so soak akk up thhe Scan caanndi d naavian vian vi a seeaa airr witi h a vi v ew w of thhe suuns n eett tha hatt neve neev r ennddss.

Yoou wi You willllll neeed a cl c eaar heeadd, for foor wh what at fol ollo lows ws iss th thee ma m inn c ur co urse ssee, co c mp mpririise sed ooff a seq eque u nc n e of of greeen e saallad ad taast stess of wi wild ld str traw awbe b rr r iees on Nor o di dicc Ta Tarr rrraggonna, a, heenc n e a ttaarrraaggon o andd wor o mw mwoo oodd ro root otss, ot s, fol ollo loowe wedd bbyy a co cong ngger e eeell witth ccrres esss se seed eddss,, cra rawf wfis wf ishh ta is tart rtar rt arr wiitth s rrrel and so n jun u iper ipper andd sccaalllop op witth un u knnown ow wn No Nord rddicc frf ui uits uits ts.. Ne N edle eddleess s to saay, eacch neew diish s is acco acccoomp mpaa a-

Noma´s entrance

nied ni iedd by ruumo m ur u s annd qquuesstit onns wh whiic ich the ich thhe stt aff f en e thhuu sias si a tit ca as callllllyy and annd wi w th t unw waavver erin erin i g pprrec ecis issio ion on ex expl pllai ains ns,, d sc di sclo losi osi sing n thee maagggic ng icc of th t e unnkn know own. ow n In adddiitiionn n. to the hesee unnffam a ililia iarr fllav ia a ours ours,, yo ou y u wi w ll alsso en e cooun unte teer moore m re fam amilililia iaar inngr g ed edie die i ntt s thhat at willl ma m ke you rej ejoi oice c ce wiith w ithh prir de d whe henn reecoogn g ized ized. edd Th T es ese mi m gh g t in i cl c ud udee ne new w fllavvou ours rs or loova vage ge,, ve verb rrbben ena, a,, f inne ce cele lery le r anndd dellic icioous truf tr u flf es serve err ve v d in var a io i uss com o bi b na natitition o s wi on w th un-m tche ma tccheed pe perf rffecc tit onn and ele lega g ncce of t as ga a te t .

Inn the hisstoory r of ga g stro sttroono nomy my,, tr my tren ends ends d devvel e oppedd on thee baassiss of lil fe f stt yl y e, e, loccal a phi hilo hilo losso sophhy, pos ossi s bi si blilititities es of naatu ture re and n loc ocal al habit abbititss an andd cuultluurre. Anc ncieent Chhiinnes e e cu c issinne fo f r innst s annccee ser e ve vedd al a l that thh nat a urre made ma dee ava vaililab abble le.. Di Dish shes sh hes wer ere pr p epar eppar ared eedd acccoorrdi dingg too fouur pprr in i cciiipless: wi w th t an eem mphhaassiss on taast s e,, sce cenntt, cooloour anndd com omposi ompo sition o . Th on Thee me meal alss were weer fur ur th t er seerv serv rved ed all at on o cee andd thee orrddeerr of de degu g st stat a ioon deeppeendded ed on th thee wi willllll of th the di dine neer. T he he drirnkks weere re Embankment of the historical center of Copenhagen

s mpplyy r ic si icee wi wine n or gr ne gree e n tteea, a witth noo gre reat ater at e dee-er m nd ma n s pl placcedd on th them em.

F en Fr ench ch cui uisi sine si nee didd not rea each ch its pea eakk inn gas a tr tron onom om my u tiil ma un many n yeaars lat ny a er andd is ba b seed on a sel e ec ectitition ion of qualitityy ra qu raw w ma m teeririaal als an andd thhei e r haarm rmon onniioous u com o bi bina na-na tition ons. s. T he res esults s s of cu culililnnaaryy perfe er fe er fect c tio ct ioon ar a e ne new w flflaavoouurr s crrea e teed by origina nall pr p oc oces e si es sing ng anndd uneexppec ecte tedd te comb co m inat mb innat atio ioons of baassiic ingr ions g eddieentt s. gr s. Par a t of thee gastastas roono rono nomi micc ex mi expe peri pe erien ence en cee iss th thee art of of serr vi ving ngg the mea e ls inn a haarrmo moni nicc sequ ni seequ quen ence ce of flav avou av o rs r s witth in incr crea eaasi s ng expr ex p essi pr ess si sive veeness ness ne s . Co Comb m in mb iningg me m al a s wi w thh winne iiss an ininnt grral te a par artt of of Fre renc n h di nc dini ning ng .

T e mo Th m de dern rnn app ppro rooac achh ttoo thee cur u reent tec echnnoollog o ic ical a al p ss po ssib ibbillititie ities, iees, s whi h chh we ca c lll mol o eccul ular ar cuisi s nee andd whic wh hicch wa wass de deve velo ve loopeed by Fer lope e raan Ad Adriia, goe oess ha h nd in h ndd witithh th ha t e at atom omic om icc age ge,, an andd th t us u exp xplo loores thhe cooree of foo ood. d It at atte temp te mpts mp t s to exx tr ts trac acc t th t os osee flav flla ou ours r s thhaat w ree pre we revi v ou vi ousl slly co conc ncea nc eeaaled leed be belo low lo ow th t e su s rf r acce of o bassic t asttess, al ta alth thou ouugh we mi m gh ght haave ve thooug u htt thaat aatt the he h ar he artt thher ere mi ere m gh g t bee som met ethi hing hi ng new ew hiddin ing. g. Fer g. e rann A ria Ad riia ha h s al a re readdy ac acco coompli mpplis liish shed shed ed eve v ryy thhin i g he hass set ou se o t to do. o He ha hass tuurnned ed to ta t ake k a new w direc ecc tition onn, so in Ju July lyy 201 0111 he clo l sseed ed th thee re rest stau st auuraant n El Bu Bullllli, onl ny t ope to penn th thee El El Bul ullili Fou ound ndat nd a ioon inn 201 at 014, 4 tha hat at wi w lll pro ro-m te mo t an en envi viro rroonm men enta ttaal ap appr p oa pr oach chh andd acc cces e s too new es e tteechhnolo noolo logi g es in th gi thee pr prep epar ep arrat a ioon of mea e ls ls.. Ea Each c yea ch ear,r, he willl off fe fer er twen tw wen e ty inntter ernsshi h ps p tha h t wi w lll allllow ow w thhee bes e t cuulilina naary t al alen ents tss to expe expe ex peri erime imeent n and n sha hare r the re h irr new he e gast ga ssttro rono n mi no m c ar a tss andd exp xper e ie er ienc nces ess.

Rest Re stt aauura rant ntt Nom omaa ha hass ta take kkeen ye y t annot o he herr st stepp for orward wa ward r and Ren enéé Re R dz d eeppi ke keep epss ssuucc cces essf sful sf ully coom ully mbi binnni g th in thee re redi d sc di scovverredd traadiitit onal onnall met ethho hodss of hiis reegi g on on with wi thh an em mph phas assis on th t e quual a itt y of bassicc proodu duct uct c t s, cts pprres esen entte en ted inn a per erfe r fe f ct har a mo monyy of ttaastes stteess. TThhe res esultltlt iss a cullin inar a y exxpe ar peririien e ce ce tha hatt iss diff ficu fificcuultlt to ca capt ptur u e in ur in word wo rdds. s It re refflf lec e tss the h reg egioon an and lilfe fest fest s yylle off the he Norrdi di c dic ccooun untr tr y annd itt s innha try tr h bi bita tant ta antt s. It faasc s in inattess us by by ittss authhen au entititicc be b auuty t , pu p riity t y andd freesh shne n ss ne s s, w whhic ichh liie in siimp mplilici c tyy, ta ci tale lent le n and mas nt aste teeryy. tery

By Ivaa and Jos By o eph epph D DR REB REB BITTKO I Phhot o oss: Dr D ebit ebitko eb tko´s koo´ss arcchiive ve č sskký če k ý př př ek ekllaad nale nale na lezn zznneette v el elek ektrr on oniccké onic ké verzi er zi er zi maaggaa zzíínuu na ww m w ww. w w. w.le lead le ead a err sm smag aggaazzin ine. e cz cz

Leaadder Le erss Ma Maga agaazi zine VI/201 zine /2201 011 011

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cfo club event

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

For the 7th time the annual conference of the most prominent CFO Club members took place in the Boccaccio Hall of the Grand Hotel Bohemia.

