Petr Kolar, a former ambassador, became a member of MonkeyData’s advisory board: I want to support a generation that can influence the economy and international institutions with their business
Petr Kolar is a significant figure in the history of the Czech diplomatic scene, but is also actively involved in the field of civic initiatives and defending European values. He believes that through hard honest work it is possible to change the world and expand business to the global level.
This former ambassador has decided to support the Czech startup MonkeyData and officially became a member of the company’s advisory board as of July 2018. Why has he decided to work with a company that wants to change the world of eCommerce? How has his personality influenced the direction of the company?
- How did you learn about MonkeyData?
I met Jan (Jan Lastuvka, MonkeyData CEO) in a Prague restaurant where I was with a friend of mine who introduced us. Jan contacted me after a while and we arranged a meeting. To be honest, I thought it would be one of these formal run-of-the-mill meetings, and I was doing it more as a favor to my friend. The original plan was to meet him, hear what was on his mind, and let him know if there was anything I could do for him or not. I was ready to sacrifice no more than half an hour of my time. But after we started chatting and Jan explained to me what MonkeyData does, it caught my attention. The meeting lasted longer than I expected and we both knew it was definitely not the last time we would see each other.
- What specifically piqued your curiosity??
It’s simple. We found that there were many topics and interests that we had in common. I don’t mean just business-wise but also things that overlapped personally. We both are concerned about the state of the society we live in. What is happening to us and where our civilization is going. So we started talking about these questions in the context of the public sphere. The two are very closely related.
- So the impetus for your cooperation arose from this meeting?
You could say that. I am a man who believes that we should do business in accordance with the rule of law and according to the rules corresponding to our civilization. From our first meeting, I got the feeling that MonkeyData belongs to this new generation with that kind of philosophy guiding their business decisions. That they want to respect the rules and the primary goal is not to become rich quickly because they want to be on the market for a long time. They want to grow, and solidify themselves on a global scale. And I like that very much because it comes from the heart. Besides, I think they have built their business in a field that the Czech people excel at, and this is a fact that is known not only in Europe, but all over the world.
- Is it a challenge to be a member of the advisory board at the MonkeyData ? What do you expect from this cooperation?
It is definitely a challenge because their business is something I don’t quite understand. But even though this sector is a bit unknown to me, I’m sure that if the economy does not go through the digitization process, we will end up missing the train. And that would be a shame, because I see the potential for us to be leaders in this field. So far, it looks like we’re running behind the car, but I think we have the capacity to be ahead of it. For me, the challenge is primarily to persuade responsible people that this is something that will be beneficial not only for business, but also for our country, for society, and for our partners abroad.
- Do you have a specific idea about what areas you can help benefit MonkeyData in the most?
I think it is important to point out how you can protect data in the 21st century and how online store owners can protect their data too. This is exactly the area where I would love to help to MonkeyData. I would like to talk to those who have the opportunity to make the right decisions to push for the enforcement of data protection, especially at the international level. Of course, this is related to the GDPR — a topic that is very popular these days.
- Do you see any personal and professional benefits to your position as an advisor at MonkeyData?
I think it certainly will, otherwise I would not go for it. I feel that this is the right way we have to choose. The times have changed significantly. One of the most valuable commodities is not oil, coal, and steel, but primarily data and information.
Would you like to see the original interview in Czech? Read it here.
