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Loss of backbone system leaves
experts unable to assess state’s new
‘Big Brother’ gambling oversight
9 771803 454314
Monday, 5 September 2016
BUSINESS NEWS page 4
Stay positive
Ex-Microsoft Europe chief and
author-to-be Jan Mühlfeit on
unchaining your potential
FACE TO FACE pages 8-9
Welcome to
Prague
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e15weekly
With this issue, E15
Weekly begins the third
chapter of its existence.
Now, under the banner
of our new owners
CN Invest, we offer you
a special edition for
which we have turned
to a number of notable
figures
Igor Záruba, Executive Editor
Photo: Profimedia.cz
D
ear Readers,
It is my great honour to present to you the 129th issue
of E15 Weekly, the only
English-language business-oriented
news and features print publication on
the Czech market. You might object
that the number 129 is in no way unusual – but permit me to differ on that
very point..
Since November 2013, we’ve published an issue of E15 Weekly every
Monday. The fact that we’ve been
able to not just survive, but also to
prosper is in great part thanks to you,
our devoted readers and subscribers.
A change of ownership, and two years
on from our last series of major improvements, the time is right to once
again undertake endeavours to make
E15 Weekly even bigger and better. To
that end, our print and e-editions will
now also be supplemented by a new
website as well as a social media profile at facebook.com/e15.weekly. The
aim of these enhancements is clear: to
create a forum for an interchange of
ideas and opinions between the magazine’s staff and our readers.
Whether you’re an expat or Englishspeaking executive, we want your
feedback – on areas of news and business you want us to explore and cover.
And don’t hesitate to let us know when
we get it wrong either! I look forward
to our future together. Welcome aboard the new E15 Weekly!
2/3
news
Expats enrich more
than just our economy
A clear sense of roots, values and goals are necessary for
a person to be able to contribute to the society in which
they live and work – even if such a home is far from one’s
birthplace. That is doubly true today when Europe and
its citizens are deeply troubled by large, excessive levels
of migration from other continents, and when tensions
occasionally exist between the western and eastern parts of
Europe over the free flow of labour.
Even so, with a strong will and work ethic, ordinary
people can serve as far more effective representatives of
their countries of origin than politicians or diplomats ever
could. One need only recall the impact of our artists, athletes
or scientists, opening doors for us through their efforts.
Czechs are not viewed as being among those with large
expat communities abroad, like, for example, the Irish,
Italians or Poles. Even so, around two million people
worldwide claim Czech ancestry. Today, the number of those
who have moved abroad after 1989 actually exceeds the
number who fled during the communist era.
Large numbers of Czechs can certainly be found in the
English-speaking world. They serve as de facto ambassadors
of our culture, cuisine, skills and way of life. Meanwhile,
Czechs abroad are gaining valuable skills, which they very
often bring back home. Successful Czechs abroad also
often strengthen the Czech economy by spending and
investing back home. Foreign trade is also assisted by expat
communities abroad.
Election bandwagons
are rolling
Parties to spend hundreds of millions on campaigns
health
Jana Havligerová
A
big tour of Pilsen
launched the regional
and Senate elections
campaign of the Social Democrats [ČSSD]. They want
to successfully defend at least
seven of the 11 governorships
which they have held since the
last elections. Prime minister
and ČSSD leader Bohuslav
Sobotka visited two factories,
a farm and two nursing homes.
He also had a chat with some
railway workers and a walkaround the centre of the regional capital.
Some Social Democrat
ministers went through a similar type of program and
proceeded to an early evening
meeting with city inhabitants.
Apart from winning the governorships in the elections
four years ago, ČSSD took 205
Traditional
values. The
Christian
Democrats want
to particularly
pick up on
regional topics
in next month’s
elections
Photo: ČTK
have your say
Lubomír Zaorálek
regional representative seats
which, along with 12 Senate
seats, it will seek to retain in
the contest due in October.
The party is pouring CZK 85m
into its campaign.
During one of his Pilsen
encounters, Sobotka responded to finance minister and
ANO party leader Andrej Babiš’s proposal to lower tax on
draught beer by saying: “We
prefer to lower VAT on food,
beer can wait.”
The Christian Democrats
[KDU-ČSL], who presented
their regional and Senate
candidates in Prague, are out
to upset the dominance of
ČSSD in parts of the country. They want to disturb the
entrenched regional political
order and break the red-orange coalition. “We are sticking
to regional topics and in the
elections we are standing candidates who are familiar with
the given local situation,” said
KDU-ČSL leader and deputy
PM Pavel Bělobrádek.
After 1989, the Czech Republic became a place which
began to attract foreigners. Some sought out long-lost family
roots. Others were lured by the “wild” era of transformation.
Others, still, sought out fresh business opportunities. And so
we became home to a significant expat community ourselves.
