Gain the advantage of expert sparring: a collaborative process designed to refine your ideas, strengthen decision-making, and unlock new opportunities for your personal and organizational growth.
- For some professional challenges, you may want a competent and independent counterpart to reflect on the situation and find the optimal solution. Our executive sparring partners are experts in their respective fields, ready to support you effectively.
- An instant sparring conversation will provide you with fresh perspectives, targeted input and practice-oriented solutions also in the event of acute challenges.
- Executive sparring partnering involves having a trusted partner who provides honest feedback, challenges your thinking, and supports your personal and professional growth.
An Executive Sparring Partner is a seasoned expert who provides strategic support, reflection and guidance to leaders and executives, helping them navigate complex decisions and challenges. This role involves engaging in constructive, often challenging conversations to test ideas, strategies, and decisions in a safe and confidential environment.
Objective Feedback
Executives often operate in environments where critical feedback is scarce. A sparring partner provides unbiased, constructive criticism, helping leaders identify blind spots and consider alternative perspectivesEnhanced Decision-Making
By simulating real-world scenarios, sparring partners help executives refine their decision-making processesPersonal and Professional Growth
Sparring partners support continuous personal and professional development. They challenge executives to step out of their comfort zones, fostering growth in leadership skills and team effectiveness
Stress Reduction
The pressures of decision-making can be overwhelming. A sparring partner offers a safe space for executives to discuss their challenges and explore solutions, reducing stress and isolation- Improved Communication
Effective communication is crucial for leadership. Our experts help leaders craft clear, impactful messages, ensuring their vision and strategies are effectively conveyed to their teams and stakeholders
- Avoiding Thinking Traps
Leaders can fall into common thinking traps like tunnel vision or emotional reasoning. We help them navigate these pitfalls by providing independent view
- Onboarding Support
For newly appointed leaders, sparring partners can be invaluable during the transition period. They offer non-partisan viewpoints that help these new leaders integrate smoothly and effectively
- Strategic Decisions: When making high-stakes decisions, a sparring partner can provide constructive feedback and a valuable outside perspective
- Leadership Development: They help new leaders transition into their roles more effectively by offering non-partisan, objective viewpoints
- Communication: They assist in crafting effective communication strategies, ensuring messages are clear and impactful
- Identify Your Needs: Determine the specific areas where you need support
- Seek Recommendations: Ask for referrals from trusted colleagues or professional networks
- Evaluate Experience: Look for someone with relevant experience and a proven track record
- Trial Session: Arrange a trial session to assess compatibility and effectiveness
OUR EXECUTIVE SPARRING PARTNERS
More about Tomáš
Tomáš Mlejnek is a seasoned business leader with international leadership experience in blue-chip international companies in the CEE region.
As a Senior HR Director, he has supported and navigated leaders through business transformations. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in Centers of Excellence, such as Learning & Development, Organization Development, Talent Management, and Talent Acquisition.
His expertise is underscored by a strong background in change management and leading company transformations. He actively mentored C-suite leaders and helped them to accelerate business results through their people and teams.
Tomáš has developed Executive Sparring concept and will be your first point of contact.
- Strategic consulting on transformation and organization design shaping
- Planning and implementation of individual career developments
- Advice on talent management, succession planning and team effectiveness
- Facilitating change with an emphasis on enhancing efficiency and developing interpersonal capabilities.
- Enhancing decision-making capabilities with data, process improvements
- Fostering a cultural transformation for a resilient organization.
- Leadership training to forge the leaders of tomorrow.
- Crafting cutting-edge people strategies and solutions
- Advice on the formation of diverse and agile teams
- Conflict management at management level
- Executive mentoring
More about Jarmila
Jarmila Dolečková is seasoned business professional with over 20 years of remarkable experience in pharma business. She built strong knowledge of Czech and Slovakian market in both marketing and business.
Over the years she acquired tremendous experience in Market access management and Governmental Affairs area. Jarmila is excellent in business consulting, change management and addressing constantly changing market dynamics. She is also brilliant in building long term relationships with clients.
- Strategic consulting in complex business issues
- Market Access and pricing strategy focusing on new innovative and rare disease products
- Market Access and Pricing strategy to boost potential of established product
- Negotiation with Payers and Governmental authorities
- Innovative approach to enable successful market entry
- Public Affairs activities to support successful product launch
- Fostering growth in leadership skills and team effectiveness
- Executive mentoring and coaching
More about Marieta
Marieta Gundová is a seasoned business leader and Corporate Finance expert with international multi-industry experience
She is an experienced finance professional, building innovative organizations, transforming businesses with strategic goal to address changing market dynamics, innovation, drive profitability and overall competitiveness.
Marieta has over 10 years of experience in pharmaceutical industry on C-level positions and more than 20 years of experience in Fortune 100 companies, leading international and cross-cultural organizations in various industries and management consulting.
- Providing insights on restructuring and innovation.
- Assessing strategies and recommend improvements.
- Guiding leaders through complex organizational transformations and manage resistance to change within multicultural environments.
- Offering data-driven recommendations to enhance operational effectiveness and profitability
- Transformation projects and organizational redesign to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness
- Assisting in navigating through challenging situations by providing a sounding board for difficult decisions and offering alternative perspectives
- Executive mentoring
More about Helena
Helena Sladkovská is a seasoned business advisor whose unique expertise stems from 30 years at a Big4 firm, combining 15 years in finance (audit and tax) with 15 years in business development, marketing, and communications.
As director of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, she gained deep insights from closely collaborating with over 500 successful entrepreneurs.
As BD director she conducted regular 1:1 meetings with over 300 CEOs about client feedback as well as hot business topics.
A 10+ year startup mentor and ICF certified coach, she helps leaders enhance their personal effectiveness in critical business relationships.
As a mother of three boys, she brings authentic understanding to the challenges of balancing professional ambitions.
- Strategic decision-making and leadership growth through executive coaching and mentoring
- Client feedback expertise – from designing feedback programs to conducting C-suite interviews, training in effective questioning techniques, and implementing constructive feedback processes back to the firm.
- Communication strategy and stakeholder management in complex business situations
- Business mentoring drawing from extensive entrepreneur success stories
- Crisis communication and reputation management
- Building and nurturing trusted stakeholder relationships
- Advice on difficult conversations and managing sensitive situations
More about Ivana
Ivana Petirová is a seasoned legal and business professional with over two decades of experience in various roles across multinational corporations, international law firms, and independent consultancy. She combines deep legal expertise with a strong understanding of internal corporate processes, stakeholder dynamics, and cross-functional collaboration. Her career includes senior positions at Asahi, Ernst & Young, CEZ or Allen & Overy.
Ivana is particularly skilled in driving legal and process harmonization, optimizing internal workflows, and aligning legal risk management with commercial strategy. She has a proven track record in fostering cooperation between legal and business functions to deliver pragmatic, business-driven solutions.
As an Executive Sparring Partner, Ivana offers a unique combination of legal insight, strategic thinking, and certified coaching expertise. Her additional focus on mental well-being and personal development makes her a valuable guide for leaders seeking clarity, resilience, and sustainable impact.
- Managing cross-border legal projects
- Optimizing, standardizing, and harmonizing legal and business processes
- Strengthening corporate governance and developing internal policies
- Overseeing regional procurement contracting
- Restructuring and optimizing legal departments
- Advising on M&A, commercial, contractual, and civil law matters
- Transforming legal support functions into strategic business partners
- Leading teams and fostering professional development
- Coaching and mentoring