Jan - British Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic

Interview
Afternoon Tea with Dana Bérová
A few days before Christmas, Minister of Information Technology Dana Bérová found time in her busy schedule to meet
with the Vice-Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce, Mike Al-Nassir, to discuss some issues concerning IT and
telecommunications – the sector her Ministry is responsible for.
Dana Bérová has been working at the Ministry of Information Technology since January 2003.
In this post she has been in charge of information technology projects (e.g., Public Administration
Portal). She has also contributed to international cooperation, primarily with the European Union,
as a director of the e-Government section and as a Deputy Minister. She was appointed a Minister
of Information Technology in April 2005 as part of the new Czech Government.
Bérová graduated in Information Technologies in Management at the University of Economics,
Prague in 1990. She completed interdisciplinary studies from 1987 to 1989 at the Journalism
Faculty at Charles University. She formerly worked in various management positions as a media
and TV specialist and as an advisor. In addition, she worked as an editor for the Czechoslovak
and Czech TV, as a financial manager of Karel Schwarzenberg’s property and as a programming
director of a local TV 3 channel from 2000 to 2002.
Bérová is an owner of Sanu Babu Ltd., a business importing goods from India and Nepal.
Name: Dana Bérová
Position: Minister
Organisation: Ministry of Informatics of the Czech Republic
Mike Al-Nassir is Partner in charge of Czech Republic and Slovakia at Pedersen & Partners.
He is also overseeing Pedersen & Partner’s Technology Practice across CEE. Al-Nassir has been
in the executive search industry in Central and Eastern Europe since 1996 and has handled over
300 searches. He is the Vice-Chairman of the BCC Board of Directors.
Mike Al-Nassir: What brought you to the
Information Technologies – a sector that
is still considered quite male-dominated?
Dana Bérová: In the eighties, I studied the
University of Economics in Automated
Administration Systems, which has been
a tradition in my family. My father studied
statistics, but throughout his life he worked
as head mathematician/analyst with a focus
on implementing information systems
primarily in production.
MA: What is your opinion about the lack
of women in top political and business
positions?
DB: Many studies and also practical
experience have proved that mixed teams
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F O C U S 1
work better and more rationally. Women
have some perfect dispositions such as
accuracy, good time management, ability
to make meetings shorter and more
effective, etc.
�e truth is that there are still very
few women in Czech politics. I think that
this is caused by too many other opportunities
for self-fulfilment. But of course,
the political environment in this country
has become very aggressive, unfriendly
and therefore discouraging especially to
women.
MA: From 2000 to 2002 you held a programme
director post at the regional TV 3. Do you
now have any tendency to influence the
The magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic
Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting,
the body with the power to influence the
quality of broadcasting?
DB: �e Council for the Radio and TV
Broadcasting is an independent body, which
cannot be influenced by anyone. All their
decisions about licences and broadcasting
assessment are in their full competence.
I do, of course, meet from time to time with
the Chairman of the Council to discuss
primarily the legal arrangements of the
Broadcasting Law, mainly to talk about the
changes in digital broadcasting but never
the content and quality of programming.
�at I cannot influence.
MA: What approach would you support for
the implementation of digital broadcasting
in the Czech Republic, based on the
experience of other European countries?
DB: I anticipate an uneasy situation a�er
the launch of digital TV broadcasting.
�e Czech viewer is rather conservative,
although also more satisfied with the current
television content than other European
viewers. I think that the new operators will
have a tough task. Nevertheless, I hope
that the transfer to digital broadcasting
will enhance competition and will help
people discover new channels.
MA: Elections are coming in only a few
months and most politicians have already
started their intense pre-election campaigning.
Is there anything that you would
like to put through in this pre-election period,
and is it feasible?
DB: I would like to put through the previously
mentioned amendment to the Broadcasting
Law that has just passed its second reading
in Parliament, to prepare a concept of
digital broadcasting in the Czech Republic,
and possibly then to help with launching
digital broadcasting. �e government will
have to prepare an information campaign
and inform viewers about the switch to
digital broadcasting. And then, I hope that
the pre-election time will bring some more
time for us to work on individual projects,
mainly various improvements to the
government portal.
MA: What do you consider your biggest
success at the Ministry of Information
Technology?
DB: Last year, we succeeded with the
new Act on Electronic Communication,
as well as related notices and norms. �at
is a considerable legislative achievement
and it has had a major impact on the
telecommunications market and certainly
information technologies as a whole.