3/7/2026 |Articles are machine translated
Martin Jahn, President of AutoSAP, welcomes the participants of ALF2026. | Photo: Hana Görlichová
More than 120 international participants from the automotive industry, government, business, diplomacy and academia gathered at the FUZE restaurant in Prague’s iconic Masaryčka building on June 30, 2026 for the fifth annual Automotive Leaders Forum. This year, the event, organized by the Automotive Industry Association, focused on the current challenges of the automotive industry in the context of geopolitical developments, the competitiveness of Europe and the future of the Czech economy. The traditional awards ceremony for the best companies of the year and more than six hours of networking were also held.
The evening was opened by moderator Rebecca Diatilová, after which the President of the Automotive Industry Association Martin Jahn took the opening speech, who in his speech emphasized the importance of the automotive industry as a stable pillar of the Czech economy, whose success is primarily due to individual companies and their employees. The Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček, the Minister of Transport Ivan Bednárik and the Minister of the Environment Igor Červený also gave their greetings, appreciating the cooperation with the sector to date and highlighting its importance for maintaining the competitiveness of the Czech automotive industry in the years to come. The general partner of the evening, BMW Group, was represented by Dr. Thomas Becker, who in his speech emphasized the importance of the Czech Republic as an important partner of the European automotive industry in managing the upcoming challenges.
The main professional part of the evening was opened by geopolitical expert and member of the board of directors of KOH-I-NOOR holding a.s. Dr. Vlastislav Bříza, who in his speech addressed the impacts of the changing world order on the European economy and automotive industry. He emphasized that after decades of relative stability, the world is entering a period of growing rivalry between the United States and China, which will increasingly influence global trade, investment and technological development. According to him, Europe must respond to these changes pragmatically – strengthen its own security, invest in its competitiveness and at the same time remain a reliable partner for transatlantic cooperation. In the following discussion with the participants, it was heard that geopolitical tension today is not only a security issue, but also represents a significant economic factor. It is reflected in energy prices, trade relations, supply chains and the investment environment, with the Czech Republic, as an export-oriented economy, being among the countries that feel these changes particularly sensitively.
The professional part and dinner were followed by the traditional announcement of the results of the Enterprise of the Year in the Automotive Industry competition. The competition annually recognizes companies that excel in economic results, added value and sales. The winners for 2025 were introduced in the presence of prominent figures in the industry and received an iconic award symbolizing success and forward movement – a glass sculpture of a horse. In the category of companies with up to 250 employees, the following companies were awarded in alphabetical order: PLASTIKA a. s., RETEX a. s. and Tiberina Automotive Bělá s.r.o. In the category of companies with over 250 employees, the most successful companies were: Iveco Czech Republic, a. s., Škoda Auto a. s. and Toyota Tsusho Europe Czech Republic. The final part of the evening was devoted to informal networking, which created space for establishing new partnerships, strengthening existing relationships and continuing debates on the topics discussed during the evening.
The event was supported by these partners. The general partner was the BMW Group. The main partners of the fifth year of the Automotive Leaders Forum 2026 included Hyundai Motor Group, Panattoni Czech Republic Development, Renomia, Robert Bosch and Toyota. The partners of the evening were also EY and Drees and Sommer. The event was supported by the Czech Automotive Industry magazine.
The Automotive Leaders Forum 2026 confirmed that national and international dialogue across industry, politics, diplomacy and academia is of fundamental importance in today’s turbulent times. Open debate, sharing of experiences and inspiring speeches were again the key to strengthening the position of the Czech automotive industry in the European and global context this year. We would like to thank everyone who contributed to this year’s success – partners, guests, organizers and speakers. We are already working on next year, which will bring another dose of current topics, strategic perspectives and new opportunities for networking. Join us in 2027 – together we are creating the future of mobility.