Today our society continues to benefit from the presence of
expats – not just economically, but also in terms of culture
and mindset. The Czech Republic has become a crossroads
within which we meet American, English, Dutch and
Scandinavian people alongside Ukrainians, Vietnamese and
Chinese. They come to work, study and gain new experiences,
and they also come to appreciate our calm way of life.
Which is why we should appreciate both those who leave
our country to spread the good word of the Czech Republic
around the globe, as well as foreigners who have, with the
best of intentions, chosen the Czech Republic as their second
home. Those able to carry and transmit the good name of
our country around the world are doing a great service.
The author is the foreign affairs minister of the Czech Republic
Photo: ČTK
Foreigners in the Czech Republic bring benefits to our
society by the personal bonds they develop. They serve as
unofficial ambassadors, spreading the good name of the
country abroad. No marketing campaign or media headlines
can do such an effective job as the good word of a person
who has experienced our country firsthand.
Pardubice region buys shrine to artist Josef Váchal
The Pardubice regional government is to buy the Portmoneum Museum in the eastern Bohemian
town of Litomyšl. Adorned throughout with paintings by Josef Váchal (1884-1969), the museum –
established in the former home of Váchal admirer Josef Portman – will be managed by Litomyšl
Regional Museum. Portman had the interior decorated by Váchal – a writer, poet, painter, wood
engraver, sculptor, printmaker and book-printer – in the 1920s. He commissioned murals and painted
furniture from Váchal. The museum was initially opened by publishing house Paseka in 1993
have your say
Jan Mládek
Talented workers are welcome
Photo: ČTK
Supporting legal migration is a key principle of the
Czech Republic’s migration policies. The policies aim to
create harmony between migration potential and domestic
labour market needs, and to react to our country’s longterm demographic, social, foreign-political and security
concerns.
Mobile operator sets up call centre behind bars
Up to 100 inmates are to work in a T-Mobile call centre set up within Vinařice Prison, located
near Kladno. The prisoner employees, to be selected from 400 applicants by a panel including
a psychologist and teacher, will receive monthly pay of CZK 4,500. Part of the sum will be put
towards covering the cost of their prison stay. Employees will undergo a requalification course
and it is hoped the initiative will contribute to lowering reoffending rates. T-Mobile insists the
prisoners will not gain any access to client data
Arrested Christian activist
stands trial in Sudan
Who are they exactly? In my eyes they are those
foreigners who bring talent, unique skills and also
investment, namely workers who deliver significant
“value-added” via skills spanning various fields of economic
endeavour; skills that we need and would readily and
willingly utilise. Such workers also offer us the chance to
learn new professional processes and work methods. Such
migrants represent a large spectrum of professions. They
are highly qualified with specific skills, including managerial
experience, and also the mid-level qualified, primarily in the
technical professions, which over the long term the Czech
labour market alone cannot provide.
Work is under way to implement numerous projects
related to ensuring proper, effective economic migration.
Qualified foreign workers’ access to our labour market
should be increased, eased and made more attractive.
As one example, this July, the government approved
the “Special Status for Qualified Workers from Ukraine”
proposal. It enables up to 5,000 job seekers a year to
benefit from faster work permit application processing at
the Czech embassy in Kiev and the General Consulate in
Lviv. It is chiefly very good news for manufacturing firms
seeking a range of specialist workers across fields including
welding and CNC machine programming.
Photo: Reuters
David Vagaday
Czech Protestant activist Petr
Jašek, who has already spent
a long eight months in Sudanese detention, is set to see his
court trial commence in Khartoum. Sudanese prosecutors
accuse Jašek of spying and
conspiring against the state,
among other matters. Jašek,
who was filming a documentary about the persecution of
Christians in the predominantly Muslim country, was
arrested last December. It is
said he crossed into Sudan illegally. Czech diplomats have
so far failed in their efforts to
secure his release.
Jašek will stand trial along
with three local pastors. According to foreign online
media, the Sudanese prosecution has charged the men
with eight offences in all. In
addition to the espionage and
conspiracy allegations, the
charges include inciting vio-
As the Czech trade and industry minister, I consider
an effective, targeted and selective migration policy
as a crucial economic tool which contributes to raising
investment, foreign trade, and our economy’s enduring
competitiveness. To this end, working with the foreign
affairs, interior, and labour and social affairs ministries,
my ministry is helping to build several projects to support
the migration of select target groups within “third party”
countries (meaning non-EU nations; the EU list includes
Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) – it is
eminently in Czech interests to bring these workers here.
lent opposition to government
authorities, unauthorised
entry of, and photographing
within, military areas, and the
dissemination of false information. Jašek is also accused
of breaching immigration
laws and performing voluntary work without the necessary
official permit.
Some news servers pointed
out that Sudanese law requires the authorities to either
refer a case of a detained suspect to a court within 45 days
or release the suspect from
detention. Jašek’s case, of
course, only made it to court
eight months – or roughly 240
days – after his arrest.
