CV
*1973 Teplice
1998 graduated from the ITSZ - Institute of Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture (nowadays FTZ)
1998–2002 various positions in the IT sector – Marketing Assistant, Account Manager, Product Manager
2002–2010 HR roles – bank sector, healthcare, manufacturing
2007–2010 external cooperation with an outdoor/teambuilding agency as an instructor/evaluator
2010 to present – HR at innogy/RWE – Education Specialist, HR Business Partner, Manager of Development & Recruitment, Senior HR Manager
- Leading team of 40 HR specialists
- Overseeing the entire HR agenda, from employer branding to payroll management
Certifications:
2003/2004 Adult Education, Lifelong Learning Program at Palacký University in Olomouc
2011/2012 Coaching Training, QED Group
2025 (in process) Team Coaching and Facilitation, QED Group
Interests: Animals, culture, traveling, shooting, floral decorations, drawing/painting, working with people
Personal Information:
Marital status: married; children: one son
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Can you briefly introduce your work?
Since 2010, I have been working in the energy group innogy (formerly RWE) in various HR positions. Since 2020, I have been leading HR for the entire group, which employs approximately 1,600 full-time employees and another 1,000 part-time employees in the Czech Republic. My team consists of up to 40 specialists in the following areas: Employer Branding, recruitment, onboarding, compensation and benefits, education, payroll, and personnel administration.
How did you get into your job?
While studying at FTZ, I worked part-time in the IT sector, where I stayed after graduation. In 2002, I’ve got an opportunity to change direction, and from being a Product Manager for Microsoft, I became an HR consultant. I responded to a job because I simply needed a change. I was good at training people, I enjoyed working with them, and it worked out. I learned employment law directly in the field, day by day.
What is the most interesting aspect of your job?
HR is about working with people. Generally, people think it’s easy and that anyone can do it. Maybe that’s true, but you need to have the right disposition for it. Intensive contact with people can be very energy-draining, especially when you are constantly dealing with problems. Although it’s demanding, it’s also very fulfilling for me. I have a great team, great company leadership, and I can rely on everyone, which is very important to me. That’s why I’ve been at innogy for 15 years. Every day is different, and every day brings something new. Whenever there’s an innovation in the market, we have the opportunity to try it out. Innovation is our constant focus.
How has studying at the FTZ influenced your professional path?
The time I spent studying at the FTZ was one of the best periods of my life. I gained a lot of experience and friends there. Although the curriculum was very specific (animal production), I haven’t had much use for that in my career so far. However, subjects like languages, statistics, and economics, have been incredibly helpful in my professional practice. Working in groups during exercises helped me solve problems without conflict, find common ground to achieve the best solutions, and build interpersonal relationships. These are key skills that I actively use in my daily work.
What are your future plans?
Currently, I’m at the peak of my career, and I’m completely satisfied with my position. My job at innogy is fulfilling, and I work for a company that doesn’t just talk about values but also follows them, which is important to me. Parallel to my work, I’m also involved in coaching, mentoring, and facilitation, for example in the non-profit sector. I have many hobbies. I believe that in the future, even outside of innogy, I’ll be able to pass my knowledge and skills. I would like to continue with coaching, mentoring, facilitation, or leading courses in the coming years, perhaps as a freelance coach or lecturer.
Why did you decide to study at our faculty (FTZ)?
My studies at the faculty started out by chance. I wanted to work with animals. My first choice was veterinary medicine, but unfortunately, due to the large number of people born in the 1970s, I wasn’t accepted. By chance, I saw an interview on TV with one of the professors from the Institute of Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture (FTZ, formerly ITSZ). He mentioned that they had recently opened the study programme also for Czech students. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was primarily intended for foreign students. In 1993, when I was choosing another university related to animals, they were opening it for the second year specifically for Czech students. The entrance exams were in mathematics, biology, and language - my favourite subjects. The curriculum sounded very interesting. I tried, got accepted to the ITSZ, and then I just had to finish my studies.
What was your specialization?
We chose our specialization in the third year. For the first three years, we all studied together, and in the fourth year, we split based on our chosen specialization. I went to the university because I love animals, so my choice was clear: animal production. Studying this field had practical advantages - I can milk cows and goats, I know how to make cheese or yogurt, and it wouldn’t be a problem for me to prepare them. I can handle to see dead animals, and I know perfectly the animal anatomy. It wasn’t just theory; the practical lectures were an important part in our studies for the last two years.
What did you like most about studying?
Five years at ITSZ were exceptional, and I loved them. What I liked the most was the diversity, not just in terms of study but especially in terms of people. Even though there were many Czech students in our year, we also had international classmates. We had the opportunity to get to know different cultures, open ourselves up to different worlds, and share various perspectives on different matters. I lived with these students in the dorms for almost four years - it was a great time. I think my openness to any nation is strongly influenced by the fact that I had the chance to meet people from all over the world during my studies. It was enriching, and I still benefit from that experience today. I am still in contact with many of my international classmates, mainly thanks to social media.
Who influenced you the most? (Your favoriteteacher / favorite subject)
My favorite teacher was Doc. Ing. Milena Fantová, CSc. She was very practical, had a great overview, and I studied my favourite subjects with her: Goat Breeding, Sheep Breeding, etc. She was also the supervisor of my thesis. Thanks to her, in 1995, I got in touch with the director of the Ústí nad Labem ZOO and arranged cooperation for my thesis: Ostrich Breeding. Under Doc. Fantová’s guidance, the thesis was a great success. After finishing my studies, I considered continue with a doctoral degree with her supervision, including a stay in Mali, but my financial situation forced me to take a full-time job, so I gave up the Ph.D. degree.
What would you recommend to FTZ students?
My advice is simple: try to get the most out of your studies. Take advantage of all the opportunities, offers, internships, and practical training that the university provides or arranges. It’s great to have some work experience during your studies. When you enter the job market, having practical experience makes you much more valuable to potential employers than those who only know their field theoretically. That’s advice from someone who has been in the HR market for 25 years.
