Jana Mervaldová - Successful Women Executives in Technical Companies Are no Exception
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WOMAN
want to break into a similar industry to
yours?
I don't think women in engineering are
an exception. There are fewer of them in
top management, that is true, but there are
more and more of them in sales, logistics,
supply and production. In our company,
for example, we also have a woman
as head of production and planning.
Women in business or management have
a slightly different perspective on how to
deal with situations than men. We are often
not as bold, but rather more pragmatic
and tactical. Therefore, in business,
a combination of both is ideal. From my
perspective and experience, all-male or all-
female teams are more complicated and
don't always get the best results.
Business and management is about
personal courage and creativity, but also
about responsibility and family support.
Ambition alone is not enough, even
though it is the driving force.
Your company is very successful in
the world. Do you use any special
strategies to keep ALVE s.r.o.
competitive in the European market?
If I knew about any special strategy, I would
be a Nobel Prize candidate (laughter).
From the beginning, we have been on
the same page with the owners - to deliver
quality products, provide customer
service and focus on development. Above
all, to comply with the rules, standards and
agreements, both in supplier-customer
relations and labour law. Unfortunately,
I see more and more often that this is not
really the standard today.
What are you most proud of in your
professional or personal life? What do
you think that you have done particularly
well?
In my personal life I definitely have
the courage to go into a completely different
field with no experience and with a small
child. On a professional level, crossing the
half-billion turnover mark and expanding
production to include the special structures
division, which is the custom manufacture
of platforms, gangways and bridges for
various interesting industries.
What are your plans for the future?
Do you have a secret dream that you
would like to fulfil?
A secret dream? You don't say secret
dreams out loud, otherwise they will
not come true. I have a vision to further
expand the production of special
structures, expand the production space
on the premises, purchase some new
technologies, digitise the company
and keep the current amazing team
of co-workers. And most importantly,
maintaining the mental and physical
health to get it all done.
Jana, thank you for the interview.
“
Business and management
is about personal courage
and creavity, but also about
responsibility and family
support.
”
Ing. Jana Mervaldová,
a graduate of VSB
Ostrava in banking
and nance, began her
career in the nance
department at ROMO
a.s. Fulnek, connued at
the School Oce in Nový
Jičín, and then worked
as a corporate advisor
at Komerční banka. Since
2008, she has been
with ALVE Ltd. She also
shares her experse
as an external lecturer
at a Business Academy.
In her free me, she
enjoys family life with her
husband, daughter, dog,
and a large garden.