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Petr Kolář
Senior Advisor
Petr Kolář focuses his practice on commercial diplomacy and global government relations. Petr provides clients with analytic and diplomatic expertise, representing them before the legislative and executive branches of government.
Petr assists clients with the development of strategy, tactics and tools with respect to foreign market business activities, including transactional negotiations and dispute resolution, advice on foreign relations, and optimizing foreign trade and investments.
Prior to joining the firm, Petr held a number of leading positions in the Czech Foreign Service, including Head of Department, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for bilateral relations, advisor to President Václav Havel for European integration and the Balkans, and Ambassador to Sweden (1996-1998), Ireland (1999-2003), the US (2005-2010) and the Russian Federation (2010-2012). In 2013 he served as Director of Foreign Affairs for the PPF Group, where he primarily focused on Asia. Petr Kolář has been engaged as a pro bono external adviser for foreign policy and international relations to the President of the Czech Republic (since March 2023) and to the Chairman of the Senate (since 2021).
- Advising the number-one world tobacco producer on tax regulation of a new product, pricing policy and legal monitoring.
- Advising one of the leading Czech investors in the energy sector, mainly the oil and gas industry, with his international investment activities focusing on GR and Economic Diplomacy.
- Providing investment support and lotteries regulation in connection with investing in some European countries for one of the largest private European lottery companies operating in Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic.
- Advising in market regulatory, pricing policy and tariffs agendas for the number-one Czech mobile operator.
- Advising Czech and international companies doing business and investment in the military industry.
- Advising one of the oldest Czech bank chains, which is part of a large European financial institution.
- Advising regulated businesses in connection with EU institutions (mainly the European Commission and European Parliament) and established close cooperation with the European External Action Service.
- Occasionally advising Czech politicians on international and security affairs and defence.
- Sporadically helping some promising startups to enter the world stage.
- In the past, as the Czech Ambassador to the US, created and led a coalition of CEE countries in their successful efforts to obtain a visa-waiver regime.
- He also played one of the keen roles in negotiations of the Missile Defence Project of the US in Europe.
- Assisted and represented a consumer finance company towards regulatory authorities in several Asian countries to expand a consumer finance business and secure reasonable regulatory measures.
Education
- Charles University in Prague, PhDr., 1986
Memberships & Affiliations
- Member, Board of Trustees of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague
- Member, External Advisory Board of the Aspen Institute in Prague
- Chairman, Board of Directors of the interest group Občané pro
- Vice-Chairman, interest group Pro bezpečnou budoucnost
- Member, Supervisory Board of the Dialog Jessenius, o.p.s.
- Member, Supervisory Board of the Mehrin – Holocaust Museum in Moravia
- Member, Advisory Board of the Museum of Silence, Bubny
- Member, Board of the National Museum
- Member, Advisory Board of the Globsec
- Member, Advisory Board of the School of International Relations of the University of New York in Prague
- Adviser on Foreign Policy and International Relations to the President of the Senate of the Czech Republic Miloš Vystrčil within the External Advisory Council of the President of the Senate of the Czech Republic
- Member, Group of External Experts on Foreign and Security Policy and International Relations for the President of the Republic
- Chairman, Board of the Holeček Family Foundation
- Member, Board of Directors of the Association of Shopping Centers
- Member, Board of Directors of CARE (2016 to May 2023)
Languages
- Czech
- English
- Russian