The speakers of the afternoon’s expert session were Martin Novák, Chief Finance Officer of ČEZ; Aleš Barabas, Member of the Board of UniCredit Bank Czech Republic; Patrik Choleva, Chief Finance Officer of Skanska; Eva Zamrazilová, Czech National Bank Board Member; Milan Ptáčník, CEO of LeasePlan; and Jiří Štoček, LeasePlan Senior Sales Manager. A discussion panel moderated by Dean Brabec, President of CFO Club, and Managing Director CEE Arthur D. Little was also part of the afternoon programme. The speakers in the discussion, which was focused on opportunities of international expansion, were Michael Flídr, AERO Vodochody Vice President of Finance; Ondřej Beránek, Bohemia Sekt Chief Finance Officer; and Kamil Ziegler, CEO of Sázková kancelář. The conference programme was followed by a social event with premium champagne and wine tasting.

BE PREPARED

Photo: Jakub Joachim Dean Brabec, Managing Director CEE, Arthur D. Little and President, CFO Club

for the Next Recession or, How to Prepare your Competitiveness Strategy

VII ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON EXCELLENCE IN FINANCE

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more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

From left: Petra Grabmayer, Country Manager for the Czech Republic, Pedersen & Partners and Martin Novák, Member of the Board and CFO, ČEZ, a. s.

24.11.2011 11:03:51

From left: Ondřej Balík, Executive Head, KREKOM s.r.o., Michal Šetka, Editor in Chief, WINE & Degustation, and Dean Brabec, Managing Director CEE, Arthur D. Little and President, CFO Club

Aleš Barabas, Member of the Board, UniCredit Bank Czech Republic, a.s.

Kamil Ziegler, CEO, Sázková kancelář, a.s.

From left: Milan Ptáčník, Sales Director, LeasePlan and Alois Kohout, CFO and Administrative Director, ISS Facility Services s.r.o.

From left: Bořivoj P. Pražák, Senior Advisor, Arthur D. Little, Dean Brabec, Managing Director CEE, Arthur D. Little and President, CFO Club, and Eva Zamrazilová, Bank Board Member, Česká národní banka

From left: Ondřej Beránek, Vice Chairman of the Board and CFO, BOHEMIA SEKT, a.s. and Michael Flídr, Vice President Finance, AERO Vodochody, a. s.

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From left: Pavel Doležal, Director, pdMEDIA s.r.o., Iveta Donaldson, Financial Consultant, MAXIS GROUP, a.s., and Petr Budinský, Vice-Rector for External Relations and Trade, Vysoká škola finanční a správní

Pavel Kočka, Director, Company Management Division, ČEZ Zákaznické služby, s.r.o. and Eva Vašková Čejková, Partner, ConPro, s.r.o.

From left: Martin Herrmann, CEO and Chairman of the Board, RWE Transgas, Patrik Choleva, Vice Chairman of the Board and CFO, Skanska a.s., and Dean Brabec, Managing Director CEE, Arthur D. Little and President, CFO Club

24.11.2011 11:04:20

The Connecting Power OF MASTER COMMUNICATORS Karin Genton-L’Epée is a business coach with 30 years of extensive professional experience in the United States, France and the Czech Republic. Based in Prague since 1995, for the past 13 years she has developed a range of coaching and training programs for mid- and top-level managers, focusing on leadership development, cross-cultural understanding and effective communication in a global environment. By providing a structured environment that supports people in clarifying who they are and what they want, Karin enables her clients to devise more effective strategies to achieve their personal and professional goals. Thanks to her knowledge, skills and range of international experience, Karin is in demand as a speaker at business conferences and educational institutions on both sides of the Atlantic. She is also a regular contributor to business journals and magazines. She works in English and French and can be reached at karin@coaching.cz.

When Barack Obama delivered a speech to the combined British House of Commons and House of Lords in May 2011, in London, he was the third American president to address the British parliament, after Bill Clinton in 1995 and Ronal Reagan in 1982.

Soon after, while pundits were busy comparing Obama’s speech to those of previous US presidents, and identifying the key words the presidents have used most frequently, I couldn’t help but remember the time I heard Ronald Reagan deliver one of his inspirational speeches.

It was a speech that managed to convince me – the “Frenchie” living in NYC at the time – that, regardless of his political views, he was, indeed, a great communicator.

Later, after watching Reagan – with his inimitable charm, telegenic poise, ease, and comfort in front of the camera – introducing his vice-president as the Republican candidate for the US 1988 presidential election, I quickly realized that George H.W. Bush was no match for his predecessor. It took the United States four more years to welcome into the White House another master communicator, Bill Clinton.

If Reagan had a style that inspired Americans to believe in a better America, Clinton has a style that makes people feel connected. We perceive that he cares about people as individuals, and that perception has served him well – he won the presidency and re-election by very comfortable margins.

In the time of Reagan and Clinton, the world witnessed two of the best communicators ever. Since that time, we have been subjected to almost continuous verbal aggression by politicians, corporate executives and religious leaders whose pontificating styles, statistics and philosophical points of view have taken the place of making genuine connections with us. What makes the difference?

Too often, public speakers forget to focus on their audience. Instead, they focus on themselves. Connecting with your listeners and persuading them isn’t about how smart you are or would like to be perceived; or how good looking you are or would like to be seen; or how important and impressive you are or wish to be. It is about making sure that your audience understands what you are saying and feels that you want to connect with them.

In my training and consulting sessions, I always ask two questions: “Who are you?” and “What do you want?”

The first question is about knowing yourself – what’s important for you, your cultural ticks, communication style, and more. Only once you know what you stand for

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can you then figure out how to effectively connect with your audience, whether that is one person, a dozen, or millions of people.

Unfortunately, after the “What do you want?” step, too many people ask something along the lines of “Will my audience like me and be impressed by me and what I have to say?” These are ludicrous questions, and they don’t even matter – when you ask the right questions, and structure your communication according to the answers to those questions, your audience will respond to you.

More importantly, they will connect with you.

So the questions you need to start with, the connecting questions, are “What do my listeners want to hear?” “Why are they listening?” “What are their points of view and goals?” and “What do they expect and want from me?”

That first question can be challenging, because you are not always going to tell an audience what they want to hear. Sometimes the news is bad, or the audience is confrontational. In any situation, though, knowing what your audience wants to hear – wishes it could hear – helps you structure your communication in a way that is inviting, or better.

What any audience wants from you is clear, concise communication that allows them to make an informed decision and take action without doubt. This is true whether you want millions of people to vote for you or want your team to sell more widgets. Being able to act without doubt equates to safety, the second level in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. People want to be safe, physically and emotionally.

As important, they also want to feel good about themselves and what they do. It is this good feeling that creates the connection, and vice versa; and if you think about it, this is true of virtually everything you do. Every time you experience a feeling of satisfaction or fulfillment, or even just have something bring a smile to your face, you open a positive connection to the person or incident that gave you that feeling. And when you feel connected to someone, you will go out of your way to make them happy.

While visiting the States a few years ago, I witnessed Bill Clinton’s magical communication in action again. His book, My Life, had just been published and he was on every magazine cover and interviewed by every major television channel. In the Boston Sunday Globe, a reader who had attended a publishing industry trade show at which Clinton gave a keynote address said that although she was seated in the back of the ballroom, among three

thousand other people, and could barely see Clinton, she felt as if he was talking just to her.

“It wasn’t mesmerizing,” she wrote, “It was comfortable.” bl ” She Sh then th added: dd d “Th “That’s t’ what h t I wantt ffrom allll my leaders. I want to feel comfortable with them and to be leaders inspired by them.”

People want to know that they matter, that they are an important part of a bigger picture and a bigger goal.

A growing number of employee surveys report that employees want to know that their boss cares and, very often, the need of a boss who cares overcomes the need of money.

They want to know their company executives are concerned about them as individuals, and that they are not just a disposable item. But how many bosses or managers bother with the effort it takes to make the connection, instead of focusing on numbers and profit margins?

Many corporate leaders do foster cultures of connection within their companies, but they are often not as visible to us as politicians. Which brings us back to those two recent American leaders who were experts at connecting with their fellow citizens. Both Reagan and Clinton knew how to use the warmth of their personalities, their tone of voice, the expressions on their faces and the passion in their guts to inspire others. Both could engender in the American people a sense of empowerment – the feeling that they mattered and that they were valued as human beings, not just as votes.

