Radek Strouhal named new CEO of TATRA TRUCKS

29 January, 2017

“Radek has been part of Tatra’s management team since the current owners came on board. He played a key role in rescuing the company in terms of the financial management and negotiations with banks and other financial partners; he continues to manage both of these roles supremely well,” says Petr Rusek, the chairman of TATRA TRUCKS and board member of CZECHOSLOVAK GROUP, on his appointment.

After a leap in production in 2016, Tatra is entering a period where the focus will be placed on optimizing costs, increasing labour productivity and associated investment in key corporate infrastructure. “Radek Strouhal is therefore taking up the position of CEO after he had largely resolved these priorities in his previous position,” explains Petr Rusek.

Having fulfilled his key task to increase production year-to-year from 900 to 1,300 vehicles, Martin Bednarz is leaving the position of CEO of TATRA TRUCKS. Under his leadership, the truck maker produced a total of 1,326 vehicles in 2016. Petr Rusek says: “We thank Martin Bednarz for his work in our company, especially for setting up production for the subsequent stabilization phase and we wish him much success in his future work.”

In terms of human resources, Radek Strouhal’s appointment is an expression of managerial continuity. He has been working for the truck maker continuously since the arrival of the new owners, Czech entrepreneurs Jaroslav Strnad and René Matera, in whose PROMET GROUP holding company he worked as Chief Financial Officer before joining Tatra. He has been a TATRA TRUCKS board member since October 2013.

Radek Strouhal’s successful business economics management is evidenced by a huge shift of TATRA TRUCKS in its financial rating. From the position of a partner with very high financial risk at the time of the takeover by the new owners in the spring of 2013, the company has managed to move into the best green zone with a low risk of credit default already by mid-2014. According to the international Coface agency, the credit rating of TATRA TRUCKS in 2015 was a seven out of a possible ten.

Radek Strouhal adds: “Standing at the head of the third oldest automaker in the world is a great honour and responsibility for me. Tatra will undertake another increase in production, but hand-in-hand with increased productivity. Tatra’s growth will be supported by hundreds of millions in investment, including the project of restructuring the middle tract that will transform Tatra into a modern industrial building in terms of internal facilities and outer appearance. I will put great emphasis on human resources and positive employee motivation not only in manufacturing but also in Sales and other departments. The company was rescued through the teamwork of all “Tatrovaks”, now the long-term development begins.”