Sep - British Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic

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Chamber People NewsForeign Affairs in the Diplomatic Protocol.A graduate in modern philology (Englishand Spanish), from the Masaryk Universityin Brno, she is fluent in English and SpanishTereza UrbánkováDHLand in her leisure time enjoys being withher son, reading and translating.Ernst & YoungErnst & Young has recently admitted twonew partners to the CESSA partnership.Josef Pivoňka graduated from the Facultyof Electrical Engineering of the CzechTechnical University, where he specialisedin economy and energy management. Theenergy sector is also his domain at Ernst &Young. Josef has over 11 years’ experienceJosef PivoňkaErnst & Youngin providing audit and business advisoryservices. He specialises in the energy, chemicalsand utilities industry sectors.Pivoňka has led a number of significantprojects. His experience includes audit projectsfor ČEZ, a. s., Transgas, s. p., Severočeskédoly, a. s., gas and electricity distributioncompanies, NEC – National Bulgarianelectric company, SE – Slovak electriccompany, and for a number of clients fromother industries.He is a member of the Chamber ofAuditors of the Czech Republic, a memberof the Association of Chartered CertifiedAccountants (ACCA), and a member ofthe Association of Energy Managers. He isfluent in English.René KulínskýErnst & YoungRené Kulínský has been involved in taxadvisory services at Ernst & Young for nearlynine years. He has assisted clients from awide range of industrial, trade and servicesectors. His main focus relates to tax supportof real estate transactions, tax issuesof financial institutions and financial instrumentsand to international taxation ofcorporate entities. He has participated in anumber of key assignments, including majorprivatisation projects.Kulínský has comprehensive experiencein international as well as domestic transactionstructuring. He has worked withclients in a wide range of industries.CB Richard Ellis PragueBert Hesselink has been appointed asAgent in the CB Richard Ellis Prague office.Prior to joining the Prague officeHesselink worked for almost four years forCB Richard Ellis in Amsterdam. In January2002, after a variety of experience in variousBert HesselinkCB Richard Ellis Praguedepartments including investment, valuationand property management, he joined theagency team, where he specialised in industrialagency and corporate services.He completed his studies at the Universityof Groningen Economic GeographyStudy, in which he majored in Real Estate,but he wrote his final thesis partly in theUSA at the University of North Carolina.Hesselink speaks Dutch, English andGerman.Clifford Chance LLPThe law firm of Clifford Chance LLP hasannounced that advocate Emil Holub hasbeen named to the position of “Counsel”, atitle reserved for senior lawyers who are ofoutstanding ability and have made an exceptionalcontribution to the law firm.Holub is the first lawyer of CliffordChance to be named to this position inCentral and Eastern Europe. He beganworking for Clifford Chance LLP in 1995and specialises in corporate and commerciallaw as well as real estate law. Before comingto Clifford Chance he worked for three yearsin a law firm in Zlín where he was engaged inEmil HolubClifford Chance LLPthe fields of corporate and commercial law.In 1994 he completed his studies at theLaw Faculty of Masaryk University in Brnoafter taking part in exchange programs withthe Leiden University in The Netherlands,Suffolk University in Boston and RegensburgUniversity in Germany. In 1995 he completeda postgraduate course in internationalcommercial law at TMC Asser Institute inDen Haag and since 1997 he has been enteredin the list of advocates of the CzechBar Association.Clifford Chance is a global law firmwith 29 offices in 19 countries around theworld. The Prague office was establishedin April 1995.InterContinental Hotels GroupThe General Manager at the InterContinentalPrague, Pavel Hlinka, has been promoted tothe position Chief Liaison Officer – CzechRepublic/Slovakia/Romania/Bulgaria.Hlinka was with the company for manyyears as Hotel General Manager and establishedexcellent relationships with hotelowners as well as governmental and localauthorities. In his new position, Hlinkawill build on this experience, developingLeon LarkinInterContinental Hotels Grouprelationships with business communities,statutory authorities and industry leadersacross the region.The announcement was made by theChief Operating Officer Northern, Central& Eastern Europe, Arie A.J. van der Spekwho also introduced Leon Larkin as Hlinka’ssuccessor. Larkin joins the InterContinentalHotels Group with a wealth of more than25 years experience in the hotel industry.Before joining InterContinental HotelsGroup, he was Hotel Area General Managerin Singapore and Malaysia and also workedin Beijing, St Petersburg and Helsinki.Holiday Inn Prague Congress CentreJan SovadinaHoliday Inn Prague CongressCentreThe Hotel Holiday Inn Prague CongressCentre has a new Director of Sales & Marketing.Jan Sovadina has taken up the postafter three years in different positions withinthe Sales department Holiday Inn PragueCongress Centre.Sovadina completed his studies in 1996and worked in the Corinthia Panoramahotel and the former Holiday Inn Praguein Podbaba.Are you “News for the Chamber”? Let us knowabout your arrivals, promotions or departures.Call Lucia at tel.: 224 835 165, or e-mail:publications@britcham.czFOCUS SEPTEMBER 2004 11
