ESG > Leadership

„Do Business Leaders
in the CEE region
act sustainably?“

5th annual conference held under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
October 18th, 2022

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ESG > Leadership

„Do Business Leaders
in the CEE region
act sustainably?“

5th annual conference held
under the auspices of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Czech Republic

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About the Conference

5th year of unique conference

focused on local business leaders and their relationship to ESG and sustainability

Celebration of 30th anniversary

of the Business Leaders Forum establishment

Sustainability strategy

as perceived by top managers

Best Practices

of sustainable and responsible projects and activities

Opportunity to discuss with top managers

in panel discussions and at discussion tables

Yearly results of Ipsos and Business Leaders Forum survey

Successful Leader and ESG - employee opinions

Join us to find out how to bring more sustainability into your company´s strategy. Get inspired by ESG projects and practical examples. Find out how the public perceives companies' sustainability today and who is a "successful leader" for the general public.

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The jubilee's 5th year of the conference is associated with celebrating 30 years of the existence of Business Leaders Forum. Apart from performances by regional business leaders, ambassadors' presentations, and examples of good practices of local companies, the conference will also offer the opportunity to discuss ESG issues at discussion tables.

In addition, this year will bring an overview of corporate sustainability development in the Czech Republic over the past 30 years and the role of Business Leaders Forum in it. The latest results of the Successful Leader and ESG survey will also be published.

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Performing This Year

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Christian Schenk

Member of the Board of Management for Finance and IT at ŠKODA AUTO

Christian Schenk's career is closely linked to the Volkswagen Group - he has worked at various management roles where he was responsible for revision, finance or controlling. He participated in the transformation of the brand towards e-mobility. Since October 2021, as a member of the Board of Management for Finance and IT at Škoda AUTO, he has been committed to efficiency and transforming the company into a sustainable and digital enterprise within the framework of the new NEXT LEVEL  – ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030.

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Adriana Jahňáková

General Manager, LEGO Trading CZ/SK

During her 24-year career, Adriana Jahňáková has worked in 6 countries and led teams in marketing and sales in 100 countries around the world.

Before becoming a CEO of LEGO Trading for the Czech Republic and Slovakia in March 2020, she also worked at Procter and Gamble, Coca-Cola, and Plzeňský Prazdroj. She is a leadership and innovative thinking lecturer.

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Jan Růžička

Chief Reputation Officer,
Home Credit Group

Jan Růžička is the head of external relations of the Home Credit Group. He lives and works in Hong Kong, where he manages teams in the USA, Asia, and Europe responsible for Corporate Affairs, Regulatory, PR, CSR, and ESG. Before coming to Asia, he worked for the Czech government for ten years at the Ministries of Culture and Health and was one of the prominent figures in health reform. Jan Růžička graduated from the University of Cambridge and Charles University and is still in academia, teaching behavioral economics and disruption in finance and healthcare at universities in Asia and Europe.

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Lenka Mašková

Corporate Responsibility Manager CZ/SK, Tchibo 

Lenka Mašková was part of Tchibo's local CSR strategy creation in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. She has been managing projects in corporate responsibility for over 10 years now. In her role she uses her experience of non-profit sector and project management in local administration.

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Barbora Kotoun

Country Sustainability Manager, IKEA Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia

Barbora works as a Sustainability Manager for the Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia. Her main task is to incorporate the strategic goals of Ingka Group, which relate to sustainable development and the circular economy, into the day-to-day operations of the IKEA brand and its Retail chain. IKEA is committed to become climate-neutral by 2030, and one of the ways is to apply the principles of circular economy and waste prevention.

Barbora also works at IKEA and Ingka Group as an internal ambassador and spokesperson for sustainability issues. She is also responsible for a number of projects that motivate customers to live a healthy and sustainable life.

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Zuzana Holá

Head of Communication & Sustainability
Vodafone Foundation Director

Zuzana Holá leads the corporate communications team at Vodafone and is also responsible for the company's sustainable business and ESG. Her team is in charge of coordinating ESG activities, non-financial reporting, audits and education.

She is also  Vodafone Foundation Director, whose mission is to support technologies with a positive social impact.

She was also involved in sustainability before Vodafone, for several years she managed CSR and setting the strategy of sustainable development and reporting at Lidl.

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Nick Archer

Ambassador of UK to the Czech Republic

Nick Archer has been the UK Ambassador to the Czech Republic since 2018. Previously, he served as Ambassador to Denmark and High Commissioner to Malta.

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Ayesha Patricia Rekhi

Ambassador of Canada to the Czech Republic

Since joining the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada in 1999 and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2002, Ayesha Patricia Rekhi has served in Canada as a Peacebuilding and Human Security Advisor and deputy director of Southeast Asia and Oceania Division. Between 2000 and 2019, she also worked directly in Southeast Asia.

In August 2019, Ms Rekhi was appointed Ambassador of Canada to the Czech Republic.

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Phasporn Sangasubana

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Thailand to the Czech Republic

Phasporn Sangasubana has been the Ambassador of Thailand to the Czech Republic since 2021. She has been posted in various countries since 1991 such as Norway, Austria, Russian Federation, Singapore and Indonesia.

