insights

Interview
It has been 400 years since
the creation of the first
Chamber in Marseille.
What can you say about the
expansion and growth of the
Chambers of Commerce?
- Since their formation,
Chambers of Commerce and
Industry have protected interests of
their citizens.
They have co-established business
environment in the field of their
activities and offer a whole range of
services for their member and nonmember
companies. Representation
of interests of business subjects,
high-quality services and exchange
of contacts are the main roles
of Chambers on local, regional,
national and international level.
Chambers have created, virtually,
global network and that is today
a huge advantage. Today, through
their members, Chambers represent
interests of several tens of millions
of entrepreneurial subjects that
employ from tens to hundreds of
millions of people.
What are your future plans
for an even better growth
of the Chambers across the
world?
- Chambers have to adjust
to the current world which is being
substantially affected by information
technologies and digitalization.
This is the biggest challenge for
all Chambers around the world to
adapt their structure, services and
communication to this trend.
According to you, how can
the Chambers provide
suitable services to
small and medium sized
industries, which are now the
“backbone of the economy”?
- Small and mediumsized
companies are the basis of
the Chamber’s membership and,
especially on these, SME’s should
be focused the most services
necessary for their activities,
internationalization, export-oriented
policy and arbitration procedures.
The emergence of other
business organizations is
rising, which is somehow
representing a threat to
existing Chambers. How
can the Chambers revamp
their roles and functions to
remain in the limelight of the
dynamic business world?
- Competition is always
economically and socially
advantageous. Absence of
competition leads to stagnation
and this concerns also Chambers
of commerce and industry. Of
course, Chambers have lost much
of their exclusivity, they have
become one of the players, but it
doesn´t automatically mean that
their importance has declined.
We have a huge competitive
advantage compared to the most
of our competitors and it is, without
question, our wide membership and
deep knowledge of problems in the
field of entrepreneurship.
An advantage is also the structure
of products which we can offer
to member and non-member
companies and finally also our
global network. However, Chambers
have to act less bureaucratic and
more entrepreneurial. This is our
way to the future, through modern
communication and quick response
to changing needs of the market.
Career path
Prior to becoming the Chairperson of ICC
World Chambers Federation, Mr Mihok
was plenipotentiary Minister of the Slovak
government for European Communities and
Chief Negotiator of the Slovak Republic in
Brussels for the Association Agreement
between the Slovak Republic and the EU.
He also served as Member of the Economic
Council of the Government of the Slovak
Republic, Advisor to the President of the Slovak
Republic, President of the ECOSOC Slovakia
and Deputy President of Eurochambers.
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