In the political arena, the presidential candidates in the upcoming French and American elections would be wise to keep this in mind when they address the citizens of France and America during the 2012 presidential campaigns. And, in the business world, hopefully, managers are also finding ways to connect with the people they manage in order to create a work environment in which everyone feels valued and involved in the final outcomes.

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IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

25.11.2011 11:51:30

H.E. Valerie Raymond, Ambassador of Canada and H.E. Nadra Sayaf, Ambassador of Syria

diplomatic/ charity event

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

th

10 Christmas Charity Bazaar This year’s annual DSA Christmas Bazaar on November 13th at the Hilton Hotel was an event with many “ firsts”.

50 countries participated this year – more than ever before! They sold national delicacies like foie gras, prepared by the chef of the French embassy, empanadas from the kitchen of the Argentinian embassy, teas, infusions, coffee and chocolates, Mongolian cashmere products, silk scarfs from India, porcelain items from Japan, cheese from Lithuania, and wonderful cookies from Latvia. All visitors enjoyed the unique Christmas shopping opportunity and they were also entertained by an international choir and a group from Georgia that sang tunes of their country. Almost 15,000 entrance tickets were sold – more than ever before! They all participated in a most interesting raffle which included very attractive prizes such as a 30-minute helicopter flight, vouchers for romantic restaurant dinners, wines from many countries, a coffee machine, etc. Some very valuable donations like jewels, Moser glass, holiday trips, airfares and electronic devices were auctioned – also for the first time – by DSA under the seller´s name “Diplomat10” through the internet at www.aukro.cz. For some of those items the auction is still running, but so far CZK 186,000 have been raised. We are predicting that we have raised several millions, but the final financial result will only be known in a couple of days, as the donations are still coming. We can already say today that this was a very successful event and luckily so, because many Czech charities are waiting for the support of DSA.

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

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From right: H.E. Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Alsheikh, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia with his wife and members of the staff of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia

From left: Mrs. Gil, wife of the Ambassador of Argentina and Mrs. Maja de Lacoste cutting the ribbon

H.E. Ferdinand Trautmansdorff, Ambassador of Austria at the Korean stand From right: Mrs. Henneman, wife of the Ambassador of the Netherlands with a member of the Dutch stand

From left: H.E. Yaakov Levy, Ambassador of Israel and Jindřich Forejt, Protocol Director, Office of the President of the CR

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From left: H.E. Marie Landaveri Porturas, Ambassador of Peru and H.E. Celia Sandra Botha, Ambassador of South Africa

Members of the Embassy of Kazakhstan at the Kazakhstan stand

H.E. Vicente Espeche Gil, Ambassador of Argentina and Mrs. Maja de Lacoste

25.11.2011 13:31:11

Mrs. Louise Beer from the Canadian stand and Jindřich Forejt, Protocol Director, Office of the President of the CR

From left: H.E. Vicente Espeche Gil, Ambassador of Argentina and Michael Specking, General Manager, Hilton Prague and Hilton Prague Old Town

From left: H.E. Mohammad Kabir Farahi, Ambassador of Iraq and H.E. Mohamed Salaymeh, Ambassador of Palestine

H.E. Ferdinand Trautmansdorff, Ambassador of Austria with his wife at the Austrian stand

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From right: Jindřich Forejt, Protocol Director, Office of the President of the CR, Mrs. Šmídová, representing Office of the Czech First Lady Mrs. Livia Klausová, and members of the Iraqi stand

24.11.2011 11:02:40

A Star among Observatories

Photo: Archive

WAS BORN AT KRAVÍ HORA

A poet once saaid that the stars above Brno resemblee the daisies. This statement is more romantic than sci-entific. However, the sky over Brno has been observedd not only by the eyees of dreamers but also by the rational gaze of actual sccientists and scientifically interestedd amateurs.

It was in 19533 when, after nearly ten years of hardd work, the observaatory building was erected on Cow Hill (Kraví Hora), and the institution, itself, was inauguratedd on the 16th of October 1954 under the name of “Thee People’s Regional Observatory in Brno”. From then on, more and more additions were made, including the pla-netarium’s projecctor; a real hit among the citizens andd tourists, as it’s caapable of recreating the sky under thee planetarium domee that’s 8.5m in diameter.

The number of visitors and school fieldtrips has conti-nued to grow on Kraví Hora. In the 1970s, the observatoryy Observatory building is covered with the unique jacket with 8,576,389 holes

Brno_Ostrava.indd 116

was christened after Nicolas Copernicus, even though he had never visited Brno and why the institution no longer carries his name today, if not the possibility of changing the name again for Valentina Tereshkova’s instead.

Since the 1990s, the large planetarium was finally opened to the public and obtained more modern projectors that could cast truly unique visualisations of the universe and incorporated the use of the Internet. By 2007, the observatory has undertaken another major turn in its development with its current director, Jiří Dušek.

MODERN DESIGN, NEW TECHNOLOGY On October 2009, a childhood dream finally came true when I, as the Mayor of Brno, had the privilege to join 16 astronauts from all over the world in the laying out the foundations for the “Exploratorium of Natural Sciences”. This project, whose patron is the first Czechoslovak astronaut Vladimír Remek, had launched an extensive renovation of the old observatory, which was funded by European Funds and city of Brno’s budget.

Total cost tallied up to CZK 92.4m, which included a CZK 64.9m grant from the Southeast Regional Operational Programme. The construction was completed last summer and the first visitors entered the newly extended and renovated Brno Observatory and Planetarium on the 12th November. The facility should be in full operation as of the beginning of next year.

The building was designed by Martin Rudiš in the neofunctionalist style, and should be a feast for wandering eyes with such features as a sliding roof, a glazed façade and a large terrace. A modern, world-class and multivisual centre will greet visitors and offer them the use of

high-tech binoculars with powerful leenses and computerised navigation systems. There is also an underground room where an interactive exhibition about the solar system is on display with real meteorite samples. A lookout tower provides a magnificent view of Brno at night. There are temporary exhibition rooms, a haall for physical, phenomena demonstrations, and, of coourse, and a newly renovated, smaller planetarium thaat includes a classroom and a special observatory foor Brno universities’ students. And finally, there is room with wheelchair accessibility for everyone to enjoy a cupp of coffee or tea.

The re-opening will be commemoorated by the spectacular performance of “Incredible Brno” (Neuvěřitelné Brno), the children’s showing of “Whatt on Earth Do You Do, Sun?” (Copak děláš, Sluníčko?) and the innovated series of other educational programmes, inccluding an online astro-course for all schools. There will also be an interactive exhibition, “A Solar System Story,” whhich offers a modern view of the surroundings around our planet, and a chance to touch the meteorites and travel acrross space and time.

I would like to assure all lovers of science, technology, art and astronomy that it will be moree than safe to “touch the stars” in Brno from now on. I hoppe that everyone will come to see this extraordinary facility for his or herself.

I also hope the words, “Quaere et invvenies“ (Seek and ye shall find), which will be the new obsservatory’s engraved motto into its foundations, might encourage them to make this visit.

Byy Roman Onderka I Mayor of the City of Brno The new logo combines several symbols of astronomy

25.11.2011 12:04:48

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

NA KRAVÍ HOŘE SE ZRODILA

„hvězda mezi hvězdárnami“ Podle básníka se prý hvězdy nad B Brnem podobají sedmikráskám. To je velmi poetické, ale přiznejme si, že poněkud nevědecké vyjádření. Brnněnské nebe je však již téměř šedesát let vystavenno nejen zraku snivých poetů, ale také přísnému pohhledu racionálních vědců a po vědě bažících laiků.

Psal se rok 1953, když po téměř deseetiletém úsilí vyrostla na Kraví hoře budova observatořře. Instituce byla slavnostně zprovozněna 16. října 19554 pod názvem Oblastní lidová hvězdárna v Brně. Posstupně přibývaly další objekty a velkým hitem se stalo pprojekční planetárium, které dokázalo na klenbě o průměru 8,5 metru vytvořit iluzi hvězdného nebe. Na Kraví hhoru mířilo stále více školních výprav i běžných návštěvnííků. V 70. letech byla hvězdárna rychle pojmenována po Mikuláši Koperníkovi (významném astronomovi, který vvšak v Brně nikdy nebyl – proto dnes již jeho jméno v názzvu instituce nefiguruje), hrozilo totiž nebezpečí, že bby nesla jméno Valentiny Těreškovové.