I am very pleased such economic migration projects
are enabling effective utilisation of the potential of highly
skilled, educated foreign labourers, further developing
human working potential here. This category of foreigners
brings clear and undeniable gains. As economically
active individuals they assist productivity, push up our
firms’ export potential and even assist technological
advancement.
Which is why my ministry will continue to actively analyse
and monitor the potential benefits brought by skilled
migrants, and is pushing for a responsive, adjustable system
catering to firms and foreign investors’ needs.
The author is the Czech trade and industry minister
4/5
business
have your say
Adriana Krnáčová
Why visit Prague?
There are countless
reasons!
Gambling ‘Big Brother’
on hold until 2018
Gaming sector will operate for a year without state oversight
Betting industry
Dušan Kütner
A
The Czech capital is one of the most attractive destinations
visited by tourists from all over the world. The reason is very
simple: just about everyone wishes to experience its unique
atmosphere and beauty. And that is no exaggerated boast,
it’s a fact proven by assessments published on travellers’
web portal TripAdvisor. The interactive site’s users have
voted Prague one of the Top 25 places on the planet that are
seen as undeniably worth a visit.
Prague, which has served as the seat of two Holy Roman
Emperors and is often referred to as the City of a Hundred
Spires, attracts tourists not just for its historical sites and
monuments, but also for its quality of accommodation and
catering. The city’s pulling power is additionally boosted by
its comprehensive public transport network and reputation
as a safe place.
In further describing Prague, I would certainly like to
mention that the capital city is not just one of the best places
to run a business but also one of the best places to live in
Central Europe, something which has been demonstrated by
numerous studies conducted both in the Czech Republic and
abroad. It offers excellent working conditions, top-quality education, a high level of medical care as well as highly developed
infrastructure and easy connections to major cities worldwide.
Photo: Profimedia
package of three laws
regulating gambling
in the Czech Republic
is set to go into effect as of
January next year. However, one
key component will be absent
from the package of measures,
namely an information system
described by the finance
ministry itself as the
“backbone” of the new
regulatory system.
One of the system’s features is
a database of all
persons who play
roulette or poker
and/or make online
bets, including gamblers and companies
hitherto operating in the grey
market. As is currently the
case, only individual companies now accepting bets – or
as of January online roulette
or poker services as well – will
have specific oversight of their
players.
As late as last autumn,
when the legislation was
being introduced, finance
minister Andrej Babiš (ANO)
urged fellow MPs to avoid
making amendment proposals
which could lead to a delay in
implementing the new laws, and
thus causing the construction of
the required IT system to not be
ready by January 2017. The laws
– which also include increasing
taxation on slot machines from
28 to 35 percent – will go into
effect according to schedule, but
the IT system will now certainly
not be ready on time. The reason
is that the state has extended
for a second time a deadline
for submitting applications for
a CZK 300m tender to build
the system. The deadline is
now 7 September. The winning
company thus has no chance of
devising and making operational
such a system by the end of the
year.
The city is renowned for being a cultural and social hub with
countless theatres, museums, concert venues and cinemas.
It offers a friendly atmosphere with plenty of entertainment
opportunities and a great numbers of restaurants and bars.
On top of all this, Prague has been named the European
Capital of Sport for 2016. It amounts to one of the most significant accolades to have been bestowed upon the city, placing
it alongside the likes of Rotterdam, Dublin and Stockholm. Cities that take pride in holding the title are much sought after
destinations for many tourists and visitors. In any given year,
the European Capital of Sport presents a range of sporting
activities on a European scale. Prague has enjoyed a considerable sports infrastructure boom in years of late and has
hosted a number of occasions that have placed it on both the
European and global sports stages. In holding this European
sport title, our city can present itself not only as a major
magnet for tourists and as an architectural treasure, but also
as a sporting mecca located right in the heart of Europe.
The author is the mayor of Prague
Photo: ČTK
Even though Prague is certainly one busy metropolis, I, as
a fan of jogging, am thrilled by the green expanses found
within its numerous parks. My favourite place for jogging is
Stromovka [Tree Park], a colloquial name for what was once
known as the Royal Enclosure [Královská obora]. Free hours
are necessarily scarce for the capital’s mayor, but whenever
some arrive I do love to take in one of the many cultural
events fortuitously running at the same time. A profusion of
such attractions, from concerts to art exhibitions, occur here
right around the calendar.
Stats a tight fit for footwear merchants
Footwear imports fell for the fourth year in a row last year, tumbling by a third to 67.3 million pairs.
The value of imported footwear imported grew, however, to some 19 billion crowns. The trends are
explained by lower imports from China and growth in the average price for a pair. The statistics were
trotted out by Vlasta Mayerová, secretary of the Czech Footwear and Leather Association speaking
at the Kabo international fashion, footwear and leatherware trade fair held last week in Brno
have your say
Andrew Schapiro
From innovation
to prosperity to peace
Photo: ČTK
The Czech economy is strong and dynamic. It is an industrial
powerhouse and a centre of innovation and entrepreneurship.
