The Movers and Shakers at the Top of Czech Business in the First Quarter of 2021
According to Bubenik Partners, the 10 most interesting managerial changes in the first quarter of 2021 included the advancement of CEOs into the head of the leading Central European e-commerce platform, the largest lottery company and ambitious technology and consulting company. Our prestigious regular quarterly selection „The Movers and Shakers at the Top of Czech Business“ encompassed among other the return of the Czech manager to the Board of Directors of the largest domestic car manufacturer and changes in the top positions at the largest regional betting operator as well as the local branch of a giant software corporation. The largest Czech bank and a globally operating producer of nonwovens with the European management based in the Czech Republic hired experienced managers for the newly created positions.
The selection for the first quarter of 2021 represents an aggregated view of the market changes through the lenses of Bubenik Partners, a renowned consulting company, built on twenty years of experience with day-to-day operation among top managers in the Czech Republic. This is meant as a representative overview of the most essential developments on the highest levels of the Czech business within the past period.
„Many of our clients have used the situation to fill or relatively strengthen top management teams,“ said Jan Bubeník, founder and managing partner of Bubenik Partners. „Like any crisis, the current one is an opportunity for those who have the courage and self-confidence when others hesitate.“
Like last year, in the selection „The Movers and Shakers at the Top of Czech Business“ appear remarkable comebacks of successful Czech leaders from abroad: Martin Jahn returned to the Škoda Auto Board of Directors from his international engagements within the Volkswagen Group and Jan Hanuš returned from the Hungarian Telenor, the largest e-commerce group in Central and Eastern Europe.
Another eye-catching change took place in Česká spořitelna, which became the first domestic bank to establish a new position of Chief Sustainability Officer.
Eight top management changes in the first quarter of 2021 according to Bubenik Partners
(in alphabetical order)
Mariann Forsström – in March, she took on the newly created position of Commercial Director EMEA of the leading Czech nonwovens manufacturer PFNonwovens ((for many years, she worked at the competing Finnish company Suominen, most recently as Vice President for global trade).
Jan Hanuš – since the beginning of the year, he has been heading the MALL Group, the largest e-commerce platform in Central and Eastern Europe (he came from Telenor, the third-largest mobile operator in Hungary).
Martin Jahn – in March, he joined the Board of Directors of Škoda Auto as its member responsible for sales and marketing; his predecessor Alain Favey was entrusted with other tasks in the Volkswagen Group (Martin Jahn has been with the Volkswagen Group for the last 12 years and served in Germany, Russia and China).
Vladimír Klein – in March, he took on the role of Group Chief Technology Officer of Central Europe’s largest betting operator, Fortuna Entertainment Group (he previously managed IT at CETIN, and in the past was involved in the agile transformation of Moneta Money Bank).
Miloš Nitran – Since February, he has held the position of Chief Financial Officer of Microsoft Czech Republic and Slovakia (he joined the company back in 2008 and has held a number of roles since then; most recently he served as Chief Financial Officer in Central and Eastern Europe).
Matúš Púll – Starting March, he has moved to the newly created position of Chief Sustainability Officer at Česká spořitelna. In the position directly reporting to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Tomáš Salomon, his task will be to manage and coordinate both the bank’s internal and external activities, so that the institution becomes a key player in shaping sustainable development in the Czech Republic (Matúš Púll has been with Spořitelna since 2007, before which he went through a number of large banks such as Citibank and GE Money Bank).
Pavel Riegger – At the beginning of this year, he became Executive Director of the technology and consulting company Trask. He replaced his predecessor Filip Tománek, who moved to the position of Operations Director and will take care of the internal operation of the company and its preparation for the planned growth and expansion (Pavel Riegger took up the baton for Trask after sixteen years spent in the consulting company EY).
Aleš Veselý – Since February, he has been the CEO of the lottery company Sazka a.s. He replaced Robert Chvátal, who became Chairman of the Board of Sazka and is fully involved in the management of the international lottery group Sazka Group (Aleš Veselý has been with the company since 2013 as Marketing Director, the last three years also as Deputy CEO).
