“The world around us is changing and our task is not to fight against those changes, but to use them to our advantage. It is in this that I see CzechInvest’s role – to be a key player in the area of supporting investments, business and the use of innovations that contribute to the modernisation of the Czech economy. And I believe that Jan Michal can fulfil that role as the agency’s new CEO,” said Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela, adding: “I also believe that, under his leadership, CzechInvest will become an important player not only in attracting strategic investments, but also in supporting innovations and technological development that will push our country forward on the path to sustainable and innovative economic growth.”

“I would again like to thank you for the trust that you placed in me when I became a part of the CzechInvest team. Investments in strategic sectors and innovations are what drive the development of the world’s most advanced countries, and CzechInvest possesses unique tools and contacts with key players at home and abroad. Therefore, we must develop a high-quality business environment and seek out new opportunities so that we can attract new investors and motivate existing investors to undertake further expansions with higher value added,” said Jan Michal, CEO of CzechInvest, adding: “At the same time, I want to focus on the repercussions of the new geopolitical situation with the aim of strengthening Czechia’s economic security in the area of critical supply chains, as well as strengthening the defence industry. I see major opportunities in the areas of support for a new generation of startups and the development of companies in the deep-tech and clean-tech sectors, which have an influence on our quality of life, our prosperity and our future standing in the global economy.”

The MIT and CzechInvest attach a great deal of importance to connecting the production of modern, energy-efficient chips and the manufacture of electric-vehicle batteries with Czechia’s highly developed automotive industry. CzechInvest is also expected to continue in its support for startups. In addition to the already successfully operating Technology Incubation project, this will involve new projects focusing on, for example, support for entrepreneurship and acceleration of startups in connection with the National Recovery Plan.

“At the same time, I would like to thank my predecessor, Petr Očko, who served as acting CEO up to this point and with whom we will closely cooperate, as we will with Minister Síkela,” said Jan Michal, concluding his remarks.

Jan Michal is a graduate of the Faculty of Business Administration at the University of Economics and also holds a degree in international relations from the Charles University Faculty of Social Sciences in Prague. He comes to CzechInvest from the European Commission (EC), where he served in the Secretariat-General and lastly as a deputy section director in the Directorate-General for Communication and head of the Political and Economic Intelligence Department. During the Czech presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2022, he served as Deputy Sherpa in the Office of the Government, where he focused particularly on the response to the energy crisis. From 2010 to 2016, he headed the EC Representation in Czechia. During his mission, he took part in, among other things, Czechia’s involvement in the InvestEU programme and cooperation with the European Investment Bank. In 2016, the president of the Chamber of Commerce awarded him the Gold Merkur medal for his active support of the business environment in Czechia. Prior to that, he worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including postings to NATO and the United Nations.

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