These trends are great news, not only for the Czech citizens
reaping the benefits of growth, but also for the world, because
prosperous countries tend to be stable and peaceful. In the
United States we have learned that several factors help to
create an environment in which innovation and entrepreneurship can flourish. I am excited to see that these features of an
innovation environment are taking root here, as well.
Marketing experts size up potential of Olympic medallists
Sole Czech gold medallist of the Rio Olympics, men’s judo 100 kg champion Lukáš Krpálek, has the biggest
marketing potential of all the competitors from this country that participated in the games, according
to experts in the field. On the one hand, gold carries roughly twice as much weight in advertising as the
medals for second and third do, while on the other Krpálek is well known by now for the poignant story of
his friend Alexandr Jurečka, who died in a diving accident in September 2015. The judo winner dedicated
his medal to Jurečka. Other Czech success stories were Jaroslav Kulhavý, who took silver in cross-country
mountain biking, and Josef Dostál, who won silver in the K-1 1,000-metre canoe sprint
Road toll ‘hole’ filled with
Kapsch extension
Jan Stuchlík
Additionally, a level playing field with clear and consistently enforced rules is also critical to success. Transparency
in government and the private sector makes it easier to start
and maintain a business, and a fair legal system gives innovators and the investors the confidence to take risks, knowing
that their achievements and rewards will be protected.
Finally, two related cultural factors play an important role:
a willingness to take risks, and the “freedom to fail”. Many
outstanding US entrepreneurs had multiple failures before
they achieved success; they learned from their mistakes,
picked themselves up, and doubled their efforts the second
time around. It can be frightening to take a risk without
certainty of success, but more and more young Czechs whom
I meet are willing to do just that, and it is they who will be the
creators of the next wave of great companies in this country.
This November will mark the fourth Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) in the Czech Republic, and I am proud that
our embassy will once again host several events aimed at
helping innovators and entrepreneurs to flourish. Because
when they succeed, all of us benefit.
Photo: ČTK
The transport ministry and
Kapsch have closed a contractual supplement according
to which the Austria-based
firm will continue operating
the road toll system for another three years without having to fend off rival bidders
for the commission. By agreeing to the deal, the state has
averted potential financial
damage that would have been
caused by the halting of operations this coming January
when the current 10-year contract expires.
The non-standard solution
to the situation in the shape
of a direct order for extended
services has been criticised by
both rivals and the right-wing
opposition to the ruling coalition. Enthusiasm for it does not,
meanwhile, reign within the
ranks of the Social Democrats
in government. But transport
minister Dan Ťok (ANO) said:
“By doing this we have avoided
a road toll stoppage that would
cost as much as 10 million
First, openness and accessibility are essential. While
talent may be everywhere, opportunity is not. We never
know from where – or whom - the next great idea will come.
An education system that helps everyone, develops critical
thinking skills and challenges conventional wisdom is critical
to an innovation-based economy. Our experience has also
shown that openness to immigration can be an important
contributor to economic growth. Immigrants bring talent,
determination, and deliver an immensely positive economic
impact to the US economy: The Partnership for a New American Economy found that immigrants started 28 percent of
all new US businesses in 2011, and employ one out of every
10 private-sector workers. Nearly half the technology startups in Silicon Valley were founded by immigrants.
crowns a year, money which
is earmarked for road repairs.
We’ve also fixed insufficiencies
in the original contract, which
did not count with the deal coming to an end and with the
transfer of the system to a different operator.” The extension means officials, after years
of idleness, now have time to
prepare a legitimate tender.
They are currently selecting
an advisor.
Ťok said the new arrangement gives the state the key
to the toll system with which
they would be able to transfer
it should they select a new provider. The deal extension will
cost the ministry a maximum
CZK 5.3m, or around CZK
1.8m a year. Transport officials
calculated that there would be
yearly savings of around CZK
0.5m versus the current contract.
The author is the US ambassador to the Czech Republic
E15 weekly, economic and business news magazine | www.e15.cz
Igor Záruba, Executive Editor, [email protected]; Marian Hronek, Editor,
[email protected] | Translation: TextMasters, [email protected]
Contact: Adéla Nová, Secretary | Call (+420) 225 977 668
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6/7
opinion
Jan
Thompson
I
t’s difficult to believe that
I’ve now been living in the
beautiful Czech Republic
for three years! The time has
flown by. Perhaps because every
day is different. One day I’ll be
meeting the prime minister or
another member of the Czech
government to coordinate approaches on a subject of shared
interest such as sanctions against Russia, or the digital economy. The next I might be opening
a branch of a British retail outlet
like Hamley’s or The Body Shop,
or talking to Czech university
students about the close academic and research cooperation
between our two countries. UK
stakeholders are amongst the
top two partners of choice in
the Czech Republic’s science
and innovation activities.
