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Zdeněk Pelc, chairman of the Board of Directors and owner of GZ Media has been named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015 in the Czech Republic

Viktor Růžička, chairman of the Board of Directors and owner of BioVendor - Laboratorní medicína becomes EY Technology Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015

Zdeněk Pelc, chairman of the board and owner of GZ Media, has been awarded the prestigious prize for Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015 in the Czech Republic. He accepted the winner’s trophy on Tuesday 1 March at a gala evening at Žofín Palace in Prague from Andrej Babiš, 1st Deputy Prime Minister for Economics and Minister of Finance of the Czech Republic, Vlastislav Bříza, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2014 CR and owner of KOH-I-NOOR, and Magdalena Soucek, Country Managing Partner at EY, which organised the competition in the Czech Repubic for the sixteenth year running. The EY Technology Entrepreneur Of The Year award went to Viktor Růžička, chairman of the board and owner of BioVendor - Laboratorní medicína. Martin Wallner and Tomáš Huber of Mixit were awarded the prize for EY Emerging Entrepreneur Of The Year and the Czech Television Prize for Business Talent 2015. This year also saw a prize awarded for EY Social Entrepreneur Of The Year, which was won by Markéta Královcová of the Klíček Foundation. The prize for best business story 2015, chosen by readers of MFDNES and idnes.cz, was won by Pavel Baloun of BANES.

“I am convinced that Zdeněk Pelc will be a worthy representative of the Czech Republic at the world finals in Monte Carlo and that his business story will impress the international judging panel there as much as it impressed us,” said Magdalena Soucek, Country Managing Partner, EY in the Czech Republic, adding: “It gives me great pleasure that we are again in a position to introduce to the public outstanding business personalities and pay tribute to them. They include both experienced old hands who serve as role models, and enthusiastic newcomers full of fresh ideas. All these successful entrepreneurs share courage, honesty, humility and diligence. They are not afraid to overcome obstacles and most of them have no intention of limiting their success by borders. We believe that their positive example is the best inspiration and motivation for others to begin doing business.”

Winner profile: 

Zdeněk Pelc – chairman of the Board of Directors and owner of GZ Media
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015 Czech Republic
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Central Bohemian Region 2015

“The key is to work hard and to know.”
The decision not to throw out old vinyl pressing machines from Gramofonové závody certainly paid off for Zdeněk Pelc. Vinyl rose from the ashes and these days Zdeněk Pelc’s company GZ Media is the world no. 1 in the production of vinyl records. The most famous bands in the world, such as U2 or The Rolling Stones, have their records made by GZ Media, and the company has featured on the front cover of The New York Times and other world famous media names. However, GZ Media is not simply involved in the reproduction of audio and visual recordings and software, but also in extensive polytrophic production, specialising in comprehensive, top-end products with first class service and distribution. The company’s clients include international giants like Universal Music, Symantec and IKEA, as well as smaller firms. As well as music media the firm manufactures packaging for premium Scottish whiskey and famous French perfumes. It´s most important markets these days are those of the USA, France and England. In June 2016 it is planning to open a new branch in Canada, and will soon expand into China.

However, it wasn’t always this way. After the wild years of privatisation investors headed by Kenneth D. Brody, former president of the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. and a partner at Goldman, Sachs & Co., who remains Zdeněk Pelc’s role model in business to this day, brought security to the company. The investment paid off and nine years later investors received back 14.5 times what they had put into the firm. These days GZ Media employs 1,400 people and has a turnover in excess of CZK 2.1 billion. According to Zdeněk Pelc the firm’s success lies in hard work, the ability to adapt to market conditions, the comprehensiveness and flexibility of its range, employee motivation, and innovation. Zdeněk Pelc places his trust in reliability but also creativity.

Three years ago the longest serving manager in a single function in the Czech Republic (more than 30 years dedicated service) decided to withdraw from day-to-day management and devote his energies as chairman of the Board of Directors to developing the company’s strategy. He did not hand over management of the company to any of his four children, but trained up Michal Štěrba, who has been with the firm thirteen years, to be his successor. Zdeněk Pelc still does not have much free time. Although he has handed over the reins, he has no intention of abandoning his company just as it is planning further expansion on global markets.