What young people need to fulfill their dreams

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Resilience

June 4, 2019

Jiří Zrůst accepted his boss’s offer and helped launch the DofE project in the Czech Republic, an educational program that offers young people aged 14 to 24 the opportunity to develop beyond school activities and obligations. The project originated in post-war Britain under the patronage of the Duke of Edinburgh, who recognized the need for new talents to help rebuild the country. In the Czech Republic, about five thousand young people participate annually. While completing the program, they experience adventure and also try out volunteering. According to Zrůst, program graduates gain advantages when job hunting because they learn to seek solutions instead of retreating at the first sign of failure.

“It pushes you in a way that marks you for life. But more importantly, it impacts everyone around you because you are a young person who inspires and sets an example for others. And honestly, that’s what we adults should leave as a legacy, because who else but parents and the state should take care of the education of the next generation? That’s our job,” says Jiří Zrůst.

Who are the guests?

Roman Stupka

“All my life I have felt and still feel the need to influence the things around me. I always wanted to hold the ‘helm’—whether as the leader of a boys’ group, captain of a basketball team, or CEO. Sometimes I succeeded better, sometimes worse. I enjoy regularly sharing my experiences and insights.”

Educated as an “international trader” (University of Economics, Prague), with practical experience as a “corporate director” (Bristol Myers-Squibb, Česká pojišťovna, Český Telekom, Ericsson) and “crisis manager” (Grapo Technologies, ETA Hlinsko, Window Holding), with the heart and energy of a “business coach and mentor” (Pestratex), the character of an “athlete and optimist” (formerly basketball, football, tennis; now cycling, Nordic walking, golf), and the ambition to “help improve the environment,” he is an active member of Red Button and Young President Organization. He focuses on supporting the development and growth of small and medium-sized companies, relying on the Scaling Up/Rockefeller habits methodologies and the know-how and competencies of people within the Red Button network alongside his managerial and entrepreneurial experience.

Jiří Zrůst

A successful manager in several international companies and roles, he started working at 19 and became the financial director of TNT Czech Republic at 24. At 26, he moved within the company to the Netherlands, and two years later took over TNT’s financial management in Australia as the youngest CFO in the company’s history. At 31, he began leading the largest logistics company in Southern Europe, later worked at an investment firm in the USA, and since 2011 has worked for the Macquarie infrastructure investment fund in London, where since 2015 he has served as Senior Managing Partner for Europe. He is married and father to three children—teenagers. Since 2010, he has been actively involved in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Foundation, where since 2018 he has led its network of global philanthropists and serves on the Foundation’s board of trustees.