Alternatively, I might be working with my consular staff – as
happened on a recent occasion
– t0 help a British citizen get
married, after he’s lost all his
possessions while in Prague for
his stag-do! Most days will involve hosting or attending a lunch
and one or two evening receptions where the conversations
can continue. And every now
and then I’ll make a trip outside Prague, to meet with local
politicians, call on British companies operating in the regions,
or catch up with the British military training team, working
since 2000 with the Czech army
in Vyškov to train international
military personnel for overseas
deployments.
A seismic event in recent
months has been the decision
of the British people to leave
the European Union. To some,
including in this country, the
referendum outcome came as
a shock. The Czech Republic
has been one of the UK’s closest EU partners – like-minded
on so many issues. But while
the UK may be leaving the EU,
we remain committed Europeans, and I’m confident – and
determined – that the UK-Czech partnership will endure
after the UK ‘Brexits’. We have
a strong and historical bond of
friendship, strengthened by the
Photo: čtk
Time flies in beautiful Czechia
gratitude we Brits feel to the
Czech airmen who flew with
the Royal Air Force during
WWII, and given currency by
the many Brits and Czechs now
living in one another’s country.
And of course, as you would
expect from strong trading nations such as the UK and the
Czech Republic, our bilateral
trade and investment continues to grow. Supporting this
remains a core function of my
embassy, and Brexit will not
change it.
On a personal note, I feel
completely at home here.
Czechs and Brits seem to share the same sense of humour,
and both are indefatigably
pragmatic! I’ve seen two of
the Jára Cimrman plays: the
humour translates perfectly
into English. I’m also proud
to be promoting British culture by appearing on stage on
a regular basis with the Prague Shakespeare Company –
most recently at the Summer
Shakespeare Festival at Prague
Castle and at the Estates Theatre. I was pretty nervous when
I saw a couple of Cabinet ministers sitting in the audience!
So what’s my favourite place
in Prague? My beautiful back
garden! This is where we host
our annual Queen’s Birthday
Party, this year celebrating
Her Majesty’s 90th birthday.
Though a recent find has been
a cute little caffé on Nový Svět
with a beautiful back garden of
its own. In my free time I also
travel round the Czech Republic in my vintage Škoda car, the
only Škoda MB with diplomatic
licence plates!
The author is the UK ambassador to the Czech Republic
Charles
Sheehan
W
hen I arrived as Ireland’s ambassador
to Prague last year,
I was excited especially by
the economic links which our
two countries had developed
within the European Union.
Last year, our bilateral trade
in goods was valued at over
EUR 1.6bn and this was matched by our rapidly expanding trade in services.
I have now met many of the
Irish and Czech businesses
who benefitted from the freedom and opportunities of the
EU Single Market. When the
Czech Republic joined the EU
during the Irish EU Presidency in 2004, Ireland was one of
the very few countries to open
its labour market immediately
to Czech citizens. Since then,
tens of thousands of Czechs
have worked in Ireland and
many thousands more have
studied in our colleges and
universities under the Erasmus programme.
In the Czech Republic, this
human contact is evident in
the popularity of Irish culture,
especially our music, dance
and sports. The Czech-Irish
Business and Cultural Association has promoted links
with Ireland for 20 years and
over 50 Irish businesses have
invested significantly in the
Czech Republic, including major Irish manufacturers like
Smurfit Kappa and Kingspan
and leading service providers
like the PM Group in engineering or the HR specialists,
Grafton Recruitment and CPL
Jobs.
I work closely with the port Czech start-ups who are
Irish business development looking to Ireland as a place to
agency, Enterprise Ireland, grow their business. Business
partnerships are expanding
as communication has never
been easier – Aer Lingus and
Ryanair provide daily direct
flights to Dublin and Ryanair
also has connections from Brno
and Ostrava.
Europe now faces new and
unexpected challenges which
must not derail our economic
progress. The ‘Brexit’ decision
of the British people in June
was a surprise and disappointment but it must be respected. Ireland’s foreign minister,
Charles Flanagan T.D., set out
in this magazine the unique
issues which Brexit presents
for Ireland. Peace in Northern
Ireland must continue to be
to support the growth of Irish sustained and supported in the
business here and Enterprise context of the future EU-UK
Ireland is also ready to sup- relationship. The border on the
Ireland was
one of the very
few countries
to open its
labour market
immediately to
Czech citizens
island of Ireland has become
almost invisible and the longstanding Common Travel Area
of Ireland and the UK reflects
close historical and economic
links between both islands.
Although I have been ambassador here for just one year,
I have known this country and
its people for many years. My
first visit was in 1990 when I accompanied my wife on her first
return trip to her homeland. We
have visited many times since
and we followed the development of this country as our children grew to know their Czech
family and heritage. I look forward to the coming years as
our two economies grow ever
closer and a new generation of
Irish and Czech people work
together in Europe.