V 90. letech začalo veřejnosti sloužit velké planetárium, jehož projektory umožňovaly přeedvést skutečně unikátní vizualizace. Velkým přínosem sse později stalo také využití internetu. V roce 2007 jssme započali se současným ředitelem hvězdárny Jiřím Duškem s její zásadní modernizací.

MODERNÍ DESIGN, NOVÉ TECHNOLOGIE V říjnu 2009 jsem zažíval pocit, že sse mi plní dávný dětský sen, když jsem jako primátor m města Brna měl tu čest účastnit se společně s šestnáácti kosmonauty z celého světa položení základního kamene k Přírodovědnému exploratoriu. Tímto prrojektem, jehož

patronem se stal první československý kosmonaut Vladimír Remek, byla zahájena rozsáhlá rekonstrukce staré hvězdárny, financovaná z evropských fondů a z rozpočtu města Brna (celkové náklady se vyšplhaly na 92,4 milionu korun, dotace z Regionálního operačního programu Jihovýchod činila 64,9 milionu korun). Stavba byla dokončena letos v létě a první návštěvníci vstoupili do rozšířené a zrekonstruované Hvězdárny a planetária města Brna 12. listopadu. V plném provozu bude objekt od ledna 2012.

Návštěvníky přivítá moderní multivizuální centrum světové úrovně. Pastvou pro oči je už sám objekt, jehož unikátní plášť navrhl architekt Martin Rudiš v novodobém funkcionalistickém stylu – s odsuvnou střechou, prosklenou fasádou a velkou terasou. K dispozici jsou moderní dalekohledy s velkými objektivy a počítačovým naváděním. V podzemním sále je instalována interaktivní výstava o sluneční soustavě se vzorky skutečných meteoritů, pohyblivými exponáty a jedinečnou audiovizuální technikou. Nechybí ani rozhledna s krásným výhledem na noční Brno, prostory pro krátkodobé výstavy, sál pro demonstraci nejrůznějších fyzikálních jevů i opravené malé planetárium. Při rekonstrukci se nezapomnělo ani na učebnu, kam zavítají studenti brněnských vysokých škol, a k ní náležící odbornou pozorovatelnu. V prostoru hvězdárny je možné posedět u kávy či čaje a samozřejmostí je i kompletně bezbariérový přístup.

Znovuotevření je ozdobeno výjimečně výpravným představením Neuvěřitelné Brno, dětským pořadem Copak děláš, Sluníčko? a kompletně inovovaným sou-

On the occasion of unveiling of the new logo Mayor of Brno Roman Onderka visited magical rooms of observatory

Photo: Marie Schmerková

borem m vzdělávacích pořadů – včetně internetového astrokkurzu – pro všechny typy škol. Přippravena je také interakk tivní výstava Příběh sluneční sooustavy, která zprosttředkuje moderní pohled na okolíí naší planety, možnoost sáhnout si na meteority a putovat napříč prostoorem i časem.

Rádd bych všechny milovníky vědy, teechniky, umění a astroonomie ujistil, že „dotýkat se hvězd“ je nyní v Brně velmi bezpečné, a věřím, že se o tom v hojném počtu přijedoou přesvědčit. Povzbudit k návštěvvě by je mohlo také mnohovrstevnatou symbolikou oplývající nové logo hvězdárny či výstižné krédo, vyrytéé na základním kamenni: Quaere et invenies. – Hledej a naajdeš.

Roman Onderka primátor statutárníího města Brna

Glazed facade offers a breathtaking view of Brno at night

Photos: Archive of the Observatory and Planetarium in Brno

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24.11.2011 11:27:45

Photo: Archive

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Sheltered housing, Nový Jičín

Change is Coming for Residential Care

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24.11.2011 11:30:30

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

Transformace pobytových služeb Transformace pobytových sociálních služeb je jednou z významných strategií kraje podporující kvalitu sociálních služeb. Ta umožní lidem se zdravotním postižením citlivým začleňováním žít běžný život v přirozeném prostředí s využitím komunitních služeb tak, ta k aby si mohl k, mohl mo h i mj m . vytvářet vyy vlastní domov, chodit do zaaměěsttná n ní nebbo na nava vaazoova vazo v t partnerské vztahy.

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jsou schopni samostatně bydlet, je nutné zajistit samostatné bydlení s využitím přirozeného prostředí.

Osoby závislé na pomoci jiné osoby musí mít možnost využít takovou sociální službu, která je nevyčlení z přirozené komunity.

Aktivity kraje na podporu procesů transformace, deinstitucionalizace a komunitních služeb jsou v plném proudu. Je realizováno mnoho aktivit a projektů realizovaných na základě evropské podpory.

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Dalším m pprroj o ekte ekk teem je rekonstru rukc kcce ob obje j kt je ktu tu ma mate teřř

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ské sk ké šk škol olky ky v Sedlnicích na chráněné bydlení.

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Reeko k nsstr truk ukcí uk cíí obj bjek ektu ek tuu na doomo movv pro pro os pr osob obby see zddraavo v tn tním ím m posstitiže ženíím Sííririus že uuss Opa pava va se za z jijist stíí lilide deem s me ment ntt ál á níím po p st stiž ižen iž enním m dom omov ovv pro r 22 uužživvat atel eů el a zá záro roove v ň re reko kons nsstr t uk ukcí cí obj bjek eekk tu v Moorr avvicci na n chr h áhr áněěné byddle něné lení níí bude za zajijijšt štěn ěnaa lilide deem s me m ntt állní ním m post po s iž st ižen ením ení en ím kap a ac acitititaa ch chrá ráně něěného néého byddle lení n proo ní 12 oso sob. b.

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IS BECOMING A REALITY – THE FIRST TWO GALILEO SATELLITES ARE NOW IN ORBIT Photo: Archive

Friday 21st of October 2011, an event took place that will go down in the history of the European Union. Twenty thousand spectators gathered in the city of Kourou, French Guiana, to witness the launching of two satellites for the European navigational system, designation “Galileo,” on the Russian rocket, “Soyuz.” This marks the beginning of a meticulous operation that has been a challenge for the member states, both technically and financially. I was very honoured to be the only representative of the Czech Republic to observe this earth-shattering event.

It is a unique experience has not been overshadowed by the hindrance that the Soyuz’s launch had been planned one day earlier, which was due to a problem with the ground, fuelling equipment.

This incident gave me the chance to explore the area that the rest of the world will soon regard as

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one of renowned “cosmodromes,” or rather “spaceports” in English, such as Baikonur in Kazakhstan or Cape Canaveral in the US. Kourou is ideal spot for launching future rockets with both its geographical and “geopolitical” surroundings and provisions. Located at a latitude of 5°10’ degrees north of the equator, rockets can launch much faster to save fuel and money due to the Earth’s rotation. Although the territory is at the northern coast of South America, it is remains a part of the European Union since the French Government still retains ownership. In the past, only the heavy-lift launchers, such as the Ariane rocket series, and the small launch vehicles, had been launched from this spaceport. Now, it has launched this middle-class, Russian rocket because of its required technical features.

At this time, the Galileo Program is not designed

to compete with the widespread, American navigation GPS system. Rather, it should assist and perhaps improve the GPS. While we all continue to use GPS, its location accuracy ranges to around ten meters. Galileo’s location accuracy is calculated to be between from two to four meters. It is also the first navigation system for civil use only and not for military or intelligence agencies. Further more, the system’s gauge will provide a wide range of services, commercial or personal security, in which companies, universities and scientific communities will gain easy access.

Initially, the European satellite navigation system was to be built on in cooperation with private inve in vest stor orss. Pla lans ns wer eree ma made de to cr crea eate te a spe peci cial al research centre, which the Czech Republic has expressed their keenest interest. Eventually, the private sector pulled out, and the whole project would’ve been scrapped the whole project if European Commission hadn’t step up to the plate.

In the end, it was thanks to the taxpayer for their help with funding the Galileo project.

I personally believe that a science and research centre will come to pass, and The Czech Republic is still the best site for its construction. Even after its initial hold-up with raising the funds, the Czech Republic has proposed to set up the administrative centre in Prague. Officials should begin to join forces with the Czech Consolidation Agency in Holešovice by the summer 2012. On the whole, the administrative centre should help provide up to sixty jobs for Czech citizens.

