Interview with H.E. Mr. Ombra T. Jainal Ambassador of the Philippines

At the age of 16, he mastered 15 programming languages and developed his fi rst cybersecurity software. He completed a special cyber-security program at MIT in Boston and training with the legendary Hak5 Group in Washington. He currently handles the privacy and the security of companies and public fi gures. Karol belongs to the Shift2Cloud team of experts, which improves the effi ciency and security of companies. He holds NATO security clearance and is a court appointed cybersecurity expert.

Times have changed. Cyberattacks have become a profi table business, bigger than the drug or arms trade today. Attacks are very sophisticated, and if you rely only on standard antivirus and fi rewall the risks of losing your data, know-how, or, let’s say e-shop, are huge. Are you asking why?

Every day, an average of one million new viruses are emerging, which an antivirus is not able to block automatically. There are dozens of publicly available ways of avoiding antivirus and fi rewall – which of course hackers are aware of and use. Do you remember any high-profi le cases of hacked organisations? They all had antivirus and fi rewall…

One of the biggest cybersecurity myths. Do you think that if your business has less than 1,000 employees then you don’t have to worry about attacks?

Let´s check the facts. 61% of cyberattacks target small and medium-sized businesses. The vast majority of cyberattacks are automated and aff ect the entire Internet. 60% of small and medium-sized business do not address cybersecurity and represent an easy target.

At the fi rst sight, a very logical objection. However, experience unfortunately shows that reality tends to be totally diff erent. Why?

Not all IT guys are the same. Like doctors, they also closely specialise, and you need a cybersecurity expert for IT. Do you have him on your team? The same applies to external providers of IT services. Is cybersecurity in their portfolio? Do you pay them for protecting your IT? If not, nobody takes care of your cybersecurity. Have your IT guys presented any proposals to increase cybersecurity? Do you get regular security monitoring reports? If not, breachers might already be in your net.

It is true that for big companies with many branches, devices, servers, applications, and IT systems, good cybersecurity is expensive. But how is it diff erent for smaller businesses?

Signifi cant cybersecurity improvement can be achieved by simply changing the confi guration of the operation systems that you already have, without the need for buying new software. By replacing physical servers with safe cloud services, you easily eliminate the need for dealing with often complicated and costly security. By using external cybersecurity experts, you can get necessary know-how without employing costly experts and paying for their trainings.

Yes, back up is very important. However, on its own, it does not increase cybersecurity. It serves as a last resort in case of a successful attack. Furthermore, the key question is: Will it work at all?

Is your backup also offl ine? It means saved in systems that are not constantly connected to the net or are cloud-based. If not, it is very likely that you will not be able to use it after an attack and you will lose it all. Do you regularly test if you are able to restore your backup? You might be very unpleasantly surprised to fi nd out that your backup can´t be restored and your last rescue plan failed. Even if you restore all systems and data from your backup after attack, you are not out of the woods yet. How much data and work will be lost? What will your fi nancial loss be for the time spent on restoring your backup? And most importantly: How do you know that the restored backup does not already contain malicious code that enabled the breachers to take over your systems?

No wonder. All these cybersecurity misconceptions are based on my everyday reality and experience with various companies. The importance of cybersecurity is higher today than ever before, so if you really see yourself in the myths, take practical steps to have the cybersecurity of your organisation verifi ed by an independent cybersecurity audit before it´s too late.

Text: Gianfranco Coizza; Edit: Martina Hošková; Photo: Anna Kovačič and Ondřej Košík

Being raised in a Czech family, I inevitably came across many “Italian” dishes, Spaghetti alla carbonara with cream being a good representative of their style. To be honest, I have quite enjoyed them all. The problem arises when you are served such meals in restaurants that claim to be all-Italian. Gianfranco Coizza, executive chef and co-owner of the “A posto” restaurants, is a genuine Italian living in Prague and his message is simple and memorable, just like true Italian cuisine. Enjoy your reading.

Italian cuisine, it`s no secret, belongs among the favourite types of cuisine worldwide. Virtually anywhere in the world, a customer can fi nd a pizzeria, or a restaurant named, for instance, “da Giovanni”. Prague, and the Czech Republic as a whole, are no exception. The reason for this huge popularity is relatively easy to understand: Italian food is often connected, in the general perception, with the idea of “dolce vita”, and with the fact that it is the ultimate comfort food, easy to cook, and based mostly on fi rst-class ingredients. Italy was for a long time perceived as a leading holiday destination, and its food remains a part of our good memories from there, just like a beautiful sunset in Rome.

This huge popularity, just like it happens with Italian fashion and design, can be a blessing, but also a curse. The so-called “Italian-sounding” phenomenon is perhaps the biggest of the issues. Fake clothes, fake design items, restaurants that use Italian names, and, only allegedly though, serve Italian food – they all by no means match the quality that the “made in Italy” seal of approval is known for. Such restaurants parasite on the reputation of Italian cuisine but they are miles away from being Italian, and, most of the time, they are no good. The damage for the restaurateurs who want to off er quality Italian cuisine is clear to see: it isn’t easy competing with restaurants that use inexpensive ingredients, fl ood the market with cheap imitations of the real thing, and contribute to a distorted perception of what Italian gastronomy really is.

