Helena Grofová
Executive Director and Vice-President of the Czech Management Association, which organises the Manager of the Year competition
What’s New in This Year’s 33rd Manager of the Year Competition?
The Manager of the Year competition, organised and announced by the Czech Management Association, has long recognised outstanding figures in Czech management across various sectors and highlights leaders who can combine results with a responsible approach to people, companies, and society. This year’s 33rd edition of the Manager of the Year awards introduces two new sector-specific categories alongside the traditional emphasis on management quality, responsibility, and personal integrity. We are thus responding to market developments and to the areas where exceptional managerial stories are emerging today. New awards will also be presented for the Manager in a Family Business and the Facility Manager.
The Facility Manager category honours those professionals whose work, while often conducted behind the scenes, is vital to the seamless operation of businesses and public spaces. Modern facility management has evolved far beyond basic technical support; it is now a sophisticated discipline that integrates operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability with the well-being of building users. This role highlights a manager’s unique ability to merge technical expertise with strategic vision and day-to-day reliability.
The second new category is the Manager in a Family Business. Family businesses occupy a special place in the Czech economy and present specific challenges: long-term responsibility for the brand, values, and employees, sensitive relationship management, and succession. A successful manager in a family business must be able to combine respect for tradition with the courage to innovate and prepare the company for future generations. The addition of these categories demonstrates that the Manager of the Year competition evolves in step with modern market requirements, celebrating leaders who deliver significant value to the entire Czech business community.
