LGBT Business Forum 2017: Diversity & Inclusion - Next Steps?

Pete Mercer

Pete Mercer is Head of Membership Programmes at the UK LGBT equality charity Stonewall. He leads a team to support a client portfolio of over 750 employers, advising them on workplace LGBT diversity and inclusion issues. This includes supporting those with a global footprint to ensure that their LGBT inclusion efforts are applied across global operations. Pete has also recently graduated from a part-time MA in International Studies and Diplomacy at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London – specialising in international LGBT rights norms.

Richard Hargas

Richard Hargas is a Senior Manager in Slovak Accenture practice, currently covering the role Technology Senior Delivery Lead for Telecommunications industry. He manages complex programs for Accenture telco clients mainly in Central Europe; with his SME roles and projects taking him as far as the Middle East. He often represents local Accenture practice on various forums' discussions on inclusion and diversity, employees' engagement, corporate social responsibility and related topics.

In Bratislava he co-chairs the local internal employee's LGBTI resource group and drives the activities aiming for inclusive working environment with open communication. He is also involved in Accenture's local Ethics & Compliance office.

In private he enjoys travelling, photography and culinary art - both tasting and cooking.

Lucia Skraková

Lucia Skrakova is working at Accenture’s office in Bratislava in HR Program management position. Since 2005 she has held various project delivery and management positions in Accenture, transferring to HR in 2015.

Her current role is to drive regional activities in the area of employees’ engagement, inclusion and diversity and corporate social responsibility.

She is passionately supports all Girls to STEM initiatives and equal treatment in general. In her current role she has brought attention to topics such as support to women returning to work after maternity leave, equal benefits to all minorities, prevention of mental health issues and others.

She is an avid reader and mother of 2 dragons.

Marek Novotný

Marek Novotný studied International Relations at Charles University in Prague and Sciences Politiques in Paris. In addition, he holds a Euro-master certificate for conference interpreters in Slovak, French and English.

He has joined IBM in Bratislava in 2010 and now is on the position of Learning Consultant & Trainer for the IBM Client Innovation Centers in Europe since mid-2016.

Since 2012, he actively contributes to EAGLE (Employee Alliance for LGBT Empowerment) Business Resource Group at IBM in Slovakia where he took over the Leader role in 2016. He also supported DiversityPRO, a Slovak based NGO dedicated to LGBT Diversity and Inclusion, mainly with fundraising and communication with Embassies.

He lives with his partner in Bratislava.

Eva Šalamounová

Eva Salamounova has studied Faculty of Social Science at Masaryk University in Brno.

She worked in several Recruitment agencies and in 1998 she joined IKEA.

She has started in IKEA store in Brno as a Human Resource Manager. Later on she moved to Service Office part of IKEA based in Prague, where she created and implemented HR processes for Czech, Hungary and Slovak. She has been also part of many IKEA global projects, focusing on IKEA culture and values and co- workers conditions. She has been responsible for co-worker relations and European Working Council.

Eva is now member of Talent team, taking care for talent and development of each and every co-worker and promoting strong IKEA culture and values.

Eva is also ambassador for globally launched Diversity and Inclusion approach, securing that this approach is spread, known and accepted among all 3 500 coworkers in Czech Hungary and Slovak. Eva has a passion for people, she helps teams and individuals to develop and grow.

Paula Jójárt

Paula Jójárt is freelancing gender trainer and consultant. She dealt with issues such as volunteering, LGBTI parenting, history of LGBTI activism, social inclusion and gender mainstreaming in development cooperation and public services. Her training experience is matched with consultancy skills aimed at support for programming and project implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Her longest work experience is with United Nations, namely UNDP Bratislava Regional Center and abroad for UNIFEM Skopje, later knows as UN Women Skopje. She is one of the members of Board of Director of Slovak Czech Womens Fund. She co-operates with several human rights and women’s rights NGOs.

Martin Kuchta

Martin Kuchta is the New Business Developer in the European urban hub Noizz.sk which is a part of the multimedia publishing house Ringier Axel Springer. He is responsible for developing native strategies all the way from idea making, through optimization, to final execution. The result is added value content for users delivered through the right mix of digital channels.

At the same time, Martin also applies his practical and professional knowledge in educational and research processes within the doctoral studies at the Economic University in Bratislava. Since the beginning of his studies he has published a number of research papers focused on digital marketing area and has taken part in several research projects.

Before he started to work in his current position he worked as a Digital Coordinator for a digital and later also a media agency. His primary focus was on development, optimization and reporting of digital strategies of global as well as local brands such as Heineken, Samsung, OMV, Imperator, Mondelez, Innogy, H&M etc.