The author is the Irish ambassador to the Czech Republic
255869/56  inzerce
Facing challenges together in Europe
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8/9
face to face
I
Unlocking
human
potential
nitially I thought that after leaving Microsoft
I would end up coaching top-level managers
similar to myself, says global strategist, coach
and mentor Jan Mühlfeit. Today, he coaches sports
figures and works with models, an actress and even
children. “I teach them that it is 10 percent about
what you do and the rest is your state of mind”
Igor Záruba
Next January will be two years since you
left Microsoft after 22 years with the
firm. Did you plan such a departure or
was it more of an impulsive decision?
I remember that I was returning to
Europe from a conference at Harvard
called The Future of Hope. I was flying
back from Boston and couldn’t sleep.
That was March 2014. And I thought
that I had been at the proverbial apex
now for eight years; that I was the longest serving chairman, and that I would
like to try something new. So I drew
up a kind of diagram with three options: to stay; to go somewhere else, for
example a relatively smaller firm such
as Linkedin or Twitter; or to try something entirely new. I laid out a number
of criteria for myself and spent two
moths mulling it over. Then my father
passed away in June. And he was the
reason I had ended up working for Bill
Gates in the first place. At the age of 19,
I was supposed to go and study at the
FTVS [the Charles University Faculty
of Education and Sport], and I had already filled out my application. Because
I played competitive tennis. And my
father told me: “You seem to like computers. Try thinking about going to
study technology – and all the while you
can still play tennis – because one day
computers will change the world.” He
was coaching, not commanding. The
next day, I tore up the FTVS application, and instead filled out a new one to
study electronic computing, which is
what I then ended up doing. When my
father was dying, my whole life flashed
before my eyes. I began to ponder how
I was past the halfway point in my own
life, and that I needed some kind of
change. My father died in Nové Město
na Moravě [in Vysočina], and two hours
into my trip there from Prague I made
my decision. I then gave my notice at
Microsoft, and left the firm six months
later. And I have no regrets.
Were you clear about what you were
going to do next?
Actually, that is something I’ve never
really had about me.
Not even some kind of basic idea?
I knew that along with Kevin Dillon –
ex-CFO at Microsoft – I was going to
be working for a project called Atlantic
Bridge [a technology capital investment
enterprise –Ed.], and that I was in good
company with regards to potential guidance. I had no idea, however, that in time
I would end up chairing seminars and
coaching people. It just came along somehow. I wasn’t trying to force a solution
– that is one of the lessons I have learned
while struggling with depression, which
four years ago saw me end up in psychiatric care. The less you try, the easier it
is for things to just come along.
Photos: E15 Anna Vacková
JAN MÜHLFEIT
Your first book, The Positive Leader: How Energy and Happiness Fuel
Top-Performing Teams, is set to hit the
shelves in mid-October. Whose idea
was this book?
It was based on my story of managerial
success and psychological collapse.
I was telling my story to a friend and
he was enthused enough to suggest
I write it down. The friend offered to
introduce me to Melina Costi, a professional business writer with a background in marketing management.
I have some voice transcription software, so I spoke a little into that and
sent the outcome off. After that we met
in person a number of times. Then we
communicated regularly via Skype.
She was amazing. A real pro. Which
is why she is listed as co-author. I am
good at formulating thoughts, and she
is a terrific editor.
mental questions, and that is where league, but then you fight your way
emotional bonds can be formed.
back up again. If you believe that you
belong in the second league, then that
What else are you fitting into your will likely lead you to fall all the way
down to the bottom division. I am conschedule?
The plan was to coach top managers, vinced of that.
but today I am also coaching sports
If parents tell their children that
figures. I work with models, with one they are stupid, then they are actually
actress, and even with children. I te- stunting their potential and shaping
What is the structure of the book?
It revolves around the question: “Why
do people, governments and organisations fail to unlock human potential?” It comprises four answers to this
question: 1.) People are too focused on
weaknesses instead of strengths. 2.) People confuse the notions of motivation
and inspiration; the first is short-term,
while the second is for life. 3.) Time is
managed, but one’s energy levels are
not. 4.) People succumb to the fallacy
that the greater the success, the greater
the levels of contentment.
We are writing about it, but at the
same time seeking to offer an alternative: we are calling it a kind of guide to
being a positive leader. That doesn’t
necessarily mean being a leader of something big. After all, each and every
person is their own leader, and those
lacking the skills to do that obviously
cannot effectively lead others. We emphasise that it is important to find the
strong side of each individual and to
work on that. If you want to squeeze
the best from people, then don’t change
them. In essence, people remain the
same and don’t change. We have to
know how to utilise the talent that we
have been given since birth. That is how
we make Positive People.
ach them that 10 percent is about what
a person does, and the rest is about
one’s mindset. I reached such conclusions thanks to Bill Gates. He used to
say that A-people attract other A-people, whereas B-people create a C-grade
environment. When you cultivate top
level thinking, then you play at the top
of your game. Sure, you occasionally slip down to the proverbial second
Is it only about Positive People?
