July 22, 2022
Study abroad in Prague - business, banking, and networking in the Czech Republic
by A’Briana McKinnon, MBA and hospitality management certification
We started our day with a quick tram ride to WPP, our first day’s visit. On the way there, I noted just how easy and efficient public transportation is here in Prague and all of the Czech Republic (CR). WPP is a communications company that houses over 12 business units. Among these are creative, media, research, customer relationship management, and public relations agencies. The firm represents many top brand-name clients, including IBM, Coke, and Microsoft. We met with David Lhota, who is the Country Manager at WPP. He escorted us around while showing us their laid-back yet efficient work environment. One of the attractive parts of the tour was the views from the balconies.
After WPP, we had some free time to explore the area and grab lunch. I chose to try a couple of recommendations given by our amazing host. First, I went to The Wild Chicken to sample their chicken wings. To my surprise, they were pretty good. It was a bit of a culture shock finding out the CR does not have either ranch or blue cheese dressing. Luckily, there was honey mustard! I also met with some of our group to try the Dim Sum Spot, which was absolutely delicious. The food was fresh, scrumptious, and inexpensive! I would definitely recommend it.
Lastly, we ventured to another area within the city, UniCredit Bank. Here we met several cyber security specialists, including head of security Vojtech Hajek. Vojtech and his colleagues were very informative on the topic of digital security. However, the trip’s highlight came from the amazing view at the top of the building [Insert Picture #4]. Employees of Unibank have the opportunity to enjoy this view every day.
This experience was professionally and personally beneficial for me. I gained tremendous knowledge about topics related to my field. However, the most important objective was to connect with significant people in my field and on an international level. This experience will definitely benefit me in the future.