Karel Havlíček (born 16 August 1969) is a Czech economist, manager, university teacher and politician. In the government of Andrej Babiš, appointed by President Petr Pavel on 15 December 2025, he is First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade.[1][2]*
Education
In 1992 he graduated from the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague. He obtained an MBA from the Prague International Business School in 1998 and a doctorate from the Faculty of Business Administration of the Prague University of Economics and Business in 2004. In 2014 he was habilitated as associate professor at the university's Faculty of Finance and Accounting.[1]
Career
From 2001 he worked for the Sindat industrial group, first as sales director and from 2008 to 2019 as chief executive, managing director and co-owner.[1] From 2001 to 2010 he was vice-chairman and from 2010 to 2019 chairman of the board of the Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Crafts of the Czech Republic.[1] From 2012 to 2019 he was dean of the Faculty of Economic Studies of the University of Finance and Administration, which he founded.[1] From 2014 he was a member and from 2018 to 2022 vice-chairman of the Government Council for Research, Development and Innovation.[1]
Politics
From 2019 to 2021 he was Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy. He has also served as Minister of Industry and Trade and Minister of Transport.[1] He is the author of the innovation strategy Czech Republic: The Country for the Future.[1] From 2021 to 2025 he was a member and vice-chairman of the Chamber of Deputies, first vice-chairman of the ANO movement and head of its shadow government. He prepared the economic strategy Česko: Země pro budoucnost 2.0.[1]
Pages linking here
Sources
- Vláda České republiky
- Vláda České republiky — 15 December 2025