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A different approach to the real estate scene

Knight Frank's Zdeňka Klapalová is among the city's rising female power players

By Kathleen Kralowec
For The Prague Post
May 16th, 2007 issue

VLADIMÍR WEISS/THE PRAGUE POST
Managing Director and Partner Zdeňka Klapalová says fate and hard work are the two things that helped get her where she is today.
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Zdeňka Klapalová has fond memories of her days doing mathematical models first as a student and then as an instructor at the Prague University of Economics. Perhaps she would still be there today if she hadn’t made the choice to turn her theory into practice and step into the fast-paced world of international real estate.
Knight Frank, s.r.o.

Václavské nám. 1
Prague 1
Tel.: 224 217 762
Web: www.knightfrank.com

As a managing director and partner at one of Europe’s major property consultancy firms — Knight Frank — Klapalová finds herself in a unique position. Not only is she at the top of the game, she’s also a distinct member of the Prague business market’s rising female power players.  
Klapalová seems humbled by the distinction.
“It’s true that, in business, one can assume men will dominate a little bit. But I feel really good doing what I am doing,” she says, quickly adding that “there are many women doing very well” in the Czech business arena.
While Klapalová admits that her climb up the ladder hasn’t always been a cakewalk, she says she has enjoyed every step.  
“I can say that if I didn’t find what I’m doing enjoyable, I wouldn’t have been doing it for so long,” she says. “I don’t think being a woman is any handicap.”
Her colleagues readily agree.
“She has a different way of solving issues, a different approach. We’ve never had a conflict in all the seven years we’ve been directing the company together, so I think this is unique,” says Přemysl Chaloupka, Knight Frank’s other managing director.
Klapalová says it was a combination of fate and extensive work experience that helped land her a job at the UK-based company. After graduating from the Prague University of Economics, she became a lecturer in the university’s management theory department. From there, Klapalová packed her bags and headed west, taking a position with the Scottish branch of Ryden, another leading European consultancy firm.
“It was such a great opportunity in the early ’90s to go to the UK and become a consultant; to see things working in the field rather than only in theory,” Klapalová explains.
Klapalová was eventually put in charge of helping to established Ryden’s presence in Prague, which was gaining interest from foreign investors.
In 2000, Ryden’s Prague branch was taken over by Knight Frank, as part of its expansion plan into Central and Eastern Europe. Klapalová and Chaloupka were named the company’s two directors.
The firm provides consultation and research services for residential and commercial clients, including ČSOB, Komerční banka, Česká spořitelna, Telefonica O2 and Erstea corporate finance.
Jonathan Fothergill, a partner and head of investments at Prague’s Knight Frank office, adds that the company’s relationships with such big names are part of its growing reputation, both here and abroad.
“The perception of us is that we have strong connections to local institutions,” he says.
Klapalová echoes this statement. “The company has been historically known as the No. 1 residential consultancy company in the UK,” Klapalová says. “However, we are also more and more active in the commercial sphere, so our main activities are well-balanced.”
Many clients applaud Klapalová’s leadership skills.
Paul Bouček, efficiency program manager at Česká spořitelna, says Klapalová has a very client-centric business approach.
“I find her refreshing compared with other Czech real estate brokers, who are mostly concerned about their profit rather than the client’s best interest,” Bouček says. “Her ethical standard based on our dealings is higher than the Czech market norm.”
Roman Čulík, director of central services for ČSOB, describes his experience working with Klapalová as “fruitful.”
“Knight Frank managed the sales of our buildings portfolio within the last few years. They were excellent transactions, and Ms. Klapalová was the leader in these transactions,” Čulík says. “We are pleased to cooperate with [this company].”

Kathleen Kralowec can be reached at specialsection@praguepost.com


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