ECF NewsEUIC NewsWill the New Governmentbe brave enough to make thenecessary reforms?European entrepreneurs united in the Euro-Czech Forum (ECF) hope that the new CzechGovernment remains committed to finalisingthe necessary reforms. A further delay of thereform processes will inevitably lead to a slowdown of investments, an increase in unemploymentand a decrease in economic growth.The reform of public finance, the legalbusinessenvironment including the modernisationof the taxation system and the redefinitionof the social-security payments systemshould remain the priorities of the incomingGovernment. The Government must also continuein a more effective way communicationwith business and improve the efficiencies ofthe framework of the Council for the Developmentof the Business Environment.The Coalition Government of Prime MinisterStanislav Gross needs to act immediatelyif it wants to improve the attractiveness ofinvestment into the Czech Republic. This actionis required in the areas of the reforms of bankruptcyprocedures, the commercial registry,the commercial judiciary, and overall improvementsin the field of law enforcement, aswell as education and vocational training. Atthe same time, the ECF recommends concentratingwithout undue delay on the preparationof the second phase of the reform of public finances,especially with regard to the reformsof the pension system and the financing ofhealth care, with an emphasis on the mandatorycomponents of the expenditures of thestate budget.A bold new Government now has thechance to make a difference. It can create thebasis for a new Czech Republic that will beaccepted as a successful member of theEuropean Union, a member that is respectedfor taking charge of public finances, as wellas of the legal-business environment.The Euro-Czech Forum (ECF) and its membersoffer their full support in helping thenew Government make the required changes.The official ECF declaration on the new Czechgovernment appointed by Stanislav GrossEuro-Czech ForumA Joint Institution of the Chambersof Industry and Commerce of Britain, France,Germany, the Netherlands and SwedenSenovážné náměstí 23, 110 00 Praha 1Tel.: 222 242 232, Fax: 222 240 550www.ecf.czAddressing apathy with a new line-upIn mid August, the President-designate of the European Commission, José ManuelBarroso, announced the policy portfolios he has allocated to each member of his team.The new Commission brings together people from across the political spectrum andall Commissioners will have strictly equal powers as Members of the College.The new Commission consists of people with in-depth experience in various policyareas and members have acquired a profound knowledge of EU policies and institutions.They are former Prime Ministers and Ministers and current Commissioners,and many were in charge of negotiating their country’s accession to the EuropeanUnion. Some were members of the constitutional Convention.The role of each Commissioner is not limited to managing portfolio business. EachCommissioner will be strictly equal in the process of collective decision-making.There will be no delegation of powers to Commissioners’ groups. To further enhancecollegiality, the Commission will hold more informal brainstorming sessions andwill improve co-operation between departments and Commissioners’ private offices.The new Commission has been designed to achieve clear results for the EuropeanUnion’s people and to give Europe a stronger voice in the world. Preisdent Barrosofelt no need for a revolutionary shake-up of the Commission’s departments, howeverhe attaches particular importance to communicating within Europe to address theapathy shown in the last European elections.The main changes to the current situation introduced are:• The President personally chairing the group of Commissioners on external relationsand on the Lisbon Strategy• A new job of Vice-President for institutional relations and communication strategy• A Vice-President ensuring a coherent Commission approach in the CompetitivenessCouncil• The highest proportion of women Commissioners ever• A split of current portfolios: transport and energy; agriculture and fisheries; internalmarket and taxation• A greater use of task forces to anticipate policy issues• Grouping Commissioners in the same building (Berlaymont)• Separating financial control from budgetary affairs and appointing a Vice-Presidentto oversee sound management.The new Commission will take office on 1 November, subject to a vote of approvalby the European Parliament. The European Parliament can only vote on the wholebody and not on individual Commissioners. According to the Treaty establishing aEuropean Constitution, the EU Minister for Foreign Affairs will enter into theCommission as Vice-President upon ratification of the Constitution.More information about commissioners and attributed portfolios at:http://www.evropska-unie.cz/eng/article.asp?id=3019http://europa.eu.int/comm/commissioners/newcomm_en.htmDaniela Červová, EUIC DirectorEuropean Union Information Centre, Rytířská 31, 110 00 Praha 1T: 221 610 142-3, F: 221 610 144, E: info@iceu.cz, www.evropska-unie.cz12 FOCUS SEPTEMBER 2004
Page 1 and 2: Do not neglect the Czech Republic /
Page 3 and 4: InterviewRené Samek is the Directo
Page 6 and 7: Introducing New MembersCont’d fro
Page 10 and 11: Embassy LatestTrading places at the
Page 12 and 13: After HoursDo you have a thirst for
Page 14 and 15: Health and Safety Training? Try E-l
Page 16 and 17: Member ProfileAlice Punch has a MS.
Page 18 and 19: Q & A(ii)Depending on the type of m
Page 20 and 21: In BriefCelebrating in friendlySwis
Page 22: Bubble? What Bubble?However the aim

Sep - British Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic

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