Ondrej Soska chosen to design concept of Czech presence at EXPO 2025
On 27 April 2022, an evaluation committee comprising representatives of ministries*, the Government Office, business and the expert public selected the winning proposal for the Czech participation in the upcoming World EXPO 2025 in Osaka. Its author is an experienced manager Ondřej Soška, who will now be entrusted with the preparation of a detailed conceptual proposal.
"EXPO 2025 will be significantly different from the world exhibitions in Milan or Dubai, which were visited mainly by visitors from Western countries. In the case of Osaka, the organisers expect more than 85 per cent of the estimated 28 million visitors to be Japanese. Most of the remaining people will be from the Asia-Pacific region," says Ondřej Soška.
He wants to present the Czech Republic as a modern place for study, business and investment. According to his plans, the National Pavilion will be designed as a celebration of Czech talent, creativity and empathy. He was inspired by his study stay in Japan and his attendance at the world exhibitions in Dubai and Milan.
Ondřej Soška is a manager with more than 20 years of experience in the private and public sector. Focused on business strategy development, international business and managing multicultural teams, he has gained experience in Europe, the USA, the Middle and Far East. For more than nine years he worked for Preciosa Lighting, a leading international glass manufacturer. Soška is a founding member of the Czech Business Council in Dubai, an association of Czech companies, entrepreneurs and managers operating in the Middle East region, where he served as Vice President from 2014 to 2020.
Soška graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Coventry University (UK) and a Master's degree in Economics and Management from Silesian University in Opava (CZ). He also spent a semester at J. F. Oberlin University in Tokyo, Japan. He is fluent in English and has a basic knowledge of German and Japanese.
* Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Regional Development and Ministry of Agriculture