AmCham in Brief

We are facing the greatest challenge to the economy of the Czech Republic since its founding in 1992. We know the virus will force major changes to the sources of our prosperity, but we do not know exactly what will be transformed, and whether those changes will last. I would like the AmCham board to serve as central point for gathering information, analyzing it, and advocating solutions based on evidence that will accelerate our path to prosperity.

As a board member, I will represent the hospitality industry and would focus on promoting Prague and Czech Republic as a viable destination for holding congresses and conventions and a high-profile destination for demanding travelers.

Having served on the AmCham board and as its President, I have direct experience on how business associations can serve as a voice of economic reason and how important that voice is in a world increasingly nervous about the future.

I would like to continue to make attracting value-added investments my priority, as well as engaging with political decision-makers and social influencers about the country‘s direction.

After 12 years as Managing Director at MSD, I am currently Regional Managing Director CEE at Biogen Idec Czech Republic. The American Chamber of Commerce has a unique position in the Czech business environment. As a Vice-President I´m honoured to serve for the continuous success of AmCham and I am ready to dedicate my experience and energy to further enhance AmCham’s position as trusted and respected partner to both business community and state authorities.

I focus on AmCham priorities, especially Competitiveness, Healthcare and Transparency.

As a company, we believe the next wave of this country's growth depends on larger and more effective investment into research and development. I want to use our recent experience to help shape policies to increase the proportion of private research investment to public research investment, and to share best practices among high tech manufacturers so that the country's manufacturing capabilities are among the best in Europe.

I try to devote my energy to three areas :

1. Create a vision for Czech Competitiveness/ Collaborative-ness 2030/2040 and a related action plan to attract and retain the best talents from the region.
2. As also President of Prague Convention Bureau to create the synergy for the ecosystem that promotes applied research and high value added services by bringing together R&D, investors as well as businesses into incubators and accelerators.
3. Explore further the responsibility of business to society through more responsible and informed leadership.

My energies is especially devoted to small and medium enterprises, which do not have resources commanded by large corporations.

One of the main characters in Albert Camus’s The Plague says, “It’s an idea which may make some people laugh, but the only means of righting a plague is common decency.” We haven’t been living through a plague, to be sure, but some of the same rules, emotions and laws of nature apply as though we were. Regardless of whether a second wave comes or life gets back to something we soon come to call normal, we’ll need some common decency to get through it in one piece. For nearly 30 years AmCham has been providing a good dose of this, and I am proud to continue to help administer it as a member of the board of directors.

My goal on the board is to assure Prague’s future as a hub of major corporate headquarters and business service hubs, and to engage the government and other key stakeholders on how to shape a secure energy future.

As the Chief People Officer in Avast, I feel I have much to contribute to the Czech Republic as an HR Professional, as a senior female executive and working for Avast as the first CEE entrant into the FTSE 100. My background within global businesses within the government, NGO and private sectors means that I am well placed to support the chamber in its efforts to support economic growth in the Czech Republic.

As a Board member, I like to build upon more than two decades of work of previous managing partners of KPMG in contributing to AmCham active role in enhancing the local business environment. AmCham has a strong record of achievement and KPMG is proud to have been an active member. Our contributions have included, in particular, the very active involvement of my predecessors, Jan Žůrek, František Dostálek and Charles Randolph in the area of tax policy, sustainable development, and good government. As a lawyer by background, I intend in particular to focus on the legal and tax reforms of the new government and their impact on the business environment. 

I would also like to continue to strongly support development of transparency and ethics in the Czech business and public environment.  Government and the public sector in general remains far from efficient and operates below its potential. I am convinced that AmCham as an independent, reputable and respected representative of the business community can play a key role in promoting best practice in this area.

Working for many years in area supporting research, development and engineering I would like to influence and use position of AmCham to influence development of “innovative economy” – economy with advanced and high quality production. I also believe in even distribution of economy and research activity evenly in all country and want to promote development of regions.

Since the early days in my professional career I tended to take part in public debates – as a (part time) journalist, as advisor, as participant in various task forces in governmental and NGO sector. Today, AmCham is probably the best place for an intelligent public debate. The atmosphere of openness, level of engagement and quality of contributions in AmCham debates significantly exceeds the current standards. Given the most recent political and security development in Central and Eastern Europe and in the Czech Republic in particular, AmCham can and should play a role in preserving the Czech Republic as a member of Western security and political structures.

AmCham represents the best business traditions from the Czech Republic and USA, fused with new business models, strategic investments and technology drivers. All this is enabled by shared values of fair competition, business ethics, open collaboration and free exchange of ideas. As a board member, I will represent AmCham and Y Soft values to the best of my abilities. I would dedicate my experience, energy and network to build Czech Republic-USA business relationships, bring experience and execution in my priority areas and support digital transformation of Czech Republic.

Being a CTO with business role and global market experience, I see smart technology as one of the promising ways to tackle current and long running challenges, ranging from Covid-19 pandemics to reversing climate change and providing clean energy and water supply. Ensuring well-being of the Czech and global society as a result.

Priority areas for the upcoming two years at the AmCham board include digitization and eGovernment. 

Manufacturing in the Czech Republic faces a major transition. As compensation spikes upward, production lines will need to become more efficient and more productive. Our facilities will have to become more attractive to employees and more economical. I want to work with other manufacturers to drive those process improvements and promote government policies that will make this transition successful.

Michel's AmCham Priority:

• Country Manufacturing strategy

•  CNB Monetary policy.

• Cooperation with other countries Chambers of Commerce

Workforce is the major challenge and the major opportunity for the Czech Republic. Our education system needs to adjust to the reality that automation will completely change the type of jobs in the market. I would like AmCham to help the government put the country ahead of the curve of technological change.

Jaroslava joined Manpower in 2001 as Country Manager Czech Republic. Under her leadership, the company’s turnover increased from 100 million to 3,6 billion CZK. Manpower Czech Republic currently serves 1.200 clients, placing 24.000 new employees yearly. In 2006 she became member of the Global Leadership Team ManpowerGroup Inc and in October 2007, she was made responsible for development of Manpower Slovakia.

Prior to joining Manpower, Jaroslava worked as commercial director of the French Chamber of Commerce from its foundation in 1997. She was the vice president of the chamber’s board of directors from 2002 to 2006.

She is the founding member and the president of the Association of providers of personnel services – APPS, which unites the leading personnel and employment agencies in the Czech Republic. The Association significantly contributes to the changes of labour law aiming to increase the openness and flexibility of the sector.

AmCham always has pursued policies and investments that will help the Czech Republic increase GDP per capita by 60% by 2025. The pandemic not only puts that goal in doubt, but may change some fundamental aspects of the global and Czech economy.

During my time on the board and as president, I have been involved in many initiatives that have helped shape our business environment. I would very much like to continue being a part of this effort with a focus on how we can restore and accelerate our path to prosperity.

AmCham aims to continuously improve competitiveness of the Czech Republic. However, dynamic evolution of the business environment and technologies drive major changes. My focus in the board will be on attracting strategic research investments, assisting Czech tech start-ups to succeed on the US market, and ensuring we digitize our society securely.

I believe that AmCham is the right platform to support improvements in education and security – two key drivers of business growth.