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Vít Papoušek

External Affairs & Sustainability Manager at Home Credit Group

Vít Papoušek is an ESG manager at  Home Credit Group. His role is to help in developing sustainable principles across the group. He is also responsible for ESG reporting and monitoring ESG trends, regulations and opportunities. In addition, he coordinates social responsibility and financial literacy projects.

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Milan Medek

CSR Manager, Kooperativa

Milan Medek works as a CSR manager at Kooperativa and he is also the executive director of the Kooperativa Foundation. His CSR department focuses on prevention, sustainability, ecology, diversity, and philanthropy. For the past 20 years, he has worked in managerial positions in the field of marketing, of which 11 years he was the Director of Marketing and Product Development at Kooperativa. In addition, he taught marketing and CSR at universities.

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Sandra Feltham

President, Business Leaders Forum
Director, Flagship 

Sandra Feltham is a leading expert in sustainable development and ESG in the Czech Republic. She is the president of Business Leaders Forum and owns the sustainability consulting Flagship, which specializes in responsible business in Central and Eastern Europe.

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Martina Popenková

Senior Client Director, Ipsos

Martina joined Ipsos in 2010. In her role, she was responsible for research in the field of innovation, potential measurement research and sales forecasting, but also for the projects focused on a brand and a general understanding of the market. Now, as Senior Client Director, she is dedicated to implementing research results into the processes of companies across sectors. Before joining Ipsos, Martina worked for Kantar in the UK for several years.

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Karel Smékal

Director of the Communications Department

From 2020, Karel Smékal is the Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Participations of the Czech Republic at World Exhibitions.

In his previous diplomatic career, he served as Deputy Consul General of the Czech Republic in New York (2016 - 2020) and Deputy Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Albania (2011 - 2014).

He is a graduate of the Faculty of Arts of Charles University and the Prague Conservatory.

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Ondřej Soška

General Commissioner for the Czech participation at EXPO 2025

On 24 August 2022, Ondřej SOŠKA was appointed by the Government of the Czech Republic as General Commissioner of the Czech participation in the General World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.
He is a manager with more than 20 years of experience in the private and public sphere. He has gained experience in Europe, USA, Middle and Far East, where he was involved in business strategy development, international business and management of multicultural teams.

He is a founding member of the association Czech Business Council in Dubai, where he served as Vice President from 2014 to 2020.

Partners

General Partner

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Main Partner

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Pod záštitou

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Hlavní mediální partner

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Program

8:45Beginning of the conference
9:00 - 9:10An introductory word from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and Tereza Koucká, Director of Business Leaders Forum
9:10 - 9:25Leader Talks
Jan Růžička, Chief Reputation Officer, Home Credit Group &
Tereza Koucká, Director of Business Leaders Forum
9:25 - 10:30Leadership Panel
Christian Schenk, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Finance and IT
Adriana Jahňáková, General Manager, LEGO Trading CZ/SK
Jan Růžička, Chief Reputation Oficcer, Home Credit Group
10:30 - 10:45 MFA and sustainability - best practices from EXPO
Karel Smékal, Special Envoy for Participations of the Czech Republic at World Exhibitions
Ondřej Soška, General Commissioner for the Czech participation at EXPO 2025
10:45 - 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 - 11:45 Ambassador Panel
Nick Archer, Ambassador of Great Britain to the Czech Republic
Ayesha Patricia Rekhi, Ambassador of Canada to the Czech Republic
Phasporn Sangasubana, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Thailand to the Czech Republic

11:45 - 12:45
Best practices panel
Lenka Mašková, Corporate Responsibility Manager CZ/SK, Tchibo
Barbora Kotoun, Country Sustainability Manager, IKEA Czech Republic
Zuzana Holá, Head of Communication & Sustainability/Vodafone Foundation Director
12:45-13:45Lunch
13:45 - 14:45Discussion tables
How the insurance company is adapting its business to climate change - Milan Medek, Kooperativa
How to convince your company about non-financial reporting - Jan Růžička, Home Credit
Manipulation in marketing - Greenwashing as a risk for your business - Sandra Feltham, Flagship
14:50 - 15:00Yearly results of Ipsos and Business Leaders Forum survey Successful Leader and ESG
Martina Popenková, Senior Client Director, Ipsos

15:00 - 18:00
BLF 30th anniversary celebration

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Registration

For registration, please contact Šárka Hoffmannová at hoffmannova@blf.cz.

All-day marathon of lectures and inspiration.

2022 Sustainable Czechia Report with exciting interviews, analyses, and exclusive survey results.

Answering your questions in panel discussions with CEOs and top managers.

Networking with business leaders and experts in sustainability of top companies at the Czech market.

Contact

Contact for queries:

Šárka Hoffmannová
Business Leaders Forum
Phone: 603 563 309

Conference address:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
Černínský palác
Loretánské náměstí 101/5
118 00 Prague 1 - Hradčany

Organizer:

Business Leaders Forum, z.s.
Štěpánská 61
116 02, Praha 1
e-mail: info@blf.cz