Galileo is a joint venture with the European Commission and the European Space Agency, as well as cooperation from other countries: Israel, South Korea, and the Ukraine to name a few. The launching of these satellites is scheduled from now to the year 2020. Until then, there is still much substantial work that needs to be done here on earth. Some of Galileo’s technical and engineering components are in the development stage, and the search continues for the future ground bases within the EU territories.

By Evžen Tošenovský I Member of the European Parliament To be continued...

český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

23.11.2011 17:27:45

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

SOUTH MORAVIA REGION Donates 40,000 Euros to Reconstruct the Czech School in Vienna – Czechoslovak Foreign Institute Contributes as Well This summer, a photo has been taken and circulating in the media of South Moravia’s council president, Michal Hašek, (ČSSD) handing a € 40,000 cheque (approx 980,000 CZK) to Karel Hanzl, chairman of the Comenius School Association. This money is for the completion of the school’s reconstruction, which has also been receiving financial support by the Czechoslovak Foreign Institute.

“Our school is undergoing huge renovation that was originally financed by the city of Vienna and the Austrian Ministry of Education. Now South Moravia wishes to help contribute more from its own budget to the project,” Hašek explained. l i d Hi His relations l ti with ith the th Czech C h community it in Vienna go back to the autumn of 2010. He spoke of gaining further cooperation and sup support from his fellow residents in the “city of dreams,” including the mayor himself, Michael Häupl. Hašek is grateful for the patience and perseverance from the local communities and organizations in keeping the Czech language and culture alive and kicking for its youth who are living abroad.

Many Czech natives and descendants now have the possibility to go through kindergarten, elementary school, even a bilingual grammar school, that follows the same curriculum as any other school within the Czech Republic itself, thanks to the Comenius Association which was established in 1872. The school had continued to build up a prestigious reputation just before the start of the Second World War. From that moment onward after the war, it then had lost its momentum due to the lack of financial support for almost 50 years before the Velvet Revolution. Hanzl, who became the chairman of this association in 1993, made his own contributions to the school’s revival with its now increasing attendance and developing quality, modern education. Many students are attracted to the school’s efforts, which their admirations are verified in its increase of student enrolment from 120 in 1993 to more than 460 today.

Located in Sebastianplatz, the school’s premises were built in 1935 by the Comenius Association, which no longer can accommodate the increased enrolment, despite even their minor renovation that took place in 1996 and was funded by a 15 million-crown donation from the Czech government of that time. This was the reason why the Comenius Association began raising funds up to 70 million CZK in 2008, hoping to acquire and reconstruct another building for its ever-growing student body.

This collaboration between Comenius Association and the Czechoslovak Foreign Institute in Prague began in 1928, and the Foreign Institute has contributed significantly to the Czech education abroad. Funds have been raised up to 4.600 000 CZK since 2004. These funds have helped p to ppurchase laptops, p p to reconstruct the kindergarten, to modernize its cafeteria and meet the modern, hygienic requirements and to acquire other new equipment for the classrooms. They have also provided the elementary school with textbooks, video and computer equipment. They even assisted the school play-

ground’s reconstruction, as well as give contributions to the school orchestra’s concerts and the annual Graduation Ball. Most importantly, the school now has an arts club where children can use their creative outlets free of charge since the Foreign Institute has footed the bill to pay for qualified art instructors, a ceramic kiln, a graphic press and special cabinets and equipment.

“The Czechoslovak Foreign Institute has always been and continues to be an organization we can count on in the Czech Republic. It has a steady membership, it knows our situation and it has always helped us both financially and legal wise; it is definitely one of the most important organizations for us and it deserves our deepest gratitude,” affirmed Hanzl.

This yyear, all cited organizations g are discussing the possibility to reconstruct the premises for a second school. However, the development of top quality Czech education for fellow Czech citizens abroad remains to be one of their main goals.

HEBR I

From left: JUDr. Michal Hašek, Council President, South Moravia Region, Karel Hanzl, Chairman, Comenius School Association in Vienna, and Ing. Stanislav Juránek, Council President’s 1st Deputy Photo: Archive

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Non-profit Associations FOUGHT FOR INCOME FROM GAMING WITH PETITIONS Non-profit associations fear that the newly adopted gaming regulations will reduce billions of their income. This could lead them to bankruptcy. However, this has also helped gain support from Czech sport and national figureheads, as well as from the other non-profit associations for the physically and psychologically handicapped. The government bill deals with the taxation of lottery businesses, and hopes that the charity and other benefit organizations will now send their contributions to the state and their public budgets.

However, there is no guarantee that these acquired resources will find their way to their original recipients who are in need of these funds.

The principal disagreement with this proposal is depicted into two petitions: “ANO charitě” (Yes to Charity), which has been signed by over 17 000 citizens, and the sports’ campaign “Hvězdy nepadají z nebe” (Stars do not fall from heaven), which has won over 60 000 supporters.

“We agree with the taxation of gambling, but the government has not yet declared how much money is to distributed to the non-profit organizations.

They haven’t even proposed or drawn up the conditions that might apply to this redistribution. We are afraid that the money will be reallocated to other things than public benefits, and we will get almost nothing back. This could cause

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the suspension and or closure of many other charities and foundations,” says Václav Krása, the chairman of Czech National Council of People with Disabilities.

It is not usual for celebrities to take part in local politics. During this fall season, names like Věra Čáslavská, Jan Železný, Jiří Šlégr and Miss World Taťána Kuchařová have resonated their voices and opinions to their politicians’ ears. “If members of parliament don’t give in to the Sports associations’ demands, they may lose funds up to 2.2 billion Czech Crowns. Most youth sports clubs and associations will more like be affected by this decision. Most of the political parties have promised support for sports during the elections, but now we see how insincere were these promises,” asserts the Olympic champion Jan Železný.

The parliamentary vote on lottery taxation was held on 9th November.

Members of parliament have complied with the demands from the non-profit organizations and tens of thousands Czech citizens. By the beginning of 2013, both the non-profit and the sports associations will most likely obtain 1/3 of the turnover tax and lottery sales. The rest is to be divided between the national treasury and municipalities.

From left: Václav Krása, Chairman, Czech National Council of People with Disabilities, Zdeněk Pšenica, Chairman, Czech Republic Folklore Association, and Zuzana Baudyšová, Director, Foundation „Naše Dítě“ passing petitions to Miroslava Němcová, Chairman, Chamber of Deputies

25.11.2011 12:20:44

Concerns about the future were expressed not only by foundations and non-profit organizations but also by thousands of handicapped people

The campaign „Hvězdy nepadají z nebe“ (Stars do not fall from heaven) acquired support of Sports Clubs all over the republic

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IN PARTNERSHIP NERSHIP W WITH LEADERS RS MAGAZINE MAG

An interview with Luděk Sefzig, Senator and Chairman an off tthe he E European ur Affairs C Committee

SUPPORTING THE SUBSIDIARITY REQUIRES POLITICAL COURAGE

AND LOTS OF WORK Photo: Archive

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Luděk Sefzig is a surgeon from Rokycany. He still practices medicinee aafter fter bbeing eing nnominated om

by ODS and nd tthen elected to the senate in 2000. He is a Member of the European Integration Committee mm and an acting Chairperson irp for the European Affairs Committee since 2004.

In your opinion, did the Lisbon Treaty strengthen the decision-making power of the Member States?

No, the Member States’ decision-making power has not been strengthened at all. I have been stressing that point ever since the treaty’s ratification process.

It’s true that this change has ensured the majority’s decision-making power to be made faster and easier.

This can help in removing the left over barriers within the Internal Market. Despite of this, the treaty, itself, may still be very dangerous over other sensitive issues, as well as for the minority vote. Being always outvoted could cause some frustration andd a handful of despondent attitudes.

What about the red and yellow “penalty cards” that are used during the EU parliaments’ legislation process? Are they in principle a breach of the subsidiarity?

In the end, it was a missed opportunity op when the “early warning system” deprived ed national parliaments of issuing the “red penalty cards.” The introduction of the “yellow penalty card,” or the so-called “orange penalty card,” is very unproductive when it comes to the stopping or revoking of a legislative proposal by a large quorum (the number of duly assembled parliament members). When hen this card is allotted, it only pushes the European an Commission Commissio to double check their legislative mandate ndate with the th Council. This inconvenient process typically results res in a concession between the European institutions and the parliaments’ majority, which is a lack of respect respe for the minority’s voice.

What is the Czech Senate’s experience with adjusting to the subsidiarity principle? How does the Government advocate its position?

