A new name tops Forbes' list of influential Czech women for 2022

The annual ranking looks at the accomplishments of women in the public sector, politics, business, non-profit sector, culture, and sports.

Expats.cz Staff

Written by Expats.cz Staff Published on 01.06.2022 11:19:00 (updated on 01.06.2022) Reading time: 3 minutes

A growing number of women are exerting their influence in the Czech Republic. Forbes magazine has expanded its annual list with 40 new names, bringing the total to 180.  

The ranking is topped by European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová, with Prague’s top public prosecutor Lenka Bradáčová in second place and Renáta Kellnerová, the widow of the late PPF group owner Petr Kellner, in third.

Forbes will publish its 11th ranking on June 2, but has released some highlights. It ranks Czech women from the public sector, politics, business, non-profit sector, culture, and sports.

The most influential woman on the 2020 and ’21 list, Alena Schillerová, dropped into the lower half of this year’s list. She had been deputy prime minister and finance minister in the government led by Andrej Babiš, but since that government ended its mandate in December 2021 she has been out of the spotlight. As one of the leaders of the opposition ANO movement, she has much less say over Czech policy,

European Commission Vice President of the for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová. (Photo: EC)
European Commission Vice President of the for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová. (Photo: EC)

Jourová was second on last year’s ranking, but her move to the top spot is not a mere formality. She has been involved with the European Commission’s sanctions against Russia and battling disinformation campaigns supported by the Kremlin. She also helped prepare the rules for the Covid certificate.

Forbes also pointed out that the Czech Republic will hold the presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months starting in July, which will give her additional responsibilities and opportunities.

“I found myself in what I would call European crisis management at a time of pandemic and war in Ukraine,” Jourová told Forbes.

Bradáčová was third in the previous list, but also has seen her sphere expand. Her title of high state attorney is equivalent to what other legal systems call district attorney or public prosecutor. In addition to her usual agenda, is also newly supervising the investigation of the war crimes in Ukraine. She was ranked as the most influential Czech woman in Forbes’ list in 2014

Renáta Kellnerová was fourth in the previous ranking. Forbes said that Petr Kellner's widow has surrounded herself with “a genuine all-star team” in the past year in her efforts to keep PPF on track.

The fourth position went to PPF financial director Kateřina Jirásková, moving up from fifth last year.

Fifth place went to the highest-ranking new face on the list. Katarina Kohlmayer, financial director and board member of Karel Komarek's KKCG group recently gained Czech citizenship, one of the conditions for being on the ranking.

Markéta Pekarová Adamová is one of the Czech Republic's few female party leaders / photo via Facebook TOP 09
Markéta Pekarová Adamová. Photo: Facebook, TOP 09

This year's rating was heavily influenced by the October 2021 general election and the new government led by Petr Fiala. The top 15 most influential women of Czechia newly include Defense Minister Jana Černochová and Chamber of Deputies chairwoman Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

The Czech branch of Forbes assessed 400 women in creating its list, with different criteria for women in the public and private sectors.

Top 10 most influential Czech women

  • 1.Věra Jourová, EC vice president
  • 2.Lenka Bradáčová, high state attorney in Prague
  • 3.Renáta Kellnerová, founder of the Kellner Family Foundation
  • 4.Kateřina Jirásková, financial director and board chair at PPF
  • 5.Katarína Kohlmayer, financial director and boord member at KKCG
  • 6.Michaela Chaloupková, board member of ČEZ
  • 7.Petra Kutnarová, co-owner of DEK
  • 8.Petra Procházková, financial director and board member at Agrofert
  • 9.Simona Kijonková, co-owner of Packeta
  • 10.Ivana Tykač, real estate owner and founder of Women for Women

Source: Forbes.cz

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