Over the years some restaurateurs were able to establish themselves as true ambassadors of the real Italian culinary tradition by not compromising on the quality of the ingredients and the trueness of the recipes. These entrepreneurs helped a great deal in improving the general knowledge of the culinary tradition of the peninsula and cleared the path for the next steps.

Italian cuisine, just like any other gastronomy culture, has quickly developed over the last few years. Themes such as sustainable sources, foraging, nose to tail eating, zero waste, and organic products have been implemented and integrated in the evolution of the Italian cuisine. This is happening especially within the dynamic force represented by the so-called “modern trattoria”, a trend that embodies a virtuous fusion of traditional regional cuisine, top notch ingredients, modern techniques, and ethical approaches, all with a sprinkle of inspiration and infl uences taken from other culinary cultures.

The challenge that now awaits Italian restaurateurs worldwide (and some of us have already chosen that path) is to create an up-to-date experience for our customers, rather than a poor pantomime of what a typical Italian restaurant is supposed to be. A restaurant, or, as we say in Italy, a ‘trattoria‘, is not a museum but a living organism, very much similar to a theatre play. Showtime.

Executive chef and co-owner, A posto trattoria and A posto Macelleria – Za Pískovnou 1210/2 184 00 Dolní Chabry – Praha 8 www.aposto.cz

Text: M. Zisso; Photo: Archive

On Wednesday, 11th May 2022, the British Chamber of Commerce organized a patrons’ breakfast - a unique gathering, and an opportunity to meet some of the top managers from the BCC patrons’ family, as well as the BCC Board of Directors.

Mr. Julius Meinl VI, a partner at House of Julius Meinl and a director at Julius Meinl Living and H.E Mr. Nick Archer, the British ambassador to the Czech Republic Given such a setting, participants were provided with a special opportunity to discuss the hottest and most current topics in the business world with individuals who are actively and directly involved in it. The keynote speaker was BCC member and British entrepreneur Mr. Julius Meinl VI, a partner at House of Julius Meinl and a director at Julius Meinl Living. The event was opened by H.E Mr. Nick Archer, the British ambassador to the Czech Republic. The patrons’ breakfast was hosted at The Julius Prague, a new design-led serviced residence by leading Italian architecture and design fi rm Matteo Thun & Partners, co-founded by Mr. Julius Meinl VI. As of Monday 16th May, The Julius Prague is open for reservations and bookings.

H.E Mr. Nick Archer, the British ambassador to the Czech Republic and Mr. Aleš Machač, General Manager of The Julius Prague

Text: M.Zisso; Photo: Archive BANDI

It is a matter of common knowledge that inappropriate choices of clothing may hinder your career growth and social life. So, when I became the owner and executive editor of the Czech & Slovak Leaders Magazine, it became quite clear to me that I could use some good advice on how to be dressed properly for diff erent occasions. I decided to discuss the matter with the master - Denisa Vámoš Gróff ová, the creative visionary of BANDI Menswear, a manufacturer of formal fashion. Let me share her professional advice with you.

The modern lifestyle creates enormous time pressure on men. Many are succumbing to this and beginning to change their clothing style to be simple and quick to put on. However, they do not realise that, in some areas, this is not possible, and that if they do so, they cannot then be surprised that they do not reap the success they expected.

Now, we are talking about the clothing of managers and offi cials for work and business meetings. All these men are after success, which they turn into business contracts or money. One of the biggest transgressions is the elimination of the tie from formal wear at business meetings. It is necessary to realise that clothing plays a primary role in a business partner‘s assessment of your personality. The game is about trust, which is the most important ingredient of cooperation. The use of a tie is a big part of this. The tie has the same meaning when dressing for social events. These include balls, weddings, anniversary celebrations, dances, and others. Here, too, men pursue their goals - to look great, to affi rm their social status with elegant clothes, or to impress others. But, here too, they can encounter failure simply because they have somehow deviated from the rules. Well then, how would it be done correctly?

Currently, men‘s suits in shades of blue are very modern and popular. “For work, I would absolutely recommend a blue suit with a white shirt, brown shoes, and the right tie, to every man. Such an outfi t not only inspires trust, but also increases respect towards you. This will be especially appreciated by offi cials in contact with the public,“ says Denisa Vámoš Gróff ová, creative visionary of BANDI Menswear. It is also important to distinguish whether the manager participates in business meetings outside the offi ce or performs the duties within the company, with a team of colleagues. In a collective workspace, it is necessary to vary the choice of colours and patterns that go with a blue suit. This is true for both shirts and ties. If you do not do it, the people around could get the impression that you are wearing the same clothes and not taking care of yourself.

A timeless classic has been, is, and will continue to be, the men‘s black suit. It should be a part of every man‘s wardrobe due to its perfect elegance. The great advantage of the black suit is variability. It can be combined with men‘s fashion accessories in shades of graphite or dark blue. “Blue shades inspire trust and calmness; they are suitable for all social and life events. I highly recommend an outfi t consisting of a black suit and a dark-coloured shirt or tie for social events held in the evening or in winter. For example, balls,“ adds Denisa Vámoš Gróff ová.

On the other hand, the summer season is more than suitable for changing the colours of clothes. For example, for a wedding, colours such as light blue, grey, cream, and so on are appropriate for suits. The recommended colours for shirts with these suits are all soft colour shades. Except for