People & Opinions

He started at fifteen with a camera in his hand and a vision that the world has no limits. Today, he has collaborated with giants such as Microsoft and Allwyn and is behind the ambitious project Mindfall Protocol – the first Czech mid-length AI film. In this interview, NEWTON University graduate Gedeon Drapák shares his journey from the streets of Prague through London startups to the technologies reshaping the rules of the game. Why does he believe the future belongs to “vibe marketing,” and how did his studies help him realize that success is not only about skills, but also about connections and the courage to fail?

At a university fair, she was captivated by students dressed as pilots; today, she coaches top-tier managers and athletes. NEWTON alumna Juliana Potoczká talks about her journey from Brno to the prestigious Middlesex University in London, and why a managerial mindset is an unexpected competitive advantage in the field of health and fitness.

International experience, bridging the gap between theory and practice, and a fresh perspective on next-generation leadership. In this interview, Dušan Sameliak explains why modern management is not about textbook formulas, but about the courage to make decisions when reality lacks a clear-cut solution. Discover what companies truly expect from graduates today and why studying in English is the gateway to a broader perspective.

Changing your career direction after fifty is not stepping away from the stage. More often, it marks the beginning of a new chapter. Business mentor and investor Margareta Křížová shows that experience can be one of the greatest advantages in today’s labour market. And that the courage to start again may become one of the best investments in your future.

Originally from the United States, Rob Westbrook arrived in Central Europe to reconnect with his family’s Austrian heritage and eventually made Brno his long-term home. At NEWTON University he teaches much more than English or mathematics. His work focuses on nurturing critical thinking, intellectual curiosity and empathy in a new generation of students. In this interview, he reflects on why Brno became such a significant place for him, what gives NEWTON its distinctive sense of community, and why the human presence in teaching matters more than ever in an age defined by rapid technological change.

“Me first” sounds suspicious in leadership. Almost like admitting weakness, failure or a lack of integrity. We tend to admire leaders who endure more than others, push themselves to the limit, operate under long-term pressure and sacrifice themselves for the team. Yet this is exactly where one of the most harmful myths of modern leadership begins. Without the ability to put yourself first, you cannot carry responsibility for others in a sustainable, healthy or high-quality way.

In leadership, certainty rarely shows up in advance. Yet many people keep waiting for it: for more information, clearer instructions, calmer times, better conditions. The reality of leading is different. You have to act long before everything makes sense.

You don’t become a leader by promotion but by understanding. Only when you stop relying on authority and start listening do you realise that leadership isn’t about managing people, it’s about awakening them. We spoke with Assoc. Prof. Emil Velinov, guarantor of our MBA Strategic Leadership programme, about why being a manager is not enough and why the biggest transformations happen outside your comfort zone.

He left PowerPoint slides at the door. Instead, he brought artists, entrepreneurs, athletes and creators to NEWTON University – people whose stories opened a different world for students.