Jiří Kejval

Jiří Kejval (born 30 November 1967 in Prague) is an entrepreneur, President of the Czech Olympic Committee and former international rower.

He graduated from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Czech Technical University in Prague. He is married with three children.

Sports career

In the 1990s he was for many years a Czechoslovak, and then Czech international rower and a member of the Slavia Rowing Club. In 1992 and 1993 he won the Rössler-Ořovskéhý Spring Sculls Race, which is part of the annual Prague Primatorky Boat Race. In 1991 he finished 10th at the World Championships, and was several times Czech national champion. In 1992 he was selected to row at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, but due to illness of his partner in the two-man crew he did not compete. He retired from competitive sport in 1994.

Public office

In 2006 he became a member of the Czech Olympic Committee and was soon appointed vice-president for Finance and Marketing. On 1 November 2012 he was elected President of the Czech Olympic Committee. After his election Kejval reiterated his main goal of securing the sustainable and systematic financing of sport, not only at the elite level, but above all for the young and the general public. Kejval also strives to improve the standing and perception of Czech sport in society. Together with the Athletes Commission of the Czech Olympic Committee he contributed to launching the programme “Second Career”, which aims to ease the transition of elite athletes into “civilian” life after the end of their competitive careers. From 1996 to 2014 he was President of the Czech Rowing Association. Since 2015 Jiří Kejval has been a member of the Marketing and New Sources of Finance Commission of the Association of National Olympic Committees. In the same year he announced his intention to stand as a candidate for membership of the International Olympic Committee.

Business activities

Whilst still at university he established the company TECHO in 1991 with a partner. Initially the company produced lighting and small office items. Later under Kejval’s leadership the company grew and started to manufacture office furniture as well as provide comprehensive commercial interior fit-outs. As it grew the company also expanded into foreign markets, and TECHO currently has branches in Great Britain, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates. In 2008 Jiří Kejval sold his company to Dutch interior furnishing company Royal Ahrend NV, which is number three in the European market. However, he remains at the head of TECHO as its Managing Director. In the autumn of 2012 he also became a member of the Board of Directors of Royal Ahrend NV.

Relationship to art and education

In 1998 Jiří Kejval co-founded the registered charitable organisation - Prostor – architecture, interior, design, the aim of which is the promotion of Czech architecture, interior design, and design. At his initiative, TECHO in 2009, along with the City of Prague, became the main partner of the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art. His relationship to art is also evident in the Czech team kit for the London Games, which was inspired by the famous painting by František Kupka, a Fugue in Two Colours. „Olympijská epopej“, a collection of paintings by artist Michael Rittstein, was exhibited at the Czech House in London.

References

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