Movers and Shakers at the Top of Czech Business in the First Quarter of 2021
More info
The Movers and Shakers at the Top of Czech Business in the First Quarter of 2021
According to Bubenik Partners, the 10 most interesting managerial changes in the first quarter of 2021 included the advancement of CEOs into the head of the leading Central European e-commerce platform, the largest lottery company and ambitious technology and consulting company. Our prestigious regular quarterly selection „The Movers and Shakers at the Top of Czech Business“ encompassed among other the return of the Czech manager to the Board of Directors of the largest domestic car manufacturer and changes in the top positions at the largest regional betting operator as well as the local branch of a giant software corporation. The largest Czech bank and a globally operating producer of nonwovens with the European management based in the Czech Republic hired experienced managers for the newly created positions.
The selection for the first quarter of 2021 represents an aggregated view of the market changes through the lenses of Bubenik Partners, a renowned consulting company, built on twenty years of experience with day-to-day operation among top managers in the Czech Republic. This is meant as a representative overview of the most essential developments on the highest levels of the Czech business within the past period.
„Many of our clients have used the situation to fill or relatively strengthen top management teams,“ said Jan Bubeník, founder and managing partner of Bubenik Partners. „Like any crisis, the current one is an opportunity for those who have the courage and self-confidence when others hesitate.“
Like last year, in the selection „The Movers and Shakers at the Top of Czech Business“ appear remarkable comebacks of successful Czech leaders from abroad: Martin Jahn returned to the Škoda Auto Board of Directors from his international engagements within the Volkswagen Group and Jan Hanuš returned from the Hungarian Telenor, the largest e-commerce group in Central and Eastern Europe.
Another eye-catching change took place in Česká spořitelna, which became the first domestic bank to establish a new position of Chief Sustainability Officer.
Eight top management changes in the first quarter of 2021 according to Bubenik Partners
(in alphabetical order)
Mariann Forsström – in March, she took on the newly created position of Commercial Director EMEA of the leading Czech nonwovens manufacturer PFNonwovens ((for many years, she worked at the competing Finnish company Suominen, most recently as Vice President for global trade).
Jan Hanuš – since the beginning of the year, he has been heading the MALL Group, the largest e-commerce platform in Central and Eastern Europe (he came from Telenor, the third-largest mobile operator in Hungary).
Martin Jahn – in March, he joined the Board of Directors of Škoda Auto as its member responsible for sales and marketing; his predecessor Alain Favey was entrusted with other tasks in the Volkswagen Group (Martin Jahn has been with the Volkswagen Group for the last 12 years and served in Germany, Russia and China).
Vladimír Klein – in March, he took on the role of Group Chief Technology Officer of Central Europe’s largest betting operator, Fortuna Entertainment Group (he previously managed IT at CETIN, and in the past was involved in the agile transformation of Moneta Money Bank).
Miloš Nitran – Since February, he has held the position of Chief Financial Officer of Microsoft Czech Republic and Slovakia (he joined the company back in 2008 and has held a number of roles since then; most recently he served as Chief Financial Officer in Central and Eastern Europe).
Matúš Púll – Starting March, he has moved to the newly created position of Chief Sustainability Officer at Česká spořitelna. In the position directly reporting to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Tomáš Salomon, his task will be to manage and coordinate both the bank’s internal and external activities, so that the institution becomes a key player in shaping sustainable development in the Czech Republic (Matúš Púll has been with Spořitelna since 2007, before which he went through a number of large banks such as Citibank and GE Money Bank).
Pavel Riegger – At the beginning of this year, he became Executive Director of the technology and consulting company Trask. He replaced his predecessor Filip Tománek, who moved to the position of Operations Director and will take care of the internal operation of the company and its preparation for the planned growth and expansion (Pavel Riegger took up the baton for Trask after sixteen years spent in the consulting company EY).
Aleš Veselý – Since February, he has been the CEO of the lottery company Sazka a.s. He replaced Robert Chvátal, who became Chairman of the Board of Sazka and is fully involved in the management of the international lottery group Sazka Group (Aleš Veselý has been with the company since 2013 as Marketing Director, the last three years also as Deputy CEO).