Speakers & Special Guests

Zdeněk Tůma

Chairman of the Supervisory Board, ČSOB bank & former guvernor of Czech National Bank

Speaker

BIO:
Zdeněk was the governor of the Czech National Bank in the period 2000 - 2010. In the following  a decade he was a partner at KPMG. Since 2019, he has been the chairman of the ČSOB Supervisory Board.

Kristýna Helm

Vice President and Deputy Executive Director, Defence and Security Industry Association of the Czech republic (AOBP)

Speaker

BIO:
Kristýna Helm is a Vice President and Deputy Executive Director of the Defence and Security Industry Association of the Czech Republic. She serves as a Board Member of NATO Science and Technology Organization, Deputy Head of the Czech Delegation to NATO Industry Advisory Group, and National Focal Point for the European Defence Fund. Kristýna Helm also teaches at the University of Economics and Business in Prague, a course for business professionals called Understanding Defence—a Business Perspective.

Ivan Hodáč

Founder, Chairman of the Supervisory Board & Honorary Board Chairman, Aspen Institute Central Europe, Former ACEA Secretary-General

Special Guest & Event Host

BIO:
Ivan Hodač is a Founder and President of the Aspen Institute Prague. He was Secretary-General of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) from 2001 until October 2013. He is the Chairman of the Board at cabinet DN. The Financial Times listed him among the most influential personalities in Brussels politics. Before joining ACEA, he was Senior Vice-President and Head of the Time Warner Corporate office for Europe. Previously he was Secretary-General of the trade organization IFMA/IMACE, Senior Economist at Didier & Associates, and Assistant Professor at the College of Europe, Bruges. He was born in Prague, where he studied mechanical engineering. He completed his education in economics and political science at the University of Copenhagen and the College of Europe in Bruges (European studies).

Miroslav Kroupa

Head of Sales Management, ŠKODA Auto

Speaker

BIO:
Miroslav Kroupa has been working for ŠKODA AUTO since 1993. During this period, he held a number of management positions in the Board Chairman area and he was responsible, for example, for product cost optimization or leading foreign projects as the Head of Regions. He took over the current role as the Head of ŠKODA Brand Management with responsibility for Tool shop, Industrial Engineering and Environment in February 2017. From December 2021, he assumed a leading position in the Sales Management department with responsibility for price creation and strategy, sales planning, reporting, special equipment planning and order management in all markets worldwide, including the India region, as well as product description management.

Alexandr Vondra

Member of the European Parliament

Speaker

BIO:
Alexandr Vondra is a Czech politician and diplomat. He is currently Member of the European Parliament. He is former Minister of Defense (2010-2012), as well as Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs (2007-2009) and former Minister of Foreign Affairs (2006-2007). He was the Czech Government’s Plenipotentiary for the preparation of the NATO Summit in Prague (2002). He also served as Czech Ambassador to the United States (1997-2001). He worked as a foreign policy advisor to former President Václav Havel. During the Velvet Revolution in November 1989, he became a co-founder and leading member of the Civic Forum movement.

Lukáš Rosůlek

Country Head of Czech Republic, Schaeffler

Speaker

BIO:
Lukas started his career as a trainee at Skoda Auto and has worked in the automotive and industrial sectors throughout his life in various management positions.

He spent almost 13 years at Continental, three of which were as a plant manager of the Manila plant in the Philippines. Upon his return in 2015, he took up the position of plant manager in Trutnov. After the creation of Vitesco Technologies in 2019 and the subsequent spin-off from Continental in 2021, managing director and Country Head of Vitesco Technologies Czech Republic, in addition to the position of Plant Manager in Trutnov, he holds the position of managing director and Country Head of Schaeffler, in addition to the position of Plant Manager in Trutnov.

Lukas speaks publicly on the topics of transformation of the Czech industry, the competitiveness of the Czech automotive industry, and electromobility.

Petr Novák

COO JTEKT Central Europe, JTEKT

Speaker

BIO:
Petr Novak graduated from university in Pennsylvania in International Business and Finance, he also has an MBA from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. He has been working for JTEKT Bearings Czech Republic since 2001, in 2012, he took position of company President. In 2018 he took an international assignment as General Manager of Global Acceleration Team at JTEKT’s headquarters in Nagoya, Japan. In 2020 he accepted a position as Director Corporate Planning at JTEKT European headquarters in Lyon, France and in 2021 he was nominated as Director of Automotive Operations for JTEKT Europe responsible for nine manufacturing plants in
EMEA region. In 2024 he was promoted to his current position as Chief Operating Officer JTEKT Central Europe with P&L and all functional responsibility for operations in UK, Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic and Romania. He is a member of the Board of Directors of The Automotive Industry Association of the Czech Republic and also serves on the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce in Olomouc.

Roman Kraľovanský

Head of Production Group, Kia Slovakia

Speaker

BIO:
Roman Kraľovanský started his career at Kia Slovakia in the spring of 2005, when he started working in the maintenance section at the Press shop, and later worked as a maintenance supervisor for the Press shop, Body shop and Engine shop sections until 2009. In 2010, he was appointed Head of the Body shop department, where he was responsible for the production of vehicle bodies. Later, he headed the final assembly of cars for five years. In October 2017, he was appointed to the position of Head of the Production Sub-Division, responsible for the complete production of vehicles from stamping, through their welding, painting, including assembly, to which the production of engines was added in April 2022. As of September 1, 2022, he was appointed to the position of Head of Production Group responsible for the manufacturing group including the maintenance department.

David Kříž

General Director, Iveco Czech Republic

Speaker

BIO:
David Kříž graduated from Faculty of Law at Palacky University and completed certificate program in business law at University of California, Berkeley. He has been working in Iveco (part of CNH Industrial group) since 1998 in various positions of Legal and Compliance. David currently holds the position of Iveco Group general counsel for Europe and in 2020 was appointed as a General Manager of Iveco Czech Republic, a. s. David is also a member of various boards of the Iveco Group companies.

Milan Kališ

plant manager, Snop Automotive Malacky

Speaker

BIO:
Milan Kalis holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Trnava and an MBA from the City University of Seattle. During his 18 years in the automotive industry, Milan has gained both vertical and horizontal experience across various roles and countries. His expertise spans logistics and supply chain, human resources, and production. He currently serves as the Plant Manager at Snop Automotive Malacky.

Martin Keresteši

plant manager, Yanfeng Automotive Interiors Námestovo

Speaker

Petr Michník

Head of Administration Subdivision, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech

Speaker

BIO:
Graduated from Faculty of Law, Charles University in 2001. Working for Hyundai since 2006 as lawyer/Head of Legal department and later also Head of Public Relations department. In 2021 appointed as Head of Administration Subdivision. Previous experience in energy industry and construction.

Pavel Hortlík

Operations Director, Excalibur Army Přelouč (CSG Group)

Speaker

BIO:
Pavel graduated from Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Czech Technical University. He has been working in Tractebel Engineering for various industrial construction projects in chemical, power and gas industries. Then he has been working at Kolín Toyota from 2004 to 2023 in various leadership positions. He managed the operation of the Facility, Quality, Body Manufacturing (Press + Weld) and Toyota Production System. Meantime, he also took the role of Production General Manager of Toyota's daughter company Futaba Czech for three years. He holds the post of Vice-chairman in Czech Maintenance Society.

Pavel Tuček

Vice president for Innovation, Excalibur Army

Speaker

Martin Kele

former CEO of STV GROUP & Matador Holding

Speaker