Arrest of Tatra CEO threatens bilateral relations between ČR and U.S.
The man at the center of a military corruption scandal says his case could strain diplomatic ties between the Czech Republic and the United States.
Ronald Adams, the American CEO of Czech-based truck maker Tatra, was detained by police in Brno Aug. 20 for allegedly offering a bribe in 2009 – a charge he denies. The 62-year-old has since been released from custody after a local court ruled he would not be a flight risk during the course of the investigation.
The allegation of bribery relates to a 2.7 billion Kč ($136 million/109 million euro) contract with the Czech Army for 588 military vehicles, signed in December 2006. Tatra had free rein to bid for the tender, on the condition only Czech sub-suppliers be used to boost the country’s industry sector.
The man at the center of a military corruption scandal says his case could strain diplomatic ties between the Czech Republic and the United States.
Ronald Adams, the American CEO of Czech-based truck maker Tatra, was detained by police in Brno Aug. 20 for allegedly offering a bribe in 2009 – a charge he denies. The 62-year-old has since been released from custody after a local court ruled he would not be a flight risk during the course of the investigation.
The allegation of bribery relates to a 2.7 billion Kč ($136 million/109 million euro) contract with the Czech Army for 588 military vehicles, signed in December 2006. Tatra had free rein to bid for the tender, on the condition only Czech sub-suppliers be used to boost the country’s industry sector.
Ostrava, North Moravia/Brno, South Moravia, Aug 24 (CTK) – Tatra lorry maker chief Ronald Adams, accused of having offered a bribe to former defence minister Martin Bartak, has filed a complaint against the launch of criminal proceedings, his defence lawyer Jiri Matijasevic confirmed for CTK Friday.
“I can confirm that the complaint has been filed. There are both legal and formal shortcomings in the accusation,” Matijasevic said.
He would not comment on the details of the complaint until the relevant state attorney is acquainted with it.
Adams, who is a U.S. citizen, categorically dismisses the accusation. He told journalists that it is a big lie.
http://praguemonitor.com/2012/08/27/tatra-lorry-maker-head-complains-about-accusation-czechrep
Audi brings ‘Vorsprung’ position to fore with new TV ad
Alex Brownsell, marketingmagazine.co.uk, Thursday, 29 March 2012, 1:00pm, 1 Comment
Audi is rolling out a new TV ad for its A5 model, bringing its commitment to its ‘Vorsprung Durch Technik’ back to the fore of its UK marketing.
Audi: TV ad features Jaray Audi 20s prototype
The ad, by Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), harks back to the early days of the brand in the 1920s, depicting Audi as a “design pioneer”, all the way through to its current A5 model.
Named ‘The Swan’, the clip, directed by Oscar-winner Joachim Back, is a reinterpretation of the classic children’s tale, ‘The Ugly Duckling’.
It shows an early teardrop-shaped Audi prototype car named Jaray Audi, driving through a Bavarian town, drawing disapproval from local people and scaring horses, due to the unusual design. The ad ends with the historic car arriving at a lake, and its reflection showing the new A5.
Dominic Chambers, head of marketing for Audi UK, said: “The film illustrates perfectly Audi’s pioneering heritage and its historical commitment to ‘Vorsprung Durch Technik’.”
The TV, print, digital and outdoor campaign breaks on breaks on Sunday (1 April) during ITV’s Titanic. Media planning and buying was by Mediacom.
In September last year, Audi moved away from its long-running style of black-and-white animated ads, with a £3m campaign for its A6 Avant estate, featuring a metallic “Audi hummingbird”.
Audi brings ‘Vorsprung’ position to fore with new TV ad
Alex Brownsell, marketingmagazine.co.uk, Thursday, 29 March 2012, 1:00pm, 1 Comment
Audi is rolling out a new TV ad for its A5 model, bringing its commitment to its ‘Vorsprung Durch Technik’ back to the fore of its UK marketing.
The ad, by Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), harks back to the early days of the brand in the 1920s, depicting Audi as a “design pioneer”, all the way through to its current A5 model.
Named ‘The Swan’, the clip, directed by Oscar-winner Joachim Back, is a reinterpretation of the classic children’s tale, ‘The Ugly Duckling’.
It shows an early teardrop-shaped Audi prototype car named Jaray Audi, driving through a Bavarian town, drawing disapproval from local people and scaring horses, due to the unusual design. The ad ends with the historic car arriving at a lake, and its reflection showing the new A5.
Dominic Chambers, head of marketing for Audi UK, said: “The film illustrates perfectly Audi’s pioneering heritage and its historical commitment to ‘Vorsprung Durch Technik’.”
The TV, print, digital and outdoor campaign breaks on breaks on Sunday (1 April) during ITV’s Titanic. Media planning and buying was by Mediacom.
In September last year, Audi moved away from its long-running style of black-and-white animated ads, with a £3m campaign for its A6 Avant estate, featuring a metallic “Audi hummingbird”.
http://www.audiforum.nl/forum/algemene-discussie/78527-1923-audi-jaray-in-uk-a5-commercial.html
The creative directors and producers talk about how the Audi A5 TV advert was made and how the idea first came about
The making of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNKdr…feature=relmfu
The commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v61Q1…feature=relmfu
Paul Jaray at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Jaray
Prague – Police have accused the chief of the Czech branch of the Tatra Ronald Adams of bribery. According to them, at the Brno trade fair offered the then deputy defense minister Martin Bartak bribe for that office in the future enters Tatra other defense contracts. ČTK It said board member Duncan Sellars. He said the automaker considers unjustified prosecutions and the police as “extremely suspicious.” The Brno Municipal Court will today decide whether Adams sent into custody. Men are liable if convicted to five years in prison.
US CEO of Czech truck-maker detained in graft case
PRAGUE — Ronald Adams, the American chief executive and owner of the Czech-based truck-maker Tatra, has denied graft allegations linked to a Czech defence contract for which he has been detained, Tatra said Tuesday.
The case involves a 2008-2009 military contract for 588 Tatra trucks valued at 2.7 billion koruna (109 million euros, $135 million).
Adams was detained Monday after former Czech defence minister Martin Bartak, accused in 2010 of attempted corruption linked to the same contract, testified against him, a Tatra company spokesman told AFP.
“Within the framework of an investigation into the case in which Mr. Bartak is charged with corruption, Bartak said that Mr. Adams offered him a bribe,” Vladimir Bystrov told AFP.
“Tatra is confident that the ongoing investigation launched on the basis of the testimony of persons already charged with corruption is without foundation,” Bystrov said.
A decision on whether Adams will be remanded in custody is to be made within 48-hours of Adams’ detention, he added.
“It is evident that the principle objective is to put in doubt the credibility of Mr. Adams as a witness and to intimidate him along with all other persons who dare testify openly about corruption at the highest levels in the Czech state,” a Tatra statement said Tuesday.
Bartak, 45, served as deputy Czech defence minister in 2006-8 and defence minister in the ex-communist NATO state from 2009-10.
In 2010 he was accused of attempted corruption based on the testimony of former US ambassador, William J. Cabaniss who served in Prague between 2003-5.
In Transparency International’s 2011 Corruption Perception Index, the Czech Republic ranked 57th alongside Namibia and Saudi Arabia on the list of 183 countries, topped by squeaky clean New Zealand and ending with Somalia.
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