29.04.2026
The Bata Forum Conference: Paths to Responsible Leadership, which took place on Thursday, 16 April 2026, at the Žofín Palace, confirmed the strong social and professional relevance of the topic of responsible leadership in the context of contemporary business and public life.
The significance of the event - commemorating the 150th anniversary of Tomas Bata’s birth - was further underscored by the participation and presentations of key figures representing both Bata legacy and the current global business and expert communities.
“It was a day full of exceptional encounters, powerful stories, and timeless ideas. We cherish every minute we were able to spend with you at Žofín. Thank you for being there with us. We will remember this celebration of Tomas Bata’s life and work for a long time to come,” said Gabriela Končitíková, director of the Tomáš Baťa Foundation, expressing her gratitude shortly after the conference ended.
The opening remarks were delivered by Rosemarie Blyth-Bata, which provided the entire conference with a strong framework of values and symbolism, Tomas Bata’s granddaughter was followed by Panos Mytaros, CEO of Bata, who offered a contemporary perspective on leadership, entrepreneurship, and the significance of values in an international context.
Throughout the day, prominent representatives from the business and professional communities took the stage — including Ivan Baťka (Fosfa a.s.), Artur Gevorkyan (GEVORKYAN, a.s.), Stanislav Martinec (KOMA Modular), Miroslav Hofman (JettyRobot), Tomáš Šebek, Jiří Ježek, and Petr Havlíček. Their presence offered a combination of practical experience, inspiring stories, and expert perspectives on people management, performance, and personal responsibility. Also speaking at the conference were Štěpánka Kubicová from Škoda Auto, Petr Ropický from Česká spořitelna, and Martin Jánský from Randstad.
One of the highlights of the afternoon program was a lecture by Tomáš Sedláček, an economist, philosopher, and director of the Václav Havel Library, which explored the themes of creativity, responsibility, and the search for meaning in work and life.
The overall composition of the participants reflected the conference’s strategic focus -the audience was dominated by senior management representatives, business owners, human resources experts, representatives of institutions, the academic sphere, and students. A significant portion was also made up of partners of the Bata 150 project and distinguished international guests. The high representation of participants in decision-making roles can be viewed positively, as it increases the potential for the direct application of the presented ideas in practice.
Of course, the sold-out event at the Žofín Palace also featured a rich accompanying program, which concluded with an acoustic concert by the popular band No Name.
“When we came up with this adventure a year ago, we had absolutely no idea how many organizational challenges awaited us. But one thing was clearly confirmed - if you have a great team with determination, passion, and a desire to overcome obstacles, the results will follow. And it did,” added Jakub Malovaný, project manager at the Thomas Bata Foundation, who believes the conference can be considered a great success, not only in terms of attendance but also the quality of the content, the lineup of speakers, and the audience.
The event confirmed that the Bata 150 project - subtitled “The Desire to Create” - has the ability to reach a relevant audience across disciplines and become a respected platform for discussion on the future of leadership in the Czech Republic and in an international context.
VISITOR FEEDBACK:
“Thank you for a breathtaking and unique day. Also for the new shoes, a pile of books, new friends and encounters, a belly full of great food, and a head full of ideas, questions, and answers. Thank you for every minute of that day. And hats off to everyone behind this wonderful day. I think Mr. Bata is smiling contentedly up there somewhere. Thank you so much, pure joy.”
“Beautiful, magnificent, inspiring.”
“I CAN. I’ve come across this word several times in recent weeks during various lectures, workshops, and the like. Last Thursday, I spent a fantastic day at Žofín in the company of amazing people who enriched me with such knowledge and energy, while also forcing me to ask myself so many questions that I’ll be absorbing and processing them for many days to come. And that’s a good thing. And the phrase ‘I can’ was heard there many times…”
“Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend the day at the Bata Forum Conference at Žofín in Prague. The venue itself is so beautiful that it adds to the positive first impression. But the rest is handled by the team behind the event. It was a great event, full of ideas that are so familiar to me but that I had forgotten. And when I brought home the cards with Bata mottos - which have a task on the back on how to put them into practice - I fell asleep with this one in mind: Fear has killed more dreams than bureaucracy or insufficient capital. Try to imagine that you’re facing this situation (the one you’re afraid of) and that you’ve managed to handle it.”
