Board
ISD Board member Chairwomen of the Board, Program Manager, Česká spořitelna a.s. (member of the Erste Group) Ms. Vera M. Budway-Štrobach is Program Manager for Corporate Culture and Diversity at Česká spořitelna, the largest retail bank in the Czech Republic and member of the Austrian Erste Financial Group. She is responsible for designing, implementing and monitoring a comprehensive corporate culture change program for the organization, as well as a program to foster diversity and inclusion. Prior to joining Česká spořitelna in December 2006, Ms. Budway-Štrobach spent over 10 years serving as Senior Political Advisor on Balkan affairs to multilateral organizations in Vienna, Geneva and Brussels. She received Master’s Degrees in Political Science and International Relations from Georgetown University (Washington, DC). Ms. Budway-Štrobach is President-elect (2011) of Rotary International Prague and serves on the boards of the Česká spořitelna Foundation (Nadace CS) and the Institute for Stability and Development (Prague). She is also active in the American Chamber of Commerce, Czech Republic
ISD Board member Elena Parfenova is a Business Development specialist working within a major international law firm based in Prague. Elena is working closely with the firm senior partners and is responsible for business and strategic clients development across CEE and CIS countries. Prior to this, Elena spent several years with an international think-and-action tank EastWest Institute where she managed various projects across Central Asia, Caucasus, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the Middle East travelling extensively across these geographic locations. Since 2002 she closely worked on CELA (Central Eurasia Leadership Academy) building a network of mid-career business, government and NGO leaders from nine countries of the region. Elena is also a director and founding member of STASIA s.r.o., focusing on educational and study programs for students from CIS countries in the Czech Republic. She holds MA degree in Political Science from Central European University in Budapest, BA in Economics, and has completed an advanced post-Masters program in Peace and Conflict Transformation in European Peace University, Austria. Elena is fluent in English, Russian, Czech and French.
Martin Svehla - Curriculum vitae
Personal data:
Na baště sv. Ludmily 7/250, Prague VI;
Born in Prague, 18.02.1951;
divorced, 2 children;
Speaking English and German;
Education:
Business High-school 1966 to 1970 (Matura);
University of Economics in Prague 1970 to 1975 (IT-Engineer);
WB banking seminar Tokyo 1995 – (Banking operation and risk management);
Qualifications - practice:
Television journalist – economic and financial expertise 1975 to 1990;
Public information Division Director, Spokesman - Czech National Bank 1990 to 1999
Executive Director - Office of the CNB Board 1998 to 1999;
Freelance Consultant with different clients (IMF/WB Annual meeting Prague,
Supreme Court, Czech Statistic Office, CNB, PPF) 2000 to 2003
Elected Councilor – Sluhy Village Council – place of residence at that time (1999-2003)
Chief Executive Director – PP&M, a. s. (public communication agency held by PPF Group) 2000 to 2003
Commercial Director of the Czech Television (2003-2005)
External Relations Director Czech Television (2005-2007)
Vice president – Citibank Europe plc., organizační složka (2007-2008)
Free-lance adviser 2009 - still
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Interests:
My Family (2 sons: 33 and 21 years, common-law wife with 3 children)
Sports (tennis, cycling)
Teaching communication at University of finance and Administration
Politics (continuous analysis of national/international scene).
Literature (fiction, macro-economics), music (guitar)
Cooking (different national dishes)
Personal ambitions:
Contribute to cultivation of Public Communication
Develop awareness of Finance and Economics
Have a creative job, continue in education.
Staff
Executive Director Vazil Hudak, Ph.D., is Executive Director and Industry Head at JPMorgan responsible for the cooperation with the public sector clients in the countries of Central/Eastern Europe and CIS. He is based in London, travelling extensively throughout the region. Before joining JPMorgan, Dr. Hudak worked for 4 years at Citigroup, based in Prague, where he was in charge of originating and managing Citi’s business with governmental institutions in Central and Eastern Europe. Prior to his banking career, he was focusing on public policy and economic development, working with diverse governments and corporations around the globe. Dr. Hudak worked for 15 years (1991 – 2006) at the EastWest Institute where he directed the EWI Centers in Brussels, Atlanta and in Prague and was in charge of different programs, including EWI Global Security Program and the EWI Program on Community Development and Democratic Institutions. Dr. Hudak was responsible for program development, senior organizational management, relations with senior officials in key governments and for fundraising. He was advising several governments of Central and Eastern Europe on a range of important policy issues, such as pension reform, regional development, cross-border cooperation and creating public-private partnerships. After studying at the Moscow State Institute for International Relations and after receiving a Ph.D. in International Law at Charles University in Prague he worked during 1990-91 at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czechoslovakia. He also completed an executive management program at the Harvard Business School in 1998. Dr. Hudák authored and edited several publications in the Czech, Slovak and international professional journals. He serves on Boards of several organizations, including the Board of Directors of the Institute for Stability and Development in Prague; the Carpathian Foundation based in Kosice, Slovakia; and the Jefferson Institute in Belgrade, Serbia. In his free time, Dr. Hudak enjoys different sports, in particular jogging and tennis. He is married and has four sons.
