Jaroslav Pelant

In 2011, after 8 years as managing director of SUMITOMO ČR, I joined the Škoda Auto team. Here, in my role as head of product management, I was successively responsible for various activities for Škoda Auto in different locations (Malaysia, Russia, India). In 2013, I moved to China (Beijing) where I managed product management activities for Volkswagen and eventually relocated to SEAT in Spain in 2015 with responsibility for product planning and strategy. In early 2019, I received the opportunity to take on the role of Business Development Manager in After Sales with responsibility for digital products and services, human touch, customer satisfaction and loyalty, including coverage of eMobility topics such as wallbox and powerpass. In 2021, I was offered the position of Managing Director of Škoda Auto DigiLab with the aim of integrating digital products and services and thus expanding the portfolio with a direct impact on the B2C end customer.

During my more than 20 past years, I have gained extensive experience in the Automotive sector. Other than the purchasing and quality fields, I have worked most of my career in finance. In this area, I have discovered not only the nuances of financial management of large corporate units, but also the financial management of subsidiaries and foreign companies, even the financing of future projects - all in the field of automotive production and digitization. In recent years, I have also been involved in the management of a non-profit company, and independent business, in the field of art production. I believe that the digital world will surround and influence us more in the coming years, which is why it is paramount that such important companies as Škoda Auto keep pace with the rapid development in this field. The mission of Škoda X is to be an effective accelerator that enriches the parent company's standard business with the latest knowledge from the progressive development of the digital world and mobility services.