Ever since its establishment in 2000, the Senate’s Committee for European Integration gration has been bee closely examining the new legislative ve proposal process, p as well as respecting the subsidiarity sidiarity prin principle. Having lived through the period of “democratic centralisation” during the Communist nist regime, Czechs are very responsive to any needless shifts fts of the decis decision-making power from the regional orr national nat authorities to the European institutions. Wee hhave been thoroughly teaching ourselves and gathering both the most useful knowledge and the best procedures from a variety ty of legislative assemblies all over Europe.

It is a very delicate and political manoeuvre in establishing the fine line between exercising the decision-making power and delegating that power. Some enquiries shall be taking into account. The argument of a globalised world is that everything done in bulk is morally wrong. There have been many empires in the past that had collapsed because of trying to centralise and overextend the decision-making power.

The famous Czech poet Jan Neruda wrote in his Cosmic Songs: „bude-li každý z křemene, je celý národ z kvádrů“ (“If everyone of us is made from quartz, then the whole nation is made from stone blocks“).

Each system is only as strong as its weakest part. In the previous election, there was a centre-right majority in the senate, and many of the senate’s decrees have

-

providedd evidence to this principle. The oscillation with left-wing t-wing marg margin seems too often delegate too muchh power to th the European Commission and to the Council. Nonetheles Nonetheless, the Czech government has always been very indul indulgent to the senate’s rulings and has sanctioned anct the strategic and long-term effects.

What are the Czech Senate’s priorities in EU affairs?

Our biggest priority and our biggest challenge is to prove whether the control of the subsidiarity principle can bridge the gap between the European citizens and the detached European politicians who are making all the decisions. Despite the pleasantries we’ve discussed about the subsidiarity, the outcome is not all pleasant. It’s more like a paper tiger rather than an effective instrument. I’m not saying that parliaments want to shoot down all the Commission’s proposals at any cost. Since 2009, the Czech Senate has once issued a “reasoned opinion” (or a breach of the subsidiarity principle), and criticised the validity of another proposal on a different occasion. Simultaneously, we even shared some of the same political views with the Commission on certain proposals (one of them being called “ The Barosso initiative”).

Who is the biggest ally of the Czech Republic in the European Union?

Anyone with similar opinion or viewpoints can be our ally, which can also change from time to time. Usually, our opinions match closer to the Slovaks,’ along with other Visegrad municipalities that do business with the Germans. As soon as the Austrians let go of the Temelin hysteria, our relations with them will significantly improve as well.

How would you feel if the EU worked at deepening the political integration process?

As long as the EU focuses on removing the barriers from the internal market, I will be clapping my hands.

But if Europe corresponds with current economic and market regulations, such as taxes, it will directly lead us to lose of the internal, and even the external markets. I, myself, support a very slow and prudent udent evolution, integratio integration process that is based onn the citizens’ wishes and focuses fo on the eminent and added value. value Do you think the new EU2020 strategy has a chance to succeed more than the Lisbon Strategy?

I expec ect the EU2020 strategy will be mu much more successful. uccessful. Union representatives from m fe federal associations, which have kept their distance ci an from their own fellow citizens, drafted the Lisbon strategy. The EU 2020 strategy’s approach is very different. It has a smaller number of priorities set by the national authorities, and it shall be implemented through the National Reform Programs. There are a few aspects that shall be included in the long run: decreasing the number of regulations, removing the barriers from the internal market and supporting other further innovations and the R&D. How can we overcome the current economic crisis?

The solution to the debt crisis lies within the national management associations and their autonomy from the politicians. The Czech National Bank is doing

a really good job in this aspect. I am very confident that we will overcome the debt crises; the only question remaining is at what time and at what price. It is unforgivable that politicians allowed the financial sector to make such investments at the taxpayer’s risk. I am sure that if the bank managers had been legally forced to declare bankruptcy, then there would never have been a debt crisis. The problem would have been “atomised” as their liquidation increased. Of course the side effect would have been a slower growth, but it would’ve still been more secure. It is very volatile to make transactions with virtual money.

Confidence in the financial markets is gradually being restored thanks to the new and extensive regulations.

Do you think the euro is sustainable?

The attractiveness of the euro zone lies in its liability to not run into extensive debts. A common currency decreases the transactional expenses, and helps smaller economies in stabilising their own, local markets. A common economic policy helps to synchronise these nations’ economic cycles, and eases the European Central Bank activities and transactions.

Do you think some states shall leave the euro zone?

The euro zone’s nearly fatal mistake was to incorporate the states with huge debts. If certain governments can’t get their budgets and debts under control, they will provoke the other more stabilized member states to leave the euro zone one at a time or in bulks of groups.

How do you assess the cooperation from both Chambers of the Parliament in EU affairs? What about the cooperation from the government, itself?

Does it make sense to have two Secretaries of State for EU affairs under the Government Office and under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

Cooperationn from the respected committees in both chambers of thee Pa Parliament, along with the Chancelleries, was in acc accordance with the standards set by the Rules of Pr Procedure. I honestly don’t see a problem of having two Secretaries of State for EU. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible of the “second pillar” to the Maastricht Treaty. The Government Office’s responsibility is to work with the Community Agenda, which consequently requires more participation from all the other ministries, including the Prime Minister’s Ruling. We have had a similar division of responsibilities between the two committees in the senate since 1998, and it had never caused a problem that wasn’t easily solved.

What do you think is the biggest problem of the Czech economic diplomacy?

I have to admit that I don’t have that much experience with the economic diplomacy. It’s not really my cup of tea. Nevertheless, I must say that what could significantly harm our export and economic performance is the closure of our embassies in certain countries and the redundancy of our Commercial Counsellors.

Michal Kadera, Director of CEBRE I (supported by CzechTrade)

Amsterdam Athinai Berlin Bratislava Bruxelles Bucureşti Budapest Dublin Helsingfors Kobenhavn Lefkosia Lisboa Ljubljana London Luxembourg Madrid Paris Praha Rïga Roma Sofia Stockholm Tallinn Valletta Vilnius Warszawa Wien

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EU matters debate

Luděk Sefzig, Senator and Chairperson, the Committee on EU affairs

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

COMMON TRADE POLICY AND SUPPORT TO EXPORT Representatives from business organizations, public administration, Czech Parliament and think tanks discussed the Common Trade Policy and the Support to Export on September 5th 2011 in Prague. The debate was held by the Representation of the European Commission in the Czech Republic and the Information Office of the European Parliament in the Czech Republic, in cooperation with the Confederation of Employers´ and Entrepreneurs´ Associations in the Czech Republic and CEBRE – Czech Business Representation to the EU. Participants have agreed on the necessity for convergence of the export policies at both the national and the international level, and have highlighted the importance of the involvement of entrepreneurs’ networks in the negotiation of common policies and their conducting instruments. The Common Recommendation was that the future EU policies should focus on structural changes and open markets, while encouraging the value-added sectors.

From left: Anna Teličková, Director, Department of Multilateral and Common Trade Policy, Ministry of Industry and Trade CR, Dagmar Kuchtová, Director, External Relationships, Confederation of Industry CR, Luděk Sefzig, Senator and Chairperson, the Committee on EU Affairs, and Michal Kadera, Director, CEBRE

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From left: Anna Teličková, Director, Department of Multilateral and Common Trade Policy, Ministry of Industry and Trade CR and Dagmar Kuchtová, Director, External Relationships, Confederation of Industry CR

Hosuk Lee Makiyama, Director, ECIPE (European Centre for International Political Economy)

The participants of the debate

24.11.2011 12:18:09

Representatives from EU institutions, public bodies and business organisations discussed professional qualifications on 12th October 2011 in Brussels. The debate was held by CEBRE and the Czech Permanent Representation to the EU. Participants agreed that simplification and modernization of Professional Qualifications Directive 2005/36/EC, which sets the rules for mutual recognition of professional qualifications, can hand in hand with the European Professional Card enhance mobility of professionals in Europe. The Single Market, although it made its formal achievement two decades ago, still poses some difficulties in the recognition of professional qualifications. This can especially be noticed from the implementation of the Services Directive. In order to modernize the Directive and simplify its own rules, the following public consultation and Green Paper process, as well as the European Commission, will come up with a legislative proposal in December of this year.