No, another component is Positive Purpose, which focuses on how to cultivate
emotional bonds between companies
and individuals. Motivation forms the
bottom part of Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs [a 1940s psychological theory
–Ed.]; it is what can simply be purchased with money. Above that are
self-realisation, appreciation, self-awareness and inspiration. Motivational
questions along the lines of: “What will
I do? How will I do it? How much will it
cost?” won’t cement emotional bonds.
Because these questions are associated
with the logical part of the brain. But
why I do something, and what is the
meaning of my life – those are deeper
mine and that of others. I was able to
work to about 80 percent of my potential, while 20 percent was administration, for example dealing with a dispute
with the European Commission.
At present, I am using 100 percent of
my potential. A student recently asked
me: “What should I do if at work I mostly have to carry out only tasks which
The Czech economy is one of the most open in the
world, and that is a good thing. But it needs to be more
aggressive in terms of exports, and more attractive
to investors. To offer an educated workforce. We still
suffer from a provincial mindset. We don’t know enough
foreign languages
a negative future for them. But if they I consider under my weak points?” And
encourage them, then they are helping I answered: “You have to change that
to move them forward.
– that is not an authentic life. You are
living the life of someone else.”
So you spent 22 years at Microsoft, but
How would you describe the Czech
have now found your true calling?
My success at Microsoft was 10 percent mentality?
about my efforts, and 90 percent about I will answer on two levels. The Czech
the people with whom I worked. It was economy is one of the most open in the
about unlocking human potential, both world, and that is a good thing. But it
needs to be more aggressive in terms
of exports, and more attractive to investors. To offer an educated workforce. We still suffer from a provincial
mindset. We don’t know enough foreign
languages.
The conclusion is that the Czech Republic gets good ratings with regards
to its existing workforce. But the future parameters look very bad indeed.
Everyone knows it but no-one is doing
anything about it. Our OECD results
are dismal. According to the World
Economic Forum we should have an
innovative economy, but we lack engineers. We are looking inward and not
outward. Today’s generation faces stiff
global competition, and the Chinese are
already working hard to that end.
Jan Mühlfeit (54)
Global strategist, executive coach
and mentor. Mühlfeit is the former
chairman of Microsoft Europe,
where he worked for 22 years. He
is currently an “entrepreneur in
residence” at INSEAD graduate
business school and a coach for
Exec MBA students at Cambridge
University. He is also a member
of the Business Advisory Board at
Imperial College, London.
Began working at Microsoft in
1993. Prior to that worked at
Czech firm Software602. Studied
IT at the Faculty of Electrical
Engineering, ČVUT [Czech
Technical University in Prague].
Married with one daughter.
10/11
reader survey
Magdalena
Souček
EY Managing
Partner for the
Czech Republic and
part of Central and
Southeast Europe
E15 Weekly provides a quality
overview of important Czech news
from the worlds of economics,
business and the capital markets.
While expats can obtain foreign news
from the many international media
sources, it is rather more difficult for
them to find quality Czech news in
English. A weekly overview of what’s
going on in Czech business and
politics helps these readers
by providing easy access
to the latest news from
a local perspective
E15 Weekly is
a trusted source of business
information for us and our
clients. Speaking to its
quality and exceptionality
is the fact that it has now
been on the market for
almost three years with no
competitor in sight
Ladislav Müller
Manager at Enterprise
Ireland for the Czech
Republic, Slovakia,
Hungary, Bulgaria
and Romania
A serious Czech
journal written in English is
very welcome, and not only
to the expat community. The
chance to have information
about domestic current
affairs presented in
a foreign language is,
amid the flood of
“dubbing” that has
taken root, really
refreshing
Ladislav Kučera
Managing Director
of Hays Czech Republic
Photo: profimedia.cz
It is a very good thing to
have E15Weekly on the Czech
market as it is well structured,
focuses on important and
relevant information, and is
brief. I also like the fact that
it is in English. That’s good
for foreigners living in the
country and for Czechs who
want to continue improving
their English
Renata
Mrázová
Global Head
of HR
at NN Group
12/13
reader survey
E15 Weekly is one of the
most effective instruments in
addressing the foreign community
in the Czech Republic. It has
become even more important
now that Europe is going through
a testing period in terms of its
prosperity, security, migration
and economics. The magazine
plays an extraordinarily
significant role when it comes
to grasping an independent
understanding of current
affairs in this country
Dita Stejskalová
Managing Partner
at Ogilvy Public Relations
Martin
Tlapa
Deputy Foreign
Affairs Minister
The range of English
journals available in the Czech
Republic greatly thinned out
after the 1990s boom. The
younger sister title of the
E15 daily, E15 Weekly, was
therefore a welcome discovery
on the market. The possibility
of having it in one’s hands
every week testifies not only
to the professional journalism
but particularly to the fact
that it has gained its own
readership
As a busy international
professional with a second
home in the Czech Republic, it is
essential that I keep up-to-date
with the political and economic
issues that impact the country.
