Tímea Reicher is an Executive MBA graduate of the WU Executive Academy of the Vienna University of Economics and Business and University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management (USA). We talk about her career and how learning has always been a key part of her personal and professional development.

Tímea has been with SLOVNAFT, part of the MOL group of companies, for over 17 years and in the podcast she describes the various roles she has undertaken in that time. Again, Tímea emphasises the role learning has played in her career advancement, leading to her now being responsible for the company's ever-expanding retail division. Over the past 7 years under her management, the Retail Division has tripled the Petrol chain business's EBITDA to €87 Million.

SLOVNAFT Group is an integrated refinery-petrochemical group and Tímea has responsibility for the overall retail operations of the company in Slovakia. The most powerful company is SLOVNAFT, a.s. dealing mainly with refining in one of the most complex European refineries and with the wholesale, logistics and retail sale of motor fuels and non-fuel products. Other members of the Group are SLOVNAFT MONTÁŽE A OPRAVY a.s., SLOVNAFT TRANS a.s., VÚRUP, a.s., CM European Power Slovakia, s.r.o. and other companies. 

SLOVNAFT Group is one of the biggest investors in Slovakia. Its cumulative capital expenditure has amounted to nearly EUR 2 billion, on average, approx. EUR 120 million per year since the mid-1990's. SLOVNAFT operates the largest network of petrol/diesel filling stations in Slovakia. The company is a leader in Slovakia in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and corporate philanthropy, and the company significantly supports sport, culture, education, youth and the revitalizing of the environment.

Through their visionary mindset, Mol Group Retail and local countries have created a concept of the Fresh Corner Convenience store format which, apart from 272 Service Stations in Slovakia, is now operating in 9 countries throughout the Central and East European (CEE) region. One of the key strategic directions besides maintaining SLOVNAFT's strong position in fuel retailing, has been to transform the retail network into multi-purpose service stations and to shift from product-driven, to customer-driven operations. Therefore Tímea and her team introduced the aforementioned successful new retail concept Fresh Corner, SLOVNAFT's convenience brand encompassing top quality coffee, fresh food and everyday groceries and Fresh Corner restaurants.

Tímea also talks about her experiences of travelling abroad for work and study and the benefits these can bring. We discuss language learning, including the importance of learning English for international communications and the persistent challenges for women in leadership positions, including her innovative solution to childcare issues!

The general aim of the podcast series is to be entertaining for all listeners, as well as being educational, assisting upper-intermediate and advanced level English language students with additional listening practice. I've been told the podcasts are the perfect travelling companion for long car journeys, train rides and even for airplane adventures.

For more information on this podcast series, or to make any comments or to ask any questions relating to English Language learning, please contact me at ⁠[email protected]⁠

You might like to visit my LinkedIn profile at ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-scott-lawton/ ⁠or my company page at ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/john-scott-lawton-consulting/?viewAsMember=true⁠

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