EU matters debate The participants of the debate

DEBATE ON FUTURE OF PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS IN EUROPE

From left: Zuzana Rašková, National Coordinator for Recognition of Professional Qualifications, Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth CR and Jurgen Tiedje, Head of Unit Movement of Professionals, European Commission

From left: Liliane Volozinskis, Director, Social Policy and Vocational Training, UEAPME and Michèle Claus, Director, Labour Relations, FEB-VBO, Member, Social Affairs Committee, BUSINESSEUROPE

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From left: Jakub Dürr, Czech Deputy Permanent Representative, Emma McClarkin, MEP and Rapporteur on the Implementation, Professional Qualifications Directive, Liliane Volozinskis, Director, Social Policy and Vocational Training, UEAPME, and Michèle Claus, Director, Labour Relations, FEB-VBO, Member, Social Affairs Committee, BUSINESSEUROPE

From left: Jurgen Tiedje, Head of the Unit Movement of the Professionals, European Commission, Jakub Dürr, Czech Deputy Permanent Representative, and Emma McClarkin, MEP and Rapporteur on the Implementation, Professional Qualifications Directive

24.11.2011 12:18:40

debate

Key Czech economists, representatives of State administration, regions and the European Commission discussed the future of the EU budget on 20th September 2011 in Prague. This debate was held by the Representation of the European Commission in the Czech Republic, the Information Office of the European Parliament in the Czech Republic in cooperation with the Confederation of Employers´ and Entrepreneurs´ Associations of the Czech Republic and the CEBRE – Czech Business Representation to the EU. Participants agreed that the success of the new financial perspective lies undoubtedly on the capacity of their Member States, as well as the regions, which allocates and absorbs the EU financial support. The common concern was how the EU budget (mainly the revenue side) will be drawn up and executed when many EU countries are increasing their deficits. Participants highlighted their fear that new Member States could be losing money, which is allocated by the Cohesion Policy to the new infrastructure instrument.

Jan Gregor, Deputy Minister of Finance for Public Budgets and Alena Vlačihová, Deputy Director, CEBRE

DEBATE ON THE NEXT EU FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK 2014–2020

From left: Radko Martínek, Governor, Pardubice Region and Jan Gregor, Deputy Minister of Finance for Public Budgets

From left: Petr Zahradník, Economist, EU Office, Česká spořitelna, Member, NERV and Michal Mejstřík, Chairman, ICC CR, Member, NERV

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

From left: Petr Zahradník, Economist, EU Office, Česká spořitelna, Member, NERV, Michal Mejstřík, Chairman of ICC Czech Republic and a NERV member, Radko Martínek, Governor, Pardubice Region, and Jan Gregor, Deputy Minister of Finance for Public Budgets

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24.11.2011 12:24:38

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

BUSINESS NEWS N

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DID YOU KNOW THAT… …Austria introduced a Red-White-Red Card?

Austria has introduced a new flexible immigration scheme: the Red-White-Red Card. Its aims are to facilitate the immigration of qualified, foreign workers and their families, ensuring permanent residence in Austria that is based on personal and labour/market related criteria.

Thee Re Th Redd Wh Whititee Re Redd Ca Card rd is is issu sued ed as a co comb mbin inat atio ionn of both the residence and the employment permits. Valid for one year, this policy entitles its holder er to a sta stay andd w work in a specific company. If workers change hange their em employer within the first year, they have to apply for a new n RedWhite-Red Card. …Commission set out a roadmap to a resourceefficient Europe?

In October, the European Commission mmiss plans to make the European economy become me more sustainable by 2050. Their main goal is to decrease their energy dependency and be more efficient with their resources.

The Commission will promote and create new business ventures and job opportunities in areas such as recycling, eco-friendly product designs, materials replacements and eco-engineering. According to the Commission, cooperation has to bee built ilt between the industrial and the environmental sectors, eespecially spe if they share a common interest for their own long-term progress and remuneration. …reliable cross-border deliveries from online shopping?

European Consumer sum Centre t s’’ Netwo t rkk testtedd th the quality of deliveries es and the returning the goods via online shopping with 305 purchases in 28 countries. Cross border delivery has proved to be reliable overall, with 94 % of orders delivered and only 1 % of faulty products.

However, problems have occurred curred with the returned products and the reimbursement. ent. Almost 57 % of shops had encountered problems of getting reimbursement r for the original delivery costs, osts, and some had h even placed illegal restrictions on other returned goods. Besides this, 60 % of websites were tooo rigid and too complicated for online shoppers from other ther EU E countries, particularly with their delivery payments ts aand their language options. …new tachograph rules will save companies €515 million per year?

The Commission has proposed the revision of the tachograph legislation, which will make full use of new technologies, i.e. “satellite positioning.” The new legislation will make fraud more difficult and reduce other technical problems for travel industry. This proposal also introduces other novelties that record various locations via a satellite, a remote communicator, an interface that is to be integrated into an intelligent transport system, as well as higher standards for workshops that are entrusted to install and calibrate the tachograph, merging the driving licence with the driver card in digital format.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS... ...importance of EGF tripled In 2010, financial support, which was allocated from the European Globalization Adjustment Fund (EGAF), has been tripled. The total amount of money paid to 23,700

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EUU w workers orke or kers was made ma redundant because of the crises that has current currently ntly ly eexceeded xce more than €83 million. The funding ng was intended to help workers find new job within 24 months onth after the date of application. EGAF’s support focuses see primarily on actual, physical methods for job seekers, including an intensive, individual job-search assistance, careers advice, tailor-made training and re-trainingg and finallyy a mentoringg entreppreneurshipp program. The foundation provides 65 % of the delivered service; the remaining part is to be distributed by the national authorities. ...EU’s economic recovery slowly up The commission surveys showed that in the second quarter of 2011, industrial production has increased by 4.5% compared to the same time period in 2010.

However, it still remains almost unchanged in comparison to the first quarter of 2011. In the recent months, the industrial production was influenced by a disruption of supp su pply ly tha hatt wa wass ca caus used ed by Ja Japa pan’ n s ts tsun unam amii. The pro roduction volume is now approximately 14% higher than it was in early 2009, and it is still 8% below its peak as of early 2008. ...uneasy access to finance The economic crisis has made it more difficult for SMEs in accessing banking loans. The proportion of rejected loan applications rose from 2007 to 2010 in 19 of the 20 Member States. The largest increases in rejected loan applications were observed in Bulgaria (from 3% in 2007 to 36% in 2010), Ireland (from 1% to 27%) and Latvia (from 4% to 26%). Sweden was the only Member State whose rejected applications fell from 9% to 6%. ...fight against fraud According to the Commission’s annual report on the Protection of the EU’s Financial Interests and the Fight Against Fraud in 2010, which was released on 29th September, there was a misuse of funding that totals up to €1.8 billion. The number of irregular cases reported had increased from 7,769 in 2009 to 10,332 in 2010. The largest number of irregularities was reported iin payments from the EU’s cohesion policy, and the financial ancial impact i pac a t of irregularities is estimated to almost €1.66 billion. on. From rom this is amount, it is estimated that the financial ancial impact of thesee fraud fraudulent claims is up to 364 64 m million. ...Greece will not meet set up targets Greece’s e’s minister of finance has announced annou the government’ overnment’s inability to meet the defic deficit reduction ttargets, which were set up by the EU and nd the IMF for the years 2011 and 2012. International lenders established the reduction target of 7.6% in 2011 and 6.5% in 2012.

However, the real spending is estimated to be up by 8.5% of the GDP in 2011 and 6.5% of GDP in 2012. Transport and other public service workers have increased Greece’s reluctance to the austerity measures with multiple strikes and pr p otests aga g inst seven government ministries.

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viewpoints are split into different fractions. France, followed by Belgium, Greece, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain are saying that the UN should upgrade Palestine’s status. UK, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Italy are in the opposition to this action. The EU is ready to vote only if the resolution’s charter does not constitute a threat to Israel and if it creates a remote chance towards a comp omise between these two nations, consideringg their pr long heated tension and numerous conflicts in the past.

Gas from Caspian Sea The Commission was authorized by Member States to legally negotiate a binding treaty on a gas supply from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to Europe. This decision is directly connected to the visit of President Barroso and Energy Commissioner Oettinger in Baku and Ashgabat in January 2011. It is the first time that the Commission received a mandate to negotiate an agreement that supports an infrastructure as a part of the united external ener en ergy gy strtrat ateg egyy, ado dopt pted ed on Se Sept ptem embe berr 7t 7thh. Cas aspi pian an region will be supported by the planned gas pipeline trio: Nabucco, TAP (Trans Adriatic pipeline) and ITGI (Interconnection Turkey–Greece–Italy). The southe uthern corridor project is crucial for bringing a new source of gas to Europe and for a diversification of resources.