As I don’t have time to struggle
through newspapers published
in Czech, I turn to E15 Weekly for
the information I need to
know, presented in
a concise and crisp
format in English
Vladimír
Bärtl
Deputy Minister
for Industry
and Trade
Vera Budway
Head of Diversity
and Inclusion at Erste
Group Bank AG
I congratulate the magazine
E15 Weekly as it nears its third
anniversary. A three year-old person
knows how to formulate what they
want and what they don’t; E15
Weekly clearly worked things out
long ago. It is for me a unique source
of information in English when it
comes to business,
markets, economics,
opinions and trends
14/15
reader survey
Director of the International
Department at the Office
of the President
of the Czech Republic
E15 Weekly has
become a perennial star
on the market of English
journals. It maintains
a quality composition of
contributions and wider
socio-economic coverage
in its news. During a free
moment, I gladly read
it through
Ondřej
Beneš
Commercial Director
for Development
WATER at Veolia
Czech Republic
251756/17  advertorial
Hynek Kmoníček
The Czech Republic is
one of the very few countries
without an English-language
TV news channel, and it lacks
a daily printed in English.
Therefore I do appreciate
any medium which opens up
more access to Czech life for
anyone who is interested but
is unable to speak
the local
tongue
It is terrific that E15
Weekly has succeeded in
establishing itself in such
a demanding segment
as the English-language
media. When we need to
provide foreign firms with
current information about
the Czech economy, we
often now reach for your
title
Radomil Doležal
General Director
of CzechTrade
T3 6th Traffic_225X148 E15 Weekly_PRGSM.pdf
2016.8.30
6:12:40 PM
16
diversions
Photo: ČTK
picture of the week
In good shape
Situated at the heart of the Tyrolean Alps 975 m (3,199 ft) above sea level, Alpbach is so often referred to as Austria’s most beautiful village, and it is rare that anyone
disagrees amid the lush green, sun-flooded meadows. The architecture of Congress Centrum Alpbach represents an ingenious effort at staying in harmony with its
surroundings, having been built into a mountain slope. Its glass cone lets in maximum daylight and its large glass fronts offer beautiful views of the nearby peaks. The past
two weeks saw it host European Forum Alpbach, a big annual international gathering of scientists, economists, politicians and personalities from the arts and culture
invitations
CONCERT
ART EXHIBITION
CONCERT
DAYTRIP TIP
Paul Simon at
O2 Arena
Andy Warhol –
I’m OK
VT Marvin at
Kaštan Club
Tallest Man On Earth
at Lucerna
Letohrádek Hvězda
in Prague’s Liboc
Paul Simon will arrive in Prague
to perform at the O2 Arena on
17 October. His two-hour set will
present classic songs spanning
his illustrious career as well as
a selection of tracks from his
eagerly anticipated forthcoming
album Stranger to Stranger.
Collected works of American
pop-art icon Andy Warhol are
presented at Prague’s GOAP
Gallery. Andy Warhol – I’m OK
also includes a replica of one
of the unique artist’s famous
factories, where you can have
a go at screen-printing some of
Warhol’s motifs.
Prague punk-rock formation VT
Marvin was established as far
back as 1990. Your opportunity
to catch the band’s joyful and
energising sound comes along
on 30 September at Prague 6’s
Kaštan Club. The supporting act
is Až Naprší a Uschne (When
Hell Freezes Over).
On 12 September you will have
the chance to lose your heart
to work of Sweden’s Kristian
Matsson (stage name The Tallest
Man on Earth) inspired by a close
family member’s death and by
Matsson’s divorce from singersongwriter Amanda Bergman.
Lucerna Music Bar, Prague.
Letohrádek Hvězda [Star Villa]
is a Renaissance summer villa
in the Hvězda game reserve just
seven kilometres west of Prague
city centre. The villa offers
its Battle of White Mountain
exhibition, an early clash of the
Thirty Years’ War which occurred
very nearby.
Photos: archive
gig
About us. E15 Weekly is one of a group of business and economics-oriented publications printed by CN Invest a. s. It is a sister title to the E15 daily. Both
periodicals, as well as a number of others, came under new ownership in the spring of 2016 when part of a portfolio formerly published by Mladá fronta a. s.
was acquired. CN Invest a. s. publishes a broad range of print and online titles. In addition to other business-minded titles, the company also publishes lifestyle
and women’s magazines (Maminka, Dieta, Moje psychologie) and children’s titles (Mateřídouška, Sluníčko). The publishing house also enjoys a considerable
presence in the segment of technical and men’s online titles. CN Invest, and its sister company CZECH NEWS CENTER a. s. (the biggest publishing house in the
Czech Republic, with titles such as Blesk, Reflex, Svět motorů, ABC), are members of the media concern CZECH MEDIA INVEST a. s.