We spoke with Jakub Malovaný, who serves as the project and PR manager of the Tomáš Baťa Foundation and is also the author of several books.
Can you briefly introduce the Tomáš Baťa Foundation and its main mission?
The Tomáš Baťa Foundation, established in the 1990s by Tomáš Baťa Jr., proudly preserves and promotes the timeless legacy of the Baťa philosophy across society. We create an environment where the cultural and entrepreneurial worlds come together. We build on the philosophy of Tomáš Baťa, who viewed human society as a complex whole with many facets. We support culture, education, community life, interest groups, and the activities of young people with a desire to create. All of this happens through discussions, themed lectures, workshops, seminars, exhibitions, and regular publishing activities.
What values and ideas of Tomáš Baťa do you consider the most relevant for today?
I take a complex view. Over the years, Tomáš Baťa developed a well-thought-out philosophy aimed at restoring people’s pride, relationship to work, and courage to transform themselves. This philosophy is timeless, fascinating, and mostly very simple, as it’s based on common sense. It’s important to understand that Baťa’s entrepreneurial success wasn’t a result of luck or coincidence, but of continuous effort. He learned to understand people—their opportunities, fears, and desires. He never judged a person by their wealth, but by their courage and determination to work. He followed the core belief that courage is half of success. He understood that you must first build yourself and become someone worth following—whether you want to inspire your colleagues, friends, or society.
What personally led you to the foundation, and what is your role as a project and PR manager?
I was lucky. During my work in publishing, I once did an interview with Gabriela Končitíková, the current director of the foundation, who mentioned that they were expanding their team. That immediately caught my attention. Tired of the daily news routine at a commercial TV station, I felt I wanted something different from my professional life—something more. Being part of the “Baťa” team sounded appealing. It was a challenge. I wanted to contribute—at least a little—to my hometown and region and be part of something meaningful, with a deeper purpose and plenty of room for creative expression. I’m responsible for preparing all the flagship projects of the foundation, as well as newer initiatives that started after I joined—like our regular cultural and social event called “Evening Tea,” which quickly became a favorite among people in Zlín. I also handle media relations, partnerships, and take care of our social media.
Your foundation collaborates with the Z101 Expedition. Can you tell us how this collaboration began and what it specifically involves?
As is often the case, major projects are born from small, seemingly ordinary moments—and that was also true with the Z101 Expedition. When Tomáš Vaňourek sent us a photograph of a Baťa factory in Africa, it immediately caught our attention, and we started thinking about how to explore its potential further. Fortunately, we have strong relationships both with the Baťa family and the global leadership of the company, so we managed to arrange filming directly within the local Baťa complex.And it didn’t stop there. From Limuru, Kenya, the Z101 Expedition continued on to Lusaka in Zambia and Gweru in Zimbabwe, producing fantastic and, above all, authentic reports that show how Baťa’s philosophy continues to be lived in Africa. It’s a fascinating testimony. We’re currently working on a documentary film that will place the entire story into a historical context—showing viewers just how timeless Baťa truly was. It will also help audiences in Africa and India understand that Baťa is genuinely ours—that he came from Zlín and Czechoslovakia, not from their own countries, as many mistakenly believe.
The Z101 Expedition follows in the footsteps of legendary Czech travelers Hanzelka and Zikmund. In what way do you think this project resonates with the philosophy of Tomáš Baťa?
In the work of the Z101 Expedition, we see the courage to create, to explore, to grow, to overcome daily challenges, to seek new paths, to bring value to society, and—last but not least—to educate others. These are all principles championed by Tomáš Baťa, and they were just as close to the hearts of Jiří Hanzelka and Miroslav Zikmund.
What challenges did you face during your collaboration with the Z101 Expedition, and what has this cooperation brought you?
At the moment, I can’t recall any major challenges—this question would probably be better answered by Tomáš Vaňourek and Linda Piknerová, who were out in the field. We were supporting the operation from Zlín, helping the two adventurers with necessary formalities, providing essential contacts, and supplying historical materials to help them better understand the context of the project. Anyway, this collaboration once again confirmed for us what a visionary Tomáš Baťa truly was. In the countries where he built factories, he didn’t exploit—he enriched. His approach to international work was always grounded in the idea that business must be mutually beneficial. He understood that countries where Baťa wanted to operate also needed to be developed. That’s why, as I’ve mentioned before, in places like Africa and India, people consider Baťa as one of their own—because that factory truly is “theirs.”
Do you see future opportunities for the Tomáš Baťa Foundation to collaborate with similar projects?
Collaboration is key. We are always happy to support various initiatives—not just those related to travel—and we’re eager to engage in all kinds of partnerships, as long as they make deeper sense to us. That also means we are very selective when it comes to choosing our partners—or collaborators, if we speak in Baťa terms. We not only uphold all the Baťa values, but we also carefully ensure that the Baťa name is treated with respect and integrity.
What would you like to say to our readers regarding the legacy of Tomáš Baťa, the Z101 Expedition, or the general support of similar projects?
Follow your dreams, no matter how small they may seem. It might sound like a cliché, but from my own experience, I can confirm that it truly works. There’s a lot of truth in Tomáš Baťa’s famous quotes, such as “The world belongs to the bold” and “Enthusiasm gives wings,” and it doesn’t matter what each of us is pursuing. The most important thing is to do things honestly, joyfully, humbly, and patiently. Sooner or later, the results will come.
Author: Šárka Kmínková
