The winners of the 27th annual contest were announced under strict health measures
The 27th annual Manager of the Year contest, organised by the Czech Management Association, was won by Jan Juchelka, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Komerční banka, and Hana Šmejkalová, Vice Chairman of the Board at East Bohemian Airport EBA in 2019. The Top 10 and category winners included a number of figures of European significance. Due to the state of emergency, the announcement of the results of the 27th annual contest for the best managers of 2019 was not made until 3 December at the CMA’s Prague headquarters instead of on the originally planned April, and then October, dates. A number of managers and evaluation commission members took part in the ceremony in person. The best were announced in the media, in particular through media partners and Czech Television, and on social networks. The trophy was handed over in person to his successors by the winner of the previous year, Prof. Vladimír Mařík, from the Czech Institution of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics, Czech Technical University in Prague.
“Regardless of the complications around the contest due to multiple states of emergency, the results confirm the great importance of this long-term project for society, seeking and promoting successful managers and visionaries across disciplines,” says Petr Kazík, President of the CMA and Chairman of the Evaluation Commission. He has also announced the 28th annual Manager of the Year 2020 contest, which will culminate in the announcement of its winners on 19 May 2021 in Prague’s Žofín Palace, conditional upon a favourable health situation.
Looking back at the 27th year
38 figures advanced to last year’s final, from amongst whom the Evaluation Commission, and subsequently the National Commission, selected the winners of individual categories, and the Top 10 Managers. Besides traditional sectors, the CMA gave awards to figures in the categories of Digital Age Manager, Visionary and Manager of a Small or Medium-Sized Enterprise. Also announced were the winners of the Innovation Award for Sustainable Development, awarded by the CMA subsidiary, the Czech Business Council for Sustainable Development (CBCSD).
Running the contest successfully requires a broad network of partner organisations and institutions. The contest’s organiser, the Czech Management Association, co-operates with other associations, societies and international chambers in nominating successful managers. Its partners include the mentioned subsidiary, the CBCSD, the Union of Czech Production Cooperatives, the Agricultural Association of the Czech Republic, CZECH TOP 100, the Czech Institute of Directors, and also universities and colleges, private, state and public institutions and many other entities. Each year, cabinet members grant patronage to the contest, including the Minister of Industry and Trade, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Interior Minister.
“I would like work to ensure the Manager of the Year contest continues to grow in prestige by nominating the best managers, whose professional career path is not just interesting, but also informative,” says Petr Kazík.
An analysis of the managerial achievements of the finalists in this 27th year is certainly informative, with certain trends apparent. Roughly 30 percent of managers entered the contest having managed to build a, “team of satisfied, creative and innovative people, forming a prosperous company”. A similarly large group of finalists mention a, “change in way of managing and transformation”. Roughly a third of respondents speak of management success in regard to innovations, such as transitioning to automated operations, and investment in or launching start-ups. A smaller group of finalists refer to, “stable economic results during a period of tumultuous changes within the domestic or global markets”.
Competition categories for the 28th year
• Digital Age Manager
• Visionary
• Manager of a Small or Medium-Sized Enterprise
• Foreign Manager
• Young Managerial Talent (up to 35 years old)
• Industry and related fields (transport, construction)
• Agriculture
• Services
• Non-profit Sector(including culture, sports, healthcare)
• Public Administration (state administration and self-government)
About the Manager of the Year contest For 28 years, this contest has sought, evaluated, awarded and promoted the best managers and leaders in Czech management. Its uniqueness is in the fact it highlights managers across sectors, professions and regions. It presents modern, successful management methods and new trends. Almost 1700 figures have reached its finals over more than a quarter of a century, with 67 of them receiving the coveted title of Manager of the Year. In 2018 – fittingly in the year marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia, Managers of the QuarterCentury were awarded. Further information available from the contest website www.manazerroku.cz.
Manager of the Year heads to Europe
CEC European Managers is interested in the contest’s European dimension
The Manager of the Year contest, which has this year entered its 28th year, is expanding across Europe. This is the plan of its Czech Manager Association (CMA) organisers. Symbolically, the European version is planned to accompany the 30th anniversary of the contest’s existence, having gained many admirers in the Czech Republic. Just the winning managers, entrepreneurs and leaders across the country, regions and sectors number almost 1700. And each year this number keeps growing. Increasing numbers of new Czech and foreign managers operating in the Czech Republic apply to the contest, gaining awards and recognition.
The Manager of the Year contest, which has this year entered its 28th year, is expanding across Europe. This is the plan of its Czech Manager Association (CMA) organisers. Symbolically, the European version is planned to accompany the 30th anniversary of the contest’s existence, having gained many admirers in the Czech Republic. Just the winning managers, entrepreneurs and leaders across the country, regions and sectors number almost 1700. And each year this number keeps growing. Increasing numbers of new Czech and foreign managers operating in the Czech Republic apply to the contest, gaining awards and recognition.
Chairman of the Evaluation Commission and CMA President, Petr Kazík, awards Vít Dočkal, Head of the Project Office and Strategic Projects at CIIRC ČVUT, ranked in the Top 10 Best Managers 4 Manager of the Year heads to Europe CEC European Managers is interested in the contest’s European dimension The Manager of the Year contest, which has this year entered its 28th year, is expanding across Europe. This is the plan of its Czech Manager Association (CMA) organisers. Symbolically, the European version is planned to accompany the 30th anniversary of the contest’s existence, having gained many admirers in the Czech Republic. Just the winning managers, entrepreneurs and leaders across the country, regions and sectors number almost 1700. And each year this number keeps growing. Increasing numbers of new Czech and foreign managers operating in the Czech Republic apply to the contest, gaining awards and recognition. The CMA presidium has nevertheless decided to give the contest a European dimension. One of the practical reasons for this key step is the fact that since 2019, CMA has been a member of CEC European Managers, which brings together millions of members and seventeen national organisations in addition to sectorial organisations. “We would like to organise a European contest in the style of Manager of the Year, as there is no similar joint contest within Europe,” says Petr Kazík, CMA President and Chairman of the Expert Evaluation Commission. “Because we have a lot of experience with national rounds, we want to move it forward, offering the space to find and award managers across all the countries of Europe. I think that in so doing we would demonstrate the global significance of the management profession, and find more contact points to build up mutual and inspiring communication,” he adds.
