30, September

Summer is over, the networking season is on: on 30 September, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic welcomed its members to its traditional post-summer Business Mixer. This year’s venue was the elegant Emblem Hotel in Prague’s Old Town – and the evening turned out to be every bit as warm as a Canadian welcome. PragueForum was there.

A Tradition Worth Keeping

There are few better ways to return from the summer holidays than with a glass in hand and a room full of familiar faces. The Chamber’s autumn mixer has long been a fixture in Prague’s business calendar, and this year was no exception. From 6 pm onwards, members streamed into The Emblem, swapping holiday stories before quickly getting down to what a mixer is all about: making new connections, rekindling old ones and exploring opportunities for doing business together.

The atmosphere was relaxed, friendly and refreshingly unpretentious – very much in the Canadian spirit. Entrepreneurs, managers, consultants and long-standing friends of the Chamber mingled easily, business cards changed hands, and more than one promising conversation will no doubt be continued over coffee in the weeks to come. Proof of how much everyone enjoyed themselves: the last guests only headed home well after 10 pm.

The Man at the Helm: Jiří Krejča

At the centre of it all was Jiří Krejča, President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic. A graduate in foreign trade from the Prague University of Economics and Business, he brings a wealth of international business experience to the role. His career has taken him from Strojexport, where he spent four years working on Middle Eastern markets, to the Czech operations of Thomas Cook and Travelex, and to the helm of the security company G4S. Today he runs his own consultancy, specialising in restructuring and business strategy.

Under his long-standing leadership, the Chamber – founded in 1997 by Otto Jelínek, the Czech-Canadian who later served as Canada’s Ambassador in Prague – has remained a lively and close-knit community. Jiří has been a vocal advocate of CETA, the trade agreement between the EU and Canada, which he has described as a powerful driving force for Czech–Canadian business relations. Above all, though, he is a natural host: approachable, good-humoured and always ready to introduce one member to another.

The Heart of the Chamber: Lucie Krejčová

Jiří’s greatest asset may well be standing right beside him. His wife, Lucie Krejčová, is also active in the Chamber and is the first point of contact for members and partners. Anyone who has ever organised an event knows that its success depends on countless details – and Lucie has a gift for keeping them all in hand while still finding time for a personal word with every guest. Together, the couple give the Chamber a warmth and a personal touch that set it apart.

A Perfect Host: The Emblem and Helena Valtrová

A mixer is only as good as its venue, and The Emblem proved an excellent choice. The award-winning boutique hotel in the heart of Prague’s Old Town combines contemporary design with a stylish, welcoming atmosphere – the ideal setting for an evening of conversation.

Special thanks go to Helena Valtrová, the hotel’s director, and her team, who looked after the guests with great attention and charm. Excellent drinks and tasty snacks kept everyone in the best of spirits throughout the evening, and Ms Valtrová proved once again that The Emblem is a place where hospitality is taken seriously.

See You at the Next One

With a full room, good conversations and plenty of new contacts, the Canadian Chamber has made a strong start to the autumn season. PragueForum thanks Jiří Krejča and Lucie Krejčová, Helena Valtrová and the whole Emblem team for a wonderful evening – and is already looking forward to the next mixer.