Interview with the lecturer: Ing. Jan Krajíček, Ph.D.

Ing. Jan Krajíček, Ph.D. works not only as a lecturer at the European School of Business & Management but is also a specialist in banking and financial literacy. In addition to lecturing, he lectures and acts as a forensic expert for the basic field of economics, the financial and insurance industry, and the specialization of banking.

Tell us something about yourself, what were the beginnings of your career like?

I started my professional career in the banking sector, first as an analyst and later through various management positions as a procurator and director of a branch of a foreign bank. In educational activities, I worked at the Faculty of Economics and Administration of Masaryk University.

Where did you gain the first experiences that decided the direction of your career?

I started my career at the former State Bank of Czechoslovakia, where I first gained analytical experience and later practical experience in managing credit unions. It was especially interesting to get to know important companies in the territory of the Czech Republic. After November 1989, I had the opportunity to apply my experience mainly in the banking sector, and at the same time, I also devoted myself to teaching activities. I was one of the founders of the Faculty of Economics and Administration at Masaryk University. I was only able to devote myself more to teaching activities later, after finishing my active work in the banking sector. Since I have always been interested in banking, I naturally started teaching banking, not only from a theoretical point of view, but I also gained practical experience in practice.

What is your current job title? What are you working on?

Currently, I am mainly engaged in lecturing, especially at the VUT, USI and Gymnasium in Brno, and also here at the European School of Business & Management, where I lead the Economics Seminar. A huge advantage not only for me but also for the students is that I have a certain amount of freedom, which is also appreciated by my students, who can also learn about the practical consequences of their decisions. In particular, the Gymnasium deals with financial literacy banking and basic operations in financial markets.

What are your greatest professional achievements?

The biggest work success, since a relatively long time has passed, was the building of the bank’s branch in Brno and at the same time the opportunity to participate in its development. From the point of view of the teaching activity, it is primarily a meeting with former students who work in the banking sector and they confide in me that it is primarily the merit of my teaching.

What do you think is the secret of success at work?

I consider the necessary conditions for achieving work success to be both the necessary education and experience, and last but not least, not only enthusiasm but also the opportunity to choose a good team that has the same interests.

What else awaits you in your professional life?

Continue lecturing at VUT USI, the Gymnasium, and the European School of Business & Management.

But life is not just about work. What do you like to do in your spare time? What do you do?

If my health allows it, I prefer going for walks and travelling.

As you already mentioned, you work as a lecturer at the European School of Business & Management. How did this collaboration begin?

I have been working at the European School of Business & Management since 2017 and I am the lecturer of the MBA specialization in Banking, the Commercial Banking module.

What should students remmember from the lecture?

Each lecture should bring stimuli for a further professional career and I am convinced that so far I am succeeding in this with my listeners.

Is there anything you would like to say to our students?

Although it will sound like a worn-out cliché, life has taught me that every challenge is useful and it is always possible to achieve successes that we did not expect.