EU-Brazil cooperation agreement The European Commission and Brazil are setting up a joint cooperation on cultural issues (cultural diversity, cultural heritage and development of a sustainable cultural and creative economy). The Joint programme on Cultltur Cu uree is a res esul ultt of the EUU-Br Braz Brazil azilil ssummit, ummi um mitt, and ref efle lect ctss the importance their economic omic relations, based on the comprehensive approach.. The cultura cultural aspect is important for the European economy economyy and contributes to 4.5 % of Europe’s GDP, providingg jobs jo for 8.5 million people.

DCFTA with Ukraine under risk In his speech, which wa was held during the 20th anniversary of Ukrainian in independence, EU Commissioner Štefan Füle assured the Ukraine about a great possibility to sign the DCFTA agreement (Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area) with the EU. It could be sig igne nedd un unde derr th thee As Asso soci ciat atio ionn Ag Agre reem emen entt of EUUkraine Summit, which was held on 14th–16th December. However, politically motivated protests from opposition leaders could negatively influence the EU decision. Failure to conclude the Association Agreement by the end of the year or at the beginning of 2012 would more likely have a serious impact on the existing economic ties.

I

IN THE WORLD EU divided by Palestinian statehood recognition at U.N. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sought out a full UN statehood on September 23rd. The UN’s vote on Palestine reveal several different strategic and lucrative positions within the EU. EU Member States´

Brought by CEBRE – Czech Business Representation to the EU (kindly supported by CzechTrade), www.cebre.cz

Amsterdam Athinai Berlin Bratislava Bruxelles Bucureşti Budapest Dublin Helsingfors Kobenhavn Lefkosia Lisboa Ljubljana London Luxembourg Madrid Paris Praha Rïga Roma Sofia Stockholm Tallinn Valletta Vilnius Warszawa Wien

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Interviews.indd 130

23.11.2011 17:28:35

We are glad to invite you to the exhibition

Barbora Kysilkovรก (*1983) An exhibition of a young Czech artist who lives and works in Berlin Interviews.indd 131

23.11.2011 17:29:00

prague castle event

Laco Deczi – Trumpet Štěpán Markovič – Tenor Saxophone Juraj Bartoš – Trumpet Klaudio Kováč – Piano Tomáš “Kaštan” Baroš – Contrabass Majo Ševčík – Drums Kristýna Kachtíková – Alto Saxophone

Special thanks to Synot Holding for making this reportage possible

Majo Ševčík, Drummer

with Déczi & Markovič Reunion

Jazz at the Castle

From left: H.E. Detlef Lingemann, Ambassador of Germany and Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the CR

From left: Petr David with his wife, Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the CR, and Petr Vrkoč From left: Chris DePino, Musician and Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the CR

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H.E. Sergey B. Kiselev, Ambassador of the Russian Federation with his wife

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From left: Aleš Buksa, LR Health and Beauty Systems with his wife, Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the CR, and Martin Chodúr, Singer with his partner

24.11.2011 13:21:25

From left: H.E. Yaakov Levy, Ambassador of Israel with his wife and Moshe Dovrat, Investments and Entrepreneurial Projects with his wife

From left: Jindřich Forejt, Director of the Protocol, Office of the President of the CR, and Prof. Jan Kříž, Partner, Law Office Kříž and Bělina s.r.o.

Petr Vrkoč and Natali Ruden, Fashion Designer

From left: Kristýna Kachtíková, Alto Saxophonist, Jan Černý, Attorney at Law, Černý-Raupachová, and Eva Jeníčková, Actress

H.E. Ole E. Moesby, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark with his wife

From left: David Mamaladze, Director Eastern Europe, Falkon Capital a.s. and Chris DePino, Musician

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE LM_1106_events_1.indd 133

more photos and electronic version available on www.leadersmagazine.cz

Aleš Buksa, LR Health and Beauty Systems with his wife (far left), Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the CR (in the middle) and people from LR Health and Beauty Systems

24.11.2011 13:24:26

From left: Karel Vágner, Music Publisher, Štěpán Marković, Jazz Musician, Aleš Buksa, LR Health and Beauty Systems, and Prof. Václav Klaus, President of the CR

H.E. Celia Sandra Botha, Ambassador of South Africa

From left: Benke Aikell, your Publisher, Jaromír Šlápota, President, ČSÚZ, Ing. Radomír Šimek, President, DTIHKČNOPK, and Rudolf Javurek, General Director, Import, Volkswagen Group with his partner

Štěpán Marković, Jazz Musician From left: Aleš Buksa, LR Health and Beauty Systems, Karel Vágner, Music Publisher, and Alena Veliká, Press Service Head, Office of the President

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Jazz at the Castle...

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From left: Candemir Kocak, President, Czech-Turkish Company of Friends, Ing. Petra Suchá, Royal interier s.r.o., Ing. Miloš Janů, Managing Partner, Czech-Kuwait Trading Ltd., David Mamaladze, Director Eastern Europe, Falkon Capital a.s., Mrs. Janů, Irma Manjgaladze, Euro Gold Centre, Mgr. Jan Vít, Department of Linear Services, Office of the Council for Broadcasting, Jana Ulrychová, Royal interier s.r.o., and MUDr. Michael Vít, Deputy Minister of Health and Chief Public Health Officer

24.11.2011 13:25:48

On the second October Saturday, the National Theatre staged the premiere production of The Jacobin. That way, the famous Antonín Dvořák´s opera has been introduced by the National Theatre for its thirteenth time and is certainly a significant enrichment to the repertoire of the Czech opera in the field of classical production. Great experience is guaranteed by an excellent team; the production has been directed by Jiří Heřman, the music preparation was done by Tomáš Netopil, and under the baton of Zbyněk Müller, the spectator has the chance to witness the greatest stars of the National Theatre Opera.

JAKOBIN

Original conception of the stage design, authored by Pavel Svoboda

Luděk Vele, Soloist of the National Theatre Opera, as the arrogant burgrave Filip

Kateřina Kněžíková as Terinka and Aleš Briscein as Jiří

From left: Ondřej Černý, Director, National Theatre with Professor Jiří Koutecký and his wife

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25.11.2011 14:59:44

culture event

Magdaléna Kožená and Andrea Marcon

IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE

The vocalist Magdalena Kožená has introduced her recital in the National Theatre in October. As part of the concert´s programme, Magdalena performed the arias by two giants of baroque music, the Italian master Antonio Vivaldi and the German genius Friedrich Händel. The programme was further complemented by Vivaldi´s instrumental compositions, performed by the orchestra Collegium 1704 together with bassoonist Györgyi Farkas and flautist Anna Fusek. It was conducted by Andrea Marcon.

Concert of Magdaléna Kožená LUNCH WITH THE SPONSORS

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The luncheon took place in the main foyer of the historical building of the National Theatre

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At the beginning of the new season, the director of the National Theatre has invited the representatives of the partners of the National Theatre for luncheon.

25.11.2011 13:56:27

The awards were interspersed with dancing figures by the National Theatre corps de ballet

culture event

Ceremony of State Prizes A Gala Evening was held in the National Theatre on the occasion of awarding state prizes in the field of culture during the eve of the independent Czechoslovak state anniversary. The following were awarded among the many outstanding laureates: Daniela Hodrová in literature, Martin Hilský in translation, Jiří Kylián for his contribution in the field of theatre, Lubomír Dorůžka for his contribution in the field of music, Leoš Válka for his contribution in the field of arts, Miroslav Masák for his contribution in the field of architecture, Zdeněk Liška in memoriam, and Jan Němec for their contribution in the field of cinematography and audiovisual.

Jiří Besser, Minister of Culture welcomes Lívia Klausová, Czech First Lady

From left: Marek Eben, Moderator, Jiří Besser, Minister of Culture, and Karel Roden, Actor in the Presidential Longe of the National Theatre

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Miroslava Němcová, President of the Chamber of Deputies is coming to the National Theatre

25.11.2011 14:56:40

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24.11.2011 10:44:30

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS, ARTICLES, EVENT PHOTO COVERAGES, UPCOMING EVENTS IN REALTIME WEBPAGE, BROUGHT TO YOU BY LEADERS MAGAZINE

Today’s most interactive online forum for important, forward-looking and timely voices and opinions in Central Europe.

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24.5.2011 9:16:50