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A new ranking of key expats. Which companies in the Czech Republic haveelite foreign leaders in top management?

  • Patrik Caklos
  • Sep 30
  • 2 min read

The largest banks and insurance companies, car manufacturers, energy firms, and retailers – all of them have foreign executives in their top “Czech” leadership. The influence of expats with global experience on the local business environment remains significant. International leaders who help shape the Czech economy are regularly mapped by the Global Minds project. Its latest ranking, compiled exclusively for the weekly Euro, focuses on board members.

The expertise and global backgrounds of foreign executives are crucial for many of the biggest companies on the Czech market. They leave a strong footprint across industries – from development and manufacturing to retail, biotechnology, and telecommunications. That is why the Global Minds project, initiated by the agency Cover Story, has prepared an exclusive overview for Euro magazine of seventy leaders in the highest board-level (or equivalent) management positions.

 

“The current overview, titled Expat Leaders in the Czech Republic: TOP Board Members, complements the spring edition TOP CEOs, which focused on chief executive officers. It features 70 personalities from a total of 38 companies. Alongside traditional names such as Škoda Auto or Central European Media Enterprises (CME), which operates TV Nova, the ranking also highlights companies like cosmetics giant L’Oréal, UniCredit Bank, or electronics manufacturer Foxconn,” explains Jaroslav Kramer, founder of the project.


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You can explore the full list of "Expat Leaders in the Czech Republic: TOP Board Members" also here.

 

More than a quarter of the seventy selected leaders are women. These include representatives of financial institutions such as Anne de Kouchkovsky from Komerční banka, Kamila Makhmudová from Raiffeisenbank, Valentina Stranieri and Tatjana Antolic Jasnic from UniCredit Bank, as well as Sylwia Szymula and Ganna Pidgorna from UNIQA. The list also features Agnieszka Bobrukiewicz, board member of Orlen Unipetrol, Naida Buljugic, Group Chief People and Culture Officer at KKCG, and Anna Rutkowska, CFO of Microsoft.

 

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You can explore the full list of "Expat Leaders in the Czech Republic: TOP Board Members" also here.

 

The overview was compiled by Cover Story based on data from the Top 100 in the Czech Republic ranking organized by CzechTop100 Group, together with media analyses of the most influential executives in the country and recommendations from the market.

“The spring TOP CEOs ranking and the current TOP Board Members list will soon be complemented by a special inspirational selection of Slovak personalities, as well as Czech executives working abroad,” adds project manager Nikola Macková, noting that through interviews, regular rankings, and networking events, Global Minds showcases the contributions of expats shaping the Czech business landscape.


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You can explore the full list of "Expat Leaders in the Czech Republic: TOP Board Members" also here.


Among the key media outputs will be a new podcast series and a series of interviews published on Euro’s website. Behind the project, alongside Cover Story as the main organizer, is also the law firm Dentons as one of the initiators. The project is supported by VIG Re, Komerční banka, Kooperativa, Orlen Unipetrol, Twisto, Vodafone, and Tesco.

 
 

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Media: The media component plays a crucial role in amplifying this impact. By leveraging digital platforms, social media, and traditional press, we bring compelling stories to a broad audience, raising awareness of the vital role international leaders play in the Czech economy and inspire both aspiring professionals and established industry leaders. The project combines English and Czech media outputs (dual publication) - It will be easier for foreign managers to share their outputs with an international audience.

About the lists: We are looking for top executives from the most economically significant companies operating in the Czech Republic, including the largest employers and key industry leaders. At the same time, we aim to highlight the most inspiring and impactful leaders from the SME segment. There are two editions of the list. The first one focuses on CEOs and managing partners, featuring 40 exceptional names. The second list highlights board members and other top managers across various companies. Slovak managers are not included in either list. The selection process will combine in-depth research with a recommendation system. The resulting draft list will then be reviewed by the „Global Minds Board“, composed of selected journalists, Czech and Slovak